18 Most Useless Things in Your House Wasting Precious Space
No matter the size of your home, it’s easy for clutter to accumulate and take up valuable space. You can have unnecessary furniture or outdated decor, which can make your home feel disorganized or cramped.
I live in a smaller home, and yes, I definitely need to be smart and practical about everything I own. However, sometimes, it seems easier to declutter because there’s not that much space to keep things that aren’t valuable or useful. When something comes in, something needs to go.
When you walk into your home, it might seem like you don’t have any extra space. But with proper organization and space maximization, you might find that your house can fit more than you think. We’ve identified things you don’t need in your home to help you see where you can create more space.
1. Old Clothes
Open your closet and start decluttering your clothes. You probably don’t need every item if you have a mountain of clothes to sort. Many pieces might look outdated, not fit well, or not match your other clothes.
Organize clothes by keeping your favorites and create a capsule wardrobe with items that match everything. Examples include plain black and white tees, slacks, denim, polos, and blazers. The trick is to not fill up that empty space by buying new items.
2. Old Sheets and Towels
Over the years, you’ve probably gathered endless sheets and towels that match your home’s aesthetics. However, collecting them can take a toll on your closet space, especially if you don’t use them regularly.
A way to maximize your space is to get rid of your old sheets and towels. Throw away any stained, worn-out, or broken towels and sheets. Keep only classic and new pieces. Ideally, have at least two sets so you can alternate them on laundry day.
3. Single-Use Appliances
We’ve all bought cute small appliances that only do one thing. Even if your waffle maker makes adorable waffles, it can take up too much space, especially if you also have a panini press, pancake maker, and sandwich maker in your cabinets.
Donate any unused small appliances to charity or give them to loved ones. Consider switching to a multi-use appliance that can handle different tasks with just one tool. This will save space in your kitchen while still allowing you to make a variety of dishes.
4. Office Supplies
I used to hoard a lot of office supplies, thinking I’d need them all in the future. But when I do need them, I only use one item and keep the rest as backups. To save space, I’ve decided to declutter my office supplies and keep only the essentials.
I now keep just a couple of pens and make sure to put them back where they belong to avoid losing them or buying new ones. I also keep only a few sheets of paper and don’t buy items that seem convenient but I never use, like paper clips or a calculator.
5. Craft Supplies
We’re all guilty of trying new hobbies or crafts we didn’t end up pursuing. I once bought paint sets but never got the chance to use them at all, simply because I discovered I don’t have any painting talent and don’t enjoy it. Since I knew I wasn’t going to grab those brushes anytime soon, I threw them away to make space for other things.
Donate unused craft supplies you no longer intend to return to. If you haven’t used them in 3 months, there’s a good chance you won’t go back to them in the foreseeable future.
6. Exercise Equipment
It’s great that you want to stay fit and healthy. However, having too much exercise equipment can crowd your home and take up valuable floor space.
Instead of filling your home with equipment, sign up for a gym membership. This way, you can free up space at home and still have access to high-quality equipment without having to buy it. Alternatively, have a few multi-purpose exercise equipment pieces that you use regularly.
7. Plastic Cutlery
Ordering take-out often comes with plastic cutlery that you keep for “just in case” moments. But how many times have you actually used them? Probably not many, if at all.
Throw away your bag of plastic cutlery or take them to a recycling center. When you order take-out, add a note asking them to skip the cutlery. This will help reduce waste and prevent you from keeping more unnecessary items.
8. Disposable Containers
Along with plastic cutlery, you probably have disposable containers that you never use. If you ever need them, you don’t need to keep all 20 in your cabinets. It’s time to throw them away because not all of them are meant for reuse.
You should also get rid of extra food storage containers in your home. Keep only the ones you use, and don’t hoard containers you don’t use. Throw away any containers without matching lids for starters.
9. Bathroom Items
Your bathroom cabinet probably has many things you no longer need, or worse, expired items. Check your bathroom cabinet and declutter it right away.
If you’re like me and like to keep a steady supply but keep forgetting what you have, you probably have plenty of expired products. Look for toothpaste, deodorants, lotions, hotel shampoo bottles, and hand soap in your cabinets.
10. Expired Food Products
Look at your fridge and pantry to check for expired food products. We don’t get the chance to deep clean our fridge and pantry every day, so it’s easy to miss out on expired products in your kitchen.
Check the back of your fridge and every container in your pantry. When I looked for expired foods in my pantry, I was surprised to find that almost half of them were no longer safe to eat. To prevent this, I now put the foods that spoil quickly in the front and organize the shelves so I can see everything.
11. Toys
Children grow up surrounded by plenty of toys. If you’re a parent, you know the feeling of realizing your five-year-old’s infant toys don’t serve a purpose anymore, as they’ve outgrown them. It may give you a heavy heart to throw or give away your child’s old toys, but you’ll have a much cleaner space when you’re done.
Besides baby toys, throw away toy duplicates, including cooking sets, play doctor, trucks, and woodworking tools. You can save a lot of space when you donate the toys and games your kid doesn’t use anymore.
12. Expired Beauty Products
It always feels nice to buy the latest beauty product. It could have a better formula, color, or a trendy finish. However, if you don’t use makeup regularly or have too much of it, you might end up with a ton of expired beauty products without noticing.
Most makeup products only last for 6 to 12 months after they’re opened, while mascara and eyeliner expire in 3 months. Even if they still look good on your skin, you don’t want to risk an allergic reaction or infection from expired makeup.
13. Expired Medicine
It’s wise to keep medicine in your home. With emergencies like allergies, you won’t have to worry about running to the drug store, as you can just take a pill at home. However, keeping plenty of medicine has its downsides.
Check your medicine cabinet for expired medicines and vitamins. To avoid having expired medications, I only buy what I regularly use.
14. Papers and Old Mail
It can be tough to let go of old papers, newspapers, and mail because of their sentimental or practical value. However, if these papers aren’t necessary, throw them away.
Dispose of high school and college papers, old magazines, newspapers, and outdated mail. Consider switching to digital mail to reduce paper waste. For any papers you do keep, recycle them properly to keep your space clutter-free.
15. Empty Boxes
When we buy expensive electronics, it’s common to keep the boxes for what-if scenarios, potential reselling, or refunds. However, after years of collecting dust, these boxes can take up valuable space.
Unless you’re still within the warranty period, and you need the boxes for that, throw away these boxes immediately. We’re talking about the boxes from your TV, phone, speaker, vacuum, and computers.
16. Excess Cables and Cords
Today’s world is full of gadgets. When you buy electronics, they usually come with their own set of cables and cords. In most cases, you end up using your existing cables and storing the new ones away.
We’re not saying you should discard all your extra cables, as you will probably need them in the future. However, it’s not practical to keep dozens of them. A few well-functioning cords should be enough.
17. Duplicate Kitchen Tools
It’s a joy to shop for kitchen tools, especially if they look better than our existing ones. However, even if we bought brand new kitchen tools, we still use our old ones until they completely wear out. This can lead to duplicate kitchen tools that take up space in your home.
Check your kitchen cabinets and get rid of duplicates. You can also check your baking tools, as there’s a high possibility you have multiple measuring cups, cutters, and trays.
18. Water Bottles
Many people like buying plenty of water bottles because they want to be sure they have enough. People also get multiple reusable water bottles because they look cute and functional. But if you have more than you need, their functionality becomes a liability in your home.
Only keep enough water bottles you need for the day. I like to keep three bottles with me: one for water, one for iced beverages that come with a straw, and one for hot coffee. They’re reusable, so make the most out of them.
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