Decluttering is an excellent way to upcycle, donate or re-home items to help free up some much-needed space in your home. However, sometimes the clutter we um and ah over doesn’t need to be re-homed or repurposed – it simply needs chucking out.
While it’s a great instinct to want to avoid waste and make the most of your items, there’s still quite a lot of clutter we don’t need to question. These are the items we’re holding on to because of ‘what ifs’, even though they’re no longer able to serve a purpose. To put it bluntly, they just need to be chucked out.
Whether they’re broken and no longer useful, or so old that they could be dangerous to use, these are the items in your home you should throw out this October for a cleaner, more spacious home this season.
Broken paddling pools and outdoor toys
Before you pack the summer toys away, give them a quick inspection. A paddling pool with a slow leak, a ball that won’t stay inflated or a toy missing an essential part is unlikely to become more useful after spending six months in the shed. Check for cracks, sharp edges and anything that could make a toy unsafe to use, too.
If something is still in good condition, wash it, let it dry thoroughly and store it somewhere suitable. For anything broken, see whether it can be recycled locally; not all plastic toys or inflatable pools can go in household recycling, so check your council’s guidance before putting them out.
Empty or past-their-best sun cream bottles
Have a rummage through the bathroom cupboard, beach bag and holiday wash bag for the sun cream and after-sun that followed you home. Empty bottles can go, and it’s worth checking the label on any opened products before deciding to keep them. Look for the expiry date or the open-jar symbol, which tells you how long the product is intended to be used after opening.
Sun protection loses effectiveness over time. So, if you can’t tell how old a bottle is, or the product has changed in smell, colour or texture, don’t save it for next summer.
BBQ food and condiments you won’t use
The barbecue may be packed away, but all those tasty, yet niche and specific, sauces and marinades often linger at the back of the fridge or cupboard long afterwards. Check what’s left, paying attention to the use-by date and the storage instructions on the label. Some opened condiments need to be kept in the fridge, so it’s worth checking they haven’t been left in the cupboard since the last sunny weekend.
Clear out anything that’s past its use-by date or hasn’t been stored as instructed, and wipe the shelf before putting away what you’re keeping. If you have several nearly empty bottles of the same sauce, this is also a good moment to decide whether you’re realistically going to use them before they take up space all winter.
Worn-out summer shoes
Before you tuck sandals, flip-flops and canvas shoes away for another year, check whether they’re actually fit to wear again. Look for straps that are splitting, holes in the fabric or soles that are coming away – all signs that they may not survive another summer’s worth of walking. If they’re beyond repair, see whether there’s a local shoe or textile recycling scheme; pairs that are clean and still wearable but no longer suit you could be donated, too.
There’s little point saving a pair that pinches, rubs or falls apart every time you put it on. Clear out the ones that have had their day, then give the shoes you’re keeping a clean and let them dry fully before storing them for the season.
Damaged picnic blankets and beach towels
Give picnic blankets and beach towels a wash before putting them away, then check them properly once they’re dry. Look for stubborn mould, holes, fraying edges or stains that haven’t shifted. If they’re too damaged to use again, don’t let them take up space at the back of a cupboard all winter.
A towel that’s still absorbent but too tatty for the beach might earn a second life as a cleaning cloth; otherwise, check whether it can go to a textile recycling point. Make sure anything you’re keeping is completely dry before storing it, so you don’t unpack a musty surprise next summer.
Rusty or broken BBQ tools
Before the barbecue kit goes into storage, check the tongs, skewers and grill brush for loose handles, broken parts or rust. Give them a wash and dry, too, so food residue isn’t left sitting on them until next year. If a tool is damaged or no longer safe to use, it’s time to replace it rather than hope it’ll be fine when the first warm evening rolls around.
Pay particular attention to wire grill brushes: if the bristles are loose or coming away, stop using the brush and dispose of it carefully. Check your local recycling guidance before putting any metal tools in the recycling, as handles or mixed materials can affect what’s accepted.
Broken garden cushions and sun shades
It's officially time to put away the outdoor furniture. Take a look at outdoor cushions, parasols and folding chairs before putting them away. Check cushions for tears, stubborn mould or covers that have become brittle, and test that parasols still open and close properly. A broken frame or damaged fabric may mean an item has reached the end of its useful life - though it’s worth checking whether a cover can be replaced or a small repair made first.
Clean and dry anything that’s still in good condition before storing it somewhere dry. If a cushion or shade can’t be salvaged, check the care label and your local council’s guidance to see whether any part can be recycled.
Holiday toiletries and travel minis
Empty out the washbag and travel drawer, where half-used minis can quietly gather long after the holiday itself. Discard empty bottles, then check the labels on opened toiletries for an expiry date or the open-jar symbol, which shows how long the product is intended to be used after opening. If you can’t identify what’s in a bottle, or the product has changed in smell, colour or texture, don’t keep it just because there’s a little left.
Group the useful, in-date products together so they’re easy to find next time you pack. That way, your travel drawer is ready for its next trip instead of becoming a small museum of hotel shampoo.