The Top 10 Things to Toss This Spring
Ditch the clutter and give your home a fresh feel during the season of renewal.
There’s a reason why spring cleaning is a thing. After all, it’s an energetic season, when we get busy (as bees) as longer daylight hours and warm temps return following winter’s long respite. But before you start scrubbing, we suggest you first figure out what to throw away this spring. Getting rid of piles of unwanted stuff frees you up to roll up those sleeves, snap on the rubber gloves, and banish dirt from your home.
Of course, even folks who are dedicated to digging into a good decluttering session regularly may miss more hidden messes in their home. It’s easy for anyone to overlook spots like linen and coat closets, not to mention the gardening shed! But as you’ll see below, there are plenty of things you can get rid of quickly and efficiently (piles of ancient cords and cables, we’re looking at you).
That way, you can move on to other spring chores like home maintenance, freshening up the bedroom, and getting your pruning in the garden wrapped up. Speaking of your pride and joy, be sure to check our 3 Things to Do in Your Garden Right Now Before Spring Ends article for the full 411 on yard tasks you should get to as soon as possible!
Expired Food
If you aspire to a gorgeous, perfectly organized pantry (and really, who doesn’t?), there’s only one way you’re going to get it. And that’s by throwing away all that old, forgotten food lining its long-neglected shelves. Start by pulling boxes and bottles out, wiping down interior surfaces, and then get merciless. Toss or compost anything past its use-by date and consider donating unwanted nonperishables to a local food bank. While you’re at it, make sure you go through your fridge and freezer. You’ll need the space you clear for the bounty of fresh fruits and veggies on the way!
Related: 16 Practical Pantry Organization Ideas That Will Actually Work
Old Papers
Get that shredder warmed up because you’re going to want to feed it any document you have piled on your desk, stuffed in file cabinets, or stuck in drawers that can be accessed online. That includes credit card, bank, and mortgage statements, and medical records. You can also shred tax records more than seven years old, and toss expired warranties and coupons, junk mail, catalogs, flyers, and that endless array of delivery menus.
Expired Makeup
Just like kitchen pantries are usually ground zero for things you don’t need and can’t seem to get rid of, so, too, are bathroom cabinets and drawers. In particular, old makeup like lipstick, mascara, and eye shadow has a bad habit of sticking around, as do out-of-date seasonal skin care products. Throw away anything expired or obviously old—you’ll be doing your epidermis a favor, since these items can lose effectiveness and even cause skin irritation as they age. Just be sure to replace that bug spray and sunscreen before heading out into the great outdoors this spring!
Broken Lawn and Garden Equipment
Before the gardening season is in full swing, take this time to rid yourself of any tools that are damaged beyond repair, so you can replace them. This is also the perfect opportunity to sharpen hedge clippers, loppers, pruners, and even shovels, and perform lawn mower maintenance, like replacing spark plugs, changing the oil, and checking the filters. Also, if you have half-full multiples of products like fertilizer or grass seed, combine them so you throw away at least one empty container or bag.
Related: The Antiques Lover’s Guide to Organizing Your Potting Shed
Old Cables and Cords
And then there is the (eek!) junk drawer and its riotous wealth of useless cables and cords for...well, who even knows anymore? A flip phone you got rid of 15 years ago? Your last answering machine? A VCR? Hey, no judgment, our husbands won’t let us jettison them either. But if you can talk him into it, getting rid of that tangled mess is going to feel like liberation.
Extra Water Bottles
Don’t worry—we’re not talking about dumping those fancy schmancy canteens from brands like Yeti, Hydro Flask, and Stanley. You’ll need them to help you stay hydrated during your fun-in-the-sun activities! But since everyone and his brother started giving away plastic bottles as part of the free swag handed out at conventions, 5K runs, and other special events, they’ve started (over)filling kitchen cabinets in homes everywhere. We say no more! Save the best, donate the rest.
Extra Grocery Bags
Reusable grocery bags are a must to help keep those awful plastic bags out of our oceans (and everywhere else). But let’s be honest: just like water bottles, fabric bags tend to accumulate quickly. Keep as many as you need for a big shop, plus a couple more, then donate the extras. You’ll be surprised to discover how much room they took up.
Worn Sheets and Towels
The linen closet is a space that typically gets overlooked during spring cleaning, which means items that should be recycled or thrown away tend to pile up over the years. Declutter the closet by pulling out any worn or torn linens. Instead of sending them to the landfill, provide a bit of comfort to homeless pets by donating old blankets and towels to animal shelters. You might also want to cut up sheets to use as cloths for home improvement projects.
Damaged Summer Supplies
Whether it’s pool floats, cornhole boards, picnic gear, sports balls of any type, roller skates, or even just a frisbee, discard any warm-weather equipment that is busted, broken, or unwanted. With the storage space you free up, you can finally get one of those gigantic unicorn yard sprinklers the kids have been asking for the past couple of summers!
Unwanted Winter Wear
Since we’re no longer walking in a winter wonderland, we suggest taking a long, hard look at your hall closet. If there are coats, gloves, scarves, boots, or other cold-weather apparel you haven’t worn in a year or two, donate them. You know you’re not going to use them, and there are folks that will appreciate having warm outerwear next winter.
Jill Gleeson is a travel journalist and memoirist based in the Appalachian Mountains of western Pennsylvania who has written for websites and publications including Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day, Country Living, Washingtonian, Gothamist, Canadian Traveller, and EDGE Media Network. Jill is the travel editor for Enchanted Living. Learn more about her journey at gleesonreboots.com.
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