50+ Things You Keep but Need to Throw Away Today

Hey look! Are all of the bristles on your toothbrush bent out of shape? Like me? Only kidding. Well, it’s time to throw it in the trash!

Our mouths are full of harmful bacteria, so toothbrushes need to be replaced every three to four months if you want to have a safe and hygienic morning.

Now, when’s the last time you replaced your pillows or cushions? If you don’t remember, it’s time to put them into the bin! Every time we sleep on them, we leave behind tiny pieces of ourselves, so they don’t stay clean for long. Pillows should be replaced every year or two!

While we’re in the bedroom, if your mattress is more than 10 years old, it’s probably time to go shopping for a new one. Over time, they can accumulate allergens like mold, mildew, dust mites, and other things you wouldn’t want to sleep around! Even if you clean your mattress well, if it’s nearly 10 years old, it could be home to billions of bacteria by now.

Now, there’s no reason to keep that menu from the pizza place you didn’t like. It’s time to recycle those old menus. Look your favorite take-out up on the internet, and you’re sure to find an easier way to order online.

Unless you’re planning on moving anytime soon, there’s no need for all of those cardboard boxes. Just imagine how much space they’re all taking up! Donate them if they’re in good condition or recycle them.

Remember when you last sewed on a button? If you’re like most people, then it’s never! Why do we always have a little bag filled with extra buttons? If you don’t have matching clothing anymore, you shouldn’t keep the buttons.

Pretty much everything has an expiration date, even those spices and canned soups sitting right in the back of your cupboards. It’s time to toss anything that’s expired. Don’t forget to wipe down your shelves while they’re clear too!

Old receipts pile up quickly. Unless it’s tax-deductible, you don’t need them anymore. Especially if you can’t even read them!

As soon as it turns into a new year, it’s safe to say you won’t be needing that outdated calendar anytime soon! Give it the old heave-ho!

Putting furniture together can drive the calmest person crazy! Unless you’re planning to take it apart again, though, you’ll never need the manual again. Throw it into the recycling and make your house a bit tidier.

That sunscreen is so last year! Old sunscreen loses its ability to protect from the sun’s rays over time so, if you don’t want to turn as red as a lobster, throw it out and buy a new one.

This one might sting, but it’s time to say goodbye to all those DVDs. Like VHS, they’re outdated! If you can stream it, you don’t need physical copies anymore. Keep your favorites and get a bit of extra money for the rest!

Try to play any board game with missing pieces, and you’ll realize that It’s not much fun anymore! Replace them with new versions and enjoy the games the way they were intended to be played.

Take-out restaurants love to give more packets of ketchup than necessary, and we’re always holding onto them, just in case. You should have a clean-up and throw them all away. You really don’t want the unfortunate surprise of finding one that’s expired or, worse, leaked everywhere!

Now, just because you’ve put expired batteries back into storage doesn’t mean they’ll start working again! They may be amazing, but they’re not magical! Old batteries can also be dangerous, so make sure to dispose of them safely.

Like the black hole in the washing machine (that’s where the old sox go), there’s another one capturing the Tupperware container’s lids. You’re never going to find the lid, ever, so send it off for recycling.

If you’ve got any old broken phones lying around your house, try to sell them or recycle them at your local electronic store. Unless you’re an engineer, you probably won’t get them working again, so it’s time to let go.

Most unused exercise equipment just ends up holding laundry. If you’re not using it, you should sell it. It’s taking up way too much space in your house and is probably quite valuable. Think of all of the extra cash just sitting there!

Holding onto travel brochures from trips you’ve already gone on doesn’t make any sense. You’ll never use them again, and there are far better mementos. Just enjoy the photos you have from that vacation and get prepared for the next one!

You might have a bag of old Christmas cards somewhere in your house. If you do, it’s time to let them go. Save any that are special to you and toss the rest in the recycling.

Get rid of all those old bills you don’t need to keep anymore. Who needs to be reminded of how much money they’ve spent!

If you have 1,000 fridge magnets, you might want to get rid of some. They’re probably just making your fridge look cluttered anyway! Throw away any you don’t even remember getting and keep a few of your favorites in a drawer.

Have a look at your stationery drawer. If you haven’t used that hole punch or pencil sharpener since you left school, it might be time to let them go.

You probably don’t use those tiny screws and plastic pieces from furniture you don’t even remember owning. In the trash they go!

Magazines you’ve already read a million times, and Recipe books you rarely use anymore are great dust collectors! Keep the ones you still look at, gather up the rest and get recycling!

Deep down, you know you’re never going to use those Wite-out bottles. They probably dried-up years ago. Bye!

Everything comes with a remote control these days. If you own more than necessary, throw them away!

We all have that special container filled with used rubber bands, twisty ties, and paperclips that we’re never going to find a use for. Find the trash and throw them all inside.

If you haven’t worn a pair of shoes in 5 years, you probably won’t feel like wearing them anytime soon. These are great to donate, if they’re still usable, of course.

Concert tickets, name tags from conferences, and old entry passes don’t need to be kept once the event is over.

Holding onto old clothing that hasn’t fit for years, in hopes you’ll wear it again, is just a waste of space. Keep anything that has sentimental value, donate the rest to a local charity and free up some room for some cool new clothes.

Newspapers more than a few days old should be recycled! Unless there’s an article you absolutely need, toss any old newspapers.

All those craft supplies for projects that you never actually started can easily be donated or given to a friend who is bored during those winter months!

Everyone loves fresh-squeezed orange juice, but how often are you actually squeezing those oranges yourself? It’s time to get rid of all of your old novelty kitchen gadgets. If you’re lucky, a clean-up might remind you of some of your old favorites.

It’s not your cooking skills that are wrecking your steak dinner. It’s the cheap pans that keep burning your meal! Investing in a new set will ensure that your food is cooked to perfection!

Takeaway chopsticks, plastic cutlery, and more napkins than you care to count. If you haven’t used them in a year, they need to go. Items packed with take-outs are usually very low quality, so it isn’t a good idea to use them years afterward.

We’ve all taken up baking at one point. But how many baking dishes can you really fit in your oven at the same time? Keep what you use and set the others free!

There are always empty bottles, and jars kept just in case. If you’re not making a lot of pasta sauce, you don’t need many. Getting rid of them clears shelf-space for things that you use more often.

Unless you think there’s a good chance you’ll return those brand-new purchases, you should only hold onto the boxes for a couple of weeks. Unless you’re building a box castle, of course!

Dull knives can make eating that roast chicken nearly impossible! Especially when the knives were cheap to begin with. Inexpensive knives aren’t easily sharpened, so it’s time to replace them with a few quality ones!

Towels need replacing often but don’t let them go to waste. Old towels make great rags when you cut them up! They also make for a good dog blanket for when you go to the beach and don’t want sand all over the car!

If you can’t identify what’s in the freezer with a glance, toss it. You don’t want to risk spreading bacteria to your newer food.

A natural loofah should be replaced every three to four weeks. If you’ve got one of the plastic ones, those can last for two months! Over time, they accumulate bacteria and skin cells from our adventures. As a general rule, when they start to look too fluffy, it’s better to replace them.

After painting the living room, it makes sense to keep the leftover paint in the garage. Except that it was years ago! If it hasn’t dried out completely, it’s probably expired.

That black hole in the washing machine that keeps eating your socks isn’t returning them anytime soon. Time to just accept the loss and say goodbye to the odd socks cluttering your drawer! Now that you have gotten rid of unmatched socks, you might as well get rid of any pairs that have holes in them. The same goes for any clothing that’s looking a bit worse-for-wear too!

If you don’t think you’ll ever have the patience to restore your rusty tools, it’s a better idea to just replace them. Make sure to store them correctly too, they’ll last a lot longer!

Think you’re going to find a use for all those stretched-out hair ties? Think again! All they’ll do is fill up your drawers!

Dogs or cats are often spoiled for choice of toys and treats. If you notice that the house is filled with toys when it’s time to do the housekeeping, get rid of some! Your dog probably won’t miss that toy that has been stuffed behind the sofa for two years... If they’re not too worn, you could even donate them to a shelter.

Do you have lots of keys in the house you don’t remember the use for? Me too. Then that’s probably a sign to get rid of some. Make sure to try them all out first, though. You might have the key to some secret pirate treasure!

Maybe the first time you get a business card it’s cool to keep, but if you can’t close your wallet or purse anymore, it’s time to discard them. Sort through to see if you have any important ones and get rid of ones from people you’ve never heard of.

Kitchen sponges get dirty really quickly. The only solution is to replace your sponge more often, especially when they’re starting to get a smell! You don’t want to add a dose of E-coli to your meal every time you wipe a plate down.

All shapes and sizes of hangers just seem to appear in the closet. If you’ve got old or broken hangers just taking up space, do your clothes a favor and buy some new ones! They’re really cheap to replace, and new ones will make your wardrobe a lot better looking.

Got a lot of baggage at home, it’s probably time to take a trip! Or take a load off! One large suitcase for long trips and a smaller bag for day trips are all that’s needed. Any more and you’re taking way too many vacations! Which is not a bad thing.