Don't procrastinate: 11 items to get rid of immediately in order to tidy up properly
Inhale, exhale and throw away. We can't get around doing this: when there is a mess, organizing spaces only helps up to a certain point. The next step - at least for those who really want to restore order - is to get rid of all the superfluous things. But here is the sticking point: what is truly superfluous? Each of us has things to which we are attached. It's difficult to toss these things out, but sometimes we have to be brave, "bite the bullet" and just do it.
There are also some types of objects that seem to accumulate without us noticing (and until someone points it out to us). These are things we can get rid of more easily. So let's see some of the items in this category that we can toss out without too much fuss.
Old magazines and newspapers
Old newspapers usually get tossed out quickly, but some magazines can lay around for ages. There are collectible magazines, of course, that can be worth something. But in most cases, old magazines can also be tossed out.
Go through your magazines and decide what to do with each one: there are second-hand shops and markets that might want them, as well as online collectors. The worthless ones should be consigned to the trash.
Coupons, catalogs and other papers
Coupons are almost exclusively digital these days. That said, paper-based coupons should all be kept in the same place, so that you can periodically rummage through them and throw the expired ones away. The same is true for brochures and catalogues: they become obsolete almost immediately, and they're never worth keeping.
Wrapping paper and similar: if you don't do arts and crafts, keep only the bare essentials you need. And don't forget that a gift can also be wrapped in many other alternative, eco-friendly and original ways!
Clothes
No matter how much you may be attached to them: clothes that are ruined should be thrown away. Then there are those garments that are in good condition but that we will never wear again. We need to be strong and get rid of these too: they will be great to donate, give away or sell.
Plastic and paper bags
They bags seem to multiply by themselves. Take the ones you have and arrange them neatly in a designated dispensing container. Whatever won't fit, throw away.
Everything you wanted to fix but never will
If it's been lying around, forgotten somewhere for ages - and it's not a one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable object - it's time to toss it out.
DVDs
If you haven't watched DVDs for years and years and/or the films are now available (in HD) via streaming services, say goodby to this obsolete technology. Keep any collector's editions, fo course, but discard the rest.
Kitchen utensils
Unless you spend all daycooking for large numbers of people, just keep "one of each type" of kitchen utensil, perhaps choosing the highest quality and most versatile model (spoiler: generally these are the metal utensils, not the wooden or silicone ones).
Empty boxes
From shoe boxes to home-delivery boxes: if you're not using them, they have to go. Maybe keep one empty one for the cat.
Expired cosmetics and medicines
With medicines, it is easy to check their expiration dates. With cosmetics, it's a little less so: from make-up to beauty products, body care, hair, hands, etc... it is a great idea to use small adhesive labels to indicate clearly what their expiry date is.
And perhaps it's better to use (rather than throw out) your makeup that's about to expire!
Books that no one ever reads
We leave the most difficult task for last. It always hurts to say goodbye to books - it almost seems like a sin. But certainly there are paperbacks in the house that we don't even know what they are about. Or we have old editions of completely obsolete technical manuals or encyclopedias. Keep those near and dear to you and toss the rest.
Ready to clean up now?
