Decluttering your home isn’t just about creating a more organized space—it’s also about fostering harmony in your relationship. Open communication is key: talk with your spouse about the items you both value and identify what feels like clutter. While you may hold onto certain belongings for sentimental or “just in case” reasons, your spouse might see them as unnecessary clutter taking up valuable space and mental energy. Finding a compromise can strengthen your bond and create a calmer home environment.

Here are five common things your spouse might secretly (or not so secretly) wish you’d let go of:

1. Old, Worn-Out Clothes

We get it—those clothes carry memories from the good ol’ days or were a gift from a loved one. But if they’re threadbare, stained, or stuffed in a drawer never to be worn again, it’s time to say goodbye. Keep one or two as mementos and donate or recycle the rest.

Pro Tip: Consider turning your favorite old shirts into a memory quilt.

2. Gadgets That No Longer Work

Do you have a drawer full of outdated phones you are holding on to if your phone stops working, tangled cords because you don't know what they are for, or a VCR that hasn’t worked since the early 2000s because you have the VCR Tapes? These electronic relics are not only useless but can become a storage headache.

What to Do: Keep one back-up phone; most of the phones/devices use USB-C cords. So keep 3-4 of them; Get the VCR Tapes digitized and find an e-waste recycling center in your city to let go of all the electronics you are not going to use or participate in local electronic recycling events.

3. Hobby and Craft Supplies You Haven’t Touched in Years

Remember that guitar you swore you’d learn to play or the craft supplies gathering dust in the closet? Life happens and you lose track of what you have, what you wanted to do. Sometimes your interest wanes. It’s time to pass those hobby and craft supplies to other people and reclaim the space they are currently taking up.

Decluttering Tip: Sell or donate these items so someone else can enjoy them.

4. Duplicate Tools or Kitchen Gadgets

How many spatulas, blenders, bottle openers, crockpots does one household need? The same goes for screwdrivers, measuring cups, and other tools. Holding onto multiples only adds clutter. Imagine what would a space look like if you had one of each.

Quick Fix: Keep your favorite, most functional items and donate the extras.

5. Sentimental Items Without a Home

Old trophies, keepsakes from past relationships, childhood collections, memorabilia might be taking up prime real estate in your home. If they’re gathering dust in a box, consider whether they’re truly adding value to your life.

Organizing Tip: Dedicate a memory box or shelf of the sentimental items you decide to keep. Take pictures of the rest and let them go. They served their purpose in your household, in your life. Let those items serve their purpose in someone else's household.

Final Thoughts

Decluttering can be a bonding experience when approached with teamwork and compromise. Respect each other’s attachments but recognize when letting go can bring more peace and space into your home.

Ready to tackle clutter and reduce household stress? Contact us at Declutter Bee—where we turn chaos into calm.