21 Things You Should Throw Away Right Now

YOU CAN DO IT. I believe in you.

1. Your dish sponge.

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You should be replacing them every month or so, in addition to cleaning them regularly in the dishwasher or microwave.

2. Your gross old shoes full of holes.

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I know, they have so much sentimental value! You ran from the cops in them, that one night you were at TJ's house, and you got away! (TJ wasn't so lucky.) And maybe if you just put them through the wash — like, two or three times — and found a good cobbler, you could save them, right?

Wrong. There are many more shoes in the world and your feet will thank you for it. Toss that ish NOW. (And if you want to get rid of shoes that are in more serviceable condition, donate them to an organization like Soles4Souls.)

3. Those clothes you've had for years but just never quiiiiite got around to wearing.

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If it hasn't happened yet, it's not going to happen. Sell it at your local consignment store, donate it to charity, or give it to a similarly sized friend/cousin/work buddy; whatever you do, don't let it wink out from your closet and convince you to give it *just one more* chance ever again.

4. Expired makeup.

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Makeup mos def has an expiration date, and not tossing it when it gets old could be causing you skin problems or even infections. HOT.

5. Hangers you got from the dry cleaner.

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You're better than this.

6. Stacks of magazines and newspapers.

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I know, you're saving them because you think you'll finally get around to reading them, or because there's an article in there you really want to show to your grandma, or because you want to make art. You will not do any of those things, ever. Save yourself literally cubic feet of space.

7. That half-finished project that, let's be real, will never get finished.

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Some DIYs were just meant to D-I-E.

8. Any socks with holes and/or that have lost their mates.

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It's sad that they're lonely orphans. It's even sadder that you still have them.

9. Old paint.

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If it's been open for a year or two, chances are it won't even be the same color anymore. Find out how to get rid of different types of paint here.

10. Sad bras/sad underwear.

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You know which ones. They're your drop-dead last-resort choices, so you may as well get rid of them and move the bar up a little higher.

11. Old spices.

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If you've had the same spices since college, it's probably time to toss them; they've only got a few years in them, tops. And this gives you a chance to evaluate what you actually use and want more of versus what you only bought because it seemed adult and pretty (looking at you, turmeric).

12. Old technology.

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Including but not limited to CDs you've long since uploaded, VHS tapes you've long since recorded over, and any monitor you've ever briefly entertained the idea of turning into a cat bed.

13. Toys that nobody wants.

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If it's usable and not covered in toddler spit, donate it to your local shelter or Goodwill; barring that, it's just taking up (creepy, ever-watchful) space.

14. Your toothbrush.

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Chances are it's a cesspool of filth, and they're so cheap to replace. Remember to swap yours out every three to four months.

15. Your contact lens case.

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You're brave enough to shove a chemically doused sliver into your eye every morning; you're brave enough to know when it's time to say good-bye and get a new case.

16. Expired canned food.

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But cans are forever, right?! Wrong. If you've dutifully hauled it with you for your last three apartments, it's probably time.

17. Old batteries and lightbulbs.

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There is a certain category of junk that is small enough to kind of ignore but also relatively scary, i.e., HOW DO YOU EVEN GET RID OF IT. Here are a few options for throwing them out without bringing the environment to its knees.

18. Old dish towels (and regular towels).

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You should only be keeping towels for a couple of years, especially if you use them every day. Many animal shelters accept towels as donations, but use your judgement re: how worn out they are.

19. Like 99% of whatever's in your junk drawer.

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Odds are, you don't need pretty much anything that's in there (who has even consulted a slipped-under-the-door paper menu since the internet was invented?), so keep the scissors and the roll of tape and show the rest the door.

20. Your pillows.

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Think about how objectively oily/hairy/gross your head is, and then imagine systematically rubbing it on something for seven to eight hours a night for years and years and years. It's time to visit Bed Bath & Beyond.

21. And while you're at it, unsubscribe from all those useless email lists that constantly flood your inbox.

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Unroll.me is an awesome tool that will help streamline your email.

Now step away from your computer, turn off your phone, and go toss all that crap that's been keeping you from being the person you know you can be.

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You'll feel downright invincible.