Over 25 Things You Should Get Rid of from Your House

There are many unnecessary things in your house that you should get rid of as soon as possible. You might not even miss those items once they are gone. You will feel much better after you toss those unwanted and unneeded things from around you. Your house will then be much brighter, cleaner, uncluttered, and healthier.

Most people don't realize that clutter brings negative energy into their surrounding. Look through the list below and see if there are things you can discard.

Old Clothes and Shoes

Many people don't get rid of old clothes and shoes because they are waiting for them to come back in style or until they lose enough weight to wear them again. Clothes and shoes are easy to get rid of because many thrift stores will take them off your hands.

Wire Hangers

You probably have dozens of wire hangers that you can throw away. Every time you get your clothes cleaned, they are put on wire hangers. Throw the wire clothes hangers away and replace them with sturdy plastic or wood hangers that are better for your clothes. Your closet will look so much neater as well.

One Sock Without Its Match

Most people have one sock without its match. If you have a drawer full of single socks, throw the socks away. More than likely, the match won't ever show up.

Accessories You Don't Wear

You probably have accessories that you don't wear. Those accessories might include old scarves, one glove without its match, and belts with broken buckles. Throw them away to make room for items you might enjoy wearing.

Broken Jewelry

When women lose one earring, they hold onto the other one hoping the lost one will eventually show up. If you have been keeping a single earring for years, it is time to throw it away. Also, get rid of broken necklaces and bracelets to free up space in your jewelry box.

Old Eyeglasses

When you get a new pair of eyeglasses with a different prescription, there is no need to keep eyeglasses that you can no longer wear. Not only is the prescription wrong, but the glasses could be crooked or broken. Donate your eyeglasses, reading glasses, and sunglasses to charities that recycle them.

Last Year’s Sunblock, Lotions, and Creams

It is a habit of most people to keep bottles of sunblock, lotions, and creams long after their expiration dates. Throw those items away even if they have an ounce of two left in the bottle.

Old Cosmetics

Some women keep cosmetics much longer than they should because they do expire. Females should clean out their makeup bag and throw away anything that looks cruddy. This applies to mascara, lipstick, powder, creams and even nail polish.

Old Toys and Games

When the kids and grandkids were young, parents and grandparents kept a variety of toys and games so the kids could be entertained when they visited. If your kids and grandkids are in college, it is past time to discard old toys and games, especially the ones with missing pieces. Donate old toys and games that still have some life in them to thrift stores.

Receipts and Invoices

There is actually no reason to fill your purse, drawers, and other areas of your house with receipts and invoices. Perhaps you can keep them for a while, but years of receipts and invoices are not needed. Keep receipts for filing your taxes. Most receipts and invoices can be tossed after they have served their purpose.

Old Newspapers and Magazines

The lifespan of a newspaper is one day. The lifespan of most magazines is 30 days. If you have been keeping newspapers and magazines longer than their lifespans, then you are keeping them much longer than you should.

Some people have bundles of newspapers and magazines stored somewhere in their house that take up valuable space. If you are keeping newspapers and magazines for vision boards and other purposes, you could cut out the pictures you want to use later instead of keeping the entire magazine and newspaper.

Old Books

Donate old books to your local library or thrift store. You will be amazed at how emptying your bookshelves will add more space to your house.

VHS Tapes and DVDs

There are streaming services available such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu where you can watch hundreds of movies. You pay a small monthly fee that is about the same price as one movie you purchase. You can sell or donate your DVDs if they are in good shape. Then sign up for a streaming service where there will be no clutter.

Expired Medicines

Get rid of old medicines and medical supplies that you no longer need. If you don't remember why you were taking the medicine in the first place, perhaps you are well from that illness. Throw unrecognizable medicine away or take the medicine to a pharmacy or dedicated disposal location. Also, throw away those extra medicine cups. Donate crutches, wheelchairs, and other medical aids to a local hospital or charity.

Expired Food s

It is a surprising amount of expired foods people keep in their cabinets, cupboards, pantries, and refrigerators. Take time to go clean out those areas and throw away expired foods. Some expired foods are unhealthy and could be dangerous for your family.

Almost Empty Bottles of Salad Dressings and Sauces

Sometimes people keep bottles of salad dressings and sauces in their refrigerator even though there is just a small amount left in the bottle. It is better to toss those bottles to keep them from taking up space.

Packets of Condiments

Throw away dozens of mini condiment packets that you have accumulated when you ordered take out from fast-food restaurants. Some of the contents leak out over a period of time anyway. Collect only the ones you need to use at one time. Do not let them pile up.

Take-Out Menus

Almost every time you get take-out food or delivery from your local restaurants, there is a menu in the bag. Perhaps you have lots of them in your house. Actually, you don't need any of them because all the menus are online. You can go online and see the menu and even place your order there. There is no need to have a drawer full of paper menus taking up space. Put them in the recycling bin and get your space back.

Plastic Cutlery

Just as you get condiments and restaurant menus, you also get plastic cutlery. Don't let them accumulate. Throw away any excess plastic ware.

Plastic Bags

It is convenient to have your groceries put in plastic bags to take them home from the store. Those plastic bags accumulate in a hurry. You can use them for trash, but there are a lot of them. You can take them on your next shopping trip so you won't have to get more. Find out a recycling location near you and get rid of those plastic bags.

Broken Electronics and Miscellaneous Technology

Broken electronics should be recycled properly instead of staying in your house. There are places to dispose of your electronics responsibly. Get rid of cords that you no longer need, as well as remotes that have gone bad. There is no need to keep those miscellaneous technology items around.

Unidentifiable Keys

You recognize your house, office, and car keys because you use them more often than other keys. However, you might have a bunch of keys that you don't know what they unlock. Do a little research and ask your family if they know what the keys unlock. Before tossing them, see if they work on any safes, rooms, closets, and doors in your house. If not, toss them.

Old and Broken Appliances

If you have old appliances that no longer work, don't keep them in your house because they take up valuable space. Get rid of old irons, blenders, toasters, and other appliances that don't work.

Old Memorabilia and Keepsakes

So, you went to the World's Fair in 1964, and you have all kinds of memorabilia and keepsakes. Over the years, you might have boxes and boxes of printed napkins, matchbooks, and keepsakes you have been keeping for decades. Everything we want to see and remember is online that doesn't take up space in your house.

Old Papers

It is time to throw away old school papers. Teachers and many students keep them because they think they might need them in the future. There is no need to keep tubs and tubs of old school papers. Take time to go through them and save only the ones you think you will use in the future and toss the rest.