Decluttering can sometimes feel overwhelming and it can be difficult to know where to start. Take a look at these 75 things you can declutter from your home today.
Don’t know where to get started with decluttering your home? I agree it’s not always the easiest task.
With this list I’ve tried to break decluttering into small bite-sized chunks you can do in a few minutes and some bigger jobs for when you have more time.
I have purposefully excluded things that might be more difficult to let go of, such as sentimental jewellery or wedding items as this post is all about starting small and seeing where it takes you when you want to create more space.
1. Old Magazines
Be honest, how likely is it you’ll read them again? Chuck them in the recycling and be on your way to a clutter-free home.
2. Books
I love to read, and I’m not saying you should get rid of all your books, especially not ones that you love and will read again and again.
However, you could get rid of any broken or damaged books, return borrowed books to friends or the library and donate anything you didn’t finish because it wasn’t your cup of tea.
3. Paperwork
Even in this age of digital receipts, it’s easy to end up with mountains of paperwork. Sift through and get rid of anything that is no longer relevant.
4. Old Birthday Cards
If you’re sentimental, you might find yourself hanging on to many of your old birthday cards. If you can’t bear to get rid of them all, start with just keeping those from family or with special hand written messages inside.
5. Newspapers
Yesterday’s news is old news. Gather up any old newspapers and place them into the recycling bin.
7. Odd Socks
I’m sure it’s not only me that ends up with a pile of odd socks where their partner just seems to have disappeared into thin air?
While I’m quite happy to wear odd socks (it saves money, better for the environment) my husband is not and if you or anyone in your household is the same, get those odd socks binned!
8. Mismatched Tupperware
This is one of those jobs that can seem daunting but is actually pretty quick and easy and you’ll feel so much better once it’s done.
Get rid of any tubs or lids that are broken or damaged or without a matching partner.
9. Pens That Don’t Work
There’s nothing more frustrating than grabbing a pen that doesn’t work when you need one.
However, I’m sure many of us (looking at my husband here!) are guilty of chucking them back in drawer rather than getting rid.
If you keep a stash of pens somewhere, go through them to ensure they all work and throw away any that don’t.
10. Cardboard Boxes That You Don’t Need
The meme about being at the life stage where you keep cardboard boxes just in case because they’re nice and strong? It spoke to me.
But if the boxes aren’t being used and are starting to pile up then they need to go!
11. Used Candles
Why is it so hard to throw away candles? The pretty jars? The hope that the last little bit of wax will burn?
If you have candles that aren’t getting burned then it might be time to get rid – remove any leftover wax and the wick and the glass or aluminium should be recyclable with your household waste collection.
More on recycling candles here.
12. Notebooks
Once full, there is often no need to keep old notebooks, especially if they are filled with everyday scribblings such as to do lists and shopping items.
13. Kids Toys
Decluttering your children’s toys can be a great way to create more space, especially if there has been a recent birthday where more toys have been added.
Sometimes children can find it hard to let go of toys, even if they don’t play with them much, so it might be wise to tackle this when they’re not around start.
To keep things simple, start by removing and discarding all toys that are broken beyond repair.
Then create a pile to donate. While I’m all for making extra cash by selling old toys, keeping them around might mean the children find it harder to let go.
14. Shopping Receipts
I’ll often keep a receipt if it’s for items I might need to return. However, once that time has passed (often it’s 30 days) receipts can be discarded.
15. Instruction Manuals
Most instruction manuals can be found online on the brand’s website – so there often isn’t any need to keep a copy in your home.
There are also many YouTube tutorials that could help if you need it.
16. Empty Bottles From The Bathroom
As someone who is pretty frugal, I’ll always squeeze those last few drops from my shampoo and condition.
However, this can sometimes lead to a build-up of nearly empty bottles.
Time to get rid!
17. Plastic Spoons And Scoops
While I’m always keen to re-use plastic where I can, sometimes it’s easy to end up with more spoons and scoops than we need.
Rather than binning, I do like to try and recycle where I can – sometimes local nurseries like small scoops to use in sensory activities and it’s worth checking your local recycling information to see if plastic spoons and scoops can be recycled kerbside.
18. Expired Medicine
It can be surprising how quickly medicine goes out of date, especially things we might only use a couple of times a year such as cough mixture or vapour rub.
19. Out of Date Herbs And Spices
While it is fine to use out-of-date herbs and spices, they can lose their potency after a length of time and I often find they go clumpy too.
If you’ve not used it in over a year and it’s out of date then it can probably go!
20. Old Towels
Again, old towels are one of those things we keep because they *might* come in handy.
But if they’re taking up too much space then it’s time to get rid of them.
You might be able to donate them to a local animal shelter, which are often in need of towels for the animals they look after.
21. Plastic Bags
We all need plenty of spare plastic bags to take with us on the weekly shop.
Over time though, this can get out of control as new ones are added.
22. Old Bedding/Duvet Covers
We often update our bedding but it can be hard to let go of old duvet covers.
What if we have a sick bug and can’t wash and dry enough fast enough?
That hasn’t happened yet, and if it did, I’m sure we’d manage somehow. This is your sign to get rid of any bedding or duvet covers you no longer use.
One plus a spare is plenty. One plus two spares is more than enough.
Donate to a local animal shelter if you can.
23. Mugs
I have a favourite mug.
It’s Harry Potter X Le Crusuet and I’ve used it for my morning cup of tea every day since my best friend gave it to me for my 35th birthday.
So, why then, do I have a cupboard containing twenty-plus mugs of various colours and sizes?
Will I ever have twenty people around to my house for hot drinks? It’s a firm no.
If you’re anything like me, you could probably get rid of half, free up some space in your cupboards and still feel safe in the knowledge you have enough should you have several unexpected guests turn up for tea.
24. Old Nail Polish
While nail polish lasts a very long time, there are sure to be bottles in your collections that are past their best or are colours that you would no longer wear. A quick and easy win when it comes to decluttering.
25. Clean Products You Never Use
Are there some cleaning products you never use?
Usually, these are products that you’ve tried in the past but didn’t like, but at the same time didn’t want to waste to have ended up at the back of the cupboard.
26. Old Charger Leads
It’s very easy to end up with a multitude of leads we never use that belong to old tech that we no longer own.
Many leads can be recycled, for example, my local church is currently collecting leads as they can make a small amount from recycling them.
Related Post: How To Have An Eco Friendly Home
27. Broken Costume Jewellery
Dealing with sentimental jewellery can be hard so for easy things to declutter, we’re just looking at costume jewellery.
Any pieces that are broken can be discarded and items that no longer suit could be donated to charity.
28. Old Fancy Dress Costumes
Fancy dress costumes can be expensive and as we often only wear them once, it’s one of those things we end up hanging on to ‘just in case’.
However, lifestyles often change so it might be time to let go. If it’s around Halloween you might find costumes sell well on eBay or Vinted.
29. Junk Mail / Leaflets
It’s easy for junk mail to pile up thinking we’ll look at it later or there’s useful information contained within.
However, most information can be found online nowadays, so leaflets and junk mail can head straight to the recycling bin.
30. Expired Coupons
Like many Brits, I love a bargain and often collect coupons.
However, they don’t always get used and often have quite a short expiry date.
Time to remove them from your purse, kitchen drawers or anywhere else they might be lurking and then chuck them away.
31. Old Brochures
While brochures are much less popular than they used to be, it can still be lovely to have a browse, especially for a holiday.
If you have old brochures lying around though, today is the day to get them decluttered from your home!
32. Shoes With Holes In
Shoes with holes in are okay in the summer, but not so good in the winter.
It can be hard to part with a favourite pair of well-worn trainers, but now is the time to let go and order a new pair.
33. Used Colouring Books
Every now and then we go through the children’s colouring books and get rid of any that are pretty much full up or are no longer age-appropriate.
Our little girl loves colouring so we’re often buying new colouring books and they can soon stack up and take up too much space.
34. Excess Headphones
Headphones are useful and we are often loathe to discard them.
That said, they might be for tech we no longer own, broken, or we may not know where their chargers are.
If you’ve ended up with a gut of headphones now is the time to check whether they work, realistically decide whether you’ll use them again and then get rid.
35. Used Puzzle Books
When it comes to puzzle books, we might not like or enjoy all the puzzles contained within.
Get rid of any puzzle books that are mostly used up.
36. Old Throws
We seem to accumulate old throws like I don’t know what. I guess having kids means they get worn pretty quickly! You can donate these to an animal shelter or if in good condition to a charity shop.
37. Unused Hobby Equipment
Many of us take up hobbies and then for whatever reason they become redundant – it might be that we didn’t enjoy them or that our lifestyle changed.
Now is the time to think about getting rid of or donating any unused hobby equipment.
38. Board Games That You Never Play
My name is Fee and I am a board game hoarder. I love playing board games and I have a cupboard full of them.
But, sometimes they do need decluttering. Games can become dated or might be missing some playing parts.
There might be games that your family has outgrown (such as Junior Scrabble or Monopoly) that can be donated.
39. Old Phones
We often keep old phones just in case anything happens to our shiny new ones.
However, most people can manage with one or maybe two spares.
All the rest can be sent off for recycling (and let’s be honest, might not even work anyway!)
40. Outgrown Childrens Clothes
Children grow like weeds and it’s easy to end up with piles of clothes that are too small.
You might have good intentions of selling them or passing them on to a particular family member the next time you see them.
However, if they’ve been lying around for months, they need to be donated or recycled.
41. Dead Batteries
Why do we keep dead batteries?
I tend to avoid putting them in the bin as I know they can be recycled and then they get mixed up with which are new and old.
Whether you have a pile that needs testing or a collection ready for recycling at your local supermarket, you can easily declutter dead batteries from your home today.
42. Unused Utensils
Struggling to open your utensil drawer? An easy fix is to eliminate any utensils you don’t use.
While some may seem handy (eg. garlic press) some are more hassle than they are worth when it comes to cleaning them up afterwards.
43. Tools That Don’t Get Used
It can be so easy to amass a collection of tools, but if you often use a handyman for bigger jobs, you can probably get rid of a few tools that never get used.
44. Kids Old Artwork
This is such a tough one, especially as someone with a daughter who does multiple drawings every single day.
Our current method for decluttering these involves everything going into a large shopping bag and then once every few months keeping the absolute best few drawings and binning the rest. If we get rid straight away she asks where they are.
45. Utility Bills
Many of us no longer receive paper bills but they are sometimes needed when applying for certain things, especially if you don’t have a photo ID.
Either way, out-of-date utility bills are an easy thing to declutter.
While they can be recycled it’s best to shred them first.
46. Unwanted Gifts
Are you keeping something just because it was gift? If you don’t love it then it needs to go.
47. Ornaments You No Longer Like
Our tastes change over time and it’s okay to get rid of things that no longer suit our style.
48. Excess Glassware
Different glasses are needed for different occasions but it’s worth considering whether you really need so many different types taking up space.
Don’t forget you can hire glassware if you’re having a party and will have more guests than usual.
49. Worn Tea Towels
I find with lots of use, Tea Towels do eventually start to look pretty grotty.
Time for some new ones!
50. Glasses With Your Old Prescription
These can be recycled at your local Specsavers, even if they weren’t purchased from there.
51. Used Make Up Brushes
Even if you clean your brushes often, there eventually comes a time when they are no longer usable and need to go.
52. Freebies From Events/Conferences
If you often attend conferences and events, you may well end up coming home with lots of freebies.
While some can be super helpful like notebooks and pens, it’s easy to end up with more keyrings that you know what to do with.
53. Old Craft Supplies
If you’ve recently let go of a crafting hobby or completed a project, it’s time to sort out your old crafting supplies.
54. Bath Products You Don’t Like
Sometimes it’s the smell, or maybe something else. When we’ve spent money on something it can be hard to get rid of it, but decluttering bath products you don’t like is an easy way to get started when decluttering your bathroom.
55. Event Clothing You’ll Never Wear Again
This could be anything from fancy costumes to bridesmaid dresses you’ve only worn once.
56. Old Bath Toys
Bath toys go mouldy very quickly, so these need to be decluttered often.
57. Uncomfortable Shoes
There’s nothing worse than uncomfortable shoes, even if they are very pretty to look at.
58. Uncomfortable Bras
Same as above.
59. Chipped Crockery
Once chipped, crockery is likely to become more chipped and broken and can then become dangerous.
60. Things Stuck To The Fridge
Our fridge is covered in drawings, paintings, letters from school, meal plans, and shopping lists.
Now and then it needs a good declutter and this is a nice easy job to do if you only have five minutes.
61. Items From School, College or University
While some items might have sentimental value there are probably items that can be discarded now too.
62. Reference Books
Reference books can often become outdated quite quickly especially if relating to medicine, so if you have some from ten or fifteen years ago, likely, they are no longer relevant.
63. Keys That You Don’t Know What They Open
I think this one is pretty self-explanatory.
64. Old Credit/Debit Cards
It can be easy to pop the old one in a drawer rather than get rid when the new one comes. A quick thing to declutter if you only have a few moments spare.
65. Clothes With Holes . . .
That you’re not going to repair. While I am all for reduce, reuse, recycle, some things just can’t be saved.
66. Cake Decorating Supplies
Another thing is that it’s easy to end up with items that have been used once and are unlikely to be used again.
67. Excess Coat Hangers
It’s always worth having some spare, but not too many, especially if you’re trying to curate a more sustainable wardrobe.
68. Freezer Burned Food
When it comes to decluttering, your freezer might not be the first thing that comes to mind.
But it does need a good sort-out now and then.
Some food freezer burns more easily than others, especially if they have not been packaged well, so these can be the first things to discard.
69. Old Gloves
Lost the it’s pair?
Holes?
Looking very worn?
Time for old gloves to go!
70. Old Paint Pots
We often keep old paint for touch-ups and so we can remember the colour.
But the truth is, time can often fade the colour so once a year or two has passed it’s no longer a good match anyway (found this out recently when doing up my living room!).
You may also end up deciding to completely repaint the room anyway.
71. Scratched DVS/CDs
These won’t work so can be decluttered – it’s up to you whether you want to test them first.
72. Old Event Tickets/Train Tickets
Old even tickets and train tickets can often be found cluttering up drawers, bags and purses. While some might be kept for their sentimental values, others can be discarded.
73. Anything That Doesn’t Belong To You
Are there things in your home that don’t belong to you?
Ringfence time to return these items to friends and family.
74. Unused Kitchen Gadgets
Some kitchen gadgets are used daily, but others get used once and then spend months, or even years, clogging up kitchen cupboards.
If you’ve not used something in the last year or so, it’s unlikely you’re going to.
75. Anything You’re Selling (after three months)
Finally, selling your old item on Vinted or eBay can be a great way to make extra cash.
But sometimes there is more value in having a clean and decluttered home.
Give yourself a time limit of three months to sell as much as you can and then donate whatever is left so you get the best of both worlds.
Just don’t forget to remove the items from your online sales pages!