In the quest for a clutter-free, spacious home, it’s often the little things that make a big difference. Our cabinets, pantries, and closets can quickly become overcrowded with items we’ve collected over time. While these collections might bring us joy in the moment, they often end up taking up valuable space and creating unnecessary clutter. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your possessions and want to create more room in your home, you might want to consider letting go of some of your collections. Here are 14 things I stopped collecting that helped me to breathe easier and make my cabinets spacious.
1. Travel Souvenirs
Travel souvenirs can be a wonderful way to remember the places you’ve visited, but they can also quickly fill up your cabinets. I used to collect mugs, keychains, and postcards from every place I visited. However, it got to a point where my cabinets were bursting with these items, many of which I never actually used.
Take a moment to evaluate your souvenir collection. Are these items bringing you joy, or are they just taking up space? Consider keeping just a few meaningful mementos and letting go of the rest. You might also want to consider switching to digital or smaller-sized souvenirs, such as digital photos or patches that you can sew onto a travel bag.
2. Plastic Bags
I used to keep every plastic bag I received, thinking that I might need it later. However, these bags ended up taking up a lot of space in my cabinets and drawers. Not to mention, it’s not the best practice for the environment.
Instead of collecting plastic bags, consider investing in a few sturdy, reusable shopping bags. These bags are not only more environmentally friendly, but they also take up less space. If you still find yourself with a collection of plastic bags, lots of grocery stores have recycling programs for plastic bags.
3. Coffee Mugs
As a coffee lover, I used to collect mugs. I had mugs of all shapes, sizes, and designs. However, I realized that I only used my favorite few, and the rest were just sitting in my cabinet, taking up space.
Take a look at your mug collection. Are there mugs that you never use? Consider donating these mugs or giving them to a friend. Keep only the mugs that you truly love and use regularly.
4. Old Spices
Spices can take up a surprising amount of cabinet space, especially if you love to cook. I used to keep every spice I ever bought, even if I only used it for one recipe. However, spices do expire and lose their flavor over time.
Go through your spice cabinet and get rid of any spices that are past their expiration date. If you have spices that are still good but you never use, consider donating them to a food pantry or giving them to a friend who loves to cook.
5. Takeout Menus
With the rise of online ordering, physical takeout menus have become largely unnecessary. I used to keep a drawer full of these menus, but they were just taking up space.
Consider recycling your old takeout menus. If there’s a menu you want to keep, take a photo of it and save it on your phone or computer. This way, you’ll still have access to the menu without it taking up physical space.
6. Old Magazines and Newspapers
Old magazines and newspapers can quickly pile up and take up a lot of space. I used to keep every issue of my favorite magazines and newspapers, thinking that I might want to read them again in the future.
However, I realized that I rarely ever went back to these old issues. Consider recycling your old magazines and newspapers. If there’s an article you want to keep, you can often find a digital version online.
7. Unused Kitchen Gadgets
Kitchen gadgets can be fun to collect, but they can also take up a lot of cabinet space. I used to have a cabinet full of gadgets that I rarely ever used.
Take a look at your kitchen gadgets. Are there any that you haven’t used in the past year? Consider donating these gadgets or giving them to a friend who would use them.
8. Old Textbooks
Old textbooks can take up a lot of shelf space. I used to keep all of my textbooks from college, thinking that I might need them in the future.
However, I realized that I rarely ever referred back to these textbooks. Consider selling your old textbooks or donating them to a library. Many colleges also have programs where you can donate your old textbooks to current students.
9. Unused Craft Supplies
Craft supplies can quickly pile up and take up a lot of cabinet space. I used to keep every craft supply I ever bought, even if I only used it for one project.
Take a look at your craft supplies. Are there any that you haven’t used in the past year? Consider donating these supplies to a school or community center.
10. Old Electronics
Old electronics can take up a lot of space and can be difficult to dispose of properly. I used to keep all of my old phones, chargers, and cables, thinking that I might need them in the future.
However, many of these items became outdated and unusable. Consider recycling your old electronics. Many electronic stores have recycling programs for old electronics.
11. Old Makeup and Beauty Products
Makeup and beauty products can take up a lot of cabinet space, especially if you love to try new products. I used to keep every makeup and beauty product I ever bought, even if I didn’t like it or it was past its expiration date.
Go through your makeup and beauty products and get rid of any that are past their expiration date or that you don’t use. Many makeup stores have recycling programs for old makeup containers.
12. Old CDs and DVDs
With the rise of digital media, physical CDs and DVDs have become largely unnecessary. I used to keep a shelf full of these discs, but they were just taking up space.
Consider selling your old CDs and DVDs or donating them to a library. You can often find digital versions of your favorite movies and albums online.
13. Old Clothes
Clothes can take up a lot of closet space, especially if you love to shop. I used to keep every piece of clothing I ever bought, even if I hadn’t worn it in years.
Take a look at your closet. Are there clothes that you haven’t worn in the past year? Consider donating these clothes or selling them online.
14. Unused Tupperware
Tupperware can take up a lot of cabinet space, especially if you have a lot of mismatched pieces. I used to keep every piece of Tupperware I ever bought, even if I didn’t have a lid for it.
Go through your Tupperware and get rid of any pieces that don’t have matching lids or that you don’t use. Consider investing in a set of nesting Tupperware to save space.