When it comes time to look around the house and attempt declutter a home, it becomes harder to let go when you simply want to hold onto things. These could be things that once meant something to you or things that you just don’t know how to dispose of. No matter what it is, throwing away something doesn’t have to mean the sentiment is gone as well. Oftentimes, we hold onto things that don’t bring us any joy simply because we don’t know where to throw things away. When you’re cleaning your house, you have to be harsh on some of the things you’ve held onto. This list of items we hold onto for way too long will show you some of the most common things people have a hard time throwing away, including decluttering tips.
Old Documents
Whether these are old bills, work projects, insurance papers, junk mail, coupons, or any other kind of paper document, many find they hold onto these things for too long. Even when you ask yourself, “should I throw it away?” The idea here is to be realistic about where to throw things away after using them.
Bills might seem scary to throw away, but if you’ve already paid them, they should go right in the shredder and be thrown out. Documents from work are important, unless they are from projects that are already completed or no longer pertain to how you do things. In addition to these, you don’t want to let mail pile up. If you have, it’s probably time to go through it and throw out what you don’t need.
Baby Toys
It is understandable that a parent would want to hang onto a toy that their child once loved but has grown out of. The sentiment is strong in items like these and it can make getting rid of them quite difficult. If you’re strapped for space, however, toys that your child has grown out of aren’t going to do much more than take up that limited space.
You do have a choice here for how you want to get rid of them, especially when working on decluttering a home. Many baby toys can be donated, provided they are in good condition. An unsanitary, messy, torn, or broken toy isn’t going to do anyone any good; you’re better off tossing it when you aren’t sure of its cleanliness and working condition.
Worn Out Clothing
There’s something to be said for using clothing until it’s on its last legs, but of all the items we hold onto for way too long, clothing is one of the biggest culprits of clutter in a home. Clothing can be expensive and have a lot of memories attached to it, but it can also be a source of a lot of stress if you’re not careful. Holding onto clothes for a long time may seem normal, but you need to be practical about clothes’ lifespans.
One of the decluttering tips involves jeans. Jeans that you wear all the time are going to get worn down, and so will shirts. Jackets and coats can only survive so many winters. Shoes only have a certain amount of time before you grind the sole to nothingness. All of these clothing items can’t be donated to a charity or shelter unless they are in good condition. So, if you have boxes upon boxes of damaged and worn-out clothing, the best thing you can do for yourself is to throw them away. One of our 10 cubic yard dumpsters is perfect for cleanout jobs that include enormous amounts of old and ratty clothing.
Technology
From toaster ovens to cell phones, people seem to have a hard time letting go of their technology. This probably stems from the fact that most appliances and electronics are large, expensive purchases. Once you’ve invested a lot of money into something, you don’t want to see it in the trash, even if it might belong there. You can’t afford to have this mindset during a home cleanout or move; it will only make everything take longer.
Certain appliances and devices can be a hassle to dispose of if you’ve never done it before. Why bother taking the time to sort everything out when we at Vine Disposal can simply remove it all for you? If you have a broken appliance or an outdated phone, we can take those items and make sure that they are disposed of properly.
Food
This may seem obvious, but a lot of people hold onto food items long after they should. We’ve all done it at least once or twice. Stock up at the grocery store, bring it home, put it in the pantry or refrigerator, and then completely forget about it being there. Not only is this a waste of good food—but it’s also just a waste of space that no one needs to deal with.
When you’re cleaning out your fridge or pantry, ask yourself if you really intend on using what you find in them. Be brutally honest with yourself so you don’t continue to keep things you don’t need. If something is past due or you’re never going to use it, toss it away, forget about it, and enjoy all the new space you’ve created on your shelves.
Miscellaneous Items
While this may be a broad category, every one of them is under the umbrella of “no longer useful.” The key thing to remember when cleaning out a home is that you won’t have room for everything, so practicality must take priority over sentimentality. To give you an idea of the kinds of things we mean, here is a list of miscellaneous items that you don’t need to hold onto:
- Remote controls for televisions or devices you no longer have
- Old makeup that is past its prime
- Instruction manuals for things you’ve already finished
- Medications you no longer take regularly
- Greeting cards from years back
Vine Disposal understands, better than most, how difficult it can be to let go of things that once meant something to you. We also know well the relief that our customers feel when they’ve filled up one of our dumpsters and we haul it away for them. You don’t need to hold onto everything you’ve ever owned. When it comes time to get cleaning, give Vine Disposal a call.
