Things to Get Rid of That You Won’t Miss
Do you live in a house filled with clutter? If you do, you probably feel like you’re helplessly drowning or can’t think straight with all the mess that’s piled up. Have you thought about the things to get rid of that you won’t miss in your home? You’ve probably said, “there’s just too much junk in my house!”
You don’t have to live like this anymore. Even if you’re not 100% on board with the idea of being a minimalist, there are baby steps you can take. We want you to focus on the little things that you won’t miss once they’re gone.
After you’ve done this you might be surprised at how much less “stuff” you have, and that’s a good thing! Here are several objects and clutter that you probably have lying around that can be trashed. If there is too much stuff in your house, it’s time to let it go.
What’s Your Excuse for Holding Onto Stuff?
Most people find themselves holding onto clutter because they believe that somewhere down the road they will need it again. Everyone is guilty of this, to some extent. How about considering borrowing it from a neighbor or friend, instead of allowing it to rust and take up space?
Do these Items Serve a Purpose?
If you’re having difficulty in knowing where to start with decluttering your home, ask yourself, “Does this item still serve a purpose?” If you answer this question honestly you’ll be surprised how quickly that trash bag fills up. It’s important to know the difference between sentimental items and junk.
Items Broken or Missing Pieces
If you’re like some people, do you hold onto junk that’s broken or missing pieces? They no longer can perform the same tasks, but we give them a blind-eye every so often. Let’s be honest, it’s time to toss them out. It might be time to call up a professional organizer or a junk removal service.
Household Clutter
Let’s take a look at everyday things around your home to give you a better idea of where to get started. Here are a number of items to consider throwing out. Don’t you want to have a clutter-free house? You don’t need a larger home, you just need to learn how to organize or to donate or sell.
What to Get Rid of Stuff in the Bedroom
Unworn Clothing
Take inventory of your closet. I would guess that around ⅓ of the clothing in your closet has hung there for over a year untouched. Whether it’s worn out, too small, or you just don’t look right in it, why is it still taking up residence at that address? Grab some cardboard boxes and create a keep pile and a donate pile.
Old Shoes
Do you have any old, sweaty-smelling, worn-out shoes sitting in your closet? You won’t miss them, I can assure you.
Worn Out Socks and Underwear
Maybe you find yourself putting on old discolored underwear or holey socks. Why? You have plenty of other pairs to choose from. If not, buy a new pack that’s far more comfortable and supportive.
Damaged Luggage or Backpacks
This goes for damaged luggage or backpacks with broken zippers or worn-out fabric or wheels.
Blankets and Sheets Long-Expired
Blankets and sheets with holes or faded fabric sitting in your closet take up huge space. Get rid of them.
What Stuff to Get Rid of in the Bathroom
Worn-Out Hand towels or Wash Clothes
Throw away any nasty towels or wash clothes that you’d be embarrassed to present to a guest staying over at your home.
Old Make-Up
Make-up that you no longer wear, or that is at the end of the road can be chucked. Maybe you have dried up bottles of nail polish, discard them.
Nearly Empty Product Bottles
It’s amazing how many products you’ll get rid of with this method. Are there products nearly empty that have been in your bathroom for eons?
What to Get Rid of in the Kitchen
Cracked or Chipped Dishes
More than likely, you already have too many dishes and cups in your cupboard. Get rid of the cracked or chipped dishes since you don’t use them anyway.
Containers without Lids & Other Junk
Containers without lids are the worst. You can’t do a whole lot with them, so why keep them? Now is a great time to look in your junk drawer and throw out stuff you don’t need. Oh yes, and toss those cooking utensils you no longer want/need.
Expired Medicine
Expired medication no longer performing up to par should be thrown out.
Long Expired Pantry Goods
Dig deep to the back of your pantry. There you’ll find plenty of way out of date canned goods and boxed items. Throw it out! You’re never going to eat it anyway.
Expired Refrigerated Goods
Notice a rotting smell coming from the refrigerator? Gross! Purge-it while weeding out expired foods.
What to Get Rid of in the Living Room
Old Magazines
Magazines, envelopes, and old papers lying around are among some of the most obnoxious clutter in homes. You won’t miss it, so pitch it.
Board games and Puzzles Missing Pieces
You might be able to get rid of about half your board games and puzzles this way. A puzzle with a missing piece will never be a masterpiece, so why is that box in your living room closet?
Dvd’s, Cd’s or Cassettes You’ll Never Listen to or Watch Again
Who honestly still listens to CD’s or cassettes anymore? You probably even have DVD’s or VCR tapes that are pretty crummy movies not worth watching again. It’s time to say goodbye to Kenny G on tape.
Old Remotes
Are there remotes still in your home that you have no idea what they went to? Bye-bye!
Anything Collecting Dust
Besides pictures of loved ones, do you have decor or trinkets collecting dust in your living room? Don’t fool yourself, it doesn’t look good. Keep the ones that give you true joy, chuck the other stuff.
What to Get Rid of in the Children’s Room
Broken Toys
While your child is at school toss out any toys that are broken, or that you know they don’t play with anymore. I promise you, they won’t even notice. They might even be able to find their favorite toys easier this way.
Clothing that No Longer Fits
If you’re planning on not having any more children, or finally come to the realization that your child isn’t going to shrink all snuggly back into that adorable outfit, donate it.
What to Get Rid of in the Garage
Unused Chemicals or Cleaners
Most garages are filled with chemicals, spray cans, and cleaners that just sit there. You know what to do to safely get rid of them.
Paint Cans
Are there multiple paint cans in the garage that you’re hanging onto for dear life for some strange reason? Safely dispose of it or find a way to have it recycled.
Call your local landfill department to see when you can donate partially used cans of paint, paint spray cans, or anything we don’t want in the landfill. My county does it twice a year at no cost.
Home Equipment/Repair Parts
The task has been completed inside your home, but for some reason there are parts and equipment left over in the garage that you’re clinging to. Take my advice, let it go. If you did borrow the item, be sure to return it to its rightful owner!
These are several items around the house that you won’t miss when they’re gone. If you’ve recently decluttered your home, or are an expert at tossing out junk, what other items are easy to part with?
Final Word
After you have done all this hard work it’s important to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Not having any things to get rid of that you won’t miss in your home is a really good feeling! Remember, you don’t need a storage unit or a family member to hold your stuff, you need self-discipline.
We can do this, I promise. Keep your preps, but get rid of the things you will never use. May God bless this world, Linda
I cut old blankets to usable sizes, stitch the edges & donate to local animal shelters. Same with towels that have seen better days.
Hi Linda, great idea! The animal shelters can use these for sure! Linda
Funny thing, Linda~ I was going through a craft box the other day and found something that totally did not belong in crafts!! It was a charging cord for something! Heaven only knows what it belongs to! So, I went around and found all of my chargeable items (phone, nook, kindle, laptop, camera) and it didn’t fit anything! So, I got rid of it. Now, well I have been doing this for some time, I put a tag on every charging cord I have. I label the tag with what it belongs to.
Oh and the craft box, well, I think I could get rid of some of that but I still have young grandkids (8, 7, 5, 1) so when they visit, I can get that box out and let them go to town on crafting! AND the crafts and drawings they leave behind – I keep them for a while (a couple of months) then I take photos of them and get rid of them. If the kiddos ask about the craft they made for me, I explain that I enjoyed it for a few months but because I live in such a tiny space, I just cannot keep them. Then I show them the photos so they know that I still enjoy what they have made.
When it comes to clothing, a few years ago I made the decision to keep my clothing under control. If I purchase something that gets hung in the closet, something has to come out and go in the donate bag. It keeps me from having way too many clothes.
I have pretty well switched over from paper towels/napkins to cloth. I went to Ikea and purchased some of the dishtowels (I think last time I was there a couple months ago, they were $0.79 each) cut them in half and hemmed the cut edge. They work so well. I also ran across 3 t-shirts a while back that had family logo on them. I didn’t just want to give them to charity because of the logo but I also was not going to wear them again. So, I cut the logo off to add to a t-shirt quilt I have been making, and cut the rest of the t-shirts up into “rag” sizes, used my serger and rough hemmed them. These are what I mop up spills with, wash mirrors/windows with, etc. I actually like them better.
Hi Leanne, oh yeah we need to keep the crafts that the grandkids will use. They look forward to doing that. I like your photo idea of the kids crafts. Love it, Linda
leanne long,
I’ve been doing this systematically for a decade or 2.
When I get any new gadget I do three things immediately.
1. I label the charging / power cord along with the associated wall wart power supply if relevant.
2. I find the pdf manual online and tuck it into a specific directory (folder for you windows folks) where it can be easily found and takes up no physical space.
3. The physical manual goes into a large drawer that gets sorted through and has decluttering applied about once per year, tossing out unneeded paper manuals
I wish I could say this takes care of all of the clutter; but, it doesn’t, although it helps.
Perhaps our biggest problem is living in one place, a large house for the past 35 years.
Hi Ohio Prepper, great comment, I have a label maker and I label everything because I know I will forget what that cord goes to. 35 years in one home is a very long time. I love hearing this! Linda
Linda,
We don’t have a label maker so for cords and wall warts we use the Green Masking tape that sticks to anything; but, removes cleanly with no residue since it’s designed for paint masking on things like drywall or glass.
For storage we’ve pretty much standardized on the Sterilite, 7 Qt./6.6 L Latching Boxes we label with index cards along with bankers boxes. The banker’s boxes are stored on metal shelving units and all boxes are inventoried and tracked in a spreadsheet. If you have Aldi’s in your area, they generally have some great inexpensive metal shelving units in the spring (April?) and sometimes in the fall (September).
It is and is in part just pure luck. When my wife & I married in 1982, I moved into the rental house where she had lived for years. Two years later we were asked to find another place to live, since the owner had a son who had graduated high school and needed a place to live, at which point we found this place, where another neighbor and family were just moving out to be with his mother after the passing of his father. Two years later (1986) the owner of the property who was in a nursing home, passed away and this place came on the market at a price we could afford. They actually showed the property to a few potential buyers; but, it had no furnace (only wood heat) and needed some repairs. Living here for 2 years we knew the problems of a typical fixer upper and were able to close the deal.
The property has the house, two large barns (post & bean, mortise & tenon construction), a machinery shed (our garage) and a chicken coop. We have a good well and a creek running along one side. It’s perfect and the reason we’re here after all those years.
Hi Ohio Prepper, thanks for sharing the history of attaining your property. What a blessing that was! I like the tip on the green tape! Great comment! Linda
Ohio Prepper ~
It is amazing how much we collect. I live in a small apartment and periodically, I have to go through things to downsize a bit. I am now replacing my Christmas tree for something much smaller. Living single, I suppose I could dispose of decorations altogether but I do still like to decorate for the holidays. So, I found a really small table top tree that is prelit and I am getting rid of the bigger tree which is also table top (about a 3 1/2 foot tree) and all of the lights and a few of the larger tree decorations and a large bin!
I recall a Rubbermaid commercial that the family organized their stuff in the garage. Once it was organized, they said, “We need more stuff!!” Sometimes that is the way it goes!
Hi Leanne, great comment! Linda
I do crafts with the grandchildren, but I made the mistake of telling my friend. Now everytime she visits she brings me bags of craft supplies, which is thoughtful, but now I don’t have room for all that stuff! Some of it has to go!
Hi Diane, that is so thoughtful of her. I got the giggles picturing adding her stuff to your stuff. Best comment ever! Linda
What’s Your Excuse for Holding Onto Stuff?
I hate to say this; but, the wife is our biggest culprit, since she’s the person in the house who has those sentimental feelings about too many things; but, we’re finally, slowly working through this.
Actually there are some things that we keep on hand for this reason, primarily since we are the bug out location for many friends and family; however, we do evaluate things we keep to make sure there are no good alternatives already on hand.
Do these Items Serve a Purpose?
This one really needs to have a time frame with it, since being prepared for nearly anything can easily justify keeping all manner of things
There is a big difference between ”Junk” and potentially useful ”Junque”. As a retired engineer, there are things other engineer friends would find useful; but, the wife considers ”Junk”.
Items Broken or Missing Pieces
This also depends on what pieces may be harvested for other projects; but, in any case, these things need to be organized, inventoried, and labeled.
Remember that good preparedness should use the motto:”Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose” and some of these things can be used for purposes other than originally intended.
Household Clutter
Unworn Clothing
Donate them to a local Goodwill or shelter.
Old Shoes
I’ll admit that sometimes we’ll pull the old shoe string if they are still in good shape; but, old shoes are otherwise just trash.
Maybe you find yourself putting on old discolored underwear or holey socks. Why? You have plenty of other pairs to choose from. If not, buy a new pack that’s far more comfortable and supportive.
Damaged Luggage or Backpacks
We’re guilty of fixing luggage to a point; but, old backpacks can often be donated to a local Boy Scout troop, since often boys who cannot afford them will appreciate them and you know they’ll be well used.
Blankets and Sheets Long-Expired
The cotton ones I use for charcloth and old blankets when vacuum packed can take up less space and be used for emergencies, like in a vehicle kit.
What Stuff to Get Rid of in the Bathroom
Worn-Out Hand towels or Wash Clothes
Once again you can make charcloth or they can be sewn or knotted together for outside animal bedding for one last use before discarding.
Old Make-Up
I am lucky here in that the wife only uses nail polish and eye liner, so no abundance of that here.
Nearly Empty Product Bottles
We keep them around, until the new bottle has been used to make enough room for the bit left in the old bottle that is then drained, washed, and recycled. It’s a shame that we can’t take old bottles back to be refilled like we do with gasoline, kerosene or propane, since many products cost less than the bottle in which they are shipped.
What to Get Rid of in the Kitchen
Expired Medicine
Thrown out? Perhaps discarded, since trashing them may contaminate the environment, so medication should be disposed of properly, often at you local pharmacy or recycling center.
Long Expired Pantry Goods
We don’t store those things in the pantry or cupboard.
Boxed goods like cereals are set out in the open on wire shelving units where everything may be seen and easily accessed. When I’m hungry, I can look over the cereals to pick one, and since there are often several boxes of the same kind, it’s easy to find the one that is already open.
For canned goods, one of our best investments was a set of the Shelf Reliance Cansolidators that set on those same wire shelving units in the kitchen as the boxes. These units keep all of the cans organized, available, contained, and allows easy rotation. Sometimes when I’m hungry I’ll just pull out a can of soup or other food, one at a time, and put it back into the unit, until I find one I like.
Expired Refrigerated Goods
We’ve actually never had this, since I rummage through the fridge several times a day looking for leftovers or snacks. I don’t eat as much as graze.
What to Get Rid of in the Living Room
Old Magazines
We don’t subscribe to any magazines; but, do get some as members of organizations. For instance, as a life member of the NRA I get a monthly magazine; but, have opted for the digital version, so I have a complete collection of magazine stored on a computer as pdf files.
Many organizations now offer this option that is worth checking out.
Board games and Puzzles Missing Pieces
Those were all gone long ago. Games when played are now on a computer, tablet, or a simple deck of cards.
Dvd’s, Cd’s or Cassettes You’ll Never Listen to or Watch Again
I actually do, in part because our high speed internet is only 5 Mbps so while streaming works, it doesn’t work well. Another of the joys of country living.
I do, I do!! We have all of the classic Disney on VHS along with several players.
Those are however stored in a nice cabinat purpose built for Tapes & CD’s.
Old Remotes
All gone with the equipment; but, we do have a few universal learning remotes that work with everything.
Anything Collecting Dust
Nick Knacks? Other than a few Hummel figurines that were gifts, we don’t have such things that we just consider more unneeded clutter.
What to Get Rid of in the Children’s Room
Our youngest left for college 10 years ago and much of her room has been discarded except for the bed and dressers; but, I had to fight with the wife for most of it, since she wants those memories of that little girl.
Clothing that No Longer Fits
Mostly donated or scrapped.
What to Get Rid of in the Garage
Unused Chemicals or Cleaners
Alll gone; but, be sure to dispose of them correctly. Most jurisdictions have a recycling center or a hazmat day to turn in such things.
Home Equipment/Repair Parts
Unless you rent, much of this can be useful, for keeping your homestead in repair, since things always need a little work. It should however be inventoried and stored in some organized fashion. Our granary, the smaller of the 2 barns, has a shop on the 2nd floor with enough leftover material to valid a small house, complete with wiring and plumbing. When I need a part for a project, I generally head there first.
All of this being said, our biggest problem is we are collectors and have been collecting in this one spot for 35 years. For those who move from place to place more often, this doesn’t seem to be as big a problem since they are forced to sort things as they pack.
Hi Ohio Prepper, wow, I loved reading your comment! You nailed it on so many things! Linda
I had to laugh at your comment about remotes. “Bye-bye!”
LOL!!!
We have soooo many remotes, egad! Time to chuck them out!
Hi Amy, I love watching the show “Tidying Up” on Netflix. It inspires us to get rid of stuff that we really don’t need. The less stuff we have, the less stuff we have to take care of. Linda
Oh I’ll have to check out that show!
Let’s see if I can find the correct remote for Netflix…