400+ Things to Declutter When Downsizing What I Decluttered

Downsizing the size of your home isnt difficult. It is finding things to declutter to ensure you fit comfortably in your new space that is difficult.

My husband and I learned quickly how to declutter stuff from our home we didnt need or want. Sure, a big part of this was because we moved out of a 1,400+ square foot house into a 600 square foot studio apartment, but we knew we were up for the challenge.

We realized that we dont have to have a lot to be happy. In fact, I now know the opposite is true.

Because downsizing isnt easy, I think it is necessary to walk you through my decluttering list before and after we downsized.

The decluttering list before we moved were things we realized we didnt need early into the process. However it is the decluttering list after we moved that really opened my eyes to what we didnt need.

Everyone is different and the things you need are different from my needs.

So when you see that my iron and ironing board made the list, dont panic! Im not telling you that you dont need them if you use them frequently. By all means, keep them. They havent been used in my home in Im not sure how long, so they dont get space in my very limited real estate.

Another thing I would like to address is that I didnt count each and every little bitty item, because the true number would be over 1,000 easy. Honestly, just thinking I decluttered over 1,000 items is crazy!

Things to Declutter When Downsizing

Before I get into my decluttering list, I want to share with you some quick tips for identifying what you can let go of when preparing to downsize yourself.

1 // Declutter Multiples

If you have several items that are the same, declutter them. They can take up a lot of space quickly, so be sure you only keep what you use.

2 // Consider your storage space

Does your smaller home have adequate storage space compared to where you live now? Most likely it doesnt.

In this case, you need to have a priority list of what youre willing to store in the space you have. Trust me, if there isnt space for something low on your list, you really dont need it.

Youll make space for what is truly important.

Do not worry with a storage container, unless there are moving schedule issues. A storage container enables indecision and costs you a lot more than keeping things that arent as important to you.

3 // Be ruthless and honest

Depending on how much youre downsizing, you may have to declutter a lot more than you anticipate.

Be very ruthless in the things you keep and honest about what you truly dont need. Ensure that the things you keep deserve the space they need.

4 // Get it out of the house quickly!

When decluttering to downsize, it is helpful to remove things to declutter from the house as quickly as possible.

This helps you see what you have that you feel is important. Over the period of a few days, your ideas of the things youve kept will adjust and you will likely declutter a few more things.

5 // Declutter as you move into your new home

This is very important! As you move into your new home, youll see what you do and dont have room for after youve moved.

Dont clutter up a space just because you kept too much before the move. Give the items a second thought and declutter what you do not have space for now.

Things to Declutter When Downsizing

Anything mentioned in my lists were either donated, sold via a garage sale, or tossed depending on their condition. I believe it is our responsibility to declutter responsibly and not simply toss everything in the trash.

One mans trash is another mans treasure.

Decluttering List Before We Downsized

Again, I just want to note that just because I dont find things within this list useful doesnt mean that you dont find them useful.

This list consists of everything I can remember decluttering, but I promise there is more. When youre downsizing you figure out the difference between need versus want, especially if your goal is to be comfortable in your downsized space.

Our specific goal was to have a home for everything we kept, so that we knew where everything was when needed. We also wanted to feel like we still had plenty of space after downsizing and not be cluttered by our things.

Now that all of that is out of the way, lets get to this list! Ive categorized things as best as possible, so if youre looking to see a specific part of the list, you can.

Laundry Room / Cleaning Supplies

1. Iron
2. Ironing Board
3. Sponges
4. Old Floor Cleaner
5. Mr. Clean Sponges
6. 2 Windex bottles
7. 2 Comet bottles
8. All Purpose Cleaners
9. Clothes Baskets
10. Clothing Rack
11. Bag Full of Hangers

Decor I Let Go Of

1. Christmas Decor one large tote full!
2. Old Glass Jar
3. 2 Baskets
4. Wall Plates
5. LOTS of Picture Frames
6. Art Pictures
7. Sofa Table
8. Dinning Room Table
9. Patio Set
10. Couch
11. Candles
12. 2 Vases
13. 3 Decorative Pillows
14. Floor Lamp
15. Table Lamp
16. Tall Bookcase
17. Long Bookcase
18. Walmart Bookcase
19. 34Large Shelving Unit
20. Fake Flowers
21. 1 Plug In Wax Warmer
22. 3 Full Size Wax Warmers
23. 15 Wax Bars
24. Dresser
25. 2 Decorative Chairs

Kitchen Things I No Longer Needed

1. Cookie Sheets
2. K-cup Organizer
3. Lunchbox
4. Blender
5. Expired Foods
6. 2 Recipe Books
7. 2 Large Pots
8. 1 Pot Lid
9. 1 Small Pot
10. Several Kitchen Towels
11. Apple Slicer
12. Cups
13. Mugs
14. George Foreman Grill
15. Duplicate Measuring Cups and Spoons
16. Duplicate Everyday Utensils
17. Tupperware
18. Glass Containers
19. Several Butter Bowls
20. Serving Dishes
21. Pizza Cutter
22. Crystal Serving Organizer
23. 2 Sets of Salt & Pepper Shakers
24. Wine Bottle Holder
25. Herbs & Spices [by accident!]
26. Coffee Thermos
27. Christmas Plates
28. Christmas Place Mats
29. Shot Glasses
30. Cruise Ship Glasses
31. 2 Red Solo Cup Wine Glasses
32. Waffle Maker
33. Complete Dish Set with Salad Plates and Mugs
34. 2 Crockpots

Clothes [several of each listed]

1. Shirts
2. Tank Tops
3. Leggings
4. Jackets
5. Socks
6. Undergarments
7. Lounge Wear
8. Jeans
9. Shorts
10. Dresses
11. Swimsuits

Accessories I Never Wore/Used

1. Most of my jewelry collection
2. Gloves
3. Scarves
4. Beanies
5. Hats
6. 1 Pair of Shoes
7. 1 Pair of Boots
8. Sunglasses
9. Brown Cross-Over Purse
10. Grey Skirt Purse

Office Things I Decluttered

1. Drawer Organizer
2. Extra Paper
3. Pens
4. Pencils
5. Paper Clips
6. Binder Clips
7. Binder Organizers
8. Folders
9. Highlighters
10. Notepads
11. Notebooks
12. Binders
13. Trash Can
14. Old Bills
15. Junk Mail
16. Receipts [no longer needed]
17. Coupons
18. Paperclips
19. Stapler
20. 2 Tape Dispensers
21. Old Textbooks
22. Magazines
23. Old Electronics
24. Paperwork
25. Stickers
26. Fabric
27. Yarn
28. Crochet Needles
29. Glitter
30. Crayons
31. Color Books
32. Playing Cards
33. Styrofoam Balls
34. Push Pins
35. Felt Squares
36. Felt Balls
37. Party Sacks
38. Gift Bags
39. Manuals
40. Play Station
41. X Box
42. Storage Boxes
43. Desk Organizers
44. Backpack
45. Computer Backpack

Massive Bathroom Declutter

1. Beauty Samples
2. Hair Care Samples
3. Glass Case
4. Contact Lenses Case
5. Plunger
6. Expired Medicine
7. Skin Care
8. Makeup
9. Makeup Brushes
10. Cosmetic Roll-Up Bag
11. Brush Organizer
12. 5 Towels
13. 10 Wash Cloths
14. Hair Band
15. Broken Hair Clips
16. Apothecary Jars [by accident broken]
17. 10 Nail Polishes
18. Nail File Set
19. Nail Care Kit
20. Scale
21. Perfumes
22. Brush
23. Comb
24. Stretched Out Elastics
25. Old Lotion
26. Old Spa Products

Random Things I Let Go Of

1. Blankets
2. 2 Scuba Gear Bags
3. Photo Albums
4. Books
5. CD Collection
6. Individual CD Cases
7. Multiple CD Holder Cases
8. Gardening Gloves
9. Photos
10. Sentimental Items
11. Old Dance Costumes [from my childhood]
12. Jewelry Box
13. Dog Feed and Water Bowls

Who knew we had so much we did not need in our life?! As far as the space we freed to downsize, a close equivalent would be a car and a half sized garage.

I will say we were not hoarders by any means.

Having 1,450 square feet to fill allowed us to have that much excess. With the exception of my Office/Craft Room, everything had a place. When we decided to downsize, we no longer had that much space to fill, and I wanted a clutter-free space.

Related Post: Tidying Goals that were Achievable In A Weekend!

My husband and I discussed what downsizing would mean in terms of what we owned, and decided the best thing was to let go of everything we could, which led us to continue decluttering after we downsized to ensure we achieved our goals.

Decluttering After We Downsized

This process was a bit different. We moved into our smaller space and after some time passed, we felt like something was a bit off. My anxiety was a bit high, so I took some action to clear out a bit more.

Let me take you through the process of what I did, then Ill share the decluttering list below that for you.

How I Decluttered Each Space

For the bathroom //

While the first thing I did wasnt decluttering necessarily, I did paint my aloe vera pot white to create a calmer environment within my bathroom. A small and simple fix!

For the kitchen //

I moved all of the vegetables off the counter top to have more space. Replaced my two small utensil holders with one large basket to hold my utensils better.[I do not have a lot, but some pieces are bulky, and I like having them all together.]

I purged a few items due to excess. [These items will be listed at the end of the post.] I also ordered a sample of fabric to see if it will work to get the kitchen project complete.

For the living space //

I purged my book collection. Looking at it every day reminded me of which books I have not to read, and which book I need to finish. Asking myself why I needed a book helped a lot!

I let go of40% of my collection by analyzing why I held onto a book! For the books I have yet to read, I read the synopsis to see if it still sounded appealing to read. If it did, I kept it. If not, the library received it!

Below are two pictures of the books I donated. The two towers were easy enough to make a decision on, and the other picture were the two items I thought about before making my decision.

For the bedroom area //

I simply cleaned up the space, put everything in its place, and organized my clothes and shoes. I tried my best to simplify the appearance of what we have.

We do not have an enclosed closet, and having empty hangers bother me! I caught up on laundry and hid the extras we have, so that my mind could release this silly annoyance.

For everything else //

I went through and tossed what was not necessary to keep. I have old sports awards that I want to keep, but I told myself I could only do it if it fit in my keepsake box.

Also, I had a couple of boxes to go through and sort, and was able to clean out all of the boxes and rid them from our space. One box contained random cords, another contained office supplies, and a box of things that accidentally ended up in the garage sale stuff.

Having these boxes out of the space is so nice! Since I do not have or need an office anymore, I took my supplies to work and actually use them instead of storing them!

Now I can look around my home and not see just-in-case boxes or a task I need to complete!

By the time I finished, I had 2 large totes and 2 boxes full of things to donate, 1 sack of things I tossed, and a more tidy space than before I started! How in the world did I still have so much excess?!

My goal now is to have the rest of my stored things organized into the empty totes and get started putting my fall and winter capsule wardrobe together.

---

Now let us get to the list of what I donated! Starting with the list of home goods, and then a list of the books I gave to the library including the reason why I let go of each one.

Decluttering List After We Downsized

1 Three piece jar set
1 full size Christmas wax warmer
2 plug-in Christmas wax warmers
2 scare crows on a stick
1 scare crow and pumpkin decor piece
1 recycles glass bottle
3 Christmas wall plaques
1 Red Dish
1 Christmas 12 piece Dish Set
1 Serving Platter
1 Snowman paper towel holder
6 picture frames
100+ ornaments
2 crochet dollies[?]
2 Christmas decor wall plaques
1 Christmas card holder
1 organizer box
3 Christmas gift boxes [decor]
1 scare crow candy container
1 Trick or Treat candy container
2 Red Beaded Christmas Tree cones
22 cabinet hinges [From a project that did not happen. Returned to store for store credit.]
1 Wine Glass
3 Baskets
2 Perfumes
1 blender cup
1 dish scrubber
1 reusable plastic bottle
2 small boxes of tea
1 plastic tupperware [does not match current set]
4 candles
1 salad lunch organizer
1 pair of earrings
1 blue blouse
1 pair of grey heels
1 vintage cream holder
11 scarves
1 toboggan
1 belt
3 pairs of jeans
1 pair of flip flops
1 random fork
1 feather [decor]
3 Christmas nesting bowls
3 Christmas dish cloths
1 pot holder
1 oven mitt
1 cake pan with lid
3 wooden cooking spoons
2 spatulas
1 cookie spatula
1 pair of tongs
4 vintage picture frames
20 old pictures[ tossed not going to donate pictures of myself of course]
Several sheets and pillow cases I did not know we had[I repurposed these into shop rags for my husband.]

Downsizing was the best decision we could have made for our lives! It forced us to identify the clutter in our lives and allowed us to let go of personal attachment to items. This freed us from the stuff that did not serve a purpose in our lives.

Looking back at the things I tossed always leaves me baffled, because I had no idea there was so many things clouding our lives that we truly didnt need.

I know I always talk about how minimalism changed my life, but it definitely changed my husbands life as well.

If youre ready to declutter, I highly encouarge you to check out my 30 Day Minimalist Decluttering Challenge. It will help you not only declutter your physical things, but also your mind!

Also, if you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow me on Pinterest!

The post 400+ Things to Declutter When Downsizing What I Decluttered appeared first on The Tannehill Homestead.