124 Things to Throw Away Without Feeling Guilty (to Make More Space in Your Life)

65 Shares

Decluttering is liberating, and it’s powerful, too. It allows you more time, space, and energy by getting rid of the things that don’t serve you or your family anymore. By letting go of the stuff that are unnecessary, unloved, and unwanted, you free up extra space and time for the things or people that add more value to your life, that you love and enjoy, and that make you happy. For that, you first need to know which things to throw away so you can make more space for the things that are both beautiful and meaningful.

Getting rid of excess stuff lowers your levels of stress and anxiety, and helps you relax. When your home is overflowing with clutter, it’s really hard for you to focus on important things, or just sit and relax in peace. Because in a cluttered home, you got to deal with many distractions, and your mind becomes easily confused and tired.

A direct link between excessive home clutter and higher stress levels has been found in numerous studies in recent years. One research shows clutter raises cortisol levels – especially in women. Women who lived in cluttered homes had high levels of the stress hormone cortisol throughout the day, while those who lived in a well-organized, restful space had lower levels. So, by decluttering your home, you can significantly reduce your stress and anxiety, and experience more peace and calm.

As you remove the unnecessary, useless things, it creates more white space in your home and in your schedule to pursue the things that matter most to you.

Things to throw away:

Most of the time, the reason our homes look messy and disorderly is because of so much stuff we own! It can be hard to know where to start and what things to throw away while decluttering. There are so many rooms and areas you could begin with, and it can seem overwhelming when you’re just starting out. But it doesn’t have to be so.

I understand, we all own a few special things that carry some sentimental values and they can be hard to let go of. But so many of us also hold on to too many “someday” stuff that we hardly ever use! Those items should go, and there are some other useless things that are occupying your valuable living space, and shouldn’t be difficult to part with. You can easily let them go without feeling guilty, reclaim your precious space, and simplify your life.

Here is a pretty long list of things you can easily throw away! You will probably be surprised how many unnecessary or useless things you’re holding on to. A list will help you identify the clutter easily and make the process fun and exciting. You may not be able to toss out all of these things at the same time. So maybe instead of trying to find and set aside a huge chunk of time to do this, spend just 10 minutes a day and make this a little challenge for yourself!

I’m sure you’ll love the outcome!

Let’s find out what you can throw away today:

Your bathroom:

Old or unused makeup
Excess beauty products. Keep the ones you love and use regularly, and get rid of the extras.
Expired facial care products
Hair accessories. Keep only what you use regularly.
Remove excess decorative items from the bathroom and countertops. The less you have the less you have to dust or clean. Have a few nice decorative pieces and clear the rest.
Old razors
Unnecessary extra towels
Old travel-sized products
Dried up nail polish
Old prescription eyeglasses

Your bedrooms:

Damaged sheets and torn blankets
Very old or uncomfortable pillows
The stuff under your bed. They collect dust secretly and make the bedroom environment heavy.
The bedroom decor you don’t love and enjoy
Anything on your nightstands that you don’t use regularly or that doesn’t belong there

Closets:

Clothes that don’t fit anymore
Clothing that you haven’t worn in over a year
Shoes that you don’t enjoy wearing anymore
Uncomfortable or damaged shoes
Socks that are missing their other half or have holes in them
Broken or unused jewelry
Ties that you no longer like or wear
Worn belts
Scarves and accessories you haven’t used in one year
Handbags that are no longer your style or worn
Underwear that is uncomfortable or has seen better days
Free advertising t-shirts
Wire hangers
Old, broken, or unused hangers

Kitchen

Expired sauces
Cremes you’ve kept in the fridge for years
Empty bottles
Snacks your pets don’t eat
Extra and unused coffee mugs
Empty or near-empty bottles of cleaning products
Random containers and jars
Old spices
Expired food
Old shopping bags
Magnets that you don’t actually collect
Old calendars
Utensils or silverwares that are broken, never used, or ones that you have multiple of.
Dishes from when your children were little
Worn-out scrubbers and sponge
Expired medicines and supplements
Frozen meats with freezer burn
Matches you never use (maybe save a few in case of a power outage)

Kid’s room:

Toys that are broken or missing pieces
Unwanted or duplicate toys
Puzzles with missing pieces
Old, unwanted electronic games
Excess stuffed animals
Old children’s books
Kids’ old school papers from years ago
Clothes your kids have outgrown

Office room:

Old receipts that are no longer needed
Old calendars
Expired coupons
Broken pens or markers
Old bank or credit card statements. These can all be accessed online.
Unused cords
Old batteries that died
Books you no longer read or use for reference
Old cell phones and chargers
Old cameras that you don’t use anymore

Living room:

Excess furniture that you really don’t use but taking up your living spaces
Excess decoration pieces that make your room look and feel crowded
Old CDs and DVDs
Books you’ll never read again or didn’t enjoy reading
Old remote controls
Worn-out throw pillows
Rugs that don’t go with your color-scheme or style
Wall-decor or artworks you no longer love
Excessive photo-frames
Excess or burned down candles
Old magazines
Sentimental items that evoke negative emotions

Your drawers and handbag:

Cards people have given you with no sentimental value
Scraps of wrapping paper
Extra photos you don’t need
Old print-outs
Expired vouchers
Coupons you will never use
Markers without lids and lids without markers
Old paperwork
Save-the-dates
Old invitations
Old bank statements
Old folders
Old travel brochures
Old notepads
Business cards that you don’t need
Old school books you’ll never use again
Old crayons or art supplies
Cards or gifts from your exes
Unused stationery
Loyalty cards you never use
Excess decks of cards
Papers you have backed up on the computer
Old planners
Used ink cartridges. You can recycle them for a little money back.
Books you’ve already read and don’t want to display
Used and ripped envelopes
Wrinkled ribbon and bows for gift wrap
Old manuals for electronics
Paychecks older than 2 years
Gift cards. Go and enjoy them!
Old day planners
Old post-it notes
Wraps from chocolate bars or chewing gums
Organizers you bought to get organized that didn’t work
Old phone covers, styluses, screen protectors, etc.
Samples of any kind. Use, donate, or trash.
Multiple pairs of scissors
Extra buttons (if you don’t sew, toss them all)
Pens and pencils. Keep your favorites and let go of the rest
Old monthly bills (Switch to online banking)

Your computer/phone:

Delete photos that are blurry or duplicate
Delete email subscriptions from sites you never visit
Delete emails you don’t want to read
Move everything into specific folders
Delete old documents you don’t need
Delete unwanted music from your iTunes
Delete video clips and movies that you won’t watch again
Delete malicious and unnecessary apps from your phone

Now that you have an idea about which things to throw away, get started today! Even if you declutter only a few of the items from the list above, your life will feel lighter for it. Decluttering your home will lift a huge weight off of your shoulders. You’ll feel more relaxed and happier, and will have more time and space for the things and activities that are useful and meaningful to you.

You may also like to read: Easy Decluttering Rules to Help You Simplify and Live With Less