We hope you’ve had a great start to July in Chandler, AZ! Last week our blog covered ways to celebrate Independence Day. As you’re recovering from your celebrations, clear your apartment of the unnecessary to further give you peace of mind. Back in April, we shared tips for how to go about decluttering your Liv Avenida apartment. Today, we want to give you more specific ideas of what items to purge from your home.
Expired items. If things are expired, they are no longer good! Go through your purse, wallet, pantry, and bathroom cupboards and get rid of coupons, canned goods, and medications with “sell by” or “best by” dates that have come and gone. It’s easy to think you might use it, but time passes quicker than you think, and if you forget about it, that’s just another pointless piece of junk crowding your space!
Old clothes. This can be a complicated issue, especially if you want to hold onto items that might fit you later or items that you simply don’t wear because they’re not in season at the moment. But be sure to distinguish between what’s seasonal and what you simply no longer love.
Old magazines. These and other papers that may accumulate as you take notes just take up space, and you probably rarely get around to appreciating them anyway. Keep around three magazines, max, if you really want something for guests to browse.
Broken items. Sure, if you’re going to repurpose something right now and actually use it, you can keep it around. But usually if something’s broken, that probably means you haven’t used it in a while and you’ve learned to adapt without it. So let go. It will reduce the risk of you accidentally hurting yourself on it, too!
Duplicate items. Whether it’s for the kitchen or your closet, having duplicate items might seem functional, but it can really just crowd up your space. Evaluate your habits and keep the item that will last you longer or the item you most often use.
Entertainment you don’t use. Sometimes you buy a book or movie thinking you’ll love it, but you only enjoy it once — or you even don’t like it. Sell or donate it so someone else can. This also goes for items like cassette tapes or videos on tape that you no longer use or have means of watching.
If you can’t bear to throw away some of these items (especially if they’re new, lightly used, or vintage), donate or sell them to your friends, a family in the community, or a thrift shop near you.
What other items do you make a point to get rid of in your home? How do you keep yourself accountable for purging your home of these items? Share your thoughts with the rest of the apartment community by leaving a comment! Thanks for reading. Good luck!