Spring Cleaning: 50+ Things to Toss Right Now

Spring often brings an urge to purge. A disorganized home can make you feel overwhelmed, and decluttering can actually help save money and even bring a little extra dough. Even if the overload isn't so bad you're thinking of renting a storage unit, being honest about what you actually use and what's gathering dust can help you make smarter buying decisions in the future. 

Less clutter can also keep you from buying the same item again because you can't find what you already have. Clearing the entire house of clutter takes time, so start by targeting these things you can throw away now. 

Related: 17 Places to Donate Clothes and Clutter for Money

One of the biggest areas of embarrassment for many people is their closets. As a rule of thumb, get rid of anything you haven't worn in the past year. Taking inventory with each change of season is a good way to identify what you do and don't wear and, in the end, what you should clear out. 

Related: Common Household Items You Can Sell for Cash

After cleaning out your own closet, tackle the kids' closets. Children's closets get even more cluttered because they outgrow things constantly or (let's face it) stain or rip them. Make it a habit to donate unworn or outgrown clothing, and toss/recycle those that are ruined.

Go through and toss any shoes you haven't worn in the past year and any that are simply worn out. No sense keeping them if you won't or can't wear them. Tip: When you buy new shoes, part with at least one pair to keep the clutter at bay.

Wire hangers can actually damage your clothes. They simply don't offer enough support for heavy clothing, and over time the clothes can become misshapen, especially in the shoulders.

That bridesmaid dress may have cost more than you wanted to spend, but it won't be seeing any action anytime soon, if ever again. Why not donate it and free up closet space for something you'll wear often? Bridesmaid dresses make great prom dresses for girls who can't otherwise afford them. Ditto on that old suit: Give it to someone who's down on their luck and interviewing for jobs (try an organization such as Dress For Success). 

Related: 80 Things You Don't Need to Buy

Everyone likely has a few loose socks without a mate. Designate a space in your dresser where they can hang out for two weeks; if you can't complete the pairs, into the trash they go. 

Related: Practical Things You Can Do With an Orphan Sock

How many towels do you really need? The book "Unclutter Your Life in One Week" offers a simple formula: two sets for each occupant and guest room in your home (use one while the other is in the laundry). Consider donating the rest to a homeless shelter or an animal shelter. 

Related: Decluttering Projects You Can Easily Tackle in Less Than 30 Minutes

Sheets don't need changing more than once a week. Sure, kids have accidents, and people get sick on occasion, but two sets of sheets per bed (three at the most) should suffice. The rest you can go ahead and get rid of now.

Related: 14 Things in Your Bedroom You Should Get Rid of Immediately

Not only does sunscreen have an expiration date (typically within three years), but if it's exposed to extreme heat (say, sitting in a bag on the beach) it can break down much faster. Definitely dispose of any sunscreen that's expired, but also dump any that's been exposed to hot sun. 

Related: We Tried 4 Organic Sunscreens and This Is the Best

Mascara has a 3-month shelf life once opened. Beyond that, it can start to break down and cause skin and eye irritation, beauty experts say. Many women likely have expired mascara in their makeup bag right now. Tip: Write the date you opened the mascara on the tube, so you know when to throw it out.

Unlike mascara, eye shadow (powder) can last up to two years. But if you're hoarding colors for that rare occasion when they might come in handy, chances are you won't come back around to them. And if you do, it's likely healthier to just get new shadow.

Lipstick and gloss can last up to one year. But again, if you've stopped using the shade, or it doesn't look quite right, just toss it and replace it with a color you're into right now. There's no need for more than one or two colors that flatter your complexion.   

Related: You Don't Have To Spend a Fortune on Makeup. Here Are 5 Ways To Score Free Beauty Samples

When nail polish begins to separate, it's time to toss it. You can only wear so much polish at a time anyway, so cleaning out old bottles or colors you don't love is a good way to declutter.

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Like makeup, hair-care products have a limited shelf life, whether they are marked or not. Three years is typical. After that, they can become ineffective, and grow mold and bacteria. Toss anything older than three years and anything you haven't used in the past year. 

Related: We Tried 7 Shampoos for Dry Hair and This Is the Best

While it may be tempting to stockpile toothbrushes from the dentist (most give you one at every visit), they should be replaced more frequently than that. Whenever you get a new one, just replace the old one to avoid getting a collection going. And if you haven't changed out your toothbrush in the past four months, or you've been sick recently, swap out your toothbrush now.

It's tempting to scoop up all those toiletry samples as you check out of a hotel — you'll use them eventually, right? Most likely wrong. If you have tons of little bottles taking up space in your bathroom, it's time to let them go. Many homeless shelters can use them.

Related: Bathroom Products That Are a Complete Waste of Money

Expired medicine loses its effectiveness, and certain medications can be very harmful if the wrong person gets ahold of them. It's best to dispose of unwanted medicines properly, as recommended by the FDA. Collection sites will be set up for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on April 22. 

Related: How to Safely Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet

If something in your freezer is developing freezer burn, it's time to toss it. Also, toss anything that isn't labeled and dated. If any food has thawed partially and refrozen — say, during a power outage — it needs to go as well. 

Related: Stocking the Freezer? Here’s How Long Your Favorite Foods Will Last

Food is stamped with an expiration date for a reason. Even if it's still safe to eat, it's likely losing its taste and nutritional value. Reclaim pantry space by throwing it out.  

Related: 13 Foods You Should Never Risk Eating After Their Expiration Dates

These likely take up room in a drawer or on your counter while you have a larger version in the pantry or refrigerator. Why save them? Just use the big bottle you already have.  

Related: 26 Delicious Recipes That Use Up Those Aging Condiments in the Fridge

Leftovers vary in how long they stay good, but five days is the maximum amount of time you should really ever keep them. Anything older is likely going south and best thrown away. 

Related: Here's How Long You Have to Safely Eat 25 Unrefrigerated Foods

Like other food items, spices carry an expiration date. Toss them if they are expired or if they've lost their smell or taste.

Dish sponges invite germs, bacteria, and mold to multiply right on your counter. Ideally, you should disinfect your dish sponge daily, throw it out weekly. 

Related: 25 Germ Magnets That Need Cleaning Now

Old wine bottles, especially unusually colored ones, may seem worth saving for flowers or a craft project, but if you haven't gotten around to using them yet, chances are you won't.

Think about how many separate cups of coffee or tea you actually drink in a day. Most likely that number is low, so why would you keep a dozen coffee mugs? Get rid of all but two or three favorites for each coffee drinker. Keep a few extra if you regularly have company.

Have a drawer full of unused kitchen utensils and excess cutlery? Time to clean it out. Throw away plastic utensils along with those condiment packets — again, why save them? You likely have plenty of real silverware, so use that. Get rid of any utensils that have been mangled by the dishwasher or garbage disposal, and those that are broken.

Related: 50 Kitchen Gadgets That Are a Waste of Money

Food storage containers are useless if they don't have a lid that fits. Ditto if they are stained, warped, or cracked. These are simple things to get rid of now without much thought. 

Related: 50 Food Storage Tips to Make Your Groceries Last as Long as Possible

Baking sheets that sport cooking spots or rust aren't worth keeping. Don't fall into the Pinterest trap of thinking you'll repurpose them as memo boards or chore charts. Chances are you won't.

A stack of takeout menus shouldn't take up prime kitchen real estate. These days, you can find menus online for just about any restaurant. The same goes for restaurant coupons. In fact, a quick search online might reveal even better coupons than the ones you've collected.

Take inventory of the reusable shopping bags you have. They seem to be given out at every event these days, and you really don't need more than three or four. That's plenty to cover a trip to the grocery store.

Sure, having a few paper or plastic bags handy for trash or messes is a good idea, but storing bags filled with bags just isn't. Check to see if your local grocer has a place to recycle bags or, if not, put them in your recycling bin. 

Related: 31 Products to Help You Use Less Plastic

Do you have a broken TV stored away in the hopes that one day you'll have time to fiddle around and fix it? Chances are you won't ever get around to it. Ditto for that laptop that stopped working last year.

Unlabeled, unrecognizable electronic-device cords are useless. Rather than take the time to figure out which items they fit, toss them. You must have been using the devices just fine without them, or with a different cord. If a discarded cord turns out to be necessary, getting a replacement shouldn't be too difficult or expensive.

It's definitely time to get rid of those old VHS tapes, if you haven't already. Who has a VCR anymore? At least DVDs and Blu-rays are still being made and sold — but with most movies and shows streaming and available for download, those discs won't be necessary for long. Start by discarding the movies you didn't like.

If a bill has been paid, hold onto it until you're sure payment was received. Beyond that, there usually isn't a reason to keep bills and statements. You can probably find all the old ones online if you need them. But use a shredder to destroy old bills instead of just tossing them — for security's sake.  

Related: How Long You Should Keep Your Tax Returns 

After initial setup, instruction manuals usually find their way into a random drawer never to be needed again. These days you can find just about any instruction manual online, or outlined in a YouTube video demo. Get rid of the paper versions today.

Once they've been read, many books can be passed on to someone else to enjoy. Reserve valuable shelf space for absolute favorites — until they fall apart from rereading.  

Even more so than books, magazines and newspapers are unlikely to be reread. Toss them when you're done, instead of cluttering your space. Memorable articles can almost certainly be revisited online.

How many coupons do you have that are actually current? Make a habit of sorting through them every week or two to weed out those that are expired.

While it might be hard to part with a calendar full of stunning photography, there's no point in keeping it. Ditto for old paper planners. Just make sure to shred any pages with personal information on them.

It's so nice to get a birthday or thank you card in the mail, but with rare exceptions, don't be sentimental: Once you've read it — and maybe, in the case of holiday cards, displayed it for a week or two — it's time to part ways.

This is a tricky one, because you may need some receipts for taxes or other purposes. But more and more stores these days offer the option of an email receipt. And they can process a refund onto a credit or debit card without a paper receipt. If you do need a receipt for a warranty, you can snap a picture and save it in your phone.  

You don't need to hang onto a notebook or coloring book once every page is full. If you jotted down important information at some point and no longer need it, just be sure to shred those pages.

In homes with kids, toys seem to be everywhere. Toss any that are broken or dirty beyond repair, and any toys that haven't been played with in the past three months. If there are batteries required and you still haven't replaced them, pass on the toy to someone willing to revive it. 

Related: 50 Toy Fads That Drove the Grown-Ups Crazy

Car Seat Safety 101: Car seats expire. If a child's car seat has expired, been in a crash, or simply been outgrown, don't just shove it into storage. Cut the straps and put it on the curb — or find a trade-in event. 

Related: Things You Should Never Buy on Craigslist or eBay

Paint, glue, markers, and the like dry out. Toss anything old that can't be used. Most people don't need a ton of crafting supplies. Consider paring down to just one tub of supplies and donating the rest to a local school. 

Did your kids try to learn the recorder or take up the violin for a year, only to leave the instrument gathering dust? If it's in decent condition, you can sell it to someone who will use it.  

If that old game taking up space doesn't get played anymore because it's missing pieces, toss it. Ditto for that incomplete deck of cards sitting in a drawer.

Vases are one of those things you tend to accumulate without realizing it. Whenever flowers get delivered, they typically come in a vase. It's time to get rid of all but one or two favorites unless you make a habit of displaying fresh flowers in every room.

Clear out pens that are out of ink, memo pads you don't use, file folders that no longer hold anything, labels that aren't the right size, and any other office supplies that sit dormant.

Related: Mobile Caddies and Other Storage Ideas For Your Home 'Office'

If you have school-age kids, you know the amount of paper that comes home. It sometimes feels like you should save every worksheet and piece of art, but you don't need to. Snap pictures and save digital copies of your favorite drawings and school papers instead of letting the originals pile up.

Old pillows are another prime candidate for replacement during spring cleaning. Over time, they can lose their supportive shape and accumulate unseen grime. Despite their innocuous appearance, pillows can harbor sweat, oils, and dead skin cells that penetrate the fabric of pillowcases and make them a breeding ground for dust mites. These unwelcome guests can then trigger breathing problems like asthma or allergies. 

Old or expired documents are another key target for disposal as they can clutter up your space and could even pose a security risk. Over time, we tend to accumulate a variety of papers like bills, receipts, bank statements, and other personal records. But once they serve their initial purpose, they become irrelevant — and holding onto them not only takes up valuable space, but also increases the risk of sensitive information falling into the wrong hands. Consider shredding these documents for added security. 

Related: Here's How Long You Should Keep Your Tax Returns and Why