How to Get Rid of Stuff Before It Becomes Clutter

When Kenneth Epstein’s mother passed in 2010 leaving him her Las Vegas condo, his hoarding habits grew worse.

The Department of Health had already been called several times throughout the years for complaints of putrid smells.

But when city workers came to the house to help clean up, even those experienced with the ways of hoarders were floored.

Most hoarders leave pathways so they can at least move through their massive piles of unnecessary garbage.

But Mr. Epstein gave up on keeping any walking paths clear. Instead, the 55-year-old man would climb over the stacked newspapers, bills, appliances and anything else he’d collected over the years.

Yes, this is an extreme case. But for many people wondering how to get rid of stuff, deciding what to keep can be a real issue.

In the next 5 minutes, you’ll learn how to get rid of all the clutter that’s keeping you from enjoying your home to the fullest.

Start With the Stuff You Never Use

Often when we wonder how to get rid of stuff the answer is right under our noses.

We all have things we collect over the years we never actually use. That air fryer you thought was going to change your life now just takes up valuable countertop space.

The ugly punch bowl you got as a Christmas gift a couple of years ago isn’t getting any prettier either. Start by getting rid of the stuff you haven’t used in over a year. This takes the pressure of, “what if I need this in the future” off the table when you’re honest with yourself about what you really use.

This doesn’t just pertain to nonperishables either. Chances are if you haven’t decluttered in a while you’ve got some nasty old leftovers in your fridge. Tossing out spoiled leftovers is a quick way to boost your cleaning motivation and will get rid of any nasty smells.

Get Rid of Broken Items

Some items, like empty pens, old power chords, and greeting cards have long overstayed their welcome. Of course, we all have sentimental cards from our loved ones we want to keep, but stop holding on to the generic ones from your great aunt twice removed you’ve only met twice.

Old craft supplies like glue and paint are pointless once they dry out. If you use magazines for making collages try to get rid of any over a few months old.

Expired coupons, old calendars, and receipts for small purchases pile up fast. These items are great to start on at the beginning of your decluttering because they hold no sentimental value and don’t have any practical use either.

Throw out Expired Goods

Old makeup and sunscreen can do more harm than good. There’s nothing worse than coming home from a day at the beach to a scorching sunburn because your sunscreen expired last summer.

Old medications are another serious danger. Always make sure to check the expiration date on any medication before popping a pill. This is even more important for drugs you need to take on the regular.

If the active ingredients in the medication have long died off, you could be missing doses without realizing it.

You’re Never Going to Wear That

Americans spend $100 billion on clothes and accessories every year. Guess how much we spend on higher education?

Just $99 billion. As a country, we spend more on distressed denim and the like than we do on college.

And the average woman has around 30 outfits in her closet. Compare this to the 9 outfits in the closets of women from 1930.

Are you really ever going to wear that sequined tube top you got from the clearance bin 3 years ago? Or those jeans that are too tight even at your thinnest?

If you find yourself always asking how to get rid of too much stuff, your wardrobe is a great place to start.

We’re lucky to live in a country where clothes can be dirt cheap and we often buy more than we need. Or worse, we buy an outfit for a special occasion only to have it never see the light of day again.

Give Away an Item a Day

Garage sales are a great way of getting rid of your stuff and make a little spending money while you’re at it.

But a lot of cities have strict rules about holding yard sales. Not to mention most of us don’t want to spend a weekend sitting in front of our house letting strangers sift through our stuff.

And let’s be honest, most of your old stuff isn’t worth taking the time to sell. You’ve been to plenty of garage sales with nothing but old dirty children's’ toys and stained clothing.

Have a coworker you know would love that juicer you never use? What about a friend that needs a new yoga mat, of which you have about half a dozen in the back of your closet.

Giving stuff away not only helps you clear out your house faster but is an easy way to turn your unwanted stuff into gifts for the people you care about.

Set a goal to give away an item a day. If you can’t think of anyone to give some items to the Goodwill and other thrift stores will take just about anything in their donation box.

No More Wondering How to Get Rid of Stuff

So what happened with Kenneth Epstein, the Las Vegas hoarder?

It took 22 truckloads to clear a little over half the debris in the townhouse.

Among some of the more traumatizing finds, the workers had to deal with 9 dead cats, 33 living cats, and 6 refrigerators full of meat that was so spoiled it had liquified.

Mr. Epstein’s story is tragic but a good lesson in how easy it can be to let your home go.

We all know how to get rid of stuff, but now you know how to be fast and efficient about it.

Do you know what really speeds up a decluttering?

A dumpster at your doorsteps within the next 24 hours.

Don’t wait for the urge to get rid of old stuff you’re not using to wear off, call now for a free quote!

At Bin There Dump That we have 3 different sizes of dumpsters. Even if you’re garage is the size of the Taj Mahal, we’ve got you covered.

Call now and get your free quote!