Along this minimalist journey, I’ve gotten into the habit of decluttering quite regularly. It’s not that I accumulate a TON of stuff every couple months, it’s just that as I keep going and minimalizing areas of my life I’m realizing a lot of the stuff I have I just don’t need.
And if you’re reading this post then I’m guessing you might feel the same way. But the question is always where to start. What do you declutter first? What can you get rid of or what do you need to keep.
Read: How I’m gradually becoming a minimalist.
So I’ve compiled a list of things that I and most people have lying around their house that they could stand to get rid of. Things that take up space and don’t get used very often, if ever.
Of course, this is just a general list and maybe not everything will apply to you. After all, our lives are all different.
So take this list with a grain of salt, a cornerstone for the beginning of your decluttering journey.
Just remember to get “rid” of these things responsibly. The last thing we want is for our stuff to end up in a landfill. Recycle, donate, sell, reuse, etc.
Here are 45 things to get rid of ASAP:
In your bedroom:
1. Single socks
2. Clothes with rips/stains (try upcycling them!)
3. Extra blankets and pillows – I know that having 20 + pillows on your bed seems like a good idea but honestly, it’s just clutter. Try to minimalize to one or two throw pillows.
4. Books – Ones you’ve already read or ones you’ll never read. They’re just dust collectors.
5. Belts – you truly only need one or maybe two.
6. Bags/purses you never use
In your bathroom:
7. Expired cleaning products or excess cleaning products
8. Expired, old or excess makeup – It’s true, makeup has an expiration date. You also don’t need 10 foundations and 12 eyeshadow pallets.
9. Hair products you don’t use
10. Broken/stretched out hair ties
11. Travel size toiletries/hotel shampoos – I don’t know about you but I used to always take the little bottles from hotels and then never use them.
12. Old/dried up nail polish
13. Lotions, perfumes and other products you don’t use
14. Old towels
In your kitchen:
15. Teas/coffee you won’t drink
16. Old food in your fridge/cupboards
17. Excess dishes/cutlery/mugs
18. Gadgets you don’t use – Like blenders, mixers, waffle makers. Anything you don’t use regularly.
19. Old rags/tea towels
20. Herbs and spices you don’t and won’t use
21. Dirty sponges
22. Receipts, coupons, menus, etc. – Time to finally go through that junk drawer and get rid of all those things you thought you’d need one day and don’t.
23. Take out napkins, ketchup packets, and utensils
24. Broken appliances
25. Old birthday candles and party supplies
26. Refrigerator magnets
Miscellaneous:
27. Old batteries
28. Knick knacks and souvenirs
29. Old phone chargers
30. Old cords, headphones, wires
31. DVDs you don’t watch/ that skip
32. Game consoles you don’t use
33. Cans of paint you won’t use
34. Expired medication
35. Old board games
36. Newspapers/magazines
37. Old paperwork/junk mail
38. Excess pens and pencils
39. Tools that are broken or you won’t use
40. Out of date/unused holiday decor
41. Birthday and Christmas cards – Cards are a sweet thought but they honestly just collect dust. Unless it has a very significant sentimental value, get rid of it.
42. Full notebooks
43. Pet toys/kid toys that aren’t being used
44. Old crafting supplies – We all say we’re going to start being crafty but we rarely ever get to it.
45. Old instruction manuals
There you have it! 45 things to get rid of right away! I hope that this list sparks the motivation to declutter all the useless junk in your life that is taking up space in your home and your mind.
Other minimalist posts you might like:
How to know if minimalism is right for you
Thanks for reading! Leave a comment down below and let me know what else you would get rid of!
As always, don’t forget to share this post and follow me on Instagram for daily low waste and intentional living inspiration!
This is EXACTLY what k was looking for. Thank you!