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101 Things You Should Get Rid of on Jan. 1

Shifrah Combiths
Shifrah Combiths
With five children, Shifrah is learning a thing or two about how to keep a fairly organized and pretty clean house with a grateful heart in a way that leaves plenty of time for the people who matter most. Shifrah grew up in San Francisco, but has come to appreciate smaller town life in Tallahassee, Florida, which she now calls home. She's been writing professionally for twenty years and she loves lifestyle photography, memory keeping, gardening, reading, and going to the beach with her husband and children.
Stephanie Nguyen
Stephanie NguyenSenior Editor, Cleaning & Organizing
Stephanie is the Senior Editor, Cleaning & Organizing at Apartment Therapy, where she covers all the ways to make your home sparkle with decluttering tricks, cleaning tips, and organizational hacks. She holds degrees in English and journalism from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She lives in Hawaiʻi with her husband and dog.
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updated Jan 1, 2023
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Credit: Lauren Kolyn

If you didn’t know, the start of a new year is decluttering season: Out with the old, in with the new, so the saying goes. But for some people, getting rid of things, even things you know you don’t need, can feel overwhelming. Maybe you’re not sure where to begin or maybe you just need a little push in the right clutter-busting direction.

Sometimes, rather than attempting to declutter whole areas of your home, it’s easier to look for specific items to declutter. And sometimes it’s even easier having someone tell you exactly what to get rid of.

So we’ve compiled the list below to help you get that clutter out of your space. Pretty soon you’ll have a trunkful of bulging bags to toss, give away, donate (check out these places to donate to), recycle, etc. Ready, set, go!

Here are exactly 101 things to get rid of right now.

  1. Packages of takeout utensils.
  2. Takeout condiments.
  3. Takeout menus.
  4. Packages of flower food.
  5. Twisty ties.
  6. Bread clips.
  7. Extra plastic bags.
  8. Overflowing paper bags.
  9. Plastic cups from fast food restaurants.
  10. Promotional magnets.
  11. Promotional cups.
  12. Magazines.
  13. Expired beauty supplies.
  14. Beauty supplies that have been open too long.
  15. Cleaning products you never use.
  16. Cleaning products you hate the smell of.
  17. Candles you don’t use (new or partially used).
  18. Excess vases.
  19. Extra serving platters.
  20. Chipped dishes.
  21. Chipped mugs.
  22. Scraps of wrapping paper.
  23. Ribbon you don’t like.
  24. Boots you haven’t worn all season.
  25. That scratchy wool scarf.
  26. Gloves with no match.
  27. Socks with no match.
  28. Duplicate kitchen tools.
  29. Air mattresses you didn’t use even when you had a houseful of guests.
  30. Scribbled-in coloring books your kids won’t ever use.
  31. Toys with missing pieces.
  32. Broken toys.
  33. Participation trophies and medals.
  34. Permanently stained clothing.
  35. Slippers you never reach for.
  36. Seasonal decor you never put out.
  37. Art you’ve taken off your wall that’s hanging out in the garage.
  38. Paint samples.
  39. Old curtain rods.
  40. Baby gear in the attic.
  41. Hand-me-downs that went unworn.
  42. Used birthday decor.
  43. Excess blank notebooks or journals.
  44. Supplies from hobbies you haven’t done in years.
  45. Old sports equipment.
  46. Organizing supplies that are only taking up space, empty.
  47. Excess pencils and pens.
  48. Broken crayons, dry markers, and colored pencil nubs that your kids never use.
  49. Excess towels.
  50. Excess sheets.
  51. Excess reusable grocery bags.
  52. Excess or broken luggage.
  53. Shoes you haven’t worn in a year or more.
  54. Coats you haven’t worn all season.
  55. Formalwear you longer fit.
  56. Items you meant to return that are past their return date.
  57. Overdue library books (return them!).
  58. Hair care tools you never use.
  59. Old nail polish.
  60. Hair accessories you never use.
  61. Jewelry you never reach for.
  62. Sentimental items or gifts you feel guilty getting rid of. (Take a picture.)
  63. “Painting clothes.”
  64. Pajamas you aren’t comfortable in.
  65. Excess workout clothes.
  66. Excess clothes hangers.
  67. Handbags, purses, totes, backpacks, wallets, sunglasses cases, etc. you aren’t using.
  68. Office supplies you never use.
  69. That broken printer you’re sure you can fix that you already have a replacement for.
  70. Furniture you’re storing in the garage “just in case.”
  71. Cookware you never use.
  72. Knives you never use (yes, even if they’re part of a set).
  73. Condiments you never touched.
  74. Condiments you are saving because there’s just a little bit left in the bottle.
  75. Extra small rubber bands.
  76. Expired coupons.
  77. Expired gift cards.
  78. Torn out recipe pages you didn’t even try.
  79. Old birthday candles.
  80. Used party supplies.
  81. Pens with no ink.
  82. Untouched jam and pasta jars you’ve saved for no clear reason.
  83. Greeting cards with no sentimental message.
  84. Receipts from 2+ years ago.
  85. Dog toys beyond repair (or recognition).
  86. Excess dog leashes and collars.
  87. Old school books you haven’t touched in years.
  88. Old wall calendars.
  89. Expired medication.
  90. Expired medication information brochures.
  91. Extra buttons.
  92. Newspapers.
  93. Half-finished craft projects.
  94. Puzzles with missing pieces.
  95. Socks with holes.
  96. Shirts with holes.
  97. Phone books.
  98. Excess boxes you saved for trinkets.
  99. Falling apart shoeboxes.
  100. Cookbooks you never touched.
  101. Old, dingy sponges and toothbrushes you meant to save for cleaning.

What else are you getting rid of? Tell us in the comments below.

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