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“The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.”
Marie Kondo, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
Have you found it difficult to build momentum in your decluttering journey? Sometimes it can feel like you have decluttering block (the minimalist version of writer’s block), and no matter how many times you look around the room, nothing stands out as worthy of letting go.
This list is meant to provide inspiration for kicking off your decluttering* excursion again:
- Glassware – Do you actually need twenty mugs?
- Expired beauty products – Ew.
- Media you never watch – I’m looking at you, DVDs and VHSs.
- Pens that no longer work – Consider not taking a shitty pen the next time you’re offered one.
- Items that make you feel guilt – One that immediately comes to mind for me is the guitar I was given as an adolescent.
- Books you don’t enjoy – It can be easy to keep books because of the image they portray to others when they peruse our bookshelves (I’m guilty of this), but wouldn’t it be better to fill our shelves with beloved books we’ve read instead of aspirational books (we’ve never read) that make us look smart/funny/artistic/etc?
- Unused children’s toys – Wouldn’t it be great to share those neglected toys with a child who would find joy in them right now?
- The pile of plastic/paper bags you’ve “saved” for later – Although it’s responsible to reuse plastic and paper, it’s easy to overestimate how many bags we’ll actually need. Consider paring your stash down to a reasonable number.
- Old batteries – You know, those dead batteries covered in acid, slowly corroding your flashlights.
- Tool duplicates – Do you need multiple of the same size flathead screwdrivers? Nope.
- Expired food – The back of the fridge is where food goes to die. Choose to give it a proper burial (in the trash or compost).
- Taco Bell hot sauce packets you saved for later (and never used) – This seems oddly specific…
- Plastic plant pots – Consider asking if your local nursery will reuse them!
- Old cell phones – Answer honestly: how likely will you activate your iPhone 3 if your iPhone 12 breaks?
- Damaged clothes – Practice your mending skills or pass them along to an organization that will use them.
- Candles that are burnt out
- Redundant coffee brewers – At one point I had a Hario V60 and a Chemex. Although they do produce slightly different brews, I realized that the V60 was a redundancy I didn’t need.
- T-Shirts you got for free and never wear – Instead of cluttering your closet, choose to pass on the free shirt or donate it right away.
- Trinkets that trigger unhelpful memories – Notes from exes and gifts from broken friendships are two examples of items worth parting with.
- Reusable grocery bags – Like plastic bags that accumulate under the kitchen sink, reusable bags seem to pile up just as quickly. Only keep the number you’ll need.
- Liqueurs you never drink – Either drink that bottle of Creme de Violette or give it to a friend who will. In the future consider purchasing smaller bottles of liqueurs that won’t be used in large quantities.
- Building materials that are no longer usable – Paint, caulk, wood filler, etc.
- Holiday cards that have been cluttering your countertops
- Single-purpose kitchen appliances you rarely use – Bread maker, rice maker, Slapchop, etc.
- Old laptops – Save important files and donate the old hardware. Just like with phones, you’re unlikely to use outdated hardware/software again.
- Paperwork that is no longer needed or is digitally backed up – Paper can be easy to justify saving (it doesn’t even way an ounce!), but as you’re probably aware, it can accumulate to unbearable levels.
- Old razors
- Collections that no longer interest you – It’s okay to lose interest in a collection that once fascinated you. Sell it or pass it on to someone who will garner more value from it.
- Used camera film – Either throw it away or get that shit developed/digitized. A great option for development is The Darkroom.
- Coffee filters for machines you no longer have
- Clothes that don’t fit your current body – Instead of motivating us to get in better shape, clothes that remind us of a previous self are more likely to cause us shame. Allow yourself to purchase new clothes once you reach your goals.
- Dead plants
- That pile of shoeboxes in your closet
- Extra throw blankets that remain unused
- Business cards/old receipts that are clogging your wallet – File/digitize the necessary documents and then recycle them.
- Board games you don’t play anymore
- The pile of magazines you still haven’t read
- Socks with holes – I’m guilty as charged.
- Pictures your child drew twenty years ago – If they’re hard to let go of, digitize them (either via camera or scanner).
- Pet toys that are held together by a string
- Jewelry that no longer fits your style
- Redundant electrical cords – You probably don’t need six USB-C chargers.
- That pile of office supplies on your desk – Is it just me or do post-it notes accumulate at a ridiculous rate?
- Loose change – Gather it up, and go for a date at the arcade!
- Random jars you’ve collected in the kitchen
- Instruction manuals you’ve kept “just in case” – Most of that information can be found online or on YouTube if needed.
- Paper coasters you’ve accumulated from beer events – Choose your favorites and ditch the rest.
- Christmas lights that no longer work – Why is it that half of the lights seem to break every year?
- Exercise equipment you said you’d use but have only touched once – It’s likely only adding a guilty feeling to your day. Instead, focus on exercise equipment you’ll actually use.
- Excess throw pillows – Maybe I don’t understand home decor, but the ratio of pillows to couch/bed/etc in many homes isn’t practical (or beautiful).
Phew – fifty items!
How do you feel after discarding them? Do you feel lighter, freer, and more peaceful? Is there more you still want to discard? Are there key items I missed in this list (let me know in the comments below)?
Hopefully, you’ve found a reignited motivation to rid your life of unwanted, unneeded, and weighty belongings.
Happy decluttering!
*If possible, try to sell, donate, or recycle your goods before sending them to the landfill