As someone who easily gets attached to material things, it’s always hard for me to part with anything that I’ve been holding on to for years. Even the clothes that I haven’t worn for quite some time now lie properly preserved in some corner of my cupboard and I get all sentimental about it when anyone suggests me to get rid of them.
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I realized only recently how badly I needed to declutter my cupboard when my Mom came to me with an old dress of mine asking if she could use it to stitch something else. Even though I hadn’t touched that piece of clothing in the past five years, I requested her to spare me the pain of parting with it and use some other cloth instead. It took me a day to reconsider my decision before I finally thought that it’s only wise to let go of it. Since then, I have either given away or thrown out a lot of things to make space for some new clothes in my closet.
Many of you must be going through a similar dilemma of whether to keep or let go of things that aren’t serving you a purpose anymore. It’s not easy to part with things – things that bear sentimental value or were a gift from a dear friend or used to be your favorite as a kid – even when you know that they aren’t needed anymore. But what if these things might be a big reason why your home looks cluttered all the time?
Now before you go on to read further, there are a few things that are required as you begin to declutter:
- A Donation Box to store the items that can be given away to someone in need. Clothes and shoes that don’t fit you anymore, excess decor items, old utensils that you don’t intend to use further, old magazines and newspapers are some of the things that can be tossed in the donation box.
- A few Trash Bags to dispose of the stuff that needs to be tossed into the garbage.
Here’s a list of 100 easy things that you can throw away to take a step towards a complete declutter of your living space:
BATHROOM DECLUTTER
- Empty bottles of face wash, body wash, shampoo, lotions, perfumes and other similar products
- Blunt hair removing/shaving razors
- Expired/out-of-date makeup and beauty products
- Toothbrushes that are more than 3 months old
- Torn and Dirty Bath Mats
- Tattered towels/hand towels/face towels
- Expired medicines
- Broken or stretched out hair accessories
- Unravelled loofahs that are impossible to be tied back up
- Old bathroom cleaning supplies
- Worn out makeup brushes
- Dried up nail polish
- Air Freshener empties
- Old Soaps that aren’t usable anymore
- Hair Brushes and combs with broken bristles
- Candles that have burned out to the wicks
- Hair Appliances (Curling Irons, Straighteners and hairdryers) that are beyond repair
BEDROOM DECLUTTER
- Undergarments that are old, have worn out or don’t fit anymore
- Threadbare clothes and the ones you no longer wear or love
- Broken or old jewelry & earrings with missing pairs
- Clothes that don’t fit you anymore
- Shoes that pinch or are damaged beyond repair
- Broken/Trashy clothes hangers
- Shabby handbags, backpacks and wallets that you no longer use or love
- Socks/stockings with holes and those with missing pairs
- Old pillows and bedding sets that have ceased to be of any use
- Old neck ties, bow ties, scarves, sunglasses and belts
- Excess Decor Items
- Unwanted phone chargers
- Old paperwork piling up on your bedside table
- Damaged photo frames
KITCHEN DECLUTTER
- Broken and irreparable kitchen appliances
- Crockery, cutlery items and dishes that you no longer use
- Spices, condiments and herbs that have outlived their expiry dates
- Threadbare kitchen towels
- Blunt/rusted knives and crooked cutlery
- Old take out menus piling up in the kitchen drawer
- Lidless containers and old Tupperware
- Chipped glassware, bowls and platters
- Old pans/cookware and the ones that have lost their non-stick cover
- Old kitchen cleaning supplies
- Unwanted fridge magnets
- Cook books and cooking magazines that you no longer read
- Unnecessary stuff in that kitchen drawer
- Old notes and reminders attached to the fridge door
- Stained tablecloths and sponges
- Old and torn grocery/shopping bags
LIVING ROOM DECLUTTER
- Magazines, newspapers and catalogs that aren’t needed anymore
- Board games with broken or missing pieces
- Damaged remote controls
- Old CDs and DVDs that you haven’t listened to for years
- Faded, torn or mismatched cushions lying on the couch
- Old/Excess furniture items
- Broken gadgets and electronic items
- Tattered carpets and mats
- Wall art, vases and table lamps that you no longer love
- Dead house plants
- Extra wires stretching out on the floor
OFFICE DECLUTTER
- Old physical mail that you don’t need anymore
- Old bills and receipts should be shredded away if not needed anymore
- Filled up notebooks/diaries
- Old Accounting Statements and Tax Returns
- Business Cards that you have never looked at
- Paper scraps
- Old greeting cards and invites
- Old manuals and travel brochures
- Old/excess files and folders and dried out pens and highlighters
- Old calendars/planners
- Worn out craft supplies like dried up glue and ink cartridges, torn wrapping paper and blunt scissors
KIDS’ ROOM DECLUTTER
- Broken or excess toys
- Board games and puzzles with missing pieces
- School projects and artwork that aren’t needed anymore
- Broken crayons and extra craft supplies
- Clothes, shoes and blankets that your kids have grown out of
- Books/notebooks they have grown out of
- Unused stationery items
- Worn out school bags or the ones with broken zips
GARAGE DECLUTTER
- Sports/Exercise equipment that you haven’t used in years
- Blunt/broken/rusted items in the toolbox
- Old and dried out paint and empty paint tins
- Broken and rusted gardening tools
- Old shipping boxes from your online purchases
- Fused lights and dead batteries
- Old furniture items that you have stored just in case
- Old/Unused gardening items like watering cans, flower pots and fertilizers
- Deflated soccer balls/basketballs
- Old and rusted automotive parts
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
- Broken brooms and cleaning brushes
- Unused pet supplies like old pet toys and bowls
- School and College Textbooks that aren’t needed anymore
- Old and dirty paper napkins
- Empty wine bottles
- Gifts that you don’t use or like
- Old and outdated cell phones
- Headphones and chargers that don’t work
- Broken reading glasses/sunglasses
- Old/Broken Christmas Decoration
- Damaged luggage bags
- Old/Broken computer parts like printers and flash drives
- Curtains that don’t go along with the interiors
It’s always a task to convince yourself to part with the toy that your favorite uncle brought you as a kid. If you find it hard to let go of the stuff, start with the things that seem easier to part with. Take one step at a time and you’ll feel grateful to be living in a home that is free of unnecessary clutter.