After five years in the same home, storage can become crowded with belongings that no longer match the way you live. Organizing and design experts say this milestone is a useful opportunity to reassess what is taking up space, what is still useful and what has simply become part of the background.
Ann Lightfoot of DDH Home Organizing & Move Management says the period of unlimited storage typically ends as possessions accumulate while available space remains unchanged. Laura Kinsella of Urban OrgaNYze adds that careers, families, routines and interests can change without the objects in a home changing with them.
Kerrie Kelly, CEO and creative director of Kerrie Kelly Studio, recommends working by category instead of attempting to clear the entire home at once. Starting with a drawer, cabinet or closet, removing everything, cleaning the space and returning only useful items can make the process more manageable.
Here are the categories the experts suggest reviewing:
Accumulated tote bags, water bottles and branded merchandise. Keep the items you actually use and pass along extras collected from events, fundraisers, conferences and corporate gifts.
Manuals and cords for items you no longer own. Many manuals are available online, while unused chargers and cables can be recycled responsibly.
Faded or threadbare linens. Worn towels, mismatched sheets and bedding that is never used can be removed, with recycling considered where available.
Forgotten fitness equipment. Exercise machines, shoes and accessories that have not been used in years may be taking up space needed for activities that are part of your current routine.
The “someday” project pile. Craft kits, furniture awaiting renovation and appliances bought for a future project may be ready to go if that project has not happened after five years.
Decorative accessories you no longer notice. Removing excess objects can reduce visual clutter and give meaningful or attractive pieces more prominence.
Mismatched decor from a previous home. Rugs, artwork and other items that have remained unused because they do not suit the current space can be passed on to someone who can use them.
Leftover paint, tile and building materials. Experts suggest keeping a small, labeled paint sample for touch-ups and possibly one spare tile, while dried products and excess cans should be handled through an appropriate hazardous-waste collection point.
Kitchen gadgets that have not delivered on their promise. Specialty tools, oversized appliances and duplicate utensils that have not been used in years may not deserve valuable kitchen storage.
Unused wellness equipment. Juicers, light masks, massage devices and similar products can remain long after a short-lived routine has ended. Trying a new habit does not require keeping the equipment indefinitely.
Furniture that no longer suits your lifestyle. A chair used mainly for storing clothes or a side table that obstructs movement may fit physically but no longer serve the room well.
Expired products. Old sunscreen, dried nail polish, expired makeup, unwanted shampoo and accumulated cleaners should be removed safely to create more space.
Unopened moving boxes. Boxes that have remained sealed for five years may contain items that are rarely needed. Opening them, deciding what is worth keeping and assigning the remaining belongings a proper place can help complete the move at last.
Sources: House Beautiful.