How to Declutter Without Fear: Start with These Items
How to Declutter without Fear
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It’s one of your biggest decluttering concerns + I hear it all the time: How do I declutter items I may one day need?
You’re not alone. For some of you, this fear is so strong it prevents you from decluttering before you even start.
Most minimalist influencers in the blogging world declare they’ve never, ever missed a possession they let go.
But me? That’s not quite true –
Just last week I went on the hunt for a book about running. It offers a specific formula for runners looking to race faster. I searched all the places this book should be and all the places it shouldn’t be. I tore my house up looking for this darn book but I couldn’t find it anywhere.
Why did I donate it? Well, a year or so ago, I raced terribly + vowed to stop running for good. Simply put, I had lost all love of the sport.
Fast forward one year: I’m running again + I need that book. I’m not telling you this to reaffirm your decluttering fears. That’s because this story has a happy ending: My Father-in-Law let me borrow his copy. I don’t have to spend money to buy a second copy yet I can still absorb its contents.
Everyone wins.
One final point: I’m relieved to have donated this item last year when I was at my lowest self, running-wise. That’s because the book is kind of like those jeans that fit your skinnier self. That book – + those jeans – would have only bummed me out by suggesting I’m inadequate.
Below, I lead you by the hand through your home. Together, we declutter room-by-room. In each space I offer up items I know you have + am certain you can let go of. That’s because there’s no possible way you will ever (in a bazillion years, even!) miss these items.
Wherever possible, I give you eco-friendly disposal options. The goal here is to have 30 successes as you start your decluttering journey.
Let’s get to work!
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Get decluttering! Items you won’t miss in the bathroom
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1. Worn out towels.
No guest wants to use your ratty-tatty towels. Repurpose your collection into rags so you can finally say adios to paper towels once + for all, or donate them to an animal shelter.
2. Expired sunscreen.
It does expire! So does medicine. Trash expired sunscreen; mix expired medicine with something unpalatable (such as dirt) then put in the trash. Don’t flush expired medicine, as it pollutes waterways.
3. Stretched out hair ties.
Stretched out hair ties threaten to snap at any moment. Trash ’em + vow to buy quality brands in the future.
4. Old nail polish.
You know it’s true: Nail polish that’s past its prime chips in 2 hours, on average. Get rid of it, but do so responsibly. Nail polish is considered a hazardous substance; therefore, it’s ill-advised to throw it in the trash. Check out this post for eco-friendly disposal ideas.
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Get decluttering! Items you won’t miss in the bedroom
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5. Undergarments with holes or stains.
*Please don’t donate* your undergarments with the rest of your unwanted clothes.
If you have a textile recycling program nearby, consider donating them there.
Do you compost? Stick your undergarments made from natural fibers (cotton, linen, hemp) straight into your bin, just be sure to cut them into small pieces first.
6. Solo socks.
How long have you been holding onto that sock without a match? Consider the 6-Month Rule: If that sock has been lonely for 6 months or more, accept the fact that the match is gone.
Cut in half lengthwise to make a handy-dandy rag, or cut the toes off and make a scrunchie for your hair. (I use old socks in my hair to make amazingly full hair buns; you can watch a tutorial here).
A final suggestion: Compost those cotton socks!
7. Wire hangers.
Collect ‘em all + return them to your dry cleaner.
I gather up those plastic bags that the dry cleaner uses to pack up your freshly cleaned comforters + give them back, too. He is happy to take them.
8. The earring without a match.
Use the 6-Month Rule. If it’s been 6 months or longer + its match hasn’t shown up, abandon hope.
9. Stockings or pantyhose with runs.
Love your shampoo bar? Use an old knee high to hold your shampoo bar in the shower so it hangs + therefore dries out appropriately.
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Get decluttering! Items you won’t miss in the kitchen
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10. Refrigerator magnets.
Those cutesy magnets + the items they tack upon your refrigerator comprise the *complete opposite* of minimalist living.
Consider removing everything from your refrigerator – all of it! – for one week. See if you miss any of it. If you do, put it back. But I’m willing to bet you’ll grow to love this clean, decluttered space.
If you bought magnets as souvenirs from memorable vacations, ask yourself whether photos of the vacation remind yourself of the experience, instead.
11. Take-out menus.
Reading this post? Congratulations, you have internet access! Every single restaurant you order from has its menu on the World Wide Web; embrace this + let go of outdated menus by recycling them.
12. Cookbooks you aren’t using.
Take photos of the few recipes you do use from the book + donate the actual book.
13. Takeout condiments.
Will you use them? If so, put them in your sightline so you use them FIRST. (This way you’ll reach for the Ketchup packet first before you reach for the Ketchup bottle.)
If you’re not going to use them, go ahead + toss them, with one caveat: Prevent yourself from bringing any home next time you order takeout by politely declining them.
14. Excess mugs.
How many mugs do you need, really? We always gravitate to our favorite mug. Donate the ones in the back of your cabinet because those are the ones you never use.
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Get decluttering! Items you won’t miss in the office
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15. Business cards.
Start a document on your computer or a note on your phone, then digitize the information + recycle the cards.
16. Old receipts.
They’re clutter-inducing, they have BPA in them, too. Decline receipts whenever + wherever possible, then find another way to track your spending.
17. Owner’s manuals for items you don’t have.
Recycle!
If you’re keeping owner’s manuals for appliances you DO have, consider tossing these, too. Most owner’s manuals are all online these days so – unless you have an antique appliance – consider recycling that entire stack of manuals + do something amazing with the space they’re stored in, instead.
18. Expired coupons.
Recycle.
19. Gift cards you know you’ll never use.
Give them to someone who will use them.
20. Textbooks from your college days.
The information in textbooks becomes outdated nearly the minute you purchase that book.
Try to sell online via various online book resellers; maybe you can get a few dollars. If not, donate to your local library.
21. Paper bills + bank statements.
Go paperless!
22. Useless cords.
Is it just me, or do the cords often outlast the technology? Recycle that tangled cord pile at your community’s next electronics recycling drive.
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Get decluttering! Items you won’t miss in the living room
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23. Magazines you’ve already read.
If you have kids, keep a few for creative projects. Donate the rest to nursing homes or adult communities in your area.
24. VHS tapes.
VHS tapes must be responsibly disposed of, as the tape inside is toxic. Research your local disposal options.
Related are DVD’s. Do you need them, or does Netflix offer those same movies on streaming?
25. Board games.
Have all the pieces? Sell at a yard sale, or give to a child.
26. Musical CD’s.
If you have a unique collection, try to sell it online before it becomes worthless. Donate to your library or local used record store, instead.
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Items you won’t miss in the garage or basement
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27. Old paint.
Paint can’t be thrown out, even if it’s old + solid. Check locally for recycling centers (just be sure to write down the paint numbers in digital format somewhere!)
28. Baby gear.
If your kids no longer need that high chair, consider giving it to a young couple who does.
Shift your thinking on baby items. Refuse to be melancholy that your kids are growing too fast; instead, view these items as ones that may help others while their children are small.
29. Unplayed musical instruments.
Inquire whether schools in your community take instruments in good working order for their music programs.
30. Craft supplies you no longer use.
Donate them to a community recycling center or give them to someone who enjoys the hobby in question (hey there, scrapbooking!).
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