In this blog post, you will find a list of 70 things to get rid of for a minimalist home. It will help you declutter your home and embrace minimalist living!
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Minimalist living involves decluttering and getting rid of excess things so that you can live more simply and intentionally.
Of course, you can practice minimalism in every aspect of your life.
This includes your relationships, your schedule, your digital life, your diet, and many more.
But physically getting rid of stuff also plays a major role.
It helps you gain clarity, eases the cleaning process, and has plenty of other benefits.
However, we sometimes may not know where to begin when it comes to decluttering.
The book Goodbye Things by Fumio Sasaki has been of huge help on my decluttering journey.
Since I decluttered a lot lately, I came up with a list of 70 things to get rid of for a minimalist home in the hope to inspire you in the process.
I’m sure that you won’t regret letting go of the majority of these items and that you won’t miss them!
But by no means do you have to declutter all of them, these are only suggestions.
Just adapt the list to your lifestyle and take what you want from it.
This checklist will help you simplify your life, minimize the excess, and declutter your home faster.
70 things to get rid of for a minimalist home
The living room
- VHS tapes
- CDs
- DVDs
- Outdated magazines
- Board games that you never play
- Home decor that has no meaning to you
- Extra furniture
- Used-up candles
- Books that you’ll never read
- Books that you’ve read but don’t plan on reading again
- Textbooks from college
Read more: 11 things to let go of in the living room
The kitchen
- Expired food
- Food that you don’t like and won’t eat
- Old spices
- Tupperware containers with no lid
- Spare measuring spoons
- Chipped mugs or plates
- Broken appliances
- Recipe books you never use
- Extra table cloths
- Aprons you never wear
Read more: 30 things to declutter for a minimalist kitchen
The bedroom
- Flat pillows that hurt your neck
- Excessive decorative pillows
- Extra linens
- Television
- Things in your nightstand drawer
- Chairs you only use to put your clothes on
- Word signs
- Dead plants
- Old and uncomfortable slippers
- Spare picture frames
Read more: 9 things to get rid of for a minimalist bedroom
The bathroom
- Excess towels
- Expired toiletries
- Old perfumes
- Expired medication
- Old make-up
- Samples you’ll never use
- Broken hair styling accessories
- Old toothbrushes
- Dried-out nail polish
- Stretched-out hair ties
Read more: 15 things to declutter for a minimalist bathroom
The closet
- Itchy sweaters
- Worn-out clothing
- Clothing that doesn’t fit
- Clothing that you don’t like anymore or that is not your style
- Special occasion clothing
- Old underwear
- Socks with holes in them or without a match
- Tights with runs
- Shoes that hurt your feet
- Worn-out shoes
- Tarnished jewelry
- Wire hangers
Read more: How to declutter clothes efficiently?
Miscellaneous items
- Empty products
- Manuals for appliances
- Seasonal decorations that you never take out
- Electronic cords you don’t know where they go to
- Toys your kids never play with
- Broken toys
- Junk mail
- Planners from several years ago
- Knick-knacks in your junk drawer
- Old cell phones
- Sports equipment for sports you never play
- Old receipts
- Wrapping paper scraps
- Cardboard boxes from online shopping
- Store rewards cards for stores you never go to
- Things you don’t know the purpose of
- Pens that don’t work
Read more: 99 oddly specific things to declutter right now
Final thoughts on this list of 70 things to get rid of for a minimalist home
You’ve made it through this entire list of things to get rid of for a minimalist home!
Your space should look a lot less cluttered now!
I hope you could find some ideas for what to declutter in your home.
Remember that this list only included suggestions and you may probably want to keep some of these items in your life.
By no means you should declutter something that brings value to you.
Also, please try to responsibly get rid of these things, either by selling, donating, or recycling them.
When we throw things away, there is no such thing as “away”.
They are still somewhere on the planet.
If you’re looking for more decluttering ideas and inspiration, check out these 18 areas most people forget to declutter.
Tell me in the comments, what have you managed to get rid of from this list today?
And which items have you decided to keep?
Don’t forget to share this article with your friends to help them find things to get rid of for a minimalist home.
Appliance manuals are good to keep for a variety of reasons. One: If you ever need to repair the appliance. 2. If you ever sell an appliance. Worth more with manual.
I haven’t noticed any difference in price with or without manual when attempting to sell appliances, but I guess it depends on the product you want to sell.
If you can sell it for a higher price with a manual, that’s definitely a good idea to keep it! 😉
Out of date bedding , gone to charity.
That’s awesome! I know we can also donate old bedding and towels to animal shelters. They really need them!
Or to the spca for animal bedding if it isn’t in great shape but satisfactory shape.
Most manuals can be found online.
Yes, totally agree!
Oh, yeah! I have a box of appliance manuals that I never look at. I’ve never had to look back except once for my stove and once for the furnace but yes, you can get that all online. I can toss this whole box of stuff. Yay!!
Yay! That’s a quick and easy win! 😀
The buzz word here is “most”…. It is easier to go to my file and pull out the manual that to sit in front of my computer and go hunting for it. Navigating some of these sites do not go smoothly.
You can find nearly every owners manuals easily online.
Generally, most products have the manual on the manufacturer’s website.
Terry, and I managed to get rid of the following items in my apartment so far:
Old clothing, shoes, boots, fabrics, sewing supplies, sneakers, old pens, books, hand bags, knap sacks, paper, old nail polish, just to name a few. I’m still at it on a daily basis.
That’s amazing, keep up the great work!! 🙂
Most manuals can now be found online.
Manuals are available online now
I agree! I saw that and was like “I JUST WENT THROUGH ALL MY MANUALS!” You’re right!
I keep mine with the date of purchase due to if I need to file a repair on the warranty that was given with the appliance. After the expiration of the warranty out it goes.
It is now online.
I agree with this list, I would also say go digital with music and photos.
I was focusing more on material things in this post but you’re so right! Digital clutter accumulates quickly and it is so annoying!
I actually have a full post about digital minimalism: https://greenwithless.com/digital-minimalism-tips/
I got rid of bows, ribbon and colored tissue paper. I just use white.
That’s an amazing idea, I love it! And it saves a lot of waste not to use them anymore 🙂
That’s an excellent idea! Works for any ocassion… I’m adopting this idea!
I have being a minimalism for years, declustered many many items. I can assure this way is very mindful activity in the life. Being minimalist helps you saving more money, you will pay less for any stuff. your home will be clean!
Yes! I cannot agree with you more!! 🙂
What I struggle with is what to do with certain things, as I don’t want them to go to landfill. Things like part used moisturiser and other toiletries, as charity shops won’t take them if opened. Also I struggle getting rid of things that have been in the family a long time, such as my grandfather’s wallet from the 30’s, or paintings (half finished) my late father-in-law painted. But I have only one child who is a minimalist and will not want them, and I feel like they are burdening me.
Thanks for your perspective Amber!
Oh, I can relate so much to what you said about not wanting to declutter something because you don’t want it to end up in a landfill. It is probably one of my biggest struggles as well! But you know, sometimes, things are just trash and throwing them away is the only option we have, so we need to let go of our guilt.
For half-used beauty or skincare products, I always ask close family members or friends if they want them because they don’t mind getting something that has already been opened or used.
Family heirlooms are another category that’s hard to declutter as most of them are of sentimental value! For those, trying to sell them really helps me let them go. I tell myself that the family member it belonged to would not want me to feel burdened by their stuff.
Plus, getting some money out of them and knowing someone will use them helps me to get rid of them. Of course, you don’t have to let anything go if you truly love or want it; don’t feel pressured to declutter something when you actually do not want to.
Try to use your unfinished cosmetics…if I don’t like a shade I mix in some of my moisturizers or some 1/2 used other product and just go with it. I use my lipsticks and balm until I have to dig the remaining bits out with a tool…why not?
I always try to use all my cosmetics up; I hate wasting them!
I love your idea of mixing products together, I will definitely try that one! Thank you! 🙂
My mom made shadow boxes with pictures and keepsakes and gave them to us for landmark birthdays (for example, my baby shoes and hair brush with a picture of me wearing them and my late grandfather holding me). I keep them on display on a bookcase between favorite reads.
Wow, that’s so thoughtful of your mom, I love it!
Or take a photo of it .. I have a sentimental photo folder.. I only really go thru it when I am missing family.. Once in a while I’ll print something out for a frame but mostly I honour family through an altar with a lit candle
Yes, I love taking photos of sentimental things sometimes. It definitely helps with letting go when we know we can go back to the photo whenever we want!
I had a lot of furniture from family members , some of it very old. When I downsized, I kept one favorite piece from each member. And had to find a use for it. For small things like jewelry, wallet etc. , I made shadow boxes with memorabilia and photos as art work for my walls. Now everyone can enjoy these things and see the deceased relative. I feel its no good to keep all these things in boxes. Now i enjoy the memories everyday!
I cannot agree more with you. What better way to honor the memory of loved ones who are no longer with us than to use or display their things in our homes?! It’s a shame not to see them every day.
That’s my same problem!!
And where do you think all this stuff goes when you’re gone?
Exactly……. in the landfill. Take a deep breath and dump it so you can have an uncluttered house. It hurts only for a little while.
In Sweden it’s called Death Cleaning. Look it up. It feels liberating, believe me.
I understand your children not wanting your keepsakes. I keep mine together and enjoy them from time to time and my kids know they can throw them out when I’m gone.
I would make half-done paintings into a generational heirloom! The father-in-law started… let your husband or one of his siblings add more to the painting (no matter how bad or different their style could be) & then let your child add to the painting, leaving room for possibly their child some day…
What a great idea!!
I found that taking a picture of the items helps let them go because you can look at it any time you want. 😊
I love this tip! I do it very regularly as well, especially with sentimental items. 🙂
I always offer family/sentimental items to other family first but I no longer keep anything “sentimental” that is to big to hold in my hands. Also minimal mom on you tube has a wonderful video that helped so much in that area. She suggests keeping photos of items rather than the item itself
I love this tip, thank you, Rebecca! It’s great if you want to get rid of a sentimental item but want it to go to a good home, to someone who will cherish it. I also find it inspiring that you only keep small sentimental items, it means they are not a burden and do not take up to much space in your home. This would not work for everyone though, but it is fantastic that it works for you! 🙂
I too like Dawn from The Minimal Mom on Youtube, her advice is always very helpful and helps me a lot when I’m struggling with making decisions and getting rid of things! Glad you found her too! 😉
Do you have any tips for those of us in rented accommodation that was already furnished when we moved in? I’m really struggling with the sheer quantity, size and mismatched nature of the furniture (many of the drawers and cabinets are empty as I don’t have much stuff myself anyway). The landlady is unable to take any of it off us and we have already dismantled what we can and hidden it in the shed and loft.
I’ve even started hiding furniture inside furniture (we don’t need a wardrobe so there’s a table and chair and blanket box in there instead!)
Short of renting a storage unit (which would be a bit too expensive really!), is there anything that you can suggest?
Your question is really tricky, because yes, it would be very expensive to rent a storage unit for all this furniture! But at the same time, I understand that you’d prefer to free up the space in your home if you are not using it.
Honestly, if your landlady cannot take back the furniture in your apartment, I think the best thing to do is what you’ve already done. It is great that you could hide some of it in the loft and shed as well as in the bigger furniture pieces. Maybe you could fit a bit more in the loft, or ask a family member if they have some spare space in their basement or attic? I’m sorry, I can’t think of anything else, but I would really try to ask the landlady to do something about it if that is possible.
Hi. I’m so glad I found your site. The decluttering suggestions for various areas of the house are just what I needed. The comments from others are helpful too. Thankyou to all.
Thanks so much for your kind message, it means a lot to me!! <3
If I find myself struggling with the decision to keep or not, I take a picture of the item to save as a memory. It makes it easier to part with.
I love it! I do this as well with some things, and it makes the whole process so much easier because we do not entirely let go of the memory.
It does not work for everything though (at least for me), but it’s such a great suggestion, thank you! 🙂
Thank you! I’m gonna try this!
My pleasure! 🙂 I’m happy the list was helpful!
This list is perfect. Especially when I get overwhelmed at how much crap has accumulated, this is a great place to start.
Thank you for your kind comment, I’m glad the list inspired you! 😀 If you feel overwhelmed with clutter, my blog post about how to start decluttering when overwhelmed will definitely help you!
I agree except dvds. In case wifi goes out and you’re stuck indoors.
This is something my husband and I talk about. We aren’t necessarily minimalists, but often try to find ways to de clutter our home. Your list was very helpful. Thank you!
I’m happy it was helpful! 🙂
That’s awesome!!
Books I don’t read
Lots pens I don’t use
Socks worn out
Old shoes boots
Dresses
Coats
Lantern
Wicker draws
Old pillows
Photo frames
I love all these suggestions!! Thank you for adding them! 🙂
My husband and I have been trying to declutter our home, now that it’s just the two of us, (our 3 kids are grown & married) but didn’t know where to begin. Every time we tried, it was so overwhelming and we would end up not doing anything. You’ve helped us so much and so far we’ve managed to take out small appliances that we didn’t use( or had double of) old spices, chipped plates & cups, manuals, Tupperware w/out lids. Bedroom: my husband finally managed to get rid of clothes that hasn’t fit in years! And I’m working on taking out clothes that I haven’t worn in a year or that doesn’t fit. I want to thank you for getting us started. You have no idea how much we appreciate it! Thanks, again!
Thank you so much for your kind comment, Maria!! It means so much to me! I’m so happy I could make the decluttering process a bit easier for you!! <3
You're doing great! Try to tackle one little space at a time and don't pressure yourself. You'll see as time goes by that every little step matters and after months, after years, you'll have tackled mountains of stuff and your home will feel more spacious. It will all feel a lot better! 😀
I’m just on with decluttering our home. I always think tidy house, tidy mind and that’s what I need to do. It’s surprising what you find in boxes and cupboards. My mindset now is if I didn’t know it was there, why do I need it.
Thank you for the list. I am now concentrating on one area at a time
Decluttering may not solve all our problems, but it definitely helps tidy our minds!
I love your new mindset, that’s awesome!! 😀
Your home will be minimal and clutter-free in no time!
Tarnished jewellery is easily cleaned. Sell it or donate to charity. Don’t throw it away.
I completely agree with you that we should not throw jewelry away (unless it’s completely unsalvageable), and we should always sell or donate it. I find that tarnished jewelry can be cleaned only if it is made of silver, gold, or other precious metals. However, we can’t do anything about cheap jewelry when it turns green or brown, can we? Please let me know if I am mistaken!
I love this list! If possible, can you post the list in a format that is easy to print?
That’s a great idea, thank you! I will try and see what I can do about it!
My mother had a party with family members at the end of the party she asked every one to take any thing we had put in our garage. All boxed up and labeled.. they cleaned out garage down to the studs..parents were then able to move without any items they would never use …as the daughter it was a big task but we gave up things others could use..( I did this 8 times with each move of family members…I have no problem letting go.We all have way to much excess..you don’t need …
That’s an awesome idea, I love it!
Hopefully your family members found things they needed and they now use them more than your parents would. 🙂
Yes, you’re so right about the fact we all have way too much!
This article Is right up my alley seeing as though I’m in the process of moving and this is definitely the time and my chance to donate and recycle the majority of items on this list! And it does feel liberating to get rid of a lot of things that you forgot you had, didn’t know you had, and giving items to somebody else who can actually utilise them is so rewarding. I absolutely love this and even though I’m moving I think I will do this every summer just take inventory of what you have. Thanks Eva for writing this article. It just validates what I’m doing.
Yes, it feels so liberating! I’m glad you are taking advantage of your move to reassess what you own and declutter; you will be so happy once you’re done.
Thank you for your kind words, Natasha. They mean a lot to me! <3
Good luck with your move!
I don’t consider myself a minimalist but I tossed all those things a long time ago!!!!
That’s awesome! Maybe you are a minimalist then! 😉
This made me chuckle thinking who would keep this kind of stuff when actually I would /do! Definitely a good prompt to ask myself why and go through my drawers again
Thank you
I’m happy you found it helpful! 😀
We moved into my fiancés relatives old house 3 years ago because they had both recently passed away unexpectedly. These people meant the most to my fiancé and he has so many memories here, so it has been a 3 year long struggle just to get as much done in the house as I have so far. It was VERY VERY cluttered and packed full of their stuff. It has been so stressful and a nightmare for me to have to blend all of our stuff on top of their stuff. We never know where anything is and there is no where to even being to assign a “home” for things to be put away at. I feel like I am constantly cleaning and getting no where. At least half of all cabinets in this house is still full of their stuff. I can’t live like this anymore!! It’s very overwhelming and there’s so much to throw away, but how do I do that with someone else’s dead relatives stuff?
Thanks for sharing your story, Brittany! I’m so sorry for the loss of your fiancé’s relatives and that you struggle to get rid of their things. It must be very stressful and overwhelming!
I think that the best thing to do is to work little by little with your fiancé. Is he ready to part with at least some of the least sentimental items? Maybe things that are considered trash would be easier to declutter first!
Try to schedule some time every week with your fiancé so that you can go through stuff, one area at a time. Even if it’s just a cupboard, it will add up over time.
Thank you for sharing! This post was so inspiring!