I hate downsizing. There I said it. I have a constant fear that I’ll someday need said item that I’m getting rid of. I’d rather spend hours figuring out the perfect organizational system for too much stuff than downsize. Yet even someone like me is able to get rid of these 100 things. Whether you throw away, recycle or donate, I promise you won’t miss these 100 things from your home!
1 Extra buttons in little plastic bags from every clothing item ever purchased | Odds are you don’t even have the shirt the buttons came with!
2 Window bill envelopes | besides paying bills when on earth would you use these?
3 Expired condiments
4 Scratched CDs | In this day and age if you’re going to even keep CDs they sure better be working!
5 Expired batteries | Just because you put them back in storage, doesn’t mean they’ll start working again 🙂 .
6 Cable cords and wires | Seriously, do you really have any idea what to do with these?
7 Expired canned goods
8 Tupperware containers missing their lid | I promise you’re never going to find the lid. Ever.
9 Old cell phones | “I’d really like to go back to using my Iphone 3” said no one ever. Trade it in or donate it.
10 Lanyards, name tags, bags from conferences
11 Magnets | Unless you use them, they just make your fridge look cluttered.
12 Dried-up nail polish
13 Travel mugs that leak | You’re welcome.
14 Unused notebooks
15 Address labels for your old house
16 Dollar store items that you’re still trying to figure out how to use
17 Tiny screws and nails from furniture you don’t even have anymore
18 Novelty kitchen gadgets | Everyone wants fresh squeezed orange juice, but how often are you actually squeezing those oranges?
19 Wedding favors
20 Past wedding invites
21 Expired coupons | Donate them to the military
22 Old bridesmaid dresses | Have you really worn it since the wedding?
23 Hangers from the dry cleaners
24 Extra salt and pepper shakers | Honestly, why would have you more?
25 White-out bottles | Deep down you know you don’t need these.
26 Hair elastics that have lost stretchiness
27 Old teeth whitening trays
28 Take out menus | The menu is the exact same online. I promise.
29 Backpacks or duffle bags that don’t get used enough | And no, don’t use these as storage solutions
30 Gorgeous uncomfortable shoes that you avoid because they give you blisters
31 Unused Exercise Equipment | This stuff is too bulky to store if you’re not using it.
32 Alarm clock | Isn’t your phone already sitting on your nightstand?
33 Plastic cutlery from takeout
34 Extra pencil sharpeners | You can have ONE
35 Paperweights
36 Hole punch | When’s the last time you’ve used yours?
37 Snacks your pets don’t like | Reagan is the worlds pickiest eater
38 Unused vases | Keep one for flowers you receive
39 Make up you’ll try “one day” | I’m looking at you Taylor Swift style lipsick
40 Travel brochures from trips you’ve already gone on
41 Stockings with runs | No amount of clear nail polish will take away the run
42 Cards you’ve received that have no sentimental value
43 Old emery boards | They’re SO cheap, just buy a new one
44 Highlighters | Save one or TWO tops
45 Too many sets of bed linens | Allow two per bed max
46 Piles of “scrap paper”
47 Gifts you don’t really like
48 Staple remover | Do you see my theme with office supplies?
49 Twisty ties | They really only make sense on bread bags
50 DVDs you don’t watch
51 Cooking utensils you have two of | Have you ever used two of the same utensil at the same time?
52 Promotional t-shirts that are WAY too big
53 Bills you don’t need to keep | Who wants to be reminded of how much money they’ve spent?
54 Extra key chains
55 Emergency sewing kits | How many ‘sewing emergencies’ can one person have?
56 Mason jars | Go on Pinterest and figure out a project for these or get rid of them!
57 Paper bags from a department store | Ok Ok, keep one or two tops
58 Touristy knick knacks that seemed like a good idea to purchase while on vacation
59 Fancy serving bowls that you can only use for special occasions
60 CDs that come with computer programs you’re no longer using
61 Extra bubble wrap | Takes up WAY too much room!
62 Keys that you don’t know what they’re for
63 Holiday decorations that you always forget to set out | Mine’s the Mardi Gras decorations for the party I never end up hosting
64 Any dishware that doesn’t match the rest of your set
65 Dried up super glue or super glue that’s lids are glued shut
66 Those amazing organizational systems that worked in your previous apartment but not in your current place
67 Recipe books you rarely use | One word: Pinterest
68 Magazines you’ve already read
69 Worn-Out Hairbrushes | We all get grossed out seeing other people’s old hairbrushes
70 Single earrings | Look for the pair or get rid of it
71 Too many workout clothes | Remember, buying workout clothes doesn’t burn calories
72 Plastic hangers that you get from the store
73 Remotes that don’t have a use | Whoever invented the universal remote is GENIUS!
74 Dishware that doesn’t stack easily and/or takes up too much room
75 Craft supplies for projects that you never actually started (or completed)
76 The cheap pans that keep burning your meal | But you won’t have any more excuses for burnt food 🙂
77 Novelty baking dishes that can’t be used regularly
78 Extra pajama sets | A couple for cold weather and a couple for warm weather is good enough!
79 Accessories to old electronics | Don’t we wish all iphone versions used the same charger??
80 Broken hangers, even if they’re the fancy expensive wood kind
81 Boxes from electronics | Unless you think there’s a good chance you’ll return it, hold the box for only a couple weeks
82 Hairdryer attachments that never get used
83 Stained clothing you can’t get cleaned | The stain will drive you crazy
84 Too many coolers | If you have room for these, I want to move in to your house!
85 Holiday themed dishes | I love these as much as you do, but I only have room for dishes I can use ALL year round
86 Belts that don’t fit
87 Scarves you never wear
88 Too many hats & gloves | Find a couple pairs that go with ALL your winter coats
89 Chopsticks | Unless you really REALLY use them
90 Shampoo bottles from hotels | Use them within the first month back from your trip or get rid of them
91 Air fresheners | Unless they’re the kind with refills
92 Clothes that are WAY too small | One size down is OK, but anything more? Just buy new clothes to celebrate!
93 Matches from restaurants | Save one pack
94 Cheap pens that run out of ink easily
95 Too many baking dishes | How many can you really fit in your oven at the same time?
96 Old ratty towels | Turn them in to rags or get rid of them!
97 Makeup samples that you only like because they’re free
98 Unnecessary receipts | Do you really want an itemized grocery receipt from a year ago?
99 Cookie cutters | If you’ve used them in the last month you get a pass!
100 Empty bottles of anything
Any others I missed?
I LOVE to get rid of clutter. I think my kids think I might throw them away!
Thanks for so many great suggestions.
Found your post today on Raising Homemakers.
Hope you have a blessed day~
Melanie
thanks so much for stopping by!!
Buying workout clothes doesn’t burn calories? Well so much for my workout plan! 😉 Such a great list of SO MANY things we’ve been holding on to but really need to get rid of. I mean how many of these things do we really need? They just take up so much space! This is a great start to our massive home decluttering we’ll be doing this summer!
Oh I wish it did! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by hun!
We have so much to declutter in our house, I don’t even know where to start.
On top of that I need to keep the kitchen clean all the time. #sharewithme
Start with knocking out three things on this list!! Once those three are mastered, pick another three. Inner you could do three today!
i LOVE this! You have SO motivated me to get started on spring cleaning, yup, it’s still springtime ;-)!
I’m dividing the list up with my teens, crankin’ the music up, and I’ll let you know what (if!) you missed anything after we’re through!! LOL
Thanks so much for sharing this on Coffee and Conversation!! Come back again soon 🙂
So glad it’s helpful! Love that you’re putting your kiddos to work helping!
What a great list Lindsay! There’s definitely a few things on this list that I could get rid of. 🙂
#sharewithme
thank you! guilty as charged. especially the non lidded tupperware!
I LOVE THE LEFTOVER SQUARE OR RECTANGLE TUPPERWARE FOR SORTING ITEMS IN DRAWERS OR CLOSETS. (OPPS; IS THIS REALLY CLUTTER, TOO?)
I LOVE this! Printing, pinning, tweeting!
Thanks so much!!
Great ideas! I always need rags for painting and stuff, so getting rid of towels is easy for me.
Thanks for stopping by! Totally agree on the rags!
Ha, I’m guilty of keeping several items on this list. I did, however, purge my kitchen cabinets and organized like a crazy person. I actually use my mason jars, so I’ll be hanging on to these 🙂
I am in the process of moving, and have been downsizing as I pack. Thank you for validating my choices in what to get rid of next. My biggest fear is I’ll end up on an episode of hoarders.
Haha good luck with the move! I hear ya on the hoarders! 🙂
I just moved, what an eye-opener!! Got rid so many of things you listed. Still have some more to pitch. Thanks for the list, reviewing some of what I kept.
Totally agree! I never realize how much I have until I have to pack it all up! Hope the move went well!
Thank you for your list. I am currently trying to separate my work and home life as I work from home. This has motivated me to reclaim my living room.
So glad it’s helpful! I work from home too. It can be SOOOOOO hard to separate the two!
Don’t throw out the old Tupper ware if you want them! Contact a Tupper ware sales person, some of them will exchange them for new ones, even with the missing lid. You may have to do it one piece at a time but if you really like the piece it is worth it.
Wow! I had no idea that you could purchase missing lids! Thanks for sharing!!
YOU CAN BUY “REPLACEMENT LIDS” FOR TUPPERWARE ON E-BAY. YOU JUST NEED TO KNOW THE SIZE/CODE NUMBER. NOT THAT $$.
I am definitely doing this this list right……..after I make something from Pinterest
Thx so much ❤️❤️
I *just* got rid of my bag of hotel shampoos… I saved them, because I figured theyre convenient to take camping. Like, every 2-3 years, when we go. 😛 I actually just dumped them into my full-size bottles, so I use them up (and refilled my favorite-shaped travel bottles — but it’s just one in my travel case, not 50 in a bag on the shelf ;).
This is so like me!
The shampoo bottles etc. are also great for the homeless shelters.
one thing… Throw away all of your kids’ papers from school!
yes…all of it! scan special things into your computer and save them there, or take pictures of them!
too much paper clutter will DROWN YOU! lol
oh…and stop saving magazines to get the recipes or decorating ideas out of later!
Love that idea of scanning kids papers! Brilliant! And totally agree about saving magazines … I’m guilty of that sometimes!
My daughter took pictures of each project for that school year then created a printed album for Walmart or someplace. I wish they had this when my kids were little
Take your dry cleaning hangers to the dry cleaners, they will recycle
No, twisty ties are not even good for bread bags. They are annoying and time consuming, twist the bag shut and fold it over, done. And I have a wish book, I tear the page out of a magazine if I love something. It goes into a clear plastic sheet, into the book under decor, gardens, food and holidays. Out with the magazine. If I could be so organized with anything else it would be wonderfull!
#23 the dry cleaners will happily take their hanvers back for recycling.
#32 I keep the alarm clock as I don’t keep my phone in the bedroom. If there’s a middle of the night emergency {happened once in the last 20 years) it can still wait until I walk there and pick up the phone.
Thank you for taking the time to make this list, it’s very useful!
Have a wonderful Holiday Season and a very Happy New Year!
How about getting rid of some of the odd kitchen gadgets that you never seem to use, but fill up an entire drawer or cupboard in your kitchen? I’m guilty of this one. Some examples that could be taking up too much space: bread machine, waffle iron (you buy Eggo waffles), ice cream maker (haven’t used it in years!) more than one crock pot…
Yes! Great idea … I’m guilty of that too 🙂
Love this list. I’m currently de-cluttering my mom’s 11 room house and have already tackled a lot of these, like the drawer full of twist ties and old pens that don’t write, oh and cookware. And who needs 800 paper clips? On to her sewing room – #101 could be fabric you bought for that dress/skirt/blouse you never made. Donate it to a quilting club or thrift store.
Old towels (#96) can be donated to animal shelters. There is a great need.
Great post and ideas on things to get rid of. For #1 I’m a crafter so I put these into a jar of buttons for projects. It’s decoration in my sewing space. For #2, I’m in a swap group on FB. I reuse the envelopes for people to put their money in and drop into my mailbox. Helps keep things organized. I only keep about 5 at a time, the rest go to recycling.
Hotel shampoo, etc can be donated to Ronald McDonald house. Just cleaned mine out doing that.
Our sorority saves these hotel shampoos etc. and makes up kits for patients who enter hospital unexpectedly and have
no toothbrush etc. We use brushes, a comb, small toothpaste, conditioner, shampoo, and lotion if it is donated but not
necessary oh, and soap. We once made gift bags with the fancy bags from dollar store and put these things in for a womens shelter. The gifts were mainly for the clients who couldn’t go home for Christrmas.
Charities are having a hard time getting plastic bags now so donate bags when you get enough instead of throwing them in recycling. Have fun purging. Thanks for the list.
I saw 25 things on your list. Guess I’ll start there. Now that I am retired, I have so much more time do go through my closets and drawers. Thanks for getting me started.
Donate hotel smalls to a shelter or even a food bank site. If someone needs a meal, they will welcome those samples.
OK. Guilty, just cleaned out my baking cupboard and found food colouring from 1998. Have chucked loads of yeast, bicarbonate, cream of tartar and raising agents.
Tomorrow it’s the turn of beverage cupboard. If I wasn’t the wrong side of 50 I’d think I was nesting.
Local V A hospitals need magazines. Extension cords. Pliers. Screwdrivers. Odd tools or those allen wrenches that come with sonething you put together. Love all the suggestions. Super helpful
A lit of common sense ideas however some of us need a gentle reminder The only one item I have a comment/suggestion is #90. Our women’s group use the hotel toiletries to put in our homeless bags, along with small food items, drinks maybe some clean new socks etc. I usually fill up plastic freezer bags to keep in my car. During the summer I freeze water and grab it as I’m leaving the house. Just an idea for philanthropy. Thanks so much for your great list
The homeless shelters will gladly accept those hotel soaps and shampoos!
I take my magazines to the hospital waiting room.
Very helpful and motivating which I really need (to be motivated).
I usually go with the old theory of taking 3 large plastic bags or boxes
and marking one for trash,one for donation, and one for keeping that
way I can just scoop them up and head for which ever area they belong.
So many places take donations especially nonprofit that fill the needs
of school supplies, hygiene items and even food pantries will take expired
items and then they will decide it they are useable. Expiration dates are not regulated
by the FDA they are merely suggested dates by the company itself. Just use
common sense.
I also have always made emergency kits for our cars and children so that in
a situation where you need to leave your home in a hurry or get stuck in the car for
an uncertain amount of time you need to consider just how long your family can go
without the necessities. I use old backpacks that way if we need to leave and walk it is much
easier to carry something on your back with your hands free than trying to carry your
duffle bag and a child. I go through then every six months to freshen up snacks, water, and
essentials for summer of winter. So some of the items you suggest could be used for your
emergency packs. But in the end sometimes we use emotions rather than logic and need a
second person to help us decide or set it aside for a day or two and see how you feel then.
I love all these tips! Thank you! Especially the emergency kits. I think about this often for our cars ….. adding it to my to do list! ~ Lindsay
I put my battery-operated unused travel alarm clock in my emergency kit. I do have extra batteries and chargers for electronics. While you are at it, put that extra can opener and travel clock in that unused duffel bag along with other emergency/evacuation supplies.
I’ve cleaned out so much already and gotten rid of it my husband is worried he will be next ha!