There’s an easy way to live an organised life! It’s time to disown or discard the things you don’t need anymore.
The Benefits of Decluttering
Decluttering your home physically can also declutter the mind. Although organising and decluttering is an easy feat for some, there are certain people who struggle with this. Have a look at our list of items you can easily get rid of or repurpose.
#1 Clothing and shoes
Do you have a closet full of clothes? Most people don’t wear all the clothes they own. Look through your closet and find any old clothes you haven’t worn during the last 12 months. You can also get rid of any clothes you think are out of style. In terms of shoes, keep only a few of the basics for every season and occasion. Donate any shoes or clothes you don’t wear anymore.
#2 Old paints
The typical garage may contain gallons of paint cans that are either empty, with a dwindling amount of paint or with paints that have turned solid. You have no use for these! Next time you are going to have a paint project, buy only the exact amount of paint you think you will be needing and trash the unused cans.
#3 Receipts, bills
You may have a drawer full of useless papers containing old receipts, bills and letters. These papers are an eyesore and just add to the clutter of your home. To avoid these papers accumulating, throw them in the trash after paying them off or after you have read them. Keep only the most important ones.
#4 Drawer contents
Let go of any junk items you’ve thrown in random drawers. This stuff can build up until the drawer is full. Either sort through them (not a recommended option) or just throw them in the can if you know it’s not important.
#5 Books
If you are a book lover, you may have piles of books everywhere in your house. If you’ve read them all and don’t have any plans to read them again, why not donate these books to schools or charities to raise funds? Only select a few you want to keep in your display.
Also, if you have old school books, it’s not practical to keep them in the house any longer. They may hold some sentimental value but letting them go is best for your organising and your mental health as well.
#6 Medicines
Check your medicine cabinet. Chances are, there are medicines and vitamins that have already expired or you may no longer have any need for some of them. Throw away these meds as you might mistakenly take them in the future.
#7 Mugs
Open your cupboard. How many mugs do you have? One, two, three, ten? How many of them have chips or cracks? If they hold no sentimental value, simply throw them away since they are taking up space in your cupboard.
#8 Lost earrings
Every girl has some fancy jewellery in her closet. It’s also likely that some of this jewellery is missing. If you’ve lost one half of a pair of earrings, for example, and they weren’t too expensive, throw away the remaining lone earring. There’s no use holding on to it for another year in hopes of finding the other earring.
#9 Holiday cards
Only keep cards from close friends or loved ones. Discard the rest before they take up too much space in your house.
#10 Magazines
Like books, magazines can clutter your house. Magazines come out in issues every month, so last month’s issue is obsolete. If you like certain articles or pictures, cut them out but don’t keep the entire magazine.
#11 CDs
Do you have old CDs that are scratched beyond playing quality? Maybe it’s time to let them go and get some new ones.
#12 Power cords
Every time you purchase a new electronic device, you may get a new USB cord. If you’ve got the same brand for most of your devices, you can probably find a universal USB cord to use for all of them.
You can start sorting through your cords and find the ones that are still usable. If you have duplicate chargers and cords, try selling them online or giving them to friends who need them.
#13 Spices
Spices can grow stale. Check their expiry date and chuck out the old ones in case you accidentally use it one day.
#14 Old makeup and toiletries
Make-up also has a lifespan. If you look closely on the packaging, you should be able to see a small label that states how many months the make-up should be kept for. Most make-up products should be thrown out after 12 or 24 months. You shouldn’t keep them more than their lifespan to avoid allergies and irritation.
#15 Old gadgets
Upgraded your phone lately? Maybe you should consider selling your old phones and other gadgets you don’t use anymore.
#16 Toys
Simply sort through old toys and throw away those that are not played with. It is best to do this with the kids.
#17 Perfume and cologne
Got perfume or cologne as gifts? Big chance is you may not like the scent or have simply fallen out of love with it. You can give it away or include it in a sale.
#18 Rugs
You don’t need many rugs in your house. You only need two or three reliable ones to decorate your home. And when they get old, discard them.
#19 Beauty appliances
You might own a hairdryer, curling iron, straightening iron, facial massager, etc! All of these appliances can crowd your bathroom. Narrow it down to a dryer and an all in one curler and straightener and your good to go.
#20 Figurines
Figurines and souvenirs may seem cute at first, but when the entertainment starts to wear off they are just another thing adding to the clutter in your house. If you don’t have a huge space for display, try to sort them out and simply choose some that are too hard to let go.
#21 Furniture
Furniture is the major “crowder” in a house. Narrow down your furniture to a few key items and learn how to decorate and plan a room smartly.
#22 Pillows
You only need a few pillows to use at a time so why store so many more in your closet? Choose your fluffiest and most comfortable ones and simply let them stay. Donate old ones and free up a big space in your closet.
#23 Old food
Check your refrigerator. Do you see foods that have gone off or that are near a state of rotting? Throw them away without hesitation!
#24 Electronic manuals
How many appliances and electronics have you bought over the past few years? They all come with manuals, right? Have you ever read them? NO! Send them straight to the trash with the boxes of styrofoam they came with. Or, check online to see if anyone is in need of manuals for particular products. You might be able to sell them!
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What other items do you suggest can be removed from your home? Happy decluttering!
