Decluttering can be a stressful experience at the most stressful of times, so we have come up with a list of 10 items you can let go of today and start your journey to decluttering!
Suppose we show an instructional video on decluttering. In that case, the comments section will inevitably fill with comments like: “Melissa, my place is a mess, I’ve never decluttered before and I’m freaking out and don’t know where to start.” Decluttering can be stressful. I’ve experienced it! We thought we came up with the series 10 Things to Throw Away today! Essentially, this serves as an excellent method to start the process of decluttering; walk through your home and find the ten things, and if they pertain to you, break off them now. Take this as a starting point for your decluttering process and explore the possibilities you could achieve with these ten essential items.
Loading ad-free Samples
Free samples aren’t free. They are offered at a price, and you must locate a place to store them all. My advice is: If I receive a free sample, I must utilize it within two or three days. I’ll consult my travel kit, and when I need this specific item, I’ll utilize it when I fly. Otherwise, it would be best if you got rid of the thing. If I purchase the hair product, I’ll use it straight in my shower and apply it the next day or the next. If it’s a perfume sample, I’ll use it immediately. If I don’t enjoy it, I’ll get rid of it. I don’t keep it, hoping that I’ll love it again in the future.
Pillows
If you’re like Chad and me, you’ll likely have a pile of old pillows in a drawer somewhere for “emergency” purposes. For instance, if we need a new cushion because we’ve destroyed all ours, or if we are hosting guests who require a bed for the night. This hasn’t occurred in the seven years that we’ve lived here! We do have a pile of old pillows. Bring your pillows and leave them at the nearest pet shelter. They’re the only place to accept used pads, but they love them and will provide you and your wardrobe an excellent favor.
Random Boxes
Look at your home, particularly in the storage areas–closets, basements, etc. There will likely be electronic, shoe, or even old jewelry boxes. It was probably an excellent idea to hang the box at the time, and you are likely right (for return, resale, etc.). If you’ve not used it in the last six months, it’s probably an appropriate time to throw it away. The box. If you’re using it to store things in excellent condition, they can be used to upcycle items.
Belts
Belts tend to go into and out of style for us females. If you’re not wearing a particular belt on high rotation, having it at home is probably unnecessary. Here’s what I would suggest: look at your belts, choose one in black, keep an orange one, choose a trendy one, and get rid of the rest. Decluttering FTW!
Hair Ties
Ladies and males with ponytails, I’m sure you’ll agree with me about this: hair tie! I’m guessing I have around 40 hair ties in the home? Chad believes it’s more like 400, but regardless, they tend to drift throughout the house and eventually end up in different places. The best solution in this situation is to put them in one location, Sort them through, and then get rid of the ones that have broken or stretched to the point of being a mess. Nothing is worse than having an untidy, stretched-out hair tie that’s likely to break and snap yours. Therefore, do yourself a favor and eliminate the ones that aren’t good.
Hair Products
Go to the bathroom and clear out your hair care products–shampoo, conditioner, styling products — the entire range! You’ll likely have some products in there that you’re never using. If you’re anything like Chad, perhaps you have empty bottles sitting in the bathroom, just sitting there. Check all expiration dates, then determine whether you’re using them, and if you aren’t, it’s time to dispose of the bottles!
Single Socks
If you’ve ever washed laundry in your lifetime, you’ve likely come across”the “mystery sock.” If you’re planning to use the socks for something else (and there are many other reasons to use one-socks!), It’s about time to dispose of them.
Dish Towels
I don’t know what you think, but I’ve had occasions when I reach the lowest point of my dish towels pile and pull out an adorable Swiss-cheese-style towel. Then, I keep them in case of any emergency cleaning situation in our home. However, we have a good supply of cleaning cloths and tea towels specifically for that use. So, look through your kitchen’s collection of tea towels and cleaning towels and eliminate those old, soiled ones. If you’re looking to replace all of them, consider investing in cleansing cloths made of microfiber that perform exceptionally well; however, they will last for a long time.
Promotional Email
It’s always nice to get emails from someone who truly loves you or is looking to get married, and they give you all sorts of money! But, usually, they’re from Nigeria and are typically a prince! While I’m laughing, I’m constantly bombarded with emails that are bogus or special offers, as well as other messages that, I’ll admit it, I’ve signed up to at times, but I unsubscribe to all of them without even going through them because I’m not interested. Every morning, inboxes full of junk mail are a bit cluttered, but digital, nevertheless clutter. I suggest you spend one week to go through your email each morning and opt out of all those emails you aren’t interested in. It’s not a simple chore, but having a clear inbox each day is a beautiful way to begin your day!
Shoes
When you go through your closet in the hall, you will likely encounter shoes worn out, damaged, broken, or simply not in style. You’ve never worn them in years, yet they are untouched and being walked over every day. Get rid of some space in your hall and bedroom closets, throw away those shoes that are no longer worn, and make room for the ones you enjoy.