7 Things Minimalists Always Throw Out Daily to Prevent Clutter Avalanches – Pros Agree, It Really Works

Whether you’re a devoted minimalist or someone who loves a bit of organized chaos, one thing is clear: If your home is cluttered with things minimalists would throw out, you probably don’t really need them.

From stacks of old receipts gathering dust, to expired pantry items, or drawers overflowing with unused makeup and skincare, these items aren’t just taking up space – they’re weighing on your mind too. A home that’s neat and refreshed can truly feel like a fresh start.

As spring approaches, it’s the perfect time to put new decluttering tips into motion and to build lasting habits that keep your home feeling open and inviting. To help, we’ve gathered tips from organizational experts and professional cleaners on the everyday items minimalists routinely let go of so you can reclaim your space and refresh your home for the season.

These Things Are Not Worth Hanging On to For More Than a Day

1. Recycling Packaging Boxes Immediately

As we roll into spring, it’s the perfect time to tackle lingering clutter, including those packaging boxes you’ve been holding onto for years. When was the last time you actually needed one?

Lauren Hammer, founder and lead organizer at Revive My Spaces, points out, 'Most people hold onto boxes thinking they'll need them for returns or moving, but 95% never see use again.'

For electronics or items you’re unsure about letting go of, Lauren suggests snapping photos of product details, serial numbers and warranty information before breaking down the boxes and recycling them.

It’s a simple way to refresh your home while being sustainable at home this season. Then, if you haven’t checked the photos in a few months, it’s safe to delete them and free up both digital and physical space.

If like me, you have cats at home who love sleeping inside your empty Amazon boxes, that's OK. Let them enjoy it. But as soon as they grow weary, which they quickly will, recycle and move on.

2. Expired Food Should Be Thrown Out Without Delay

This one goes without saying, but an expiration sweep should be at the top of your kitchen decluttering checklist this spring if you want to reduce clutter like a minimalist and give your pantry a fresh start.

Aprille Loney, owner of Perfectly Organized OKC, a home organization business in Oklahoma City, says, 'Boxes and cans can easily get pushed to the back of the pantry and forgotten. Make it a habit to know what is in your pantry, and throw things out as you find them to reduce waste.'

To make your seasonal clearout easier and more effective, Aprille recommends smart pantry organization solutions such as tiered Lazy Susan organizers, available at Amazon. They keep items visible and accessible, so nothing gets lost in corners and your pantry feels refreshed for the new season.

Expert pantry organization tips offer more ways to streamline your kitchen and make a springtime streamlining session a lasting habit.

3. Minimalists Throw Out Temporary Items On the Day

As spring rolls in and routines reset, tidying up every day and getting rid of things you absolutely don't need becomes one of the easiest ways to keep your home feeling lighter and easier to manage.

According to Joseph Passalacqua, owner and CEO of Maid Sailors, 'Daily decluttering starts with ditching temporary items that can stealthily pile up.'

The biggest culprits tend to be single-use packaging like bread bags, takeout containers, and scraps of paper, including grocery lists and sticky notes.

'These create visual noise and make cleaning harder, as crumbs hide in wrappers, and paper clutter slows down dusting,' Joseph explains, making it harder to properly remove dust during your regular clean.

Receipts also fall squarely into this category, adds professional organizer Aprille Loney. 'You may be tempted to keep all of your receipts,' she says, 'but if it is something you cannot or will not return, or if you have an app for that store that keeps a copy of your receipt, like Target, throw it out!'

To make this habit stick, especially during busy spring weeks, Joseph recommends setting up simple systems that reduce friction.

A chic hanging mail organizer from Wayfair, near your entryway or coat rack, can help corral loose papers and small items from purses and pockets on entry, while a compact, lidded no-drill hanging trash can from Amazon makes it effortless to toss packaging and other temporary items the moment it enters your home.

'Why daily?' asks Joseph. 'Small habits prevent clutter avalanches. For instance, a client saved empty spice jars for crafts they would do someday, until they filled two cabinets. We added a daily discard bin under the sink, and now, she recycles jars weekly.'

Unless you have a need for reusing candle jars and food jars around your home, recycling them once you have used their contents is best.

'Start today – keep a "toss" bin in high-clutter zones, like the entryway and kitchen, and empty it nightly,' he advises, as part of your closing shift routine. This approach supports decluttering without nervous system stress, helping your home feel calmer and easier to maintain as the seasons change. 'Less stuff means less to clean – and more room to breathe.'

Little steps such as this, which minimalists have built into their daily routines, will make tidying your home less overwhelming and stop clutter creep from occurring.

4. Expired Coupons and Gift Cards

As spring cleaning season looms, encouraging a fresh start, it’s a smart time to take a closer look at the small items that quietly collect in purses and junk drawers.

Coupons and gift cards may feel worth holding onto, but once they’ve expired, they’re just extra clutter, says Jennifer Q. Williams, owner and professional organizer at Saint Louis Closet Co.

Jennifer explains, 'That 10% off coupon from six months ago? Expired. That gift card with $0.75 left? You'll never use it. Toss anything outdated or useless from your purse or junk drawer. Maybe try a coupon organizer!'

To keep things streamlined going forward, especially as spring errands and weekend shopping pick up, we recommend a handy, small receipt coupon organizer from Amazon that you can easily tuck away when not in use, but access easily when you need it.

Having simple organizing systems in place will allow you to maintain your space more easily. Always giving your items a dedicated home is a time-saving organizing tip professionals swear by, because if they do not have a home, they will end up lost or cluttering up kitchen counters and living rooms.

5. Old Linen Clothing Isn't Worth Keeping

Old clothes tend to pile up quietly, especially during the warmer months, until you suddenly notice drawers and closets filled with stretched-out, thinning, or damaged pieces. That’s why worn linen and tired summer staples are firmly on the list of things minimalists throw out every summer..

'These are another daily target,' says cleaning expert Joseph. 'Repurpose them as rags, or donate them to animal shelters.' Applying smart closet decluttering tips can help you be more ruthless when decluttering and stop worn items from lingering out of habit.

Professional organizer Lauren Hammer also recommends setting up a simple system to catch these pieces as soon as you notice them. She suggests keeping a designated 'goodbye bag' in your bedroom or entryway to collect damaged or unworn items while you’re getting dressed.

For this, she recommends using a sturdy laundry bag at Target, which makes it easy to gather clothes in one place without creating visual clutter. 'When the bag fills up, you can donate or sell the decluttered items, or take items in good condition to textile recycling while damaged pieces hit the trash,' she explains.

Being decisive with seasonal clothing clears space fast and makes summer closets lighter, easier to use, and far less overwhelming. It's a recipe for being more ruthless when decluttering.

6. Old Makeup and Skincare

One of our team tried decluttering makeup collections by 'body doubling' and got rid of 32 products in one swoop.

While that might sound extreme, expired beauty products are one of the things minimalists throw out daily, simply because makeup and skincare go off far faster than most people realize.

The same applies to samples that can easily accumulate from magazines, trips away, and freebies that come with other beauty purchases.

Professional organizer Lauren Hammer warns, 'Using old products can lead to breakouts and skin irritation, so check expiration dates regularly and toss anything that's past its prime.'

Seasonal resets, like spring or back-to-school cleanouts, are the perfect reminder to be honest about what’s still safe and what’s just taking up space.

To avoid costly duplications and hanging onto products you no longer use, Lauren suggests creating a system that makes everything visible.

That can mean investing in a set of stackable, non-slip drawer organizing trays from Amazon, one of our readers' most popular tidying items, and add labels. You can also upgrade your current setup and organize existing makeup with a dedicated product.

I particularly like a spinning tiered carousel, also from Amazon, which you can use one side for morning items, one side for evening products.

7. Deal With and Throw Out Mail Daily

It's so easy for the endless mail we receive daily to build up into a pile we can't bear to look at. Picking away at and sorting your paperwork daily in bite-sized sessions you can deal with, will stop any decluttering overwhelm.

One of the lessons we learned from Marie Kondo's book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, available at Amazon, is that you rarely need to keep mail. That's why throwing it away daily, including the envelopes, is one of the quickest and easiest ways to get rid of paper clutter.

Organizer Lauren explains, 'Mail creates endless paper chaos in homes. My team and I have transformed countless kitchen counters from mail dumping grounds into peaceful meal prep spaces. The key is to sort your mail immediately.'

'Bills go in the "action" slot, reading materials in "later," and junk straight to recycling. This system prevents paper piles from forming while keeping important documents visible and accessible.'

What to Shop

To drill further into useful habits and mindsets, knowing the things minimalists never buy will help you avoid duplicates and disposable items entering your home in the first place.

This year, putting in place clever tidying habits and tidying systems you and your household can all adopt and keep going will help you to stop losing control of clutter.