10 pointless things cluttering up your home
The latest trend in decluttering is called ‘lessting’. The idea is to do the opposite of nesting – so in essence you’re living with less rather than accumulating more. The principle is the same as decluttering, with a focus on the emotional journey of the process and the benefits of living with less.
In the spirit of lessting, Dr. Beckmann has found the top 10 things in the home we tend to hang onto needlessly, and if you look at the list, some of these things are quick to declutter… or lesst if you will. Here’s the top 10 culprits:
1. Cables and chargers (40%)
4 in 10 of us have a box of cables and chargers that we hang onto, 'just in case'. Technology generally gets replaced every few years, but the chargers and rogue cables tend to stay behind in our homes. Perhaps because we think it may come in handy if the current one breaks, or perhaps we forget about what they connect to entirely.
To sort through these, the first step is to detangle and organise your cables, finding what connects to what. Those you use regularly or intermittently can be organised with cable ties and a cable management box. Be sure to label each with their use so you don’t forget again.
If you struggle to let go of old cables, consider when you last used them, or if you can even remember what they connect to. So long as all your tech gadgets each still has its dedicated charger and cables, you’re all set. Some of my older cables have even started to yellow, so I wouldn’t want to use them again anyway!
You can recycle old cables locally by checking recycleyourelectricals.org.uk.
2. Old magazines (23%)
I found a stack of old magazines when I tried Swedish Death Cleaning in my front room. I can understand how it happened; we spend so much money on these that we struggle to let them go. Perhaps we never get round to reading them in the first place and they just pile up – I’m guilty of that one too!
But, they shouldn’t be stacking up in your home, which happens for 23% of us. You should only keep the magazines you’re currently reading. Once read, these can be passed onto family and friends, and then recycled once they’ve served their purpose.
3. Packaging from an expensive product (21%)
What if it breaks? What if I have to return it? What if they won’t accept it without the box? These are just some of the questions that rush through our heads as we’re about to dispose of the box for a particularly expensive item we’ve just purchased. But, we need to break this way of thinking. You don’t always need the box to return an item, so you could be wasting space here - and more than 1 in 5 of us are doing this.
Louise Baxter MBE, Chartered Trading Standards Lead and CEO of Consumer Friend, says: "you don’t need the original packaging to return a faulty item.
"The law says you can return faulty goods for up to six years (five years in Scotland) and ask for a refund, replacement, repair, or partial refund. What you’re entitled to depends on the type of item, how long you’ve had it, and the situation."
So, if the worst does happen down the line and you need to return a faulty item, you can always use another box to take it in to where you purchased it from.
However, if you’re relying on a manufacturer’s warranty, this is different to your statutory rights. You're subject to the terms and conditions as specified by the manufacturer, which might state that you need the original packaging. So this is always worth checking before you dispose of any boxes. If you’re planning to potentially sell the item on eBay once you’re finished with it, the packaging can help you here too.
In these cases, it’s worth at least collapsing the boxes to take up minimal space. Or you could use them to store something else. In either case a stack of empty boxes shouldn’t be taking up precious storage space. Keep in mind your instructions are good to recycle too as these are often available online.
4. Unmatched socks (18%)
Whether one’s been lost in the wash, or a hole formed in the other, it’s easy for odd socks to fill our drawers – 18% of us deal with this problem. Some of us don’t mind this; most of my socks can’t be seen anyway so I wear mismatched socks with pride! The main thing is they’re still getting used.
However, if you’re not wearing them, there’s other ways you can use your lone socks. You can place them over your hand and use them as a handy duster for your blinds and lampshades. These are also great for running along skirting boards and picture frames once dampened. Once they’ve served their purpose they can also be recycled; find your local recycling points using recyclenow.com.
5. Childhood toys (17%)
This one is not easy to declutter, mainly because there’s so many memories attached – that’s why 17% of us struggle with this problem. Childhood toys, whether our own or our children’s, trigger an emotional response that makes it difficult to let them go. If you are emotionally attached to a few key toys, it might be worth hanging onto those which have the most meaning.
However, your home shouldn’t be filled with them. You need to consider which offer the most sentimental value to you and whether the others might get a second life with someone else. Could they serve a purpose again and become more meaningful? If you do decide to let a few childhood toys go, charity shops are always accepting donations. Just remember to clean them first. Soft teddy bears can usually go in the washing machine in a mesh bag, using a reduced amount of detergent on a gentle cycle.
6. Expired spice (17%)
When was the last time you checked the dates on your spices? These seemingly last forever, but if we rarely use one, or even forget about it entirely, it can expire before you know it. In fact, 17% of us keep expired spices in our kitchen cupboards. But should these be thrown away without a second thought?
According to Emma Franklin GH’s Cookery Editor: “out of date spices, whilst technically safe, are likely to have lost the majority of their aroma and flavour, which means you may end up adding way more than a recipe requires to get the desired flavour, even with refreshing, which can impact the texture and add a bitter element to the flavours.”
If your spices have had their day, they can be added to the compost heap.
7. Tickets from an event (16%)
Finding an old event ticket can hold sentimental value. It brings back memories from the day, so they can be surprisingly meaningful. If a ticket is particularly precious to you, consider framing it alongside an image from the event so you can better appreciate it. It will be protected from wear and tear when displayed like this too.
If you’re lucky enough to have a fair few tickets (16% of us hold onto these), think about what they mean to you. Do you already have pictures to mark the day, or perhaps you’ve got duplicates of each ticket? Did you even know about it before you found it? These are all questions that can help you let go of the excess.
8. Takeaway menus (14%)
When I first moved into my flat, I was shocked at how many takeaway menus appeared in the kitchen drawer. Every other day, my partner would add another one to the pile; some of these were duplicates so this was completely pointless. We do flick through them occasionally, but now that we know the area, we’re using the same ones and ordering the same things every time anyway.
14% of us make a habit of this. So, save yourself the space and just make a note of the names and numbers of your favourites. If you ever want to look at the menus, you can always have a look online. You could alternatively take pictures of each and create an album of local takeaway restaurants on your phone.
9. Broken remotes (14%)
Remotes can quickly clutter the front room. It’s an easy problem to have when you consider there’s one for your TV, one for the sound bar, one for your Freeview box, the list goes on. And to make matters worse, when a remote control breaks, these can hang around too, gathering dust and sometimes getting confused for the working ones.
While broken remotes are something we’re reluctant to remove, (14% of us hang onto them), it is easy to do so once you’re satisfied you’re throwing away the correct one (be sure to test it first). You can find a local recycling centre which accepts remotes on recycleyourelectricals.org.uk. Don’t forget to remove and reuse the batteries beforehand!
10. Expired cleaning products (12%)
Don’t forget about the cupboard under the sink; 12% are guilty of storing expired cleaning products here and around the home. Some of us might think they’re still good to use, others may have forgotten about them entirely, but it’s important to sort through these and safety dispose of those that have expired. Once a cleaning product has expired it’s no longer safe to use and the effectiveness of the product may have deteriorated too.
Anything which is opened and still good to use can be offered out to friends and family (if you're not going to use it). Everything that’s left should be easily accessible and easy to find, in case there’s a sudden spill.
Do not tip expired cleaning products down the sink; it can create harmful and even life-threatening gases. Use a hazardous waste disposal service instead.
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