Expired Medications That Lurk in Medicine Cabinets
The bathroom cabinet often hides a collection of expired pills and syrups that need proper disposal. Check expiration dates on prescription medications and toss anything that’s past its prime. Old medications can lose their potency and actually become dangerous, especially for kids who might accidentally get into them.
Professional organizers find these forgotten bottles everywhere – in kitchen junk drawers, bedside tables, and even car glove compartments. When storing medications, consider using a locking medication storage box, available from Walmart, to prevent children and pets from accessing tablets. Don’t flush pills down the toilet either, as they can contaminate water supplies.
Expired Sunscreen and Bug Spray Collections
Amélie Saint-Jacques, professional organizer and founder of Amélie Organizies, recommends decluttering and … She suggests, ‘Declutter your old sunscreen and bug spray and get rid of anything expired or used up, and replenish as needed.’ Many people stockpile these seasonal items without realizing they go bad.
Remember that old sunscreen will lose its potency and reduce its effectiveness in the sun. It is always worth refreshing it each summer to stay safe, and an expiration sweep is perfect for the task. Those half-empty bottles from last year’s beach trips aren’t doing you any favors. Check your garage, car, and beach bags for these safety hazards masquerading as protection.
Vases From Flower Deliveries
“You are never going to use those vases – when you’re arranging your own flowers, you’ll use the nice Tiffany vase that you got for your wedding,” says professional organizer Maura Fitzgerald, founder of · Fitz Just Right, who just removed two huge bins of vases from a client’s home. These utilitarian containers pile up after every flower delivery and special occasion.
After someone sends you flowers, you’re left with a utilitarian-looking vase that inevitably gets stashed in a cabinet or closet with all the others you’ve ever received. Most people hold onto them thinking they’ll use them someday, but they rarely do. Florists will happily take these back, so upcycle your vases by dropping them off at your local flower shop.
Excess Tote Bags and Reusable Shopping Bags
Organizers say it’s astounding how many canvas tote bags and reusable grocery bags they find hanging in mudrooms, stuffed into hall closets, or lying around musty garages. “You just don’t need that many bags – edit them down so you are left with under five bags,” Fitzgerald says. Everyone seems to collect these without thinking twice about it.
They come from conferences, grocery stores, promotional events, and well-meaning gifts. Use your surplus bags to carry other items on this list to Goodwill, or call a local food pantry and see if they can use them. The bags may be helpful to people who are picking up groceries for the week. It’s a perfect example of how good intentions can create clutter chaos.
Old Paper Clutter and Instruction Manuals
According to Urgo, this is a big issue for Baby Boomers. “They have so much paper – old files, receipts, junk mail, instruction manuals – clogging up their homes and offices,” she says. Young families have a lot of paper clutter too, but it’s in the form of school art projects and homework. Paper multiplies faster than rabbits in most homes.
Those instruction manuals for appliances you no longer own, warranties that expired years ago, and random receipts create invisible stress. Most information is available online now anyway. Set up a simple filing system for truly important documents and recycle the rest without guilt.
Excessive Tea Collections
When Gill starts organizing a house, she is often surprised to find loose tea bags and boxes of tea jamming up drawers, stuffed in cabinets, and tucked away in the pantry. “It’s truly staggering,” she says. “I have no idea why, but people seem desperate to fill their homes with every imaginable type of tea.” It’s like people are preparing for a tea apocalypse.
Check your kitchen cabinets and you’ll probably find herbal teas you bought during that wellness kick, fancy teas from gift baskets, and samples from that tea subscription you forgot to cancel. Most of these boxes contain maybe one or two used tea bags while taking up valuable real estate in your kitchen.
Extra Bedding and Linens You Don’t Need
According to Fitzpatrick, linen closets are an unexpected but significant source of clutter. People store extra sheets, pillows, and blankets that they really don’t need. “Adults only need one pair of sheets because you’re washing and changing them once a week,” she says. “Kids may need two in case of accidents – but that’s it.” Pillows collect dusk mites so shouldn’t be stored at all.
Those “just in case” blankets and mismatched sheet sets are eating up storage space you could use for things you actually need. You can donate sheets and blankets in good condition to a women’s shelter. For items that are past their prime, check in with an animal shelter or look into textile recycling in your area.
Broken Cooling Equipment and Fans
Our best fans and portable AC units have seen a lot of action over the last few years as summers get hotter and hotter. Before temperatures speak again at the end of June 2025, take some time to test all of your standalone cooling equipment and declutter any items that no longer work or that you no longer need. Broken fans collecting dust in closets won’t magically fix themselves.
Many people hold onto these hoping they’ll repair them someday, but that day rarely comes. Non-working cooling equipment takes up precious storage space that could house items you actually use. Test everything now and donate or properly dispose of anything that doesn’t work.
Plastic Containers Without Matching Lids
Take every plastic container and lid from your kitchen cabinets and create a matching game on your counter. Those random lids without containers and warped boxes from the microwave need to go. Restaurant takeout containers with missing pieces clutter valuable storage space. This plastic container chaos drives everyone crazy.
You know the drill – you open the cabinet and an avalanche of mismatched containers falls out. Consider investing in a uniform set of containers. Local daycares often accept plastic containers for art supplies and sensory activities. It’s time to end this daily frustration once and for all.
Forgotten Gift Cards and Unused Credit
Check wallets, drawers, and desk organizers for those forgotten gift cards from holidays past. Small remaining balances add up when you count all the cards floating around your house. These little plastic rectangles represent money you’re literally throwing away by forgetting about them.
Several websites buy unwanted gift cards for cash. Some charities accept gift card donations for families in need. Local schools often use them for teacher appreciation or student rewards. Don’t let that Starbucks card with three dollars on it continue hiding in your junk drawer. Either use it or pass it along to someone who will.