Stop Household Clutter: 50 Things to Get Rid of Right Now

Decluttering your home can have many positive benefits, from better sleep to improved memory and focus. If you want to know how to get rid of clutter but aren’t sure where to start, we’ve compiled a list of 50 things you won’t mind parting with. Letting go of these unnecessary items might just give you the motivation you need to tidy up your entire home. Need more decluttering inspiration? Try these small decluttering projects that make a big impact, tips for taming kitchen clutter and parent-approved hacks for controlling kid messes.

No wire hangers! Ditch those dry cleaner hangers for matching plastic, velvet or wooden versions; they're visually cohesive and gentler on your clothes.

Ditch the cardboard boxes and plastic bags that go with your cereal, snacks and dry goods. They're ugly, take up lots of space and don't keep your food fresh. Instead, opt for glass canisters or jars (as in HGTV Urban Oasis 2022’s sleek pantry, where bins and baskets also corral clutter) or airtight food storage containers.

When was the last time you replaced the sponge in your kitchen sink? If it's been more than a month, toss it. In between, sanitize it with a spin in the dishwasher.

It’s important to schedule a maintenance checkup for your HVAC system every spring and fall, but in the meantime, filters need to be checked once a month. When they’re dirty, change them; dirty filters shorten the lifespan of your system.

Get rid of any shoes that are broken beyond repair, worn out or missing a mate. Can't remember the last time you wore a still-good pair? Donate them to a thrift store.

Those pieces quietly becoming vintage in the back of your closet deserve to see the light of day — and you deserve their real estate. Donate or sell any items of clothing you've had for more than a year without wearing.

The same applies to clothing your children can no longer wear. Unless it's an heirloom, pass it on to another family through your local Buy Nothing community, donate it or sell it to free up space.

Donate toys your child has outgrown or get ideas for upcycling hand-me-downs they can't bear to part with. Beach buckets as snack servers, kiddie pools as party coolers, plastic critters as planters — we could do this all day.

If they've moved on from ninjas to superheroes, go ahead and donate that old costume. An organization we love? Pennsylvania's Halloween Helpers, a nonprofit that both collects and redistributes secondhand costumes and offers tips and signage for organizing a costume drive in your community.

Display your child's favorite works of art in a gallery wall or a photo album, then recycle the rest. Want to squeeze one more round of use out of that paper? Use it as gift wrap or snip it into greeting cards.

We all have that bag of socks without their, ahem, sole mate. If you've done a full round of laundry without finding their partner, it's time to let them go.

How long have those cosmetics been lurking in your makeup bag? Mascara should be replaced every three months. Foundation and concealer are good for about a year, while lipstick, eye shadow and blush should be replaced every two years.

Give away anything you know you won't use. That perfume could be a massive hit as the centerpiece of a DIY spa gift for your loved one.

Dispose of old prescriptions and anything you can't identify, but — because meds are considered hazardous waste — it's important that you follow the FDA's guidelines. Also, check with your local pharmacy or law enforcement agencies as many offer year-round or seasonal drug take-back days so you can safely drop off unwanted meds for proper disposal.

Most ground spices should be replaced after 12 months. A simple test? Give each one a whiff. If there's no scent, there will be no flavor. Go ahead and toss it!

The American Dental Association recommends replacing your toothbrush once every three months for maximum brushing power. We second that recommendation for minimal yuck. (Psst: Once its tooth-cleaning responsibilities are over, that same brush can do a number on grime in your bathtub!)

You've enjoyed them, now it's time to let them go. Record any new or updated addresses to your phone or computer before chucking those no-longer-in-season greetings in the recycling bin.

You probably refresh your wrapping paper supply while Christmas shopping, anyway, so go ahead and recycle the old stuff. If you can't bear to part with it, try keeping it organized in a rolling mesh laundry basket. You can also turn last year's leftovers into festive decor.

Yep, there's a running theme here! Embrace the present by recycling last year's calendar. The same goes for a dated datebook.

Toss any unidentifiable objects in the refrigerator or freezer. Want to up your zero-waste game? Find out where and how you can compost those oldies-but-no-longer-goodies.

If you'd only give a film one thumb up or you wouldn't watch it again, it’s time to give it away. Make use of hidden storage for the titles you keep. While movie memorabilia is excellent decor for a media room, it’s more than OK to tuck away movie boxes until you need them.

Throw away any canned goods past their expiration date. If you discover still-good packaged food you didn't like or won't eat, donate it to a local food pantry.

Don’t be shy about paring your collection down to the greatest hits. Pass the titles that aren’t in regular rotation to friends who might get more use out of them — book-swap-themed potluck, anyone?

You can typically find menus and numbers for all your go-tos online. Keep your favorites in one place by placing them in a plastic folder, then adhering the folder to the inside of your kitchen cabinet — which also works well for recipes!

Though their packaging sticks around forever, condiment packets' contents have best-by dates (nine months for ketchup, and 12-24 months for mustard and taco sauce) — and the only thing sadder than a junk drawer full of mini sauces is a junk drawer full of mini sauces that wouldn't even taste good if you got around to using them. Purge yours today!

Most recycling centers have mixed-metal bins that are suitable for tossing your old keys; just make sure to remove any rubber or plastic coverings before you recycle. To double-check key-recycling regulations in your area, plug your zip code into Earth911's online guide.

If you know you'll never wear it after the event, sell it or donate it — there are several organizations that will take that old bridesmaid dress, prom dress or tux off your hands to give to someone in need.

When you get your next pair of prescription frames, donate the old ones. Nonprescription reading glasses and unopened contact lenses can also be used as secondhand eye care, so be sure to pass them on, as well.

If you got that long-awaited promotion and now have 300 unused business cards with your old title, recycle them.

The frustration of a flimsy, broken umbrella far out-hassles the act of investing in a new and functional one. Your serene (and much drier) future self will thank you for ditching the busted gear.

A friend or relative might be able to use a spare USB cable or an old charger. Anything you can't give away can usually be recycled in an electronic store or online. Keep unruly cords organized by using media boxes that are divided into "cubbies" with scraps of cardboard. Label each section, so you'll never confuse the camera cord for the phone charger again, and give the boxes a bit of color by decorating the cardboard with scrapbook paper.

Between digital video recorders, DVD players and cable boxes, most homeowners have more remote controls than they know what to do with. Get rid of the extras that you don't recognize anymore.

CD collection getting dusty? Organize the ones you really want to keep and sell or give away the rest. If you're up for an especially clutter-busting weekend DIY, consider digitizing those discs or offloading them to a third party that will do it for you; an external hard drive can be an inexpensive option.

Properly sealed (read: airtight) paint can last for up to 10 years if kept at an even temperature and prevented from freezing. However if, like most of us, you store leftover paint in the garage or shed, the temperature swings will cause it to break down much quicker. If you have old paint cans with bulging lids, leaky seams or, once opened, a thick layer of dried paint on top, it's time to give that can the toss. But, before tossing, research safe disposal steps by contacting your local household hazardous waste center. If the paint is still usable, you may even be able to donate it to a local charity, like Habitat for Humanity or even a local scout troop or school that could use the paint for crafts.

If you think you might return an item or need to keep a receipt for a warranty, try scanning and keeping copies online instead of in an old shoebox. Note that thermal receipts like this one should be trashed rather added to your recycling bin; because they're coated with a plastic film, they can't be reused like other paper.

Take a long, hard look at your library — if the years have been less than kind to editions that don’t have sentimental value, it’s time to weed them out.

You brought them thinking surely they'd fit a window in your new place, but your new set of windows says otherwise. If you're handy with a sewing machine, old window treatments can be altered to fit your current space — which deserves curtains as lovely and well-proportioned as these!

Our preferred method of disposal? Refrigerator magnets! (Honorable mention, though you'd need a lot of plates: A quirky room divider.)

Most appliances' manuals are available online and ready to coach you through technical difficulties. Keep really important ones together in a folder and recycle the rest with confidence.

While you might feel a twinge of sadness the next time you have occasion to deep-fry an entire chicken and don’t have the countertop gadget with which to do so, consider the spacious serenity of these countertops, punctuated by just a toaster and a tablet. If your appliances aren’t getting regular use, clear them out.

If you're not already dedicated to melting down the slivers into one mega-soap (or grating and transforming them into liquid soap), chances are good that you're not about to start. Release that DIY (and that teeny, tiny soaplet).

Okay, yes, there's an exception: If you love the frame but the glass is shattered, you can get a new piece cut to size at a local glass repair shop. Otherwise, out with ‘em.

Your kitchen cabinets were meant for better things. Try repurposing those vessels in your medicine cabinet — or upcycling your old Mason jars into something new.

Card and board games get nonsensical (even existential) when you can’t play them properly. Save yourself the headache of Weird Monopoly or half a game of Hearts and toss incomplete sets. We’re looking at you as well, impossible-to-complete jigsaw puzzles.

Let your GPS do the hard work of navigation and recycle unlovely old road-trip aids. Try mounting keepsake maps, in turn, as wall art.

Once its scent fades — which will happen in a few years if it's in a sachet in a drawer and in as little as a few weeks if it's exposed to sunlight or humidity — potpourri assumes its spooky-dust-magnet final form. When applications of essential oil are no longer rejuvenating it, send it on its way.

If you’ve still got a couple lying around, it’s high time to put them to use. One idea is to hand them out to family and friends, then get the pictures developed to see what you get!

When you're crafty, supplies take up space and fast. Throw away any dried-up glue sticks, old paint and paintbrushes and then reorganize the supplies you want to keep.

Unused musical instruments can be donated to and given a second life with someone who needs them — and if you develop an overwhelming itch to play again at some point, you can always acquire someone else's former gear (it's the circle of life!).