Decluttering isn’t about buying cool storage bins, it’s about being real with yourself about what you use daily.
Paper trail
You probably have a stack of manuals somewhere, be it a drawer or a computer folder, that you never crack open.
Microwave, blender, dishwasher; chances are they’re organized and piled up so neatly, you think you’ll actually read them someday.
Nine times out of ten you can probably find a PDF online for whatever manual you’re storing away.
Get rid of those things. Donate, recycle, or just throw them out and you’ll be amazed at how much room you gain.
Dead flavor
While we’re all diligent about tossing expired milk cartons, most folks forget about the nastiness hiding in plain sight on the spice rack.
And yes, I’m talking to those jars of cream of tartar and the mystery dried herbs in your pantry. Most ground spices are only potent for about six months to a year.
Past that point, they won’t enhance the flavor of your food like you think they will. They’ll just make your food feel sandy. Bye-bye, old spices.
As for those trendy flour alternatives and strange seeds you bought to cook healthier but always forgot about, toss them if the label has faded or the contents are clumped together like a brick.
Someday box
The circular knitting needles you swear you’ll use someday. The unread French cookbooks you’ll actually cook from when you get Pots de Fond in order. The expensive yoga pants that mock you because you are not the athlete you think you should be.
The pros might label them “fantasy self” clutter, but I think that’s junk. No matter how many times you tell yourself you will, someday stuff just collects dust and mocks you every time you open that drawer/cupboard/shelf.
If it’s been in your craft drawer for 18 months untouched, it’s probably not your passion. Let it go.
Black drawer
Are you one of those people who has a drawer full of miscellaneous black cords that you’re scared to get rid of?
Half of them don’t even match electronics you own anymore, but you hang onto them just in case. Just in case what? Honestly, no one knows.
They all just lump together creating a giant knot that makes it impossible to find the one cord you actually need.
Empty cardboard boxes
Boxes are surprisingly easy to save. That box from your new laptop or air fryer seems like it could come in handy. Like you’ll need it someday.
They sit in a closet, under the bed, alongside a pile of other boxes you were hesitant to ditch, because they seemed too valuable.
Years go by. Nothing happens.
If you’re not relocating currently, they’re just occupying space unnecessarily. Plus, you can pack almost anything else in a standard box with some padding, no problem.
Cup crowd
You know the free mugs everyone hands out and every random cup you’ve ever accepted.
The plastic ones from stadiums, the cracked mugs from your office, those bottles from conferences you don’t even remember attending.
Before you know it, they all start to accumulate. You only ever use one or two on a daily basis.
Seriously, ditching those extra mugs and glasses is more impactful than you might imagine. Life just feels simpler.
Good shopping bags and tissue paper
Somewhere in your house you have a secret stash. It’s filled with good shopping bags and wrinkled tissue paper from gifts received ages ago.
Hang onto them and you feel like you’re organized, prepared, and environmentally friendly.
But they’ll accumulate far quicker than you’ll ever need them. And by the time you get around to using the tissue paper as gift wrap it’s already half torn.
Cleaning extras
We’ve all wandered down the cleaning supplies section at the store.
You’ve got a brush for every last little spot. A shower brush, a window track brush, a curtain steamer, a mop with interchangeable heads.
Sure, they seem handy but half the things you buy just end up in the cupboard.
When you finally get around to cleaning, you’ll naturally pick the simplest option. Something basic that does the job like a sponge or cloth.
Mini toiletries
You know, the drawer where you keep all the mini shampoos and lotions and soaps.
You tell yourself you’ll use them for company or your next getaway, but when was the last time someone actually crashed at your place? Or you went on a trip? Whatever it is, it’s been a while.
Also half of them are probably leaking or expired by now because you never use them.
Eventually, the plastic breaks down and even if you do use them, they aren’t great quality to begin with.
Trash them or donate the set. You don’t need a museum of sample bottles.
Linen hoard
Having one extra set of sheets is ideal. We get it. But let’s be real, sometimes your linen closet gets out of control with old, worn out sets of sheets.
They’re itchy. They’ve been bleached out from too many washes. And those pillows? They’ve definitely hosted a few grimy heads.
Sure they’re for guests but guess what? 99% of the time your guests aren’t actually going to stay over. Plus, those old pillows are usually pretty awful to sleep on. They get flat and lumpy.
Chances are you only truly need two extras per bed size. So ditch the extra extras.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
