We have so many things in our homes and in our lives that are no longer bringing us joy or serving us. We hang on to these things because we are use to it, or we think that these things have some sort of value, but if you don’t love it there’s no point in hanging on to it. This is the perfect time to evaluate the things in your life and figure out what you really need and what you really love. Here are 17 things to get rid of this year and my tips for making intentional purchases.

Pantry Foods

The pantry can become a place where we store a ton of cereals, chips, cans of food, and lots of other things. It can be easy to forget what food is in there because the dry and canned foods can last so long, but take some time to check for expiration dates and see what you really want in there. Now is the perfect time to declutter your life and the pantry is a quick, easy place to start.

Condiments and Sauces

If you like to try out new recipes like I do, you know that you often end up buying a new seasoning or condiment just for this one meal. If you never make that meal again, you may have a lot of condiments and sauces that have expired or that you just never use. Clean out your refrigerator or your spice cabinet and start fresh with only things you use and love.

Plates, Bowls, and Cups

We used to have so many plates and bowls and I never really thought anything of it; different sets we had purchased throughout the years. But there are just two of us and if we have guests, it’s never more than 10 people so we got rid of all of our extra plates and bowls. It’s way easier to keep our 4 plates clean and put back where they belong than dirtying a new plate every meal and having a full dish washer every night. But what do you do when you have guests over? We’ll use paper plates! We rarely have guests over for a meal so it didn’t make sense to have extra dishes “just in case”.

DVDs & CDs

Most media has become digital now, so you probably aren’t adding to your physical DVDs or CDs, but you may have a little collection of them. Consider ripping them/uploading them to your computer and then giving the disc away. They just take up space and clutter things up.

Magazines

If you have any magazines in the house, get rid of them. You can find most information online, or even in the digital version of that magazine — you don’t need the physical version. Plus, there are so many ads in magazines that it doesn’t make sense to pay for them and keep them in your home.

Company Marketing Emails

If you subscribe to different brands, you probably get a lot of marketing emails about their sales and promotions. These emails clutter up your inbox and, unless you are trying to buy something specific, the emails are just trying to get you make an impulse purchase. Unsubscribe from these emails and clean up your inbox.

Books

If you haven’t read a book in a while, consider donating it. Definitely keep your favorites that you love, buy why hold on to a small library that you never use? You may be able to find a used book store that will buy your books from you and you can earn back a little money.

Electronic Cords & Remotes

You may be holding on to old cords, adapters, and remotes because you aren’t sure what they go to. But ask yourself how long you’ve been going without using it and without needing whatever it may go to. If you’ve made it this long without using it, ditch it and only keep the things that you use and know what they are for.

Decor Pieces

There are so many trendy decor pieces — paintings, throw pillows, signs with basic quotes, candles, seasonal items, and more. I’m not opposed to decor — I totally think your space should reflect your style and make you happy — but there is so much of it and it all looks so trendy and cheap to me. How many “Live, Laugh, Love” quote signs are there? Do you really love the “Merry & Bright” light up frame? I think a good rule is, if you hide it away in a closet for half the year, you probably don’t need it or truly love it. Only keep the things you love; life it too short to store decor you don’t even really like.

Subscription Boxes

You may be signed up with those super cute subscription boxes that send you fun, new items each month. You can find subscription boxes for so many things — makeup, jewelry, razors, dog toys, etc. — but the problem with these boxes is that they are not things you would have normally bought. So, you pay monthly to get a sampling of things that may not even work for you; and it’s auto-delivered each month. Stop wasting money on random deliveries each month and be intentional with your purchases. See my tips below for how to make intentional purchases.

Photos

Most of our photos are digital these days, but if you have a bunch of physical photos and photo albums in your house they can take up a lot of space. Consider scanning or even just taking a digital photo of your pictures and then shredding the original. It takes up way less space and you’re probably more likely to find and enjoy the specific photos because they aren’t buried away somewhere.

Debt

Now is the time to get out of debt! If you have a balance on your credit cards, student loans, a car payment or whatever it is, get rid of it. Debt is the worst because it keeps you tied to the past — you are paying NOW for purchases you made in the PAST and you aren’t able use that money for the present things that you want to. Draw up a budget and really focus on eliminating any debt.

Trendy Clothes

Trendy clothes are often poorly made and fall apart easily. Take some time to go through your closet and donate any items that you no longer love. Next time you purchase clothes, consider buying higher quality basic items that are more timeless.

Old Planners and Journals

I love my planner; I use it to help me stay organized and track my progress on goals. Each year, I get a new planner but I keep the old planner because I love looking back at all that I did during the year. But how many planners do you really need? How often do you look back through old planners? I now only keep my current planner and the prior two years. If you love your planners and you look through them frequently, definitely keep them; but if not, then get them out of your life and move on to new things.

Pens

I have a ton of pens, but only a few favorites. Recently, I went through and purged a bunch of pens that were dried out or that I just didn’t like. If you love planners like I do, you know that you have a favorite kind of pen and that’s all you use (my favorite). Declutter your pen stash and only keep working pens that you love.

Expired Makeup

Makeup has an expiration date like everything else. If you have a lot of makeup, you may not be able to use everything you have before it expires. Go through all your makeup and toss anything you’ve had beyond the expiration date and anything that you don’t use regularly.

Toxic People

If you have people in your life who aren’t building you up or adding to your life, get rid of them. You don’t owe anyone anything, and life it too short to have a draining relationship. Take care of yourself and protect your energy.

TIPS FOR MAKING INTENTIONAL PURCHASES

So many times, people take a trip to the mall or fill up their shopping carts online without a purpose or intention. They just buy whatever looks cute or something that seems like a “good deal” without really planning or comparing. These kinds of impulse purchases are what create clutter in our lives, but you can prevent that by being intentional with your money.

When you are living an intentional life and being mindful of what you spend your money on, you can feel confident in making the right purchase. Before making a purchase, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I need this? If you didn’t need it before today, are you really sure you need it now.
• Can I afford this item financially? If you don’t have the money to pay for your item today, do you have a plan to save up for it? Don’t create new debt for a purchase.
• Is this going to improve my life in some way? How?
• Will it be difficult to get rid of if needed? (ex. moving) Example: a treadmill is large, heavy, and difficult to move. If you had to downsize or sell it, how difficult would that be for you?
• Will this make you happy long term?
• Do you love it?
• Have you factored in maintenance and upkeep costs?
• Have you researched competitors? Make sure you compare with different items to get the item that will best serve you.
• If I get this thing, will other things I own become outdated/obsolete? Maybe you buy an Apple TV — now your DVD player and DVDs are no longer necessary.
• Do you have a plan to donate/remove broken/obsolete items?
• Could you borrow this item instead of buying it? Does your friend have an extra item that she could lend you?
• Where will you keep it? Do you already have a designated space for this new thing? Is there room for it?

I hope that these tips are helpful in making intentional purchases and that you’ve been inspired to get rid of a few things that are no longer serving you. ♡