Things. Stuff. Junk. Clutter. No matter what you call it, it takes up space. Space in our homes, space on our property, space in our minds. It can irritate us – especially when we are trying to find something – yet, we still hang on to it. There is a whole list of things to declutter and it boggles the mind.

Stop Making Excuses

We make up reasons why we don’t need to declutter and need to keep things. “I might need that someday” or “It might be worth something” or “Hey, so-and-so gave me that!” We don’t really want it. We don’t really need it.  It sits in a box, or in a drawer, or on a closet shelf.  We all do it to some degree – I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have a junk drawer.

While there are a lot of excuses made for our clutter, there are also different kinds of clutter.

Think about your kitchen pantry. Have the cans and food packages at the back of the shelf seen the light of day in the last year? What about the cupboards way at the top in your kitchen – maybe behind those doors are small appliances you don’t really use or other less than desirable kitchenware. Maybe it is time to declutter?

Clutter can be confining and frustrating. Some of you are probably really good at decluttering.  But, I’m thinking there might be one or two things in the list below that you haven’t thought about.

Gain some freedom in your mind and on your homestead by checking out this list of things to declutter. These things can be sold, donated or thrown away. How many can you get rid of in your home?

40 Things to Sell, Donate or Throw Away

1.  Your “internet” collection of things you have ordered online, didn’t like, and won’t return due to the shipping expense
2.  Any items you have multiples of where the extras aren’t needed
3.  Clothing items that you haven’t worn in the past year
4.  Decorative items that are out-of-style
5.  Things others have given you that you don’t want/can’t use
6.  Broken toys (No, you will not have time to fix it. That’s a trap. By the time you might fix it, the kids will have outgrown it.)
7.  Toys with missing parts
8.  Furniture that does nothing except sit in storage somewhere
9.  Clothing items that are ripped/torn/stained, unless the item can be recycled into a rag
10.  Puzzles and games that don’t have all the pieces
11.  Older DVD, VHS, Blu-ray movies
12.  Old magazines that aren’t useful or collectible (You won’t look at them again – do you even remember the last time you thumbed through one?)
13.  Books that you will likely never read again (No, you won’t.)
14.  Older kitchen utensils that are starting to break down
15.  Broken/cracked/chipped/stained furniture
16.  Plastic cups collected from every place you have ever been (unless you use them!) – the memory is in your head, not in the cup.
17.  Old telephone books
18.  Expired food – go through your pantry and throw anything past the expiration date
19.  Expired medications – Please dispose of properly. Call your local pharmacy for assistance.
20.  Old electronics/phones – If throwing away, be sure to dispose of according to your local regulations.
21.  Old appliances in storage – If throwing away, be sure to dispose of according to your local regulations.
22.  Comforters/sheets/pillowcases or other bedding that is not being used or is showing wear
23.  Excess empty picture frames
24.  Old purses/handbags
25.  Shoes that are uncomfortable, out-of-style, or are showing a lot of wear
26.  Coats and winter wear you can no longer use
27.  Old curtains that will not be used again
28.  Anything you have tried that you don’t like – like lotions, skin care products, hair & make-up products
29.  Bikes & biking gear your kids have outgrown
30.  Clothes and other toys that your kids have outgrown
31.  Equipment from hobbies you may no longer participate in – like golf clubs or skis
32.  Old exercise equipment
33.  Suitcases you no longer use
34.  Excess coffee/travel mugs
35.  Old cables that can’t be matched to anything you currently use or are planning to keep
36.  Old remotes from things you no longer have
37.  Glass vases you have collected from flower deliveries
38.  Camping equipment that you no longer need
39.  Greeting cards you have received – what are they going to do besides sit in a box or drawer and take up space?
40.  Product manuals from items/appliances you no longer have

Get the Printable Checklist

If you can say you have gone through all 40 items above, I am proud of you!

Clutter piles up over time, so this is a list of things to declutter that we should use over and over again. Perhaps add it to your spring cleaning? Don’t forget to pick up the free printable checklist and print multiple copies to use when clutter rears its ugly head again. Simply sign up for our free monthly newsletter below.

There are good reasons for decluttering your home – see Top 5 Reasons You Should Declutter Your Home. You might also find 6 Easy Steps to Declutter Your Home (my tried and true method) worth a look as well.

What do you think about decluttering? Can you add to this list of things to declutter? Let us know in a comment below.