The Ultimate Guide to Deciding What to Keep or Toss When Decluttering (2024)

01 of 07

Will This Be Important to Me in the Future?

If you've held on to old invoices, bills, or resumes from 10 to 20 years ago, they're only wasting space. Sort through which ones are worth keeping and shred and toss the others that aren't.

Examples of documents you need to keep in a safe place include wills, warranties, financial papers, tax returns for the past five years (or seven years for complicated returns), various licenses, and insurance papers. Protect the valuable documents in fireproof lockable storage boxes that you can access in case of emergency.

02 of 07

Has It Passed Its Expiration Date?

An expiration date can also relate to whether an item has outlived its usefulness. Before sorting through your closet and drawers, create different bins and label them as seasonal clothes, donations, and throw away. This way, you'll be able to better handle each pile after you've organized them into their categories.

For seasonal clothes, feel free to break them up into four seasons so you can store away what you won't currently wear. This way, you'll be able to easily swap out the boxes when it gets warmer or colder in the upcoming months.

03 of 07

Do You Have Sentimental Attachment to the Items?

The items you love are part of what makes life joyful. You may love looking at certain photos or feel nostalgic towards an item of decor. The trick is to not turn beloved items into sentimental clutter. Go through your decor, photos, and antiques and see which ones can be used to refresh your shelves or mantels (you may be surprised what you come up with).

If you no longer want to keep the item but want to be able to remember it, consider taking a photo so you can always have a memory of it.

04 of 07

Do You Have Duplicates?

Choose wisely if you want two or more of one particular item. Do you need more than one coffee maker? Is one of them in need of repair?

Duplicates of items take up precious space in your home, especially if they're stored in prime storage spots, such as a hall closet or the kitchen. If you must keep duplicates, store them out of the way to free up crucial living space.

Continue to 5 of 7 below

05 of 07

Do You Use It Regularly?

Do you use the item consistently or could you get along without it but still don't want to toss it? Toss items you can get along without or rarely use, which may include:

• Sale items you thought were too good to pass up
• Items purchased you thought you'd use one day
• Things bought while on vacation that you thought you'd never find elsewhere

06 of 07

Was It a Gift You Wanted?

If you received a gift you can't use, it's appropriate in many instances to regift or recycle the item. Graciously accept the gift and send a thank you note, but you aren't required to keep or use it.

07 of 07

Could You Put It to Better Use?

You may have an item that your gut tells you to keep. Perhaps you can put it to good use after all. If you have any antique glassware hidden away, sort through them to see which ones can be brought out to be used for daily meals or gatherings.

Maybe you have items you can lend out to friends and family who may be able to use them. Items like this may include:

• Quality yard equipment and gardening tools
• Expensive kitchen gadgets and appliances, such as bread makers or stand mixers
• One-of-a-kind formal gowns and special occasion clothes
• Costly camera equipment, sporting equipment, wedding gowns, party tents, kayaks, and skis