20 items you should declutter from your home right now

Spring is a great time to dig through your closet and toss any garments that don't fit you — or your style — anymore. Fill up a few bins, and take them to a nearby shelter or other nonprofit to pass along to someone else who can actually use them. 

After the holidays, your kids likely have more toys than they know what to do with. Go through their toy boxes, with their help ideally, and pick out at least a few toys that are no longer played with to donate to a nonprofit or pass along to a friend. 

Even if you love those scuffed-up old boots with the hole forming in the sole, it's probably time to say goodbye. Alternatively, you could keep those that just need a few small fixes to take to the cobbler for a refresh. 

Many of us have shoes that we've never worn, or only a few times, because they don't fit or are otherwise wrong. Corral those unworn shoes and donate to a nonprofit like Dress For Success, or pass along to a shoe-loving friend who will actually wear them. 

Dig through the pantry and get rid of everything that's more than six months past its expiration date, along with canned goods that are dented or bulging. This is also a good time to toss all those half-empty containers of pasta and other lingering odds and ends that probably won't ever get used. 

If you haven't used that quesadilla maker in years and can't remember the last time you whipped out the waffle iron, donate those appliances to a resale shop, or offer them up in a neighborhood group like NextDoor. 

The garage can be a real black hole of clutter, and it's time to finally get rid of all those half-empty cans of paint and random gardening accessories. Make sure you follow safe disposal guidelines for items like paint and yard chemicals. 

Prolific readers often have tons of books, many of which just sit on the shelf collecting dust. Grab up the titles you haven't picked up in years, and donate to a community center or thrift store. The same goes for old DVDs, magazines, and other media that you don't use anymore. 

Skincare products and make-up have expiration dates, even if many of us ignore them. Toss out any lotions and potions that have expired or have obviously changed in appearance. Then clean out your make-up bag, tossing any cosmetics more than a year old. 

If you've got a few towels or sheets that look a bit shabby, it's time to take them out of the linen closet. Instead of tossing them, though, consider donating to a local animal rescue or shelter — towels and blankets are in high demand there. 

For those plants that are on their last leg — or have already died — it's time to say goodbye. Make sure to get rid of those empty pots, too, unless you plan on doing a lot of gardening this year. 

Coats and jackets often end up tucked in the back of closets once they're out of style or don't fit anymore, and they just take up space. Donate your coats to a nearby shelter, or offer them up as hand-me-downs to your neighbors and relatives. 

Who needs three hammers? Pretty much nobody. Rifle through your toolbox and get rid of any extraneous tools, and pass those along to someone in your life who's just getting started in their first home. 

The junk drawer can be a seriously terrifying place, but you've got to de-clutter it at least once a year. Toss anything that you can't remember the last time you used it, and consider adding dividers or baskets to keep things more organized. 

From mustard to jam to white wine vinegar, many of us have kitchens absolutely packed with condiments. Clean out your fridge and remove any condiments that are old, show signs of mold, or just don't get eaten, and don't forget to do the same in the pantry. 

If you found yourself thinking that it was time to retire last year's Christmas tree or this year's Valentine's Day decorations, there's no better opportunity than the present. Grab your decor bins and toss anything that you haven't displayed in a few years or is broken beyond repair. 

Much like the pantry, the freezer can hide a slew of food that you'll never actually cook. Dig through and find anything that's freezer-burned, unidentifiable, or otherwise unappealing, and toss it in the trash. It might feel weird to waste food, but you wouldn't eat those freezer-burned old burritos anyway. 

It seems like every American household has a slew of old phone chargers, cables, and cords that they never actually use. Round up all the cords in your home and recycle them at an electronics store like Best Buy. 

Expired medications can lose efficacy over time, and you probably don't want that when you've got a serious headache — or worse. Take your medications to a nearby pharmacy for proper disposal, or check out your city's website for safe disposal locations. 

Almost everyone has picked up — and immediately abandoned — a crafting hobby like knitting or painting. If you've still got those supplies lingering around, gift them to someone who can actually use them.