26 Useless Things to Declutter in Your Home
You’ve been decluttering your home for a while, but stuff still piles up and there’s no progress. Why has this happened?
One reason is that your belongings are not fully decluttered yet. You’re just moving things around.
Often, we hang onto items that we don’t use. All these unnecessary items don’t serve us, but create visual clutter around the house that bothers us.
It can be frustrating to see the useless things cluttering up the house and no progress in decluttering, right? Trust me, you are not alone in this.
You keep the useless or unused items not because you love or need them. Most of the time, you think you might use them in the future and want to keep them as a “just in case”. On some occasions, the items are gifts or in “good condition”, making it feel like a waste to purge them.
In this article, I share a list of 26 pointless things you might be holding onto and why you should let them go.
You may not know sometimes when holding onto these things might drag you down and make you feel bad about yourself. They’re accumulating day by day, taking up your valuable space and cluttering your mind.
You may not realize how hanging onto them can affect your mental and emotional well-being. Sometimes, it even brings up those negative memories, guilt, and stress onto you.
A cluttered home equals a cluttered mind. Clutter causes stress, drains energy, and steals happiness. So decluttering is not just about clearing clutter to create physical spaces, it’ll free you to focus on what truly matters, lift your mood to make you feel better, and, of course, the most important is to make room for things and people you love.
Let’s dive into this list of 26 things that can weigh you down mentally. Get rid of them today. I promise, you’ll feel so much lighter once you do!
This post contains affiliate links, to find out more information, please read my disclaimer.
26 Useless Things to Get Rid Of Today
1// Unused or unwanted beauty products
Discard old beauty products to prevent skin irritation and bacterial infection. Donate unopened cosmetics and perfume to charity.
2// Bag collection
Take time to declutter all your bags, including purses, tote bags, and backpacks. They can take up space. Most of the time, you haven’t reused the old ones or even remembered you had them.
3// Torn and stained undergarments
Over time, with normal wear and tear, you won’t mend these. Don’t hold onto them as they no longer serve you. Every time you see or wear them, they don’t make you feel good. Buy yourself new and comfy ones that make you feel fabulous and confident.
4// Unworn shoes
I know they all look good, but if they aren’t comfortable to wear, just let them go. There’s no reason to keep them and let them take up unnecessary space.
5// Clothes that don’t fit
Keeping clothes that haven’t fit since 2020 isn’t motivating. It just makes you feel bad about your body. Keep and wear the pieces that fit you now and make you feel confident.
6// Kitchen gadgets
Single-use kitchen items can clutter your kitchen drawers. If you haven’t used them in the past year, you will most likely not use them again.
7// Excess mugs
Many households keep too many coffee mugs. One to two coffee mugs per person is good enough. Donate the rest to thrift stores.
8// Old electronics
If you’re holding onto old devices you no longer use, it’s time to get rid of them. Give away or sell your old high-tech gadgets. Recycle outdated technology that you can’t use or dispose of safely.
9// Outdated chargers and cables
Searching for the right cable in a messy drawer is not fun. Recycle old or broken ones responsibly.
10// Instruction manuals and warranties
You don’t need to keep all the product manuals. Most of them are now available online. Organize manuals digitally to save your physical space. Declutter warranty documents if they have expired.
Related Decluttering Tips:
How to Declutter When You’re Overwhelmed by a Messy House
How to Declutter Your Home Fast
11// Book collection
Pare down your book collection. An overflowing bookshelf can create clutter. Keep your favorites and get rid of the books you won’t read again. Personally, I like to donate books to churches and local libraries.
12// Old school papers
There’s no need to keep all your school assignments unless you use them for work. Take photos of the ones you truly love and recycle the rest.
13// Old furniture
Get rid of old, broken furniture you’ll never fix. Sell or consider donating it to charity, or use an eco-friendly disposal option.
14// Hotel toiletries and beauty samples
A collection of tiny bottles can create a mess. Donate them to shelters.
15// Unused medicine
Clean out your overloaded medicine cabinet so you can easily find what you need. Safely dispose of unused or expired medicine.
16// Old prescription glasses
You don’t need to keep many pairs of old eyeglasses. One spare pair at home and one in the car should be enough. Check with local charitable organizations or optical stores to see if they accept donations.
17// Jewelry collection
Sell unwanted jewelry. Invest in jewelry boxes or organizers to store the pieces you love neatly.
18// Broken tools
Remove broken or duplicate tools from your toolbox. They take up valuable space and make it harder to find what you’re looking for.
19// Baby items
Donate kids’ outgrown clothing, toys, and baby gear to families in need.
20// Children’s artwork
Keeping every piece of artwork and craft project can create paper clutter. Scan the ones you love and keep digital copies.
21// Old hobby items
Get rid of old and unused hobby supplies if they no longer serve you. Bag them up and list them on Marketplace to sell. If you have a friend who shares the same hobby, consider giving your supplies to them. They’ll appreciate it.
22// Party supplies
Organize your party supplies, such as leftover decorations, party hats, paper plates, and cups. If you know you won’t reuse them, just donate or recycle them.
23// Gift wrap supplies
There’s no need to keep old, torn wrapping paper, gift bags, tissue paper, bows, and ribbons. Save only the good ones and keep enough supplies for the next year.
24// Old towels and bedding
Holding onto frayed and stained towels, sheets, and pillowcases is common. Your frugal heart might say they’re still usable, but wrapping yourself in a faded, stained bath towel doesn’t always feel good. Consider donating them to an animal shelter.
25// Inherited items you don’t want
We often attach sentimental value to inherited items. If you don’t want or can’t use that large piece of antique furniture, ask family members if they’d like it. If not, pass it on to someone who will use and cherish it.
26// Unwanted gifts
Re-gift or donate unwanted gifts to local charities. If you have gift cards you’ll never use, give them to friends who will appreciate them. Never feel guilty about re-gifting. It’s better to let those items be enjoyed than forgotten.
More Tips and Inspiration for a Clutter-Free Home
100 Easy Things to Get Rid Of Right Now
Final Thought
Decluttering can be hard when you try to hang on to every useless, ‘just in case’ item. The truth is that keeping those items doesn’t make you happy.
Holding onto unused, outdated, or broken stuff doesn’t bring you joy or value. You even need to spend time and energy to clean them regularly.
If you’re overwhelmed by your cluttered home, start decluttering today. Get rid of the useless items. Let them go as they no longer align with your values and lifestyle.
Remind yourself that you’re committed to keeping only the things that bring you joy and purpose. Simplify your home by tossing or donating anything that stresses you out.
Once you start your decluttering journey by getting rid of stuff that doesn’t serve a purpose, you’ll begin to create a clutter-free home you truly love. You’ll become more organized, feel so much lighter and less stressed.
Follow me on Social Media: