For most people, knowing what items you should declutter isn’t easy. You want to get rid of things you don’t use or don’t like, but when it gets down to getting rid of items, it can be hard to part with them. But that isn’t the case for everything in your house, at least, it shouldn’t be.
Because there are items you should declutter from your house ASAP. Why? These items can be dangerous for you and your family’s health. They’re not necessarily dangerous, but they could be if continually used.
Here are 6 scary items you should declutter from your house today:
Toss Spoiled Food, Spices & Oils
This one probably goes without saying—no one wants to eat expired food. But while most people think of the rotting fruit or moldy leftovers in their fridge, a lot of us forget about expired boxed goods at the back of our pantry. Look for expired canned soup, canned vegetables, and canned fish.
But don’t forget to give your cooking oils and spices a smell too. Here’s a good rule of thumb, your spices should still smell strong, but your cooking oils should not. When it comes to food if something seems off, don’t risk it, declutter it.
Declutter Expired Chemical Cleaners
Like cooking oils and spices, a lot of people don’t realize cleaning chemicals can expire. Items like bleach, laundry cleaner, dish cleaner, and any other cleaning agent you can think of have an expiration date and need to be decluttered regularly. And keeping expired chemicals is harmful for several reasons. In most cases, old chemicals will become weaker, making them less effective at cleaning your home.
On the other hand, expired chemicals can change chemically and break down in a way that isn’t safe for humans. For example, expired ammonia can be even more harmful to breathe in than its already toxic non-expired counterpart.
Repurpose Moldy Dish Sponges
Speaking of cleaning, it’s time to throw out any sponge older than two weeks old. Sponges are a hotbed for bacteria to grow. Considering you probably use them to clean the plates and flatware you eat off, it’s safe to say you should declutter this item regularly.
If you want to be more sustainable, consider upcycling your decluttered sponges. Use them to start seeds for your garden or even scrub outdoor patio furniture.
Declutter Old Plastic Containers
There’s nothing inherently wrong with plastic containers. They’re great for keeping leftover food or organizing perishable items in your fridge. But plastic containers aren’t meant to last forever, and likewise, they don’t remain food-safe forever. Over time heat from the microwave and dishwasher paired with cold from the fridge and freezer will start to break down the plastic and release chemicals you don’t want your family exposed to.
The good news though, plastic containers are one of the easiest items in your home to upcycle. Use old containers to organize drawers, closets, or any space that could use a little more storage. When repurposed correctly, you never have to declutter your plastic containers completely.
Declutter Bacteria-Filled Pillows
This one is a big bummer for anyone who loves a flat pillow. But pillows should be decluttered and replaced every 1 to 2 years. Think about it, you sleep on them every night. That’s daily sweat, drool, lotion, and dust absorbing into your pillow. That’s a recipe for bacteria and other nasty things that now have a home right where your head rests.
Fortunately, just like old sponges and old plastic containers, you can upcycle old pillows in your home after you declutter them from the bed. Old pillows make great pet beds. You can also use old pillows as knee pads when you’re cleaning on the floor or gardening in your yard.
Throw Away Expired Makeup
This one can be especially hard for makeup lovers, but it needs to be done. All makeup has an expiration guide. That little container symbol on the back of your makeup with a number followed by a capital M tells you how many months after opening your makeup it’s safe to use.
And while it’s never safe to use any expired makeup, it’s especially dangerous to use expired eye makeup. The area around your eyes produces a lot of bacteria. Your eyes are also super susceptible to infection. So it’s time to go through your makeup drawer and declutter anything that’s past its prime.