When your surroundings are beginning to feel like they’re closing in on you, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s time for a bigger house. It may just mean that it’s time to clear away some of the clutter you’ve been accumulating. Here are some items you can dispose of right away to add some breathing room back into your living environment.
- Unnecessary paperwork. While it might feel uncomfortable to dispose of personal and financial documents you’ve carefully stored for years, in today’s digital age, you just don’t need them. Credit card, bank and other financial documents can be found online in most cases, as can appliance manuals. If you’ve been squirreling away your children’s school paperwork, you can probably get rid of that as well. Most educational institutions also provide access to important documentation online.
- Extraneous kitchen items. Are your kitchen drawers and cabinets bursting at the seams? Then spend some time taking inventory. Set aside any duplicate items you have—i.e., multiple wooden spoons, that extra potato peeler, one of your many corkscrews—for donation. Sort through your plastic storage containers and get rid of any that are stained, cracked or generally old. Also add any items you just never use to the donation pile, such as those coffee mugs that are a little too small or the gadget that doesn’t really work as promised. Keeping just your favorite, most-used kitchen appliances and accessories will keep your space feeling streamlined and spacious.
- Expired pantry items. While you’re in the kitchen, take some time to also investigate your pantry and refrigerator for condiments and spices that are near or past their expiration date. Before you toss something, do a little research to find out exactly what the ‘“best by” date on a particular item means—in many cases, it may be just fine to keep. Also toss anything you bought and used once for a recipe and no longer like or have use for. Keep in mind that spices should be refreshed a couple of times a year.
- Clothes you’re not wearing. All of us have a tendency to hold onto certain articles of clothing “just in case.” But in reality, if you haven’t worn something in the past year, you’re probably never going to. Go through your drawers and closets with an honest eye and start making a pile for donation. This should include anything that you’re waiting to fit into once you’ve lost a few pounds, items that you “kind of like” but still aren’t wearing, and clothing gifts that you don’t really care for but feel guilty giving away. Streamlining your wardrobe in this way will make you realize that your closets are plenty big enough, and will simplify your day-to-day life in many ways.
Source: marthastewart.com
