Want to Embrace Minimalism? Start by Getting Rid of These 9 Things

The new year is here, bringing a fresh opportunity to create a cleaner, more organized home. While it’s easy to identify clutter like expired food or old mail, there are other items subtly taking up space and contributing to stress that you might not even recognize as clutter. Perhaps it’s time to embrace a more minimalist mindset in 2025—here are 9 things you can get rid of to kick off your new lifestyle.

Unused Furniture in Storage

Pro organizer Jen Robin suggests reassessing the old furniture you might have in storage or your garage this year. Whether it’s those folding chairs you keep for parties (do you ever really invite 50 people to your house?), or your grandmother’s antique hutch that just isn’t your style, you might have large things you don’t use or need. “If it hasn’t been used in years, it’s likely time to sell or donate it,” she says. “Keep your storage spaces purposeful and organized.”

Worn Out Towels and Bedding

Is there any reason to keep that ripped duvet cover or bleach-stained towel? These items aren’t serving you. says pro organizer Couri McDougald. “These take up valuable space and often go unused,” she adds. “Donate or recycle them, and keep only a few quality sets.”

Outdated Tech and Old Media

While keeping an old smartphone as an emergency backup is fine, do you really need that pink flip phone from middle school? “Some merchants, like Best Buy, have electronics recycling programs where you might even be able to score discounts on upgrades,” says interior designer Shay Holland, a minimalist and tiny house dweller.

And if you use Spotify, why do you still have a CD tower? The same goes for those old Blu-rays and DVDs. There is no reason to keep old media. “With most media available digitally, physical collections are often unnecessary,” says Robin. “Digitize those old family movies or keep only sentimental favorites, then donate or recycle the rest.”

Broken Items

If something is broken and can’t be repaired, accept that it needs to be thrown out. “Broken chargers, old phones, etc. often pile up. Recycle or donate these responsibly,” says McDougald.

Duplicate Items

Our kitchens can end up cluttered with duplicates of things you rarely use, so take inventory of your kitchen drawers and junk drawer. “How many spatulas, hammers, or measuring cups do you really need?” Robin asks. “Stick to versatile, high-quality options that can handle multiple tasks, and donate or recycle duplicates.”

Unworn Clothing

Robin advises doing a closet audit to evaluate your current wardrobe. “If it hasn’t been worn in a year, consider why,” she says. “Does it no longer fit, feel uncomfortable, or match your current style?” Donate or sell these items to free up space for what you actually love to wear.

Paper Trails

“Old receipts, manuals, or printouts can easily be scanned and stored digitally,” explains Robin. “Use apps like Evernote or Google Drive to keep important documents organized and accessible while eliminating physical clutter.”

To prevent paper trails in the future, consider switching to paperless billing for things like utility and cell phone bills as well as bank statements.

Old Manuals

While it’s important to know how to use your dishwasher, you might not realize the manual (along with the manuals for your other appliances) can easily be found online. “Most appliance manuals are available digitally,” says Robin. “Toss the paper clutter and bookmark what you need for easy access.”

Things That Don’t Serve Their Purpose and Make You Feel Bad

We’ve all fallen short on a New Year’s resolution or two, but as Holland points out, if your treadmill is gathering dust or doubling as a clothing rack, it’s time to let it go. “The exercise mat collecting dust under the sofa, unused kitchen appliances like that smoothie maker from a 2019 green juicing kick,” she says. “It really does lessen guilt to toss reminders of failed self-improvement efforts.”