There’s a certain comfort in keeping things “just in case,” that is, until you run out of space and start tripping over that stack of old magazines. You’d be surprised by just how many items quietly build up in our homes, taking up precious storage and mental space. In many of these cases, this isn’t being resourceful–it’s essentially hoarding. So, to help organize your space and accept a more minimalist lifestyle, here are some items that you really should stop hoarding.
Old Electronics
One of the most commonly hoarded items in American homes is old electronics. We’re talking about phones, tablets, outdated cables, and other gadgets from the early 2000s, all of which are pretty useless today. However, they’re hard to throw away, as we often think that maybe someday we will need them again. This is highly unlikely, so we’d suggest taking that huge crate of old tech and recycling it responsibly. You’ll have so much more space in your cupboards!
Expired Makeup
A lot of women don’t realize that makeup has a surprisingly short shelf life, so they hoard half-empty containers or barely used palettes for years, using they’ll get some use out of them some day. This might be the case, but unfortunately, the ingredients of such products break down over time, which can cause skin irritation or even infections. Therefore, you should clear out any expired makeup from your home, creating more space for newer, safe products.
Plastic Containers with Missing Lids
What is it with humans when it comes to having a cabinet filled with mismatched plastic containers and lids that don’t quite fit!? Just about everyone does this, so don’t feel too bad, but it really is quite ridiculous. Ultimately, they only bring stress into our lives when we can’t find the combination we need, not to mention eating up our storage space. Have a purge, recycling any that don’t fit, and we promise that you’ll feel much better for it.
Instruction Manuals for Everything
When you first purchase an appliance, gadget, or tool, it’s a pretty smart idea to hold onto the instruction manual because it might be pretty useful. However, you probably have these booklets stored in a cluttered drawer or cabinet for years, which is completely unnecessary. With most manuals now available online, those paper versions are often redundant, so save a bit of storage space by recycling them.
Dried-Up Pens and Markers
Another strange home item that humans have a tendency to hoard is dried-up, useless pens and markers. In fact, you probably have a pencil cup on your desk or in the drawer of your kitchen full of pens that don’t have any usable ink…are we wrong?! If that sounds like your home, spend 10 minutes testing each pen and throwing out any that don’t work; that way, when you urgently need a pen, you’ll have peace of mind that they all work just fine.
Excess Towels and Sheets
There’s nothing wrong with having a few spare towels or an extra set of sheets–in fact, this really comes in handy when you have guests. However, if your linen closet is overflowing with tattered, stained, or simply unnecessary pieces, it’s time for a clearout. Local shelters or animal rescues often appreciate donations of gently used linens, so this might be a good time to simplify your collection.
Old Candles
Do you have a box of half-burned candles sitting somewhere in your home? If so, they probably have no scent left, just sitting there “just in case.” Seriously–this is completely unnecessary, so you should throw them away. You’ve no doubt got a backlog of fresh and fragrant candles to try out, so stick to those and ditch the rest.
Unused Kitchen Gadgets
We’re all guilty of buying and hoarding unnecessary kitchen gadgets, such as fondue pots, avocado slicers, specialty blenders, and spiralizers. Yes, these might have seemed like great ideas at the time, but unless they’re used regularly, they’re just taking up space. Take some time to re-evaluate what’s truly needed in your kitchen, and consider giving away these gadgets to your friends. Trust us–your kitchen will feel so much more streamlined for it.
Piles of Unread Magazines
As we mentioned in the intro, some Americans hold on to stacks upon stacks of magazines, often collected for recipes, décor ideas, travel tips, or plain old nostalgia. This might seem innocent, but when they build up, magazines are really bulky, and let’s be honest–we never read them. Therefore, if your unread magazines are piling up, it might be time to recycle them and perhaps subscribe to digital versions to save space (and trees).
Unloved Mugs
There’s nothing wrong with having a few too many mugs, as they’re often quite sentimental to use. However, you probably don’t need all those freebie mugs or novelty cups that are making your cabinets overflow. Realistically, most people have a few favorites they use daily, while the rest just gather dust, and if that sounds like you, donate or re-home the extras so your kitchen cabinets don’t feel overcrowded every time you reach for a cup of coffee.
Broken or Spare Hangers
Clothes hangers seem to have a way of accumulating in closets, especially flimsy wire ones from the dry cleaners or those plastic ones that snap easily. Not only do they take up space, but they can be really frustrating to sift through, so ditch any that are warped, cracked, or surplus to simplify your clothes storage.
Extra Flower Vases
Any house will look better with a flower vase or two, but you probably don’t need ten. Amusingly, a lot of American households have hit this limit and beyond, hoarding glass or ceramic vases that they received from floral gifts or decor purchases. Decide on your favorites and throw out the rest–you’re not going to miss them, but you’ll certainly be relieved to have all that storage space back!
Extra Pillows
As with bedding, it’s a smart idea to have some extra pillows around the house for when guests visit, but do you really need five spare sets? No–this is most likely excessive, not to mention all of those throw pillows and decorative cushions that are piling up. They take up a lot of room, too, and can easily make a space look cluttered, so narrow down what’s really needed and get rid of the rest.
Promotional Items
Sometimes, when we attend an event, go on vacation, or generally spend time doing something fun, we receive free promo items such as water bottles, keychains, and reusable shopping bags. At the time, it feels great to get free stuff, but it all starts to accumulate over time. Ask yourself whether these items are in regular rotation or not, and if they haven’t been used for years, pass them on to someone else or donate them, and you’re unlikely to miss them.
Unused Sports Equipment
Getting excited about a new sport is always a positive step, often leading to a lot of equipment purchases, such as golf clubs, tennis rackets, or even gym equipment. Unfortunately, though, we often misjudge our motivation for such activities, and years later, we find all of this equipment hasn’t had much use other than as dust gatherers. The good news is that most of this equipment could still be put to use, so give it a clean-up and sell it locally, earning yourself more space and cash.
Expired Medications
One of the more serious home items you should really stop hoarding is medicine. Regardless of whether you keep expired vitamins, prescriptions, or over-the-counter meds, it should all be thrown away if it has passed its expiry date. This is quite serious because expired products may lose potency or become unsafe over time. Thankfully, pharmacies often have take-back programs, so clearing out the cabinet can create a safer, tidier space for what’s truly needed.
Lonely Socks
Finally, the infamous “sock drawer of shame” is where single socks go to wait for partners that may never return–it’s a truly sad story! Joking aside, though, this collection can get out of hand, and realistically, they aren’t likely to be useful. Sure, keep a few in your cleaning cupboard, but other than that, you can throw them in the trash.