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Look, we need to talk about that “stuff” taking up space in your home. You know exactly what I’m talking about. Those items you keep moving from shelf to shelf, telling yourself “I might need this someday.” 🤔
But here’s the truth: You probably won’t.
Living in a cramped Manhattan apartment with two kids and two very energetic Corgis 🐕 taught me something crucial about stuff – most of it just gets in the way of living your best life.
So let’s cut through the clutter and talk about ten things you’re holding onto right now that you absolutely don’t need.
1. Old Magazines and Catalogs\
We all do it. We keep magazines because there’s “that one recipe” or “that workout routine” we swear we’ll try someday. But let’s be real – when was the last time you actually opened any of them? 📚
The truth is, everything in those magazines is available online now. Yes, even that amazing chocolate cake recipe from 2019 that you’ve never made 🎂
If you really want to keep specific articles or recipes, take photos of them with your phone, or better yet, use this handy magazine organizer app to digitally store your favorite finds.
And those catalogs? They’re basically paper versions of websites now. Companies update their online inventory way more frequently than print catalogs. Plus, online shopping 🛍️ gives you access to reviews, better prices, and more color options.
What to do instead: Give yourself 30 minutes to go through your magazine stack. Tear out any pages you absolutely must keep (❗ limit yourself to 10!), then recycle the rest.
For those torn pages, either photograph them or put them in this clear document organizer that helps you actually see what you’re storing.
2. “Just in Case” Kitchen Gadgets
That spiralizer you bought during the zucchini noodle craze of 2018? It’s time to say goodbye 👋
The truth about kitchen gadgets is brutal: if you haven’t used it in the past three months (excluding seasonal items like turkey basters), you probably never will.
These items aren’t just taking up valuable drawer space – they’re actually making your kitchen less functional.
Common culprits include:
- That fancy egg separator (when your hands work just fine)
- The banana 🍌 slicer (seriously, a regular knife works perfectly)
- Multiple sets of measuring cups (one good set is enough)
- That smart coffee mug ☕ that tells you when your coffee is at the perfect temperature (your lips can do that too)
What to do instead: Keep your essential kitchen tools organized in this drawer organizer that actually fits your space.
For everything else, ask yourself: “Have I used this in the last 90 days?”
If not, it’s probably time to find it a new home 🏠
3. The “Someday” Clothing Collection
We all have them – those jeans from college that don’t quite fit anymore, but might someday 👖
That expensive dress 👗 that’s slightly too small but motivated you to hit the gym (three years ago). Those shoes that hurt your feet but look amazing (and cost a fortune)
Here’s the hard truth: keeping clothes that don’t fit right now isn’t motivating – it’s mentally draining 🥴
Every time you open your closet and see these items, they remind you of what isn’t rather than what is.
Plus, these clothes are taking up prime real estate in your closet, making it harder to see and access the clothes you actually wear and love.
What to do instead: Try this capsule wardrobe organizer to keep your current, well-fitting clothes visible and accessible.
For everything else, use the one-year rule: if you haven’t worn it in 12 months (excluding special occasion wear), it needs to go.
4. Old Technology and Their Cables
That drawer full of mystery cables? Time to tackle it 🔌
You’re probably holding onto:
- Chargers from phones you no longer own
- USB cables from cameras you’ve replaced
- Power adapters with unknown origins
- Earbuds that came free with devices years ago
- Old phones “just in case” your current one breaks 📱
The reality is, technology moves so fast that by the time your current phone breaks, those old devices won’t be compatible with current apps and systems anyway.
What to do instead: Keep only the cables you actively use, and organize them with this cable management system that actually makes sense. For old devices, many electronics stores offer recycling programs – some even give store credit in return.
5. Paper Files You “Should” Keep’
That stack of papers you’ve been meaning to file? Most of them can probably go 📑
In our digital age, you really don’t need to keep paper copies of:
- Bank statements from 2015
- Old utility bills
- Instruction manuals for appliances you can find online
- Receipts for items you no longer own 🧾
- Tax documents beyond the required seven years
What to do instead: Invest in this compact scanner that helps you digitize important documents. Create a simple digital filing system using folders on your computer or cloud storage.
❗ Keep only essential original documents like birth certificates and social security cards in this fireproof document box.
6. Expired Everything
This category goes beyond just checking your fridge
You’re probably holding onto:
- Ancient spices that lost their flavor years ago
- Makeup well past its expiration date 💄
- Sunscreen from last summer (or the summer before) 🧴
- Old medications
- Paint samples from three room makeovers ago 🎨
These items aren’t just taking up space – some could be potentially harmful to use.
7. Gifts You Never Liked (But Feel Guilty About)
Let’s talk about guilt-gifts. You know the ones – that ceramic cat collection from your great-aunt, the abstract art piece from your well-meaning friend, the sweater your mother-in-law got you that’s “so you” (it’s not) 🎁
Here’s the thing: keeping gifts you don’t like or use doesn’t honor the giver. The gift-giving moment – that expression of love or thoughtfulness – has already happened. You’re not obligated to turn your home into a museum of other people’s tastes.
8. Craft Supplies for Projects You’ll “Get To”
That yarn collection for the knitting hobby you never started? Those scrapbooking supplies from 2016? The calligraphy set you bought during lockdown? 🎨
Craft supplies have a way of multiplying and taking over entire closets, especially when we buy them with good intentions but never quite find the time to use them.
Common craft clutter includes:
- Half-finished projects you’ve lost interest in
- Materials for crafts you tried once and didn’t enjoy 🖌️
- Supplies you bought on sale but never used
- Scraps and leftovers you’re saving for “something”
9. Books You’ll “Read Someday”
This one might hurt a little. Those books on your shelf that you haven’t touched in years? They’re just collecting dust and making you feel guilty 📚
You’re probably keeping:
- Self-help books you bought during various life phases
- Classic novels you feel you “should” read
- Books you started but never finished
- Textbooks from college courses 📗
- Books you read but didn’t particularly enjoy
10. “Memorabilia” That’s Lost Its Meaning
Ticket stubs, old birthday cards, conference badges, race bibs, hotel key cards – we keep these things because they represent memories. But do they really? 🎫
Often, these items become clutter that weighs us down rather than meaningful reminders of special moments. The memories live in our minds and photos, not in that collection of concert tickets from 2017.
The Real Truth About Keeping All This Stuff
Here’s what nobody tells you about clutter: it’s not just about the physical space these items take up. It’s about the mental energy they drain from you every single day.
Every item you own demands something from you – attention, maintenance, storage, guilt, or just the mental energy of deciding to keep it another day. When you hold onto things you don’t need or use, you’re basically paying rent for them with your peace of mind.
Ready to start decluttering? Start small. Pick one category from this list and spend 20 minutes going through it. Use this timer that actually makes decluttering feel like a game, not a chore 🌟
