Declutter Your Home Check List- 101 Things to Get Rid Of
Why You Should Declutter Your Home
I remember being so sick of the mess. So tired of walking into rooms that were stacked high with junk.
Keeping doors closed and avoiding certain spaces because just being in there brought on so much stress. Telling myself, “declutter your home,” but not knowing where to start.
I finally got so tired of it all that, I just started getting rid of things – all of it, and never looked back.
At first, it was overwhelming and hard to part with things. Now, I hardly buy new stuff and getting rid of things is easy.
I don’t find value in small trinkets or clothes and other random household items. It’s easier to clean my house and I know where everything is. The list of benefits goes on and on and on.
So what are you waiting for? I know you have that room that always has the door shut, the drawer you can barely open, and that closet full of clothes that you don’t wear.
If you are looking for some secret recipe for decluttering… you won’t find it. The secret is… there is no secret.
You just do it. You do it or you let it sit and get worse. Declutter your home and don’t put it off!
So right now… today… you take this list of 101 Things to Get Rid Of and declutter your home, right now!
Start purging your house.
You will be much better off. I also provide a printable list of all 101 things so that you can mark them off as you work. You can find it at the end of this post.
This page may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.
How to Get Rid of the Clutter – Topics To Be Covered
How do I start decluttering?
List of 101 things to declutter right now!
Where do I donate my items?
You can also read tips on decluttering your closet, your kids toys, and your kitchen.
How to Start – Declutter Your Home
- Understand it is going to take time
- Don’t try to do it all in one day… you’ll get discouraged
- Do one space at a time
- Get trash bags for the items you are throwing away
- Get boxes or bags for the items you are going to donate
- Have a place to set items you are going to give to friends or family
- Join My Free Facebook Group so you will have a community to help hold you accountable
Checklist Of 101 Things to Declutter Right Now
1. Clothes that don’t fit
2. Clothes that are torn or stained
3. Clothes that aren’t flattering
4. That clothing item you bought but never wear
5. Extra hangers
6. Undergarments that don’t fit, are stained, etc.
7. Accessories you haven’t worn in 6 months
8. Old nail polish
9. Socks without a mate
10. Shoes that don’t fit, are worn out, stained, etc.
11. Gloves without a mate
12. Cracked or never worn belts
13. Unused or broken hair ties
14. Old/never worn hats
15. Free/promotional t-shirts
16. Scarves you don’t wear
17. Old bedsheets
18. Old/stained pillows
19. Books you have read and won’t read again
20. Books you have never read
21. Old makeup
22. Travel sized toiletries
23. Perfumes and lotions, you don’t wear/are old
24. Old toothbrushes
25. Shampoo you aren’t using
26. Old towels
27. Hair Products you aren’t using
28. Baby items they have grown out of
29. Baby items you didn’t like using
30. Old/broken toys
31. Toys that aren’t played with
32. Pens that don’t work
33. Half-finished craft projects
34. Craft supplies you haven’t use in a year
35. Games with missing or broken pieces
36. Greeting and Birthday Cards that were you
37. Gift bags to reuse that aren’t in good shape
38. Wrapping Paper Scraps
39. Notes you kept from school
40. Chargers for old phones
41. Old phones
42. Old phones cases
43. Random cords you don’t use
44. Old tables, computers, etc.
45. Manuals that you can look up online
46. Old CD’s (or all CDs)
47. Extra purses
48. Extra totes/bags
49. Extra mugs
50. Extra sunglasses (or other glasses you may have)
51. Old food in the refrigerator
52. Expired food from the pantry
53. Old Food in the freezer
54. Tea/coffee you never drink
55. Recipe Books
56. Dirty Sponges
57. Worn out kitchen towels
58. Food you haven’t eaten and won’t eat
59. Broken/chipped dishes
60. Duplicate items
61. Herbs/Spices you don’t use
62. Specialty Kitchen Items not used in a year
63. Art work you don’t like
64. Decor/Knick knacks that you don’t like
65. DVDs you don’t watch
66. Old video games
67. Old video game consoles
68. Old Computer games
69. Duplicates of tools
70. Broken Tools
71. tools you don’t use and/or could easily borrow
72. Items in storage you never look at
73. Unfinished projects
74. Cans of paint that you no longer need
75. Memorabilia that means nothing to you
76. Old medicine and vitamins
77. Old receipts
78. Duplicate/bad photos
79. Paperwork you don’t need to file away
80. Dead plants/flowers
81. Cleaning products you don’t use
82. Furniture that isn’t necessary
83. Old candles
84. Take out menus
85. Take loose change to the bank
86. Old boxes and packaging
87. Workout equipment you don’t use
88. Magazines
89. Old pet toys
90. Unused vases
91. Old shopping bags
92. Broken Christmas Ornaments
93. Old car chargers
94. Trash in your car
95. Loose change in your car
96. Give back borrowed items
97. VHS you can’t watch
98. Audio tapes you can’t listen to
99. Switch bills to paperless billing
100. Old keys
101. Expired gift cards or gift cards you aren’t using
I made this into a printable checklist for you! The information on how to download it is below.
It’s basically a declutter your home checklist that will help you become a decluttering pro.
Where Do I Donate My Items?
- You can give some items to friends or family if you think they would really enjoy them
- Give to the Veterans of America. You can sign up for them to pick up your things.
- Drop your donation off at a Goodwill, Salvation Army, or other second-hand stores
- Drop your donation at a Planet Aide (or other) Box in a local parking lot
- Sell High-End Pieces on Poshmark or Facebook Marketplace
- Throw away all broken items!
Decluttering your house can take some time. It took me a year to really get through everything so make sure you give yourself plenty of time and a little bit of grace.
It can get overwhelming when you are in the thick of it, but remember that the results will be totally worth it!
If you need more help decluttering your home, then check out my Honest Declutter Guide.
Or Sign Up For My FREE 3-Day Declutter Challenge!
Grab Your Printable List of 101 Things to Get Rid Of
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Read more:
Why Decluttering Is So Hard and How to Overcome It
Find Time to Declutter When You Don’t Have Time
Decluttering Sentimental Items :: How to Let Go
Organize and Declutter Your Kids Toys
Michelle Hurlbut
April 12, 2023 at 7:12 pmThanks for this list! I am going to retire in next year and have gradually been starting to declutter. My 26 yr old daughter with Asperger’s Syndrome is moving out this summer so once that happens, it should be much easier to simplify. Right now, housework is hard because she messes things up as fast as I clean it! We are starting to update our house we’ve lived in for 8 yrs. Got painting done, moving out clutter, and making it into our “dream home”; We are in our 60’s so are ready to brighten and update everything.
Karen Maynard
March 3, 2023 at 12:24 pmGreat advice Thank You, I will be using you’re list 😀 👍
Shirleen Curtis
February 19, 2023 at 6:32 pmThank you Rhonda for the ideas how to declutter my house.
Britney Jones
August 12, 2022 at 5:02 pmThank you so much for this post! We have been helping my mom declutter her house and she has SO MUCH STUFF!! We had to get a dumpster rental for all of her stuff! We’ve been trying to help her to see that it’s ok to get rid of things and I think I’ll show her this post to help. Thanks again!
karen klien
November 2, 2020 at 6:48 amI appreciate your list of things that are no longer needed.
It will be helpful in the near future to put aside the things that do not matter and are not vital to life!
KatiesKottage
November 5, 2020 at 3:35 pmThanks Karen! Glad the list was helpful for you.
Susie
September 25, 2020 at 12:17 amI laughed so hard at this list (in a good way) 100% me I have every single item on this list stacked stored or scattered throughout my house. I’m a pack rat, but my husband (ooof) he would divorce me if I got rid of everything while bitching that our house is messy ?
KatiesKottage
September 25, 2020 at 4:55 pm🙂 Stacks drive me nuts but if you can live with them then maybe it’s worth saving your marriage. Lol! But if you really wanted to declutter you could start by getting rid of your own things… not his… and not complain not about the house being messy. Can’t ever expect someone else to get rid of their things. They might not be in the same place as you.
Sharon Patton
February 13, 2020 at 10:40 amGreat suggestions. I didn’t know where to start!
KatiesKottage
February 13, 2020 at 2:20 pmThank you Sharon! So glad it could help. 🙂
Deborah Beckner
March 14, 2020 at 7:36 pmBooks videos can be donated to libraries.
Sheets, towels, blankets your local government run animal shelter. Tents, sleeping bags, travel size items donate for the homeless. Food that isnt expired or open give to local food pantry. Some charities take damaged clothing that they send to Africa to be made into rugs. Church thrift stores takes utems money earned is usually to help the poor. If you want the items donated to stay in the community our local Salivation Army sends all items to a central place and only send some of the items back.
KatiesKottage
April 4, 2020 at 8:29 pmThanks Deborah! That is such great advice. Thank you for sharing that valuable information.
Anna Macias
December 19, 2019 at 3:07 pmThank you! I hope to be able to to put myself in a decluttering mode. Being disabled I have had to take on side work to be able to buy treats for my dogs and a burger for myself on occasion. I’ve been hauling other people’s garbage. There are lots of good things people throw away that I felt others could use and took home. Forgetting I’m not very social I wasn’t letting anyone know I had all this stuff. Now to get rid of it. I’m responsible for everything on my own. Payments repairs to my house, vehicles, dogs, tools, gifts to my family etc. Being hit by a drunk driver and hit by a hit and run person took a toll on my body especially my balance. Feeling a little bit better I’m going to make time to declutter. Applying for your three day help.
Simple Bedroom Organization Ideas - KatiesKottage
April 5, 2019 at 3:10 pm[…] Well, I wasn’t thinking about the size of the bedroom in my first home. This furniture takes up A LOT of room. Since we are family who lives on a tight budget and practices being grateful with what we have… the furniture stays. This means I’ve had to get super creative with the organization and have decluttered a ton. […]
Rhonda
March 4, 2019 at 5:41 pmJust wanted to say, places that rescue animals can use donations of towels, blankets,…etc to help the critters. It is sometimes easier to get rid of something if you know that the items will be used & needed. ask at your local pound or ASPCA
KatiesKottage
March 4, 2019 at 9:08 pmThank you Rhonda! That is such a great idea. That is also why I like to suggest donating to the Veterans. I’ll definitely be looking into this. I have two dogs that we rescued. I love helping the critters. 🙂