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POWER PURGE YOUR HOME: 140 THINGS TO GET RID OF RIGHT NOW TO KICK START YOUR DECLUTTERING MISSION

By: Author Luci McQuitty Hindmarsh

Posted on Last updated:

Categories DECLUTTER AND ORGANISE

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THESE ARE THE 140 NO-BRAINER THINGS YOU CAN GET RID OF TO REDUCE CLUTTER INSTANTLY

When you know you have the mother of all decluttering tasks lying ahead of you to transform your home from a junkyard to an Instagram-worthy haven of serenity, sometimes the best thing to do is go for an easy win. Something quick and easy to do that will let you feel successful and motivate you to go to the next level.

ENTER THE POWER PURGE

I can’t blame you for wondering what on earth a power purge is. So, here’s a quick explanation.

A power purge is an intense decluttering session where you go through everything in your home very quickly and ruthlessly to get rid of anything you don’t need.

The aim is to efficiently eliminate all the unnecessary stuff you have dotted around your home in as short a time frame as possible.

One of the best ways to achieve power purge success is to have a list of stuff to purge to help keep you focused.

So, with that in mind. Here’s a list!

This list encompasses everything you are likely to have around your home that you can get rid of right now.

Now, just one word (that probably isn’t even necessary because I am sure you’re well up on recycling and donating to charity(, the power purge isn’t about just getting a giant bin bag and chucking everything into it.

So remember to recycle what can be recycled and donate to charity shops where possible. 

140 THINGS TO POWER PURGE FROM YOUR HOME

1. GENERAL STUFF AND PAPERWORK

  1. Scraps of wrapping paper – you really will never use them!
  2. Old print outs
  3. Expired coupons and vouchers
  4. Coupons you will NEVER use
  5. Old invoices, bills and statements – shred! Set up online so you stop even getting paper versions.
  6. Pens that are out of ink or don’t have a lid
  7. Old invitations
  8. Old tear sheets – bathroom inspiration, why keep it once the bathroom’s been made over?!
  9. Business cards – need the details? put them in your contacts
  10. Loyalty cards you never use
  11. Gift cards – what are you waiting for? Use them before they expire!!
  12. Old printer ink cartridges
  13. Books you’ve read and will never read again 
  14. Envelopes that you won’t ever get around to re-using
  15. Payslips older than five years
  16. Old post-it notes
  17. The stationery you bought or were given that you’ll NEVER use – bullet journal, anyone?!!
  18. Old mobile phone covers and accessories – YOU WILL NEVER USE THEM AGAIN
  19. Multiple pairs of scissors
  20. Old public transport tickets
  21. Used theatre and cinema tickets
  22. Junk mail
  23. Old birthday cards
  24. Out-of-date calendars
  25. Old diaries
  26. Magazines 
  27. Newspapers
  28. Old notebooks that have no spare room
  29. Takeaway menus – you can no doubt get them online
  30. Out-of-date product guarantees
  31. Gadget manuals – just go online for support 
  32. Old unused batteries
  33. Ornaments and vases that just sit gathering dust and don’t have any sentimental value

2. KITCHEN AND PANTRY

  1. Utensils you have more than one of
  2. Utensils that are half-broken
  3. Frying pans that have lost their non-stick
  4. Discoloured tea and coffee cups
  5. Mismatched crockery – you really don’t need ten spares just in case
  6. Chipped or cracked crockery or glassware
  7. Empty bottles you’ve kept just in case you can use them – you can’t, and you won’t
  8. Almost empty cleaning products – decant into fuller ones
  9. Cleaning cloths that are beyond rags
  10. Storage containers and jars that you NEVER use
  11. Fridge food past its use-by date 
  12. Freezer food that’s been in the freezer longer than six months 
  13. Herbs and spices past their use-by date
  14. Pantry jars and bags that contain food you know you’ll never use
  15. Old containers that no longer have a lid or a lid that works
  16. Excess plastic shopping bags you’re keeping ‘out of guilt, ‘just in case’
  17. Recipe books you NEVER look at 
  18. Old birthday candles that have already been used
  19. Takeaway cutlery that you never remember to take on the picnics you are saving them for
  20. Paper plates – see takeaway cutlery above!!
  21. Tableware you NEVER use. Start using it, or get rid!
  22. Food supplements and vitamins that are out of date
  23. Placemats, napkins and table linen you NEVER use
  24. Opened packages of flour, sugar or baking ingredients that haven’t been stored in airtight containers
  25. Empty food boxes or packaging
  26. Old pots and pans with scratches or rust
  27. Single-serving condiment packages
  28. Opened (and now slightly soft) chips, crackers or snack bags
  29. Expired canned or jarred goods
  30. Broken Tupperware or Tupperware with lids that don’t match
  31. Empty plastic containers or lids
  32. Unused appliances or gadgets
  33. Stained or damaged towels/cloths
  34. Plastic storage bags (replace with reusable silicone bags or containers)
  35. Opened packages of coffee/tea past expiration
  36. Unused plastic utensils or straws
  37. Food items in the pantry you’ll never eat
  38. Expired coupons or coupons you will never use
  39. Gadget manuals you never look at (you can find all the information online anyway)

3. BATHROOM/DRESSING TABLE

  1. Samples you will never get around to using.
  2. Out-of-date toiletries
  3. Gunky nail polish 
  4. Old make-up 
  5. Travel-size toiletries you never use 
  6. Hotel freebies – just use them already! Or bin them!
  7. Spa freebies – as above!!
  8. Old toothbrushes
  9. Out-of-date medicines 
  10. Hair accessories you never use and won’t ever use again
  11. Broken hair elastics
  12. Perfume you no longer like
  13. Empty perfume bottles you’ve kept because they were expensive!
  14. Almost empty bottles of shampoo/conditioner/body wash
  15. Old toothbrushes (you should replace them every three months)
  16. Empty floss containers
  17. Broken razors, hair tools, or electric toothbrushes
  18. Bath bombs, bath salts, bubble bath or soap bars you know you will never let near your skin!
  19. Empty containers of cotton balls, balls, pads
  20. Makeup brushes that are frayed or worn (and clean the ones you keep!)
  21. Broken mirrors, picture frames, or accessories
  22. Discoloured or frayed towels, washcloths, or bath mats
  23. Mismatched organizers, baskets, or trays
  24. Broken tools like nail clippers or tweezers
  25. Air fresheners, diffusers candles past their prime.

4. TECH STUFF

  1. Computer cords and cables you don’t need 
  2. Extension cables you never use
  3. Old mobile phones, tablets and tech gadgets 
  4. Excess chargers – how many do you ACTUALLY NEED?!!
  5. Old or damaged device chargers/cords
  6. Outdated cables/wires
  7. Broken or unused headphones/earbuds
  8. Extra power strips/surge protectors
  9. Obsolete remotes
  10. Broken or unused accessories (cases, mounts, etc.)
  11. Laptops/desktops no longer needed
  12. Outdated game consoles
  13. Extra controllers/accessories for unused systems
  14. Damaged external hard drives/USB drives
  15. Old or malfunctioning speakers
  16. Ink/toner cartridges that are empty
  17. Obsolete computer mice/keyboards
  18. Outdated software/applications
  19. Unused camera accessories (lenses, batteries, chargers)
  20. Malfunctioning wearable tech (fitness trackers, smartwatches)
  21. Old or worn smart home devices (Alexa, Google Home, etc.)
  22. Empty packaging from new electronics
  23. Broken printers/scanners

5. BEDROOM, LINEN CUPBOARD OR DRESSING ROOM

  1. Frayed, discoloured or worn-out sheets
  2. Fitted sheets that have shrunk and no longer fit
  3. Old pillows that are lumpy or have no volume left 
  4. Discoloured old towels
  5. Single gloves
  6. Socks with holes in them
  7. Tights you will never wear because they’re bobbly or have runs
  8. Clothes with holes in or other damage that you will never get around to repairing
  9. Clothes that are too small
  10. Stuff in your wardrobe that no longer suits you
  11. All the stuff you know will never fit you again
  12. Shoes that are beyond repair
  13. Clothing you were gifted that you don’t actually like
  14. Accessories that you NEVER wear
  15. Mistake purchases – admit the mistake, then give it away or resell it
  16. Hangers – broken, old, ugly, excessive numbers… 
  17. All those buttons you’ve been storing in case a button falls off
  18. Underwear that’s lost its elastic
  19. Bras that have wires sticking out
  20. Purses or bags you never use because you always use the same one
  21. Dressing gowns that hang on the back of the door 365 days per year
  22. Extra or worn-out blankets/throws
  23. Mismatched socks/undergarments
  24. Worn-out shoes and boots
  25. Clutter under the bed

6. KIDS STUFF

  1. Craft supplies that are old and unused
  2. Children’s artwork – come on, you can’t keep ALL OF IT!! Photograph stuff and make an album.
  3. Toys that no longer get played with or are broken
  4. Clothes and shoes they’ve grown out of that hang around in their wardrobe anyway.
  5. Books they’ve grown out of reading
  6. Toys the kids no longer play with regularly
  7. Old artwork, school papers or homework
  8. Clutter under the bed
  9. Old stuffed animals or dolls in disrepair
  10. Single pieces from toys or puzzles that will never be repatriated
  11. Bike helmets and sports gear that’s been outgrown
  12. Empty boxes from toys/tech kit
  13. Old feeding items like bottles, pacifiers
  14. Cluttered drawers of mismatched socks, underwear
  15. Old electronics or hand-held game devices
  16. Sentimental items that you and the kids no longer value