Top 41+ Things in Your House That a Professional Organizer Would Throw Out

Owner's manuals

Owner's manuals, Odds and ends, Freebies, Donation bags, Hobby materials, Unmatched things, Improve-me items, Unused cookbooks, Impulse purchases, Florist vases, Refrigerator magnets

Toss the instruction booklets that go with things you no longer own and the owner's manual for the TV you had 10 years ago.

Odds and ends

Owner's manuals, Odds and ends, Freebies, Donation bags, Hobby materials, Unmatched things, Improve-me items, Unused cookbooks, Impulse purchases, Florist vases, Refrigerator magnets

Even professional organizers keep odd things, like those plastic clips from bags of bread or the tiny bag of spare buttons. The key is to know when you're saving too many and when they are becoming clutter. For example, if you've kept every rubber band from every fresh produce purchase, it's time to throw some away.

Freebies

Owner's manuals, Odds and ends, Freebies, Donation bags, Hobby materials, Unmatched things, Improve-me items, Unused cookbooks, Impulse purchases, Florist vases, Refrigerator magnets

Try to resist bringing home one of every free item offered at street fairs, lectures and conferences. Professional organizers throw away extra wall calendars, promotional coffee mugs, water bottles, jar openers, pill organizers and excessive quantities of chip clips.

Donation bags

Owner's manuals, Odds and ends, Freebies, Donation bags, Hobby materials, Unmatched things, Improve-me items, Unused cookbooks, Impulse purchases, Florist vases, Refrigerator magnets

Did you forget about that bag of clothing donations that's been riding in the trunk of your car for a month? It's time to drop it off. Professional organizers have a standing pickup scheduled or routinely make drop-offs at donation locations near them to prevent anything piling up at home.

Hobby materials

Owner's manuals, Odds and ends, Freebies, Donation bags, Hobby materials, Unmatched things, Improve-me items, Unused cookbooks, Impulse purchases, Florist vases, Refrigerator magnets

Once you're finished with a hobby, professional organizers advise donating the equipment to someone who will use it. Whether you have woodworking tools, scuba fins, camping gear or a set of watercolors, if you're no longer using it then toss it out of your house.

Unmatched things

Owner's manuals, Odds and ends, Freebies, Donation bags, Hobby materials, Unmatched things, Improve-me items, Unused cookbooks, Impulse purchases, Florist vases, Refrigerator magnets

If they're meant to be mated up, and you've hopelessly lost or ruined one, then why keep the other? Dump that sad, single soc or the winter gloves missing their mates. And did you know you can donate single or mismatched shoes to amputees through OddShoe?

Improve-me items

Owner's manuals, Odds and ends, Freebies, Donation bags, Hobby materials, Unmatched things, Improve-me items, Unused cookbooks, Impulse purchases, Florist vases, Refrigerator magnets

Is the treadmill you used for a week now a makeshift clothing rack? What about the green smoothie maker you tried once and haven't touched since? Give away those items you purchased with the hopes of making a change.

Unused cookbooks

Owner's manuals, Odds and ends, Freebies, Donation bags, Hobby materials, Unmatched things, Improve-me items, Unused cookbooks, Impulse purchases, Florist vases, Refrigerator magnets

Do you search online for culinary inspiration or still scour the best baking cookbooks? If the former is your answer, then you can let go of those bulky cookbooks. Recipes are everywhere, and most times we end up falling back on our go-to recipes anyway. Most friends of library groups accept donated books, including cookbooks, for their book sales.

Impulse purchases

Owner's manuals, Odds and ends, Freebies, Donation bags, Hobby materials, Unmatched things, Improve-me items, Unused cookbooks, Impulse purchases, Florist vases, Refrigerator magnets

You couldn't resist that 2 a.m. infomercial, and now you're the owner of the latest craze in kitchen appliances, workshop tools or some other must-have item you never use. While some impulse buys can be useful, professional organizers remind you that keeping the item won't bring back the money you spent. So, it's best to toss it or pass it along.

Florist vases

Owner's manuals, Odds and ends, Freebies, Donation bags, Hobby materials, Unmatched things, Improve-me items, Unused cookbooks, Impulse purchases, Florist vases, Refrigerator magnets

Professional organizers will ask you how many bouquets of fresh flowers you have out at one time. The answer should help you realize that more than two or three vases could be unnecessary. Bring the extras to a local florist or fill them with flowers from your garden and gift them to someone.

Refrigerator magnets

Owner's manuals, Odds and ends, Freebies, Donation bags, Hobby materials, Unmatched things, Improve-me items, Unused cookbooks, Impulse purchases, Florist vases, Refrigerator magnets

You won't find magnets stuck to the refrigerator in a professional organizer's home. Throw away the ones that keep falling off onto the floor—their magnets are weak. Then discard the outdated business card ones, the save-the-date ones and the ones with last year's calendar.

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