If a professional home organizer, like myself, showed up at your house right now there are a handful of things they would suggest you throw out without a second thought. Interested in what those things are? Keep reading!
Item #1: Flimsy Kitchen Utensils
You know what I’m talking about. That spatula you bought from IKEA when you moved into your first apartment. The cheap wine openers you’ve collected from holiday parties. The knife you got at Target that bends every time you try to slice an apple. If the utensil doesn’t serve its purpose…then it no longer serves you. Time to go!
Item #2: Writing Utensils
If the pens littering your desk and junk drawer no longer write, then why keep them? Everybody has a collection of sharpies that haven’t had enough ink since Christmas 2006. While we’re at it, throw out the empty mechanical pencils that are missing erasers and are the bane of your existence.
Item #3: Phone Books
Do you still have copies of the Yellow Pages in your home? If you do, you need to recycle them ASAP. It seems likely you haven’t had a new edition delivered to your door in the last five years. Yellow Pages has an app for your convenience. If Yellow Pages can move to digital, you can toss your copies in the recycling bin.
Item #4: Anything Expired
The expiration umbrella has a lot of items under it. I’m talking food in the fridge, spices in the cabinet, medications in the bathroom, even makeup on your vanity. If it’s expired, toss it. If not for the sake of decluttering, then for the sake of safety.
Item #5: Bags for Donation
It can be freeing to clear out your closet and make room for new clothes, but the task isn’t complete if the trash bags full of clothes never make it to the donation center. If you can’t find a good time to get over there, you can search for your community’s pick up schedule on Google!
Conclusion
It can be daunting when you start the huge task of decluttering your home. However, there are some things that can be tossed (or recycled) right away. If you need additional assistance with decluttering your home, be sure to check out my other blog posts. Happy cleaning!
