“What if I need it someday? What if I miss it?” Most of us have probably asked ourselves these questions when deciding whether to part with certain personal belongings. Decluttering can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re worried about future regrets. However, professional organizers say there are some items you can let go of without a…
If you’re looking for a quick organizational win, start with these 12 items that experts say people rarely regret giving up.
1. Old Linens and Pillowcases
After years of wear, sheets and pillowcases can become thin, stained, and dingy. “A lot of people keep them tucked away in a closet thinking they might use them someday, but they rarely do,” says Gillian Economou, a professional organizer based in Washington, D.C. Saving just a few sets of linens you genuinely like makes for a more manageable linen closet and sounder sleep.
2. Promotional Merchandise
Free promotional items, such as branded tote bags, T-shirts, and water bottles, have a way of quietly accumulating over time. Since they weren’t intentionally chosen, Lisa Jacobs of Imagine It Done says they’re rarely items people truly want to use. “It’s a big relief to see them go,” she says.
More from our network
House Outlook is part of Inbox Studio, which publishes content that uplifts, informs, and inspires.
3. Mystery Cables
Many households have a drawer filled with tangled cords saved “just in case.” But when was the last time you actually used any of them? “If you don’t know what it belongs to and haven’t needed it in a long time, you probably won’t miss it once it’s gone,” New Orleans-based professional organizer Olivia Parks says.
4. Beauty Product Samples
Be honest: What are the chances you’ll ever use that pile of travel-sized beauty products? “Samples end up becoming an aspirational ‘to do,’ and freeing yourself from them can be liberating,” says Tova Weinstock of Tidy Tova. Paring down to the products you actually use makes daily routines simpler and keeps bathroom storage from overflowing.
5. Worn-Out Kitchen Sponges
Economou warns that once a sponge starts smelling or falling apart, it’s time for a replacement. Swapping in a fresh sponge is a small change that makes a big impact, ensuring your sink area feels and smells noticeably cleaner.
6. Sentimental Items Kept Out of Guilt
Holiday cards and children’s artwork can be meaningful, but not if you’re hanging on to them for the wrong reasons. “The guilt dissolves as soon as you let go,” Jacobs says. “Take a photo [and] keep it in a folder on your phone. That memory is more impactful than when it was stored deep in a space somewhere, rarely seen.”
7. Expired Food Items
The back of a fridge can easily become a graveyard for nearly empty ketchup bottles, moldy leftovers, and mystery takeout containers. If you can’t remember when a meal was made — or what it even is — it’s past time to let it go. “If food has been sitting in your fridge or freezer so long that you forgot it was even there, it’s a sign it can go,” Economou says.
8. Unfinished Craft Projects
That half-knitted scarf or abandoned paint-by-numbers kit may have started with good intentions, but unfinished projects can sometimes feel more stressful than inspiring. “Unfinished projects can lead to heavy emotions — worthlessness, for one — and bring you down, so get rid of them and move on to the next project that actually energizes you to completion,” Weinstock says.
9. Extra Hardware
When assembling a new nightstand, it’s common to end up with a small bag of leftover screws, bolts, or brackets. “As long as the furniture has successfully been built — or the TV mounted, or the toy put together — trash those extra parts before they take up precious space in your junk drawer and mind,” Weinstock says.
10. Stained or Torn Clothing
Face it: No matter how many times you wash it, that oil stain on your once-favorite shirt will never come out. “Take a deep sigh and move along,” Weinstock says.
11. Junk Mail
Paper clutter is one of the fastest ways surfaces become overwhelmed — and it’s some of the easiest clutter to eliminate. Parks recommends creating a simple habit of sorting mail as soon as it comes inside to keep useless coupons and paper bills you automatically pay online from piling up in the first place.
12. Excess Jewelry Boxes and Dust Bags
A dust bag (or two) and a jewelry box (or two) are admittedly great for travel. However, there’s no need to keep a dust bag for every pair of shoes you own. “I guarantee you’ll be OK without a robust collection,” Weinstock says.
