6 things around the house you can definitely get rid of

Posted by Emma Lewis on September 2nd, 2019

It’s a natural fact of life – we all end up compiling large amounts of junk we think we actually need. In the moment, it may seem like you need to keep a hold of that old jacket but let’s be honest, it’s time to declutter. Here are some things you can earmark for disposal.

Books
While having a wide array of literature at your disposal might look nice, it’s a lot of space being taken up, especially if you haven’t read much of it in a while. Thankfully there’s plenty of ways to clear up some space and get in some daily reading. If you’re keen to get rid of books for good, why not donate them to a thrift store or sell them at a local market? You can always download the book on a kindle and save some paper, too.

Used mascara and lipstick
Hot tip: Mascara expires 3 months after the seal’s broken, while lipstick can last a couple years. Got any of these sitting in your drawer in the bathroom? If they’re past those dates, it’s time to throw them out. This might allow you to open up your older styles you’d forgotten about and use more of the selections taking up space. Clearing out and looking good? A total win-win.

Old mobile phones
It’s understandable that most people might keep their old phone as a backup in case of the unthinkable, but the likelihood that you’d need to keep it is in fact slim. The upside to this, however, is that getting rid of old phones can earn you some valuable cash and help recycle the phone for valuable parts. Once you’ve taken the old photos and videos off it, that is.

Magazines
Has the pile of reading material in your bathroom grown exponentially in the last couple of months? Then it might be worth getting rid of some of it. Go through the magazines and filter out any issues that might be quite old but keep a hold of anything recent. You might want to retain some mags to make trips to the bathroom a little less boring.

Bills and other paperwork
In the first few months, it’s wise to keep a hold of those bills to help out with organisation, but it’s time to consider anything you’ve kept a hold of for over a year to be shredded. Not only are you decluttering by getting rid of unnecessary paper, but you’re saving paper too! Banking online can be a great way to save money and get to your account quicker. Consider the switch to online receipts, too. More and more retailers and companies are sending their receipts electronically, along with member’s cards, coupons and more.

Old clothing items
This one is probably the hardest to gauge – we’ve all been faced with the dilemma of throwing out that favourite shirt we haven’t worn in 6 months. But there are definitely ways to get over the mental anguish associated with that piece of clothing with sentimental value. For instance, think about the last time you used the item, how often you use it, its acquisition cost, storage cost and retrieval cost. If the first three are low and the last two are high, then you can definitely get rid of it. Identify techniques and methods to help get rid of things without the guilt.

Cleaned up a bit of space?
Planning to move, or just need some of that extra space to make some money? If you’re able, consider opening up that space for others to store everyday things with Spacer, a free online app that allows you to rent and host spaces for storage with ease. With a comprehensive range of spaces to suit any need or budget, consider Spacer if you’ve got some space, or need it yourself.