My Ultimate Fall De-Cluttering Checklist for Lazy People (Like Me)

So here's the thing: I've been on a bit of a decluttering mission for a while now at my little house near Tyler, Texas.

Many of us are in East Texas. In fact, decluttering has re-entered the "trending" convos since Marie Kondo invited us all to only keep the items in our homes that "spark joy." I'm all down for that.

Even if you're not familiar with Kondo, or don't necessarily want to part with everything peripheral, there's still probably a good deal of "stuff" in your house that not only doesn't spark joy but may light fires of frustration for you every time you try to open that one drawer or need to find something in that overly stuffed closet of yours.

Here's a list of a few things, listed by room, that is pretty obviously ready to depart your home in peace:

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Kitchen:

Plastic storage items without their lids, appliances that don't work, expired food (including pantry items), cookbooks you've not glanced at in ten years, chipped plates and glasses, warped spatulas, and such.

Office: 

Old address labels you'll never, ever use since it's 2019, outdated software, random keys, expired coupons, pens and markers that like, don't write, old magazines or books you've not glanced at in ten years, old chargers that go to devices you don't even use any more.

Bathroom:

Ragged towels and bathmats, old nail polish or makeup, expired toiletries, a perfume that you hate the smell of now, filthy or broken brushes, medications that have expired. (Get rid of these safely please--no flushing down the toilet.)

Bedroom: 

The clothing you've not worn in over a year, earrings without their partner or jewelry that's broken (unless it's gold or silver and you're going to take it somewhere--TAKE IT), old outdated purses, all of the random crud in your nightstand drawers, old shoe boxes you were gonna find a creative use for.

Kid's playroom:

markers and pens that don't work, broken toys or used coloring books, DVD's not watched in over ten years ;), games with missing parts--get a new one if you love it, defunct electronic devices, neglected books, and stuffed animals your kids don't really love anymore. (OMG that's so sad.)

Garage:

Random unused decor you meant to find a place for, holiday decorations you know you'll never, ever use again, tools that are broken, sports equipment long abandoned, old paints and chemicals.

Other random things lurking about:

Yellowing old newspapers that don't necessarily have sentimental value, those collectibles you inherited that you don't like, long-expired cleaning solutions, ancient batteries from a bygone era.

Get rid of anything expired. "Sentimental" items? Trust me, if you've not missed them up to this point--you're not going to start missing them on a random Tuesday in July of 2024. Let them go. You'll feel so much better.