You blinked, and now the year 2021 is almost up. As we anticipate what the year 2022 will bring — and as most of us prepare for a quieter-than-usual week between Christmas and New Year’s — now is the ideal time to purge our homes of the clutter that is holding us back.
Even if you’ve already sanitized every room in your house, there’s a chance you overlooked a few items that should probably be discarded before the new year begins. Therefore, as you prepare to bid farewell to the year, here are 13 items to consider tossing with it:
Old Pillows
Pillows should be replaced every 1-2 years, according to experts. If you’ve had the same one on your bed for an extended period of time, it’s probably time to upgrade. If you’re not willing to discard yours, contact your local animal shelter to see if they accept used pillows for their crates.
Used Candles
Everybody has a cabinet full of candles they liked for a while but then lost interest in. It’s time to make room in your home for all the new holiday candles you’ve acquired over the last two months. If you’re looking to recycle the jars, gently melt the wax in the microwave and pour it into a jar you’re comfortable discarding.
Clothing and accessories from the past
There’s a good chance you discovered a bin filled with vintage clothing and accessories that have sat untouched for years. Now is the time to donate everything, particularly to typhoon-affected areas. However, before you head out with boxes and bins in tow, check in with your local donation center to see how the pandemic has impacted their hours or accepted items list.
Hangers that are mismatched
Once you’ve purged your closets of old coats and clothing, you’re likely to discover that you’ve amassed an eclectic collection of mismatched clothing hangers over the years. Using hangers of varying sizes, shapes, and colors will cause your closet to appear and feel disorganized. Remove or donate any mismatched hangers and treat yourself to a new pack if you have additional items to hang.
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Foodstuffs strewn about the pantry and refrigerator
Speaking of donating, if you have any unopened boxed or canned food from the holidays, consider donating it to your local food pantry. Additionally, check the back of the refrigerator for expired items.
Expired Products
After inspecting the refrigerator, proceed to the bathroom and check the expiration dates on all boxes and bottles. There is really no reason to keep expired personal care products, from shampoo and makeup to ointments.
Additionally, you should discard any expired medications that you may have before 2022.
It’s something that few people do, but you should go through your medicine cabinet and discard expired medications. Avoid flushing medications down the toilet when disposing of them. Simply place them in an unassuming container and discard.
Additional mugs
We are all familiar with the reality of amassing random mugs over the years. Some came in matching sets, but the majority are now broken; others were acquired on travels; and still others were gifts from grandma that you simply couldn’t part with. However, as 2021 draws to a close, there is no better time to let go of excess.
Tip: If something is cracked or permanently stained, it can be discarded.
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Soiled towels
Did you know that your bathroom towels should be washed every two days? If not, they are almost certainly infested with bacteria. In either case, your towels are probably worn out after so many uses and washes. Remove any thinning, raggedy towels (which you can recycle as rags in your garage or shed) and replace them with a new set.
Missing pieces in puzzles, toys, and games
If you pulled out an old puzzle to finish this year and discovered that pieces were missing, the reality is that it will never get any easier. Because the missing pieces are unlikely to reappear, you should probably abandon the puzzle entirely. The same holds true for card decks, toys, and any other game that is missing critical playing pieces.
Gift Cards that are no longer valid
We’ve all done it: purchased a gift card online, placed it in a random drawer to be discarded later, forgotten about it, and then rediscovered it months later, wondering, “is there money on this?” For many of us, this vicious cycle results in an accumulation of possibly empty gift cards that serve no purpose other than to take up valuable storage space.
Commit to checking the balances on these cards before the start of 2022 so you can finally discard the empty ones. The majority of retailers allow you to check the balance of your gift card online. Utilize a marker to record the value on cards with a remaining balance and discard the remainder.
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Appliances for the Kitchen
Kitchen appliances are something that you may use frequently in your home if you cook frequently.
Clean out your kitchen appliances and replace or repair those that are broken. Consider throwing away any broken kitchen appliances. If you feel the need to replace them, by all means do so before 2022.
Takeout Menus that are superfluous
Finally, but certainly not least, toss all those crumpled takeout menus that have accumulated in your junk drawer or hung on the side of your refrigerator. Keep only the menus you actually use, unless they’re available online—in which case, toss them as well.
Adhere to Green Cleaning on 2022
You must substitute eco-friendly cleaners for store-bought ones. Green cleaning is a necessity in the modern era, and you must grasp its significance. Therefore, when cleaning carpets, windows, toilet bowls, or ovens, use only natural cleaning agents such as baking soda, vinegar, or essential oils.
All of these things are necessary for a new year’s start. If you feel as though you need a new beginning in the year 2022, you should definitely begin by improving your home. Changing your environment can also spark change within you, so take the leap!
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