Decluttering your home isn’t just about creating a cleaner, more organized space—it’s also a powerful way to keep pests at bay. Pests like cockroaches, bed bugs, mice, and ants thrive in cluttered areas where they can find hiding spots, food scraps, and nesting materials.
You’re reducing hiding spots by eliminating excess items and keeping surfaces clear. Doing this makes it easier to spot and address potential infestations early.
Beyond pest control, decluttering can also significantly reduce stress and anxiety. Studies show that cluttered environments overstimulate our senses and make it harder to focus, contributing to feelings of overwhelm. A tidy, pest-free home doesn’t just look better; it also helps you feel more in control and at peace in your own space.
A List of 55 Things to Declutter Now
Kitchen
- Expired spices: These lose potency over time and won’t add much flavor to your cooking.
- Dull or unused knives: They take up space and can be dangerous if left forgotten in a drawer.
- Chipped plates or mugs: Chips can harbor bacteria and pose a risk of injury.
- Takeout menus you never reference: Most menus are online, so there’s no need to keep outdated paper ones.
- Duplicate utensils: Too many can clutter your drawer and make finding what you need harder.
- Plastic containers without lids: They’re essentially useless and just take up precious storage space.
- Stained or damaged kitchen towels: These can look unsightly and may attract fabric pests.
- Small appliances you haven’t used in a year: If you’ve gone this long without using them, you probably never will.
- Cookbooks you never open: Recipes are readily available online, making unused cookbooks unnecessary.
- Pantry items past their expiration date: These can be harmful if consumed and just waste valuable shelf space.
- Old water bottles or travel mugs: They often pile up and may contain odors or mildew.
- Unused baking trays or pans: If they’re collecting dust, they’re just taking up room you could use for something else.
Bedroom
- Worn-out or unmatched socks: These are simply clutter and serve no practical purpose.
- Clothes you haven’t worn in a year: If you didn’t wear them last season, chances are you won’t wear them next season either.
- Old or ill-fitting shoes: They take up valuable closet space and won’t ever be comfortable to wear.
- Jewelry you never wear: It’s better to sell or donate it than let it collect dust.
- Broken or unused hangers: These make your closet look messy and don’t serve their purpose.
- Bedsheets or pillowcases you don’t use: Excess linens take up storage space, attract dust, and rarely come out of the closet.
- Magazines or books on your nightstand: If you’re not reading them, they’re just adding to the visual clutter.
- Extra decorative pillows: They end up on the floor more than the bed and make tidying up harder. Plus, can harbor dust and are one of the common bed bug hiding places.
- Unused makeup or beauty products: Old products can harbor bacteria or lose their effectiveness.
- Empty or nearly-empty lotion bottles: They’re not worth the space they occupy when there’s hardly anything left.
Living Room
- Remote controls for devices you no longer own: These are pure clutter without the corresponding electronics.
- Old magazines or newspapers: They pile up quickly, create pest havens, and add to unnecessary visual and physical clutter.
- Broken or outdated electronics: Since roaches in electronics are a thing, these can harbor bugs.
- DVD or game cases for items you no longer have: Empty cases are just taking up shelf space.
- Decor pieces you don’t like anymore: If you don’t enjoy looking at them, it’s time to let them go.
- Candles burned down to the wick: They can’t be used anymore and are just collecting dust.
- Throw blankets you don’t use: These take up valuable storage space if they’re never in use.
- Outdated board games: If they’re missing pieces or haven’t been played in years, it’s time to say goodbye.
- Toys that are no longer played with: They clutter up the space and could be enjoyed by someone else instead.
- Cables or chargers without a purpose: These are easy to accumulate but serve no use if they don’t match any device.
Basement
- Old paint cans or DIY supplies: Paint dries out over time and takes up unnecessary storage space.
- Broken tools or equipment: If they can’t be repaired or used, they’re just clutter.
- Outgrown or unused sports gear: These items take up space and could be donated to someone who needs them.
- Holiday decorations you no longer use: They take up storage space for no reason if you never put them up.
- Boxes you haven’t opened in years: If you haven’t needed the contents by now, you probably never will.
- Old or broken furniture: These take up a lot of room and aren’t useful in their current state. Plus can harbor basement bugs.
- Duplicate or obsolete storage bins: These can pile up and create more mess than organization.
- Unfinished DIY projects you’ve lost interest in: They only serve as a reminder of things you’re not doing.
- Outdated workout equipment: It’s often bulky and rarely used, making it a good candidate to declutter.
- Old suitcases with broken zippers or wheels: They’re more trouble than they’re worth when traveling.
Study
- Pens that don’t work: These clutter up your desk and create frustration when you need a working one.
- Old notebooks or planners: Once they’re filled or outdated, they’re no longer useful.
- Books you won’t read again: They take up valuable shelf space and could be donated to someone else.
- Receipts or paperwork you don’t need: These can pile up quickly and make your workspace feel chaotic.
- Outdated software disks or manuals: Most software is downloadable now, so these are obsolete.
- Old business cards: If you haven’t contacted the person by now, you likely won’t ever need to.
- Broken or unused office supplies: They don’t serve a purpose and just take up space.
- Cables for devices you no longer own: Like in the living room, these are unnecessary clutter.
- Stale or unframed artwork: If it’s not displayed, it’s not serving any purpose.
- Files that are already digitized: Once scanned, physical copies are often redundant.
- Dead houseplants: These can attract mold, dust, and fungus, harming your indoor air quality.
- Desk clutter (random knickknacks, souvenirs): These can make it harder to focus and keep your workspace tidy.
- Empty printer cartridges: These are recyclable but serve no purpose sitting in your drawer.