Smarter: How to Throw Out Stuff You Don’t Need

Step 1: Should it stay or should it go?

If you’re paralyzed by the question of whether you should throw something away, ask yourself these questions first, says Kevin Doyle, CR’s enterprise editor, whose reporting on how to get rid of stuff in your home has led him to stop keeping items he’d been hanging on to for too long for no good reason.

• Do you really need it? If you’re not using it now, will you want it in five to 10 years? Let’s be real here. Anyone who has ever said, “Oh, but I might use it in this X scenario in the future” is lying to themselves. Present company included.

• Can you easily replace it? When in doubt, consider the $20/20-minute rule recommended by professional organizer Amanda Scudder: If it fits within your budget, something that costs $20 or less and takes 20 minutes or less to replace can probably go if you’re considering throwing it away.

If you still have trouble letting go, here’s the best piece of advice Kevin says he got from interviewing multiple organizing experts: The fewer things you have, the more you’ll value them.

Step 2: Thank u, next

Once you decide to get rid of something, there are three ways to say goodbye: sell, donate, or dispose.

• Don’t underestimate the things you can sell. No matter how used an appliance or furniture might be, someone is likely to be willing to buy it. Take it from my friend, who was able to sell a couch that was covered with pet stains for $60 on Facebook Marketplace.

• But consider the time and energy it’d take to sell it. For instance, if you must dispose of your books, do not do what I did, which is carry more than 20 books on a 50-minute subway ride to a bookstore that forked over $12 for my efforts. Compared to other items, books are hard to sell, and you’re better off donating to your local library or organizations that accept used books. 

• When you don’t have that much time, donating may be the way to go. If you want to donate to charitable organizations, make sure your items are clean, safe, and in good condition. And if you want to donate to your local community, consider groups like the Freecycle Network and the Buy Nothing Project, Kevin says.  

• Make sure you throw away things properly. Not everything should be tossed into the garbage. Earth911 has an extensive database that directs you to programs near you that collect household hazardous waste, and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Responsible Appliance Disposal program lists groups that will pick up and recycle refrigerated appliances such as freezers, fridges, and window AC units.

Step 3: I’m ready for my glow-up

Decluttering isn’t just about throwing away things, though. It’s also about organizing your space so that it looks less messy. 

You can consider following these general guidelines when organizing your home, says Anna Kocharian, a CR shopping editor who has reported on home organization and interior design for the last eight years.

• Focus on the problem areas of your home. A great exercise to try is to scan your place for areas that seem to be overwhelmed with odds and ends or pieces that don’t belong there. 

• Once you do, find manageable storage solutions that work for you. Avoid any methods that you know you’ll have a hard time sticking to. For example, if your entryway lacks a closet, your coats, shoes, and bags might end up scattered around your home. Instead of finding different storage places in other rooms, you can get an entry rack or a shelving system for your entryway, which is an easier, more pragmatic solution to cut down on clutter.

• Declutter first, before you buy storage bins and baskets. If you declutter your space prior to purchasing storage containers, you might not need as many as you’ve anticipated.

What are some organizing hacks you use that have made all the difference in your home? Let me know!