How to Get Rid of Items You Don’t Actually Need

Decluttering and getting rid of unneeded items can be a very freeing process. Opening up physical space often helps open up mental space, giving us a feeling of clarity that is difficult to experience when there’s clutter. But what happens when you feel like you can’t get rid of anything? How do you start to figure out what you don’t need when it feels like you can’t let go of your stuff?

Let me start by telling you that it’s completely normal to feel like each and every item in your home is needed. Even though estimates by professional organizers are that people only use 25-30% of the items in their homes on a regular basis, most people feel like they need to hold on to items for various reasons. Often times these reasons include a lot of “mights”: we might use them one day, we might fit into them again, we might need it, or someone might want it to be passed down to them.

For all the reasons there are to keep things we aren’t using, there are just as many reasons to get rid of them. For starters, these items are taking up physical space that you could use for items you really need. These unused items often cause us guilt when we look at them—sometimes for the simple fact that we aren’t using them, but other times because we feel we aren’t “good enough” to use them as is the case with holding on to clothes that no longer fit us. Another reason to get rid of the items is because the cost to purchase the item again (if you ever need to use it) is a very low price compared with the amount of stress it causes and space it takes up.

If you’re ready to start tackling your clutter, I have a few tricks that I’ve learned can help people learn to let go of items, even when they think they can’t. Some will cost a little money, but most of them are things you can do to simply change your mindset to one that’s ready to let go.

Ask a Professional

The first trick I’ll start with is one that likely comes with a bit of a price tag, and that’s to ask a professional for their opinion. Whether it’s hiring a professional organizer to come in and help you identify the best areas to start with your decluttering, or it’s consulting with your tax professional to determine which pieces of paperwork you really do need to keep, getting guidance from a professional can help you determine the steps you can start taking to get rid of items in your home. This investment can often help clear out a number of the “what if” and “might need” excuses that pop into our heads when beginning the steps of clearing out clutter.

Take Inventory

About a year ago, I reorganized the kitchen in our house. When I started, I thought that I absolutely needed to keep everything in our drawers and cupboards, but as I dug a little deeper, I realized that we had two, sometimes even three or four, of many items. By going through each and every drawer and cupboard and pulling items out, I was able to take inventory to figure out how many of each item we had, and I was able to get rid of about a quarter of the items we owned.

When you put a little time into figuring out where the duplicates are in your home, it becomes much easier to pick your favorites and get rid of the rest.

Look for Minimalist Inspiration

Recently I saw an article talking about a “Capsule Wardrobe.” This concept included about 25 items that could be mixed and matched into a number of outfits. The concept has been around for about 40 years, and has even been used by Donna Karan. It claims that you could literally only have about 25 items in your closet and still have a very fashionable wardrobe. Now, clearing all but 25 items out of my closet was a bit extreme for me, but I did find inspiration in the idea.. By focusing my attention on making sure the majority of the items in my closet would mix and match with other items (ie, each shirt could be worn with at least three different bottoms and vise versa), I was able to more easily donate the items that could only be worn one way. It helped give me versatility to my wardrobe, as well as removed unnecessary items that continually distracted me in the morning.

You can use this method by searching out tips for minimalist decorating and organizing. Research a few ideas, and then pick and choose the aspects that you think could work for you. Remember, you don’t need to use every idea presented by an “expert,” just the ones that you think could actually help you in your home.

Pretend You’re Moving

What if someone knocked on your door and offered you triple your home’s value if you could be moved out in 30 days? Even though it would take a decent amount of time and effort to get things sorted and moved out of the house, you’d probably take them up on their offer, right?

If you are having trouble identifying what items in your home can be gotten rid of, start thinking about what you would keep if you were moving. What items would you get rid of because you didn’t want to pay to have packed and moved? Now picture your new home is half the square footage of your current ones. How would that further help you identify items that you would get rid of? This little mind trick can help you really pick out things that you are holding on to for no good reason. After all, if you wouldn’t move the items in to a new home, why are you keeping them in your current home?

Be Real with Friends

When I’ve gone through a big decluttering process in my home, I’ve found it’s helpful to get real with my close friends. I let them know what I’m doing, and I tell them that I will have a bunch of stuff that I am going to get rid of. Then I ask them if there is anything they would like to have first dibs on before I donate. You might feel awkward talking to your friends about hand-me-downs, but I’ve found if I start the conversation this way that I find out my friends would really love a few of my items.

In the last round of decluttering, I found out that one of my friends was in the process of paying off some big medical bills and she had been feeling bummed that she hadn’t been able to buy any new clothes lately. By offering her the chance to go through my unwanted, yet still in style clothes, she was able to get a few “new” pieces to spice up her wardrobe. I had another friend who had recently gotten in to baking, but didn’t want to spend a lot on new baking pans and supplies. She was thrilled when I offered her the chance to go through my unneeded kitchen items. By knowing the person your items are going to, I’ve found it is often easier to let go of the items. An added bonus is that you can almost always borrow the items back if you find you need them from time to time.

Get Involved with a Charity

Just like it’s easier to get rid of items to people that you know, I’ve also found it’s very motivating to get rid of items when I know they are going to be put to good use by a charity. A number of years ago I became involved with a domestic violence shelter in Phoenix. I started volunteering and got to know the staff who worked in the “store” where the women and children could get clothing, furnishings, and other necessities. By seeing firsthand the impact that was made by donations to this organization, I became really excited to help. When they would send out emails asking for specific items they needed, I would go through my house and bag up as many of the items as I could to take down. By finding an organization you can become passionate about helping, specifically a homeless shelter, women’s shelter, or children’s organization, you can find outside inspiration for getting rid of the extra items in your home.

Just like with all tips for your home, pick one or two from this list to try using in your home. It does take a shift in thinking to start seeing just how many items we don’t need in our homes, but once you are able to identify a few things that you can get rid of, I can guarantee you’ll find them in every single room.

Until next time, I’m the Domestic CEO, helping you love your home.