6 Things You Should Throw Out Immediately

It doesn’t quite feel like spring when we’re walking down the street in a winter parka, but we’re still hotly anticipating the upcoming season. Especially since that means getting the ball rolling on our spring cleaning (blame it on Marie Kondo). One of the first steps is to remove clutter from your home and offload the items you no longer need. Here are the six items and tips we’re using to undergo an organizing overhaul.

Single Socks

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Illustration by Phuong Nguyen

No matter how hard we try, every so often a sock will still manage to go missing. Instead of keeping your leftover single socks around in hopes that you’ll find its counterpart, now is the time to get rid of them. Take inventory of the full pairs you do have, and start fresh.

Orphaned Tupperware

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Illustration by Phuong Nguyen

You know it, we know it: that drawer or cabinet filled with lidless containers needs a deep clean. And no, we’re not talking about a rearrangement. Toss out mismatched Tupperware as well as the stragglers with either no top or base, and you’ll be surprised at the surplus of space left over. When the time comes, replace them with one of these chic alternatives.

Worn Out Underwear

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Illustration by Phuong Nguyen

Now is the time to say goodbye to the underwear that’s stretched out and starting to fray. We all have a very “loved” pair lurking in our drawer–and trust us, we get it, they’re comfy. But a new pair that actually fits is just as practical.

Mismatched Hangers

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Illustration by Phuong Nguyen

Step one: take all the wire hangers from dry cleanings of the past and get rid of them. Step two: take all the damaged hangers in your closet and throw them out. Step three: buy as many of the same hangers as needed to streamline your approach. We recommend space-saving slim profile designs.

Half-Used Candles

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Illustration by Phuong Nguyen

We all want to use every candle to the end of its wick, but this spring, let’s just free ourselves from the agony. When a candle starts to look gross, go out on its own, or almost burn your hand when you reach inside to light it, toss it. Even if it’s the best smelling candle you’ve ever owned.

Expired Beauty Products

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Illustration by Phuong Nguyen

Have you ever researched the shelf life of all those beauty products you have in your medicine cabinet? A lot of beauty products have a shorter lifespan than you’d presume. Throw anything away that’s even questionably expired. Yes, that includes your collection of hotel miniatures. While you’re at it, you might as well check expiration dates on all the medicine in there, too.

See more cleaning tips:
How to Organize Your Closet
5 Things You Should Throw Out Immediately 
21 Ways to Spring Clean Your Kitchen

This story was originally published in April 2017 and has since been updated with new information.