9 Items You Should Toss Now for The 2025 Declutter Challenge
Decluttering your home can be a refreshing way to start the new year. Over time, unnecessary items pile up, taking up valuable space. Whether it’s expired products, outdated electronics, or broken belongings, clearing out the clutter helps create a cleaner and more organized environment. Here are nine things you should get rid of right now to simplify your home in 2025.
1. Expired Medications
Check your bathroom cabinets for prescription drugs, vitamins, and over-the-counter medicines that are past their expiration dates. Expired medications can lose their effectiveness and even become harmful. Instead of tossing them in the trash or flushing them, take them to a local pharmacy’s medication disposal program. Many pharmacies offer special disposal bags for safe at-home discarding.
2. Old Electronics
Do you have obsolete gadgets cluttering your drawers? Flip phones, outdated chargers, broken tablets, and unused cables occupy valuable space. Many electronics stores run recycling programs to properly handle e-waste. Some tech schools accept donations for students to practice repairs, while community collection events offer safe disposal options.
3. Worn-Out Clothing
Sort through your closet and remove clothes with holes, stains, or stretched-out elastic. Old shoes with worn-out soles and broken zippers on coats are no longer useful. Donate gently used items, while damaged clothing can be repurposed. Animal shelters welcome blankets and towels, while textile recycling programs turn fabric scraps into insulation and cleaning rags.
4. Broken or Unused Toys
If toys haven’t been played with in months, it might be time to let them go. Missing puzzle pieces, broken dolls, and outgrown games take up space. Many daycare centers accept gently used toys, while toy libraries and therapy offices appreciate complete sets. Clearing out unused toys makes room for new interests.
5. Expired Food
Deep in your pantry, you may find expired canned goods, baking ingredients, or spices past their prime. Non-perishable items that are still within date can be donated to food banks. Spoiled produce can be composted, and some local farms accept expired dry goods for animal feed. Coffee grounds and eggshells also make great additions to gardens.
6. Old Makeup and Beauty Products
Check bathroom drawers for expired mascara, dried-out lipsticks, and half-used face creams. Most beauty products have a shelf life of 6 to 24 months after opening. MAC Cosmetics offers a recycling program where customers receive free products for returning empty containers. Some shelters accept unopened toiletries, and artists use empty containers for projects.
7. Broken or Unwanted Jewelry
Tangled necklaces, lone earrings, and tarnished bracelets often sit unused. Jewelers can repair or buy back precious metals, while art teachers appreciate old beads for student projects. Some charities accept costume jewelry donations, and metal recyclers take gold and silver pieces that are beyond repair.
8. Outdated Papers and Documents
Receipts, instruction manuals, and expired warranties create unnecessary paper clutter. Scan important documents before shredding anything you might need later. Many cities host paper shredding events, and office supply stores offer free shredding days. Schools reuse one-sided paper for crafts, and businesses use shredded material for packing.
9. Empty Product Boxes
Phone, laptop, and perfume boxes often pile up in storage spaces. While keeping a few for returns makes sense, most serve no purpose. Shipping stores accept sturdy boxes, teachers use them for classroom storage, and moving companies collect them for reuse. Art programs also need cardboard for creative projects. Decluttering helps create a stress-free home environment. By removing expired, broken, and unused items, you’ll free up space for the things that truly matter. Start small, tackle one category at a time, and enjoy a more organized home in 2025!