9 Things Minimalists Never Keep Longer Than a Week, According to Pros

If items tend to sit in a corner of your home collecting dust for weeks or months at a time, it’s time to clear the clutter—for good.

The key to minimizing those stacks is to identify your weak spots. Is it cardboard boxes from deliveries or a pile of paintings from your little Picasso? 

Not sure? We asked three organizing experts what they never keep in their home longer than a week, and what they shouldn’t either.

Cardboard Boxes

When it comes to the collection of cardboard boxes that pile up from deliveries, adopt the motto of Holli Humber, founder and CEO of Holli K Co.: don’t put it down, put it away. 

“Break them down right after you open your new treasure and put them right into your recycle bin,” Humber says. “You’ll thank yourself on recycling day.”

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Returns

If you’ve found yourself scrambling to find a brand’s return policy, then crossing your fingers that ill-fitting dress hasn’t been sitting in a corner of your bedroom for 30 days, make a promise to yourself.

“Never miss a return window again,” Ashley Murphy, co-founder and CEO of NEAT Method says. 

As soon as you’ve decided to return something, place it back in the retail bag or packaging it arrived in. Print any necessary return labels and prepare them to be dropped off at the return center. Then place it in your car to be dropped off the next time you’re in the area. 

“Just make sure it’s not hidden in your trunk to be forgotten,” Murphy says. 

Kids’ Party Favors

Mini piñatas, coloring books, sticker sheets, tiny trinket toys. If you spend your weekends schlepping kids from one birthday party to another, you’ve likely amassed an ever-growing mountain of toys your kids have been gifted as favors—and (more than likely) don’t play with.  

If children’s party favors tend to end up shoved in a drawer, Humber recommends letting kids play with the trinkets for a few days, then tossing or donating them. Will your little ones even notice that bouncy ball is gone? Likely not.

Donations and Consignment

For donations and consignment, Marissa Hagmeyer—the co-founder and COO of NEAT Method—says to make it a habit to place items in your car as soon as you’ve made the decision to get rid of something.

To simplify drop-off, find a donation site that is on your regular route, whether that’s on the way to work, the gym, or another regular errand. 

Items That Need to be Repaired

You won’t find a broken blender in Hagmeyer’s home. As soon as any household item breaks, she recommends immediately looking up where it can be repaired. Then (also immediately) prepare the item to be fixed by collecting all the broken pieces and placing them in a retail bag or shipping box.

Remove it from your home and place it in your car. This keeps it top of mind and streamlines the process of dropping it off to be repaired. No more lamenting, “Shoot, I left it at home again!” 

“By not addressing a broken item right away you run the risk of further damage that could end up costing more money,” Hagmeyer says.

Emails

If inbox zero sounds like a myth to you, Humber encourages giving it another go. Tackle your inbox in time blocks—say, 30 undistracted minutes at a time—then make action on every single email that comes in.

Some emails require a reply, while others can head straight to trash or be reported as spam. For everything else, as well as emails you’ve responded to, move it into a designated inbox folder.

“This keeps your inbox clutter-free and easy to manage,” Humber says.

Kids’ School Work

Crumpled spelling tests can pile up quickly. When it comes to kids’ school work, Humber’s family reviews it immediately after school, everyday. 

“Decide if there is an art piece that needs a moment on the fridge or a craft worth treasuring,” Humber says. “Otherwise, toss. This way there is not a towering pile of papers on your kitchen table at dinner time.”

Mail

When you collect your mail, head straight to the trash. Murphy recommends immediately recycling any catalogs, coupons, and other junk mail that isn’t of use. 

Everything else can either be processed on the spot or dealt with it later—just not too much later. If you can’t deal with a piece of mail in the moment, make it a habit to process on the same day each week.

Keep all must-deal-with mail in a small bin or basket. Then, on the designated day, sit down and immediately address everything that needs attention. RSVP to your cousin’s wedding. Deposit that check. Pay that bill. File, shred, or recycle the rest as needed.

Hazardous Waste

Separate items like paint, old cleaners, and dead lightbulbs, then research recycling centers in your area. You may have to map out more than one spot depending on the assortment of items and what each center accepts.