It’s surprising how easy it is to hoard things over time, especially as we don’t realize how much room things actually take up. Many people hold onto items they think they’ll use someday, but usually they never do and then before long, storage spaces become cluttered with stuff that serves little to no purpose.
Old Magazines
For some reason, magazines seem to accumulate faster than anything else. Stacks of old issues from years ago often sit in piles, gathering dust and taking up valuable space.
Many people hold onto them, thinking they’ll read them again or use them for inspiration, but the reality is they rarely do.
Empty Gift Boxes
It’s easy to understand why people keep gift boxes, as they often seem too nice to throw away. However, most of the time, these boxes end up stacked in a closet or under the bed, rarely being used. While it’s handy to have a few on hand for special occasions, holding onto every single one isn’t necessary.
Plastic Grocery Bags
A kitchen drawer or cabinet overflowing with plastic grocery bags is a common sight in many households. People often think they’ll reuse them, but the reality is they accumulate far faster than they get used. Many stores now encourage reusable bags, making plastic ones even less necessary.
Old Electronics
Many people have a drawer or closet filled with outdated gadgets, broken chargers, and obsolete electronics they no longer use.
Technology evolves quickly, and holding onto these items usually serves no purpose. Recycling or donating them is a much better option than letting them clutter up your home.
Takeout Condiments and Utensils
For some reason, takeout condiment packets and plastic utensils tend to pile up in kitchen drawers. People often keep them, thinking they’ll come in handy someday, but they rarely do. Before long, those tiny packets of ketchup, soy sauce, and plastic forks take up more space than they should.
Broken or Mismatched Socks
A sock drawer filled with mismatched or hole-ridden socks is something many people can relate to. The truth is, those socks rarely find their pair again, and they just take up space. Try letting go of old, worn-out socks to make it easier to find the ones you actually wear.
Expired Coupons
It’s tempting to hold onto coupons, thinking they’ll be useful for future savings. However, many people end up with a stack of expired coupons taking up space in drawers, purses, and wallets.
Regularly clearing out expired coupons and organizing the valid ones can help you stay on top of your savings without adding unnecessary clutter.
Old Towels and Linens
Plenty of households have a linen closet filled with old towels and sheets that rarely get used. It could be that they’re worn out, stained, or simply no longer needed, meaning they tend to pile up over time. One option is to donate them for cleaning rags to free up valuable storage space.
Free Promotional Items
It’s easy to accumulate free promotional items like pens, tote bags, keychains, and notepads from events or giveaways. While they may seem useful at the moment, they often end up cluttering drawers and countertops. Most of these items are rarely used and simply take up unnecessary space.
Old Makeup and Toiletries
It’s normal for people to hold onto beauty products long past their expiration dates, thinking they’ll use them one day. However, expired products can be ineffective or even harmful to the skin.
Take the time to clear out old items to free up significant storage space, as a clutter-free bathroom makes getting ready in the morning much easier.
Outdated Fashion Accessories
A jewelry box or closet filled with outdated or broken fashion accessories often sits untouched for years. Trends change, and many pieces that once seemed stylish may no longer fit your taste or lifestyle.
One thing you could do is let go of accessories that no longer serve a purpose. This can help declutter your space and make room for pieces you actually love and wear.
VHS Tapes and DVDs
With the rise of streaming services, physical media like VHS tapes and DVDs have become obsolete for many people. Despite this, stacks of old movies and TV shows often remain tucked away in closets and storage bins. To clear up space, try donating or digitizing your favorites.
Outdated Instruction Manuals
It’s easy to accumulate instruction manuals for appliances, gadgets, and furniture over the years. People hold onto them, thinking they might need to refer to them in the future. However, with most manuals now available online, those bulky booklets are often just taking up valuable space in drawers and filing cabinets.
Old Holiday Decorations
It’s not uncommon to find that many homes have storage bins packed with outdated or broken holiday decorations that rarely see the light of day.
Declutter your storage and sort through any holiday decorations that you want to donate or throw away.
Unused Kitchen Gadgets
Many people accumulate kitchen gadgets with the best intentions, believing they’ll use them regularly. However, if an appliance hasn’t been used in months or even years, then it’s just taking up space. By decluttering unused kitchen gadgets, you’ll make it easier to find tools you actually use.
Old Cell Phones
It’s common for people to hold onto old cell phones, thinking they might need them as a backup someday. With recycling programs readily available, there’s little reason to keep a collection of outdated phones that no longer serve a purpose. This not only frees up space but also helps prevent electronic waste from accumulating unnecessarily.
Greeting Cards from Years Ago
It’s hard to throw away greeting cards from loved ones, but over time, they can take up a surprising amount of space. Many people hold onto every birthday, holiday, and thank-you card they receive, thinking they hold sentimental value.
Of course, it’s nice to keep a few meaningful cards, but keeping stacks of them can quickly lead to cluttered drawers and boxes.
Craft Supplies You Never Use
For lots of people, crafting can be a fun and creative hobby, but they also collect supplies they never actually use. Boxes can often sit untouched for years, taking up valuable storage space and holding onto materials for future projects that may never happen only leads to clutter and frustration.
Outdated Paperwork
Paper clutter is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to unnecessary storage, but with the availability of digital banking and online records, most paperwork can be safely shredded or recycled.
You can create a clutter-free home by organizing important documents and transitioning to paperless options.
Old Shoes You Never Wear
A closet full of old shoes that no longer fit or are out of style is a common sight in many households. People often hold onto shoes, thinking they’ll wear them again someday, but the reality is they rarely do. Donate any shoes you don’t wear or throw away any that can’t be worn.