Twice a year I do a 90-minute “throw it all away” sweep through the house. Not donating, not selling on Facebook Marketplace – just throwing away (or recycling) the stuff that’s been quietly cluttering my life. Last Saturday I filled a 13-gallon trash bag and a recycling bin.
Here’s exactly what I tossed and why. Steal my list, do your own sweep. You’ll feel better in 2 hours than 6 months of “trying to declutter.”
1. Spices over 2 years old (kitchen)
Ground spices lose 75% of their potency in 12-18 months. Anything older is just brown powder taking up space. McCormick prints “best by” dates on the bottom of every container – check yours. Dried herbs are even worse; they last 6-12 months max.
I threw out: cardamom from 2019, “Italian seasoning” from 2020, paprika that smelled like dust. Replaced the essentials at Aldi for under $20.
2. Expired sunscreen
Sunscreen has a printed expiration date – usually 1-2 years from purchase. Expired sunscreen doesn’t just stop working; the active ingredients can break down into less effective compounds. If you’d put it on your kid, check the date first.
3. Old mascara (3+ months)
Mascara tubes are bacteria farms. Replace every 3 months whether you’ve finished the tube or not. Eye infections from old mascara are a real thing – and your eyelashes deserve better.
4. Broken Tupperware lids (and unmatched containers)
If a container has no lid, or a lid has no container, it’s not food storage – it’s trash. I sort my Tupperware drawer twice a year and there’s always 4-6 orphaned pieces. They never reunite.
5. Single-use plastic utensils
The drawer of takeout chopsticks, soy sauce packets, plastic forks, and ketchup packets we all have. You’re never going to use them. They go in the trash now.
6. Mystery cables (and chargers for devices you don’t own)
The “mystery cable drawer.” Mini-USB chargers for phones from 2014. Old printer cables. Power cords with no labeled device. If you don’t know what it powers, throw it away (recycle e-waste at Best Buy).
7. Old gift cards with $0.47 balances
Wallet/drawer detritus. Check each one – if there’s nothing on it, it goes. If there’s a usable amount, put it in your wallet to actually use this month.
8. Expired medications
Tylenol, ibuprofen, prescription antibiotics from 2019 – all out. Expired meds don’t just become less effective; some can become toxic (tetracycline famously becomes harmful past expiration). Most pharmacies have free drug take-back boxes.
9. Takeout sauce packets, condiments older than 1 year
The fridge door is the worst offender. Soy sauce packets from 2 years ago. The half-jar of capers you bought for one recipe. The marinade from your in-laws. Toss anything you haven’t used in 12 months.
10. Freebies and swag you never use
Conference tote bags, branded t-shirts that don’t fit, the squeeze ball stress reliever your bank gave you. None of it sparks joy or has value. Donate the good stuff (t-shirts), trash the rest.
11. Magazines you’ll “read someday”
If a magazine has been in your house more than 6 months and you haven’t read it, you’re not going to. Recycle the whole pile. Save articles you cared about as PDFs – takes 30 seconds with phone.
12. Broken jewelry you “might fix”
Single earrings whose match was lost in 2018. Necklaces with broken clasps you keep meaning to take to a jeweler. If it’s been broken more than 12 months, you’re never fixing it. Sell the gold/silver for scrap; toss the rest.
13. Scratched non-stick pans
Once a non-stick pan is visibly scratched, it’s not safe to cook on – the coating can flake into food. Throw it out (some recycling centers take them). Replace with $20 from Target if needed, or upgrade to stainless steel.
14. Dried-out markers, pens that don’t work
Kids’ art supplies are full of these. Test every marker – if it doesn’t write, trash it. Same for pens that skip. The 4 minutes of testing saves the 40 minutes of writing “this is a dead pen” forever.
15. Cleaning products you don’t trust or don’t use
That weird furniture polish you bought for one antique. The kitchen cleaner with the warning label. Toilet cleaners 3+ years old. Specialty cleaners you never reach for. Most can be poured down the drain (with water) and the containers recycled. For chemicals, check your municipal hazardous waste day.
Decluttering quick-reference table
| Category | Decision rule |
|---|---|
| Food | Past expiration date |
| Cosmetics | Older than guidelines (mascara 3mo, foundation 6mo) |
| Medications | Past expiration |
| Containers | Missing matching part |
| Cables/cords | Don’t know what they’re for |
| Magazines/paper | Older than 6 months unread |
| Cookware | Damaged in way that affects safety |
| Jewelry/accessories | Broken more than 12 months |
| Freebies/swag | Don’t actually want it |
How to do the 90-minute sweep
- Set a timer for 90 minutes
- Grab one trash bag and one recycling bin
- Start in the kitchen, hit the spices and fridge first
- Move to bathroom (medications, cosmetics, expired anything)
- Hit the “junk drawers” everywhere in the house
- Quickly scan closets for visible broken items
- Stop when the timer dings
- Take the trash out immediately
Don’t try to do a “deep declutter” in this session. Just the obvious throw-aways. You’ll be amazed how much space freeing this is.
For more decluttering guides, see my 20 decluttering mistakes to avoid, closet organization step-by-step, and IKEA storage hacks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the most common thing people forget to throw away?
Spices and dried herbs. Most home cooks have 8-15 spices that are 3+ years old. They take up valuable cabinet space, contribute nothing to cooking, and we keep them out of habit. Audit twice a year.
How do I dispose of expired medications safely?
DEA Drug Take Back Days happen twice a year. Most CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart pharmacies have permanent drop-off boxes. Don’t flush medications – they end up in water supply. Don’t trash without crushing and mixing with coffee grounds first.
How do I throw away old electronics?
Best Buy, Staples, and Office Depot accept e-waste for free. Local recycling centers usually have e-waste days. Don’t put electronics in regular trash – the batteries and heavy metals are hazardous.
Should I sell things or just throw them away?
Use the 5-minute rule: if you can sell it in under 5 minutes of effort (post a photo, set a price), sell it. If it requires research, photos, listing on multiple platforms, and meeting strangers – just donate or toss. Your time is worth more.
