Your bedroom should be your sanctuary, where peace is held and clutter doesn’t exist. However, 25% of Americans suffer from clutter in their homes and the bedroom is often the storage graveyard for things we don’t even need.
If your personal space is more chaos than calm, it’s time to step in. Here are 17 things to dump when you’re decluttering your bedroom and clearing space to get it back to being your favorite place to unwind.
Outdated Fashion Fiascos
You’re not alone if you still hold on to clothes from five seasons ago. A study found that women only wear 20 percent of their wardrobes, with the rest gathering dust. Those bell bottoms from 2012? It’s time to toss.
The first step in a clutter-free space is decluttering your wardrobe – you will be surprised how much space you create after you haven’t worn a piece of clothing for more than a year and donate or sell.
Broken Jewelry
I am sure we all have that tangle of necklaces or a pair of earrings with no mate. If it’s been sitting in the back of your drawer for over six months and you haven’t fixed it yet, just let it go.
Most people hold onto broken things “just in case,” but we both know you’re not wearing that lone earring again.
Books You’ll Never Read Again
We’re all for having a small library, but 74% of people never finish the books they read. If your bookshelf is full of novels you’ve read or books from years ago, it’s time to donate them to a local school or library.
Clearing out shelf space will make your room cleaner and more streamlined.
Outgrown Accessories
The neon scarf or oversized belt you bought during the fashion phase? Chances are you’ve not worn it in years.
However, aside from the many that help finish a look, which tends to collect fast, most people wear only 10 to 15 accessories over and over again. The rest? They’re just taking up space. Let’s sell them online or, better yet, give them away.
Forgotten Tech Relics
How many outdated gadgets, phone chargers, and tangled headphones do you have in a drawer? You’re not the only one: 47% of Americans say they store old electronics as a, ‘just in case.
But those items are never useful anymore after you have upgraded. Recycle them responsibly at a tech disposal center and get extra drawer space!
Old Magazines and Newspapers
Magazines might make you feel nostalgic, but they’re taking up space. Some of us keep magazines for “someday reading” and never revisit them.
If you haven’t dealt with it in the past year, throw it in the recycling bin. Many magazines are also available digitally, giving you one less thing to store.
Unused Decorative Pillows
You liked them at one time, but now they are in your way. An average person has two decorative pillows that quickly pile up on their bed or floor. Keep only what you use and love if your room is full of cushions. The rest of it can go to is a new home.
Expired Beauty Products
Your beauty products have an expiration date, and you might not even notice. Most people are hoarding up to 20 expired products, and they don’t even know it.
Get rid of old lotions, perfumes, and makeup, particularly if they smell weird or have gone from clear to thick. Decluttering your vanity can Streamline your morning routine, plus it saves you space, which is a win.
Unused Workout Gear
Let’s be honest — if you’ve had that exercise ball or yoga mat collecting dust on your floor for over a year, it’s probably time to say goodbye.
Statistics show that 40 percent of people own exercise equipment they rarely use. Instead, focus on the things you actually like and donate the rest to a local gym or community center.
Sentimental Knickknacks
Sentimental value is good, but keeping every ticket stub, postcard, and souvenir can become overwhelming clutter.
Most people have trouble letting go of sentimental items, but remember that you don’t have to hold onto the memory by keeping everything. Spare one or two special pieces and say goodbye to the others.
Worn-Out Bedding
If your comforter has seen better days or your sheets are frayed, it’s time for new sheets. People replace their bedding on average every 2 – 3 years, but many haven’t gotten rid of old sets for decades.
Donate gently used bedding and recycle old stuff. A fresh set of clean linens can change your space into a cozy retreat.
Old Shoes You Never Wear
According to a survey, the average person has 19 pairs of shoes but wears just seven regularly. If you haven’t worn your shoes for over six months, it’s time to say goodbye.
Keeping shoes in the closet takes up serious space; you’ll feel lighter once you pare your collection down.
Excessive Throw Blankets
While throw blankets are coziest, they can quickly become clutter if you have more than you need. Some of us have too many linens.
Donate the rest to shelters or charities that could benefit from them, and keep one or two favorites.
Random Cables and Chargers
If you’re hanging on to a lot of random cables, hoping one day you might need them, it’s time to let go. Most people keep cables they no longer need, which get tangled and then take up drawer space.
Label what you need, sort through them, and recycle the rest.
Unused Furniture
That favorite chair in the corner that never gets used as a chair but as a clothes rack? It’s time for it to go. People admit they have at least one piece of furniture they never use.
I’m personally guilty of this, too. Removing unnecessary furniture creates more space and makes your room flow better.
Old Diaries or Notebooks
Journals and notebooks can quickly accumulate! If you’re not using them and they are taking up space on your desk, consider scanning them and throwing the rest out.
83 percent of people keep old papers because they think someday they’ll need them, but most don’t.
Unused Jewelry Boxes or Containers
If your drawers are filled with empty containers, it’s time to free up that space. A study reveals that 35% of people have containers for future use. Let them go and fill up that extra space with your current stuff, neatly organized.
Decluttering your bedroom doesn’t just make it look better; it will also improve your mood and sleep quality. Princeton University found that physical clutter takes attention away from you, making it harder to focus and unwind. If you eliminate these 17 items from your bedroom, you are already off to the right start in making it a serene and sensible spot.
