Whether you’re social distancing, working from home, or simply finding yourself with more time, you may have taken on the task of cleaning out your house. This can be a major undertaking, especially if you don’t know where to start. Here is a list of easy things you can get rid of to help clear out some valuable space and organize your home.

1. The hundreds of plastic grocery bags you’re storing under the kitchen sink. Most grocery stores have bins for recycling them.

2. Tupperware and storage containers that don’t have lids, or lids that don’t have containers. Also get rid of old, worn out, or stained containers.

3. If you have a drawer full of extra kitchen knives and cooking utensils, sort through and get rid of the ones you don’t use or need, and those you have multiple sets of.

4. The cheap dry cleaner hangers in the back of your closet.

5. Shoe boxes you’ve kept stacked in the corner.

6. If your shelves are full of books you’ve already read, consider donating them to a local Goodwill, giving the good ones to a friend, or setting up a table at your next garage sale.
 

7. Soaps or lotions you’ve received over time but will never use, and the old hotel toiletries you’ve collected.
 

  

8. Expired and old makeup.

9. Gather expired or old prescriptions and medications from your medicine cabinet. Research a local pharmacy or drop-off location instead of throwing them away or flushing them down the toilet.

10. Whether you forgot to water them or they got too much sun, those dead plants are taking up space you could use for something else.

11. Dead batteries aren’t good for anything and can be disposed of in your normal trash. If you have rechargeable batteries, they should be recycled according to U.S. federal guidelines.

12. Old magazines you’ve already read can be recycled.

13. Unused chargers and cords. If you no longer need them, or don’t know what they are for, consider getting rid of them.

14. If your cupboards are full of mismatched and unused drinking glasses, donate or get rid of them. This includes the dozen plastic cups you’ve collected from concerts, sporting events, and other celebrations.

15. Throw pillows can be nice, but too many can make your couch or bed cluttered. Keep a few that work with your decor and get rid of the rest. 

16. Specialty kitchen appliances like waffle makers, quesadilla makers, toaster ovens, etc. can take up a lot of valuable counter or cabinet space. If you don’t use or need them, sell or give them away.

17. Check your linen closet and clean out towels and washcloths that are old, worn out, or stained.

18. Sort through the collection of vases you have from flower arrangement deliveries.

19. Go through your childhood trophies and other memorabilia stored in your basement, taking up space and collecting dust. Keep a few items that are meaningful and get rid of the rest.


  

20. Recycle the stack of junk mail on your countertop.

21. Spices that you don’t like, don’t use, or are expired.

22. Napkins, chopsticks, straws, and sauce packets that you've accrued from past takeout orders.

23. A bedroom chair is a great place to stack clothes and other things you don’t want to deal with at the moment. Move the chair out of the bedroom to somewhere it can be used for sitting, or get rid of it.

24. Receipts, menus, and other papers should only be kept if they are important, and if that’s the case, they should be filed away. Take pictures of your favorite menus or other things you need to reference later, and pitch everything else.

25. Old party supplies can take up a lot of space. Unless you’ll be planning a party in the near future, get rid of the old stuff.

26. CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, and their players that you don’t listen to, watch, or use.

27. If your children are grown, clean out the old board games and kids toys taking up space in your storage. Keep a few if you must for sentimental reasons, but give the rest to a child or family you know.

28. Sort through your closet and drawers and find mismatched socks and torn clothes. Go a step further and donate clothes that don’t fit or you no longer wear.

29. Gather and get rid of excess pens and pencils you’ve collected, as well as unused office supplies like worn out highlighters, crumbled papers, used notebooks, and folders.

30. If your linen closet or drawer is overflowing with extra sets of bed sheets, consider donating the old or worn out sets to a local charity or animal shelter.