Broken electronics
Broken electronics should be recycled properly. Most municipalities have depots and centers dedicated to disposing of electronics safely.
Curtains that don’t fit
The curtains that fit the window in the old house might not look right in the new one. Instead of storing them indefinitely, donate them to a thrift store.
42 thoughts on “20 Things You Should Throw Away Immediately”
Soap scraps can fuse on to a new bar of soap by pressing it on top of the new bar with one hand on the bottom of the bar and the scrap on top between the new bar and your palm. Be sure to wet and lather up both pieces before sticking together and place scrap side down on surface. No waste more doap!
I use the mesh bags from onions or garlic for collecting soap scraps, it doubles as a scrubber in the shower and as a child of depression era parents, they are up there smiling and shaking their heads at their overly thrifty daughter.
I have reused soap slivers this way my entire adult life. Mama did the same when we were kids.
My mom did the same
Do that all the time.
😊I have done this with my soap for years! Never knew anyone else who did this.
Instead of throwing clothes away, give them to a charity, in my area it’s call “Purple Heart”.
I just had Viet nam Vets admin pick up a bunch of things
God provides. People hoard.
Yes don’t throw clothing away. We donate clothing to Senior Center and Boys & Girls Club. Old towels and wash clothes can be donated to Animal Shelter.
Instead of throwing out old suitcases, find foster placed to donate to. Children usually have to carry their clothing in trash bags.
I am a foster parent & C Colbert is so right. We have a suit case drive annually. People donate duffle bags, suit cases and the like. It is awful that the state doesn’t provide them with a luggage set, being that they move from home to home. Instead, at Christmas they give the some money (usually $30-$40 each). They need luggage.
I save ketchup packets from MCDONALDS or whatever place I go to and not just ketchup, but mustard and other things. Waste not want not is what my grandfather used to say. He went through the Depression ERA.
I do most ( or did ) before the virus. Saving for when things get normal. Praying for that time!
Interesting list. I agree with most, but it’s obvious the list was not compiled by a crafter, who would transform some of those things. And would definitely look at possibility of donating rather than disposing of some of those items.
Can you list some ideas?
I’ve installed ‘lights’ on our porch and they are on day and night, as well as flood lights under the trees. My neighbors tell me they make them smile.
Did someone pay you for this article and if so can I apply for a job there too? Sorry I try not to say any thing negative but really?
Have you been looking through my house??? I seem to have all the things that should be thrown away!!! I must have about twenty shoes that I can no longer wear, and tons of newspapers and magazines. I found a picture of myself and my then three year old daughter, with me wearing a favorite dress at the time. I still have that dress in my closet and my then three year old is a 48-year old respiratory therapist and I’m 87. I took another picture with me wearing that dress and my daughter towering over me.
Yeah, you remind me of myself! I have a dress my sister made me when my second baby was nursing. He is now a 25-year-old man, 6 foot one tal yeah, you remind me of myself! I have a dress my sister made me when my second baby was nursing. He is now a 25-year-old man, 6’1”, and my menopause belly is too big for the dress. But my sister made it for me! I know one day I will be thin enough to wear it again and I am not getting rid of It!!
There are a lot of these that I don’t agree with. It’s good to have some plastic silverware and condiment packages for picnics. Unless your weight stays the same all the time over years, it’s a waste to throw out clothes that you realistically might wear. I just lost 30#, and I have a whole new wardrobe that I didn’t have to go out and buy. Some prescription drugs, though probably not the newer ones, almost never go bad. Ones I’ve been familiar with have lasted as long as 20 years for me. There were a few others as well. Old newspapers are good if you know you’re going to be moving soon. Not everything is useful or logical for everyone. My son’s generation tends to throw things out and then have to go buy them again a year later. What a waste of money!
I dont agree with these ideas and recommendations in throwing out most things,many cities have entities that welcome used items ,i.e, dvds & VHS they told me donot throw away in the garbage but search for those places that can recycle them ,I am not impresses with this article ,I give it a 1 for bogus advice
I save and use the plastic cutlery for when I pack applesauce or mac and cheese for my kids lunches so I do not send my good silverware into school with them and they forget and throw it away.
I donate our clothing. I resell my kids toys. I pour the ketchup packets into my large ketchup as my son mixes ketchup with everything. I use unmatched socks for cleaning around the house. I use egg shells as fertilizer for my plants. I try to recycle and reuse as much as I can to have less waste for my kids to deal with when they are older.
Regarding plastic cutlery, I bought an inexpensive set at I kea. I keep it in the pantry, and I always have a plastic fork if I am going to eat on the go. Also they are useful if you are having a picnic because they are far more sturdy than the ones you get from most places.
Regarding curtains, I have made curtains for just about every window in our house. Instead of storing them in definitely, I change them to go with the seasons. If you have curtains that fit for summer, use them in the summertime! Then, when your house needs a different look from September to December, change them out for Some elegant fall winter/curtains.
I save plastic newspapers bags tied together to tie up tomato plants,errant limbs on shrubs etc they hide well behind other limbs or leaves & don’t fall apart like rope or rust like wires.mary
The newspaper bags also make excellent kitty litter bags. I use one for 3-4 days for 2 cats.
OMG. So much to say. 1.Soap scraps get molded onto new bars of soap. 2.Old towels, pillow cases, face clothes, etc can get donated to animal shelters and rehabilitation center for wildlife. Or once your facecloth no longer makes you happy, use them for cleaning, dusting, etc. Just cut off one corner to mark them as rags. 3. Odd socks are great for….cleaning mopboards and baseboards. Just put one on! The smaller ones can be used on your hands. Or let the kids have some fun! 4. Old jewelry. you can sell for the precious gold or stones…actually repair them if you like them, donate them to nursing homes…they take them apart and remake things for their holiday bazaars. You can do what with buttons, old thread, scraps of fabric, ribbons, yarn, etc. 5. Clothing: DONATE DONATE DONATE. You may not want it, but to someone else it’s Christmas! Same for shoes. If you have none, old and ugly may be perfect. 6. Old belts can be used for strapping suitcases on air travel, or objects in place in/on car, boats, bikes, etc. They can be used for hanging plants outdoors. Just like wire hangers. Or the hangers can be used to support plants. Be imaginative. 7. Eyeglasses go right back to the eye doctor who can take them ( or knows another eye MD who does) to needy countries where people get tested and free glasses. That is a true gift beyonds words. You are literally giving the gift of sight and it costs you nothing. 8. Receipt can be kept as long as the warranty is in effect. After that, toss. I keep the receipt stapled to the manual or other paper work tucked in a clear sleeve placed in a 3 ring notebook. 9. Plastic gets recycled. Period. Old batteries and electronics recycled responsibly. 10. Expired food: compost the contents and recycle the packaging. I find the newer generation is a “throw away” generation. We better hoard our money for self care because one day we, too, will be old and they will throw us out,too!
Excellent, excellent suggestions and advice. So much of what we throw away could, and should, be used by someone who may be less fortunate than we are. One would be surprised how much some of the things we throw out are SO needed for others!
Thank you, thank you for sharing your so very important (and needed) thoughts on what we can do to make this a better world for all of us.
Best response of all. I agree.
rochelle holt
I don’t have all of these things but it’s a good reminder to go through and declutter every once in awhile. I agree that you should get rid of much of this, but definitely donating the reusable stuff is a good idea. There are alwayS those who are less fortunate who would love to have our cast-offs.
Sort the plasticware and donate it to a food bank or homeless shelter.
Plastic cutlery is always good if you pack your lunch when you go to work.
I am one legged amputee and need those single socks you have!!!
I will br glad to send you socks, I have all kinds so let me know! Karen
Wooden cutlery is safest. Plastic is made from Petrochemicals … Benzene. The material is carcinogenic.
Mask!!! MASK!!! MASK!!!! Burn them.
Yikes, I still have my high school prom dress! It’s over 50 years old. Time to clean out the closet!
My mother is a HOARDER! She does not throw anything away AT ALL. Her closets are filled with clothes from the 80’s, dozens of shoes that she can’t wear anymore; she’s 82 and uses a walker. She refuses to throw away empty pill bottles, empty containers of food…It’s HELL!
Plastic hangers are usually too small and leave bulges on the shoulders of my shirts. My nearest dry cleaners will give me all the proper sized used wire hangers I want. The narrower wire hangers will let me fit more shirts in my closet.
As far as hangers, don’t use wire, get the flat felt ones,also has hook to hang more.I have been cleaning out a lot of shoes summer brand new bought at Macy’s has the receipts plus all kinds of hangers plastic ones I’m getting those away because I have so many pocketbooks coats sweaters I may have a garage sale have them what I have left is all going to be donated. A lot of records.
The canned goods commonly have been recommended to “keep” two years past the “use by” date. Now, in the “news” two weeks ago (8/2021) they said many of those canned goods last 4 years past the “use by” date. I hardly ever see an “expiration date” anymore, especially on canned goods. If the can of food you’re considering throwing away bulges outward on the top of the can, it may have a leak; throw it away. If the outdated can tastes bad or not just right, throw it away. I’ve never had to throw a can of food away; I always test it first. I always rotate my canned goods by the “use by” date; eat the oldest dated can first. No waste. The advice above was given to me by the owner of a food pantry; he accepted canned goods donations up until two years “out of date” to put on his shelves for sale (20 years ago he told me this).