We’re all guilty of keeping mementos from the past. Some of you collect concert tickets, some have dozens of fridge magnets from various travel destinations, while others can’t force themselves to get rid of old carpets and gym equipment that’s been gathering dust for years. It’s time to declutter your house, people, and we’ll tell you exactly which 15 things you should not keep around after you hit 30.
1. Cardboard Boxes
Yes, the cardboard boxes make for lightweight containers for all your other junk, and cats love sitting in them, but if you have to step over them every time you’re going to the kitchen, you have a problem. Recycle those boxes!
2. Board Games You Don’t Play
We live in a world where Kickstarters for board games are almost always successful, so having 10-20 board games on your shelves is not that uncommon. But if you ask yourself, “will I ever be playing these?” and the answer is “no” or “maybe one day,” — gift them to your friends or sell them on eBay.
3. Unmatched Socks
Do we even need to further explain this one? When you’re over 30, matching socks are a must. Unless you have 20 pairs of the same color/design, spare the stranded survivors and turn them into dust cloths or puppets for the kids.
4. Dull Knives
It is incredibly annoying to try cutting food with dull knives. Most blades nake but a moment to sharpen, and they’ll slice through that steak like, well, sharp knife through a steak. If the blade or the handle is broken and chipped, wrap them with cardboard and label them before trashing the knife.
5. CD Collections
If you’re one of the Old Ones who still use CDs, first of all, please, stop, we live in 2022. And secondly, digitize your collection and dump it in your local thrift store or just recycle all that plastic.
6. Old Towels
We get it, your granny gave this once-fluffy towel to your mom, and you took it to college, so now it’s like a multi-generational relic. But take a good look at it: it’s basically a rag now. Animal shelters would love to have it!
7. Fake Plants
Let’s face it, if you can’t keep a plant alive, you should not get a fake one. It will be gathering dust and obscuring your interior. Plenty of living plants don’t require much attention or care, so get some of those.
8. Temporary Furniture
Those chairs you bought at a garage sale and the garden table from the thrift store are not something you should put in your new house for more than a few months. You don’t need temp furniture now; buy yourself something classy!
9. Posters Without Frames
It’s cool to have your room plastered with posters of bands, actors, actresses, movies, cars, whatever else you’re into, but not after 30. Come on, people, get some framed pictures up on those walls!
10. Old Sheets
Same deal as with the old towels: don’t keep them around and buy some new ones. That’s especially important if you’re living with a partner and they sigh at the worn-out, translucent bedsheets every time they change them.
11. Chipped or Cracked Dishes
Imagine having guests over at your place, and you serve them your favorite food, but the plates are all banged up. For shame, people, for shame! What’s next, drinking coffee from a chipped mug? How low can you go?
12. Big or Small Clothes
There’s a good common rule when it comes to deciding the fate of your old clothes: if it’s two sizes too big or too small, you can donate them because we both know you’re not wearing that YMCA sweater that could be used to cosplay siamese twins on Halloween.
13. Novelty Items
This is a very wide category of items that include things funny cups, Star Wars toasters, roulette-style shot glasses that you’ve never and never will, and countless other items cluttering your house.
14. Plastic Dishes
Some people think that using plastic dishes saves time since you don’t need to wash them. But those are the same people who don’t care about anything and are too lazy to make any effort.
15. Bookshelf Without Books
Even if you don’t have any books to put on display, you can always use figurines, flowers, cool accessories, and art to lively up your bookshelves.
