7 common items you should throw away

I am determined to let go of 7 types of 'junk' that have accumulated in my house for 3 year

Looking back, I regret hoarding all these "clutter" that filled my house.

There’s a Chinese saying: "Don’t hoard things, life will be happier." Many people argue against this, claiming that it goes against the idea of saving and taking care of one’s possessions.

However, after moving into a new home and living there for about three years, where everything became so packed there was barely room to breathe, I decided to try "decluttering my life" by throwing away things I no longer needed. The result was that I realized that this saying is actually true.

Many items we keep thinking "I’ll need this someday," but day by day, they just turn into trash. Eventually, we still have to throw them away. Here are seven common items I’ve let go of.

1. Disposable plates and utensils
   In the past, every time I ordered food delivery, I liked to keep the disposable plates, chopsticks, and spoons. Gradually, I ended up with a whole drawer full, thinking that if friends came over, it would be convenient to use these items because there would be no need to wash them afterward.
   But later, I realized that disposable plates and utensils are not hygienic at all. It would be embarrassing to serve guests with those. My drawer was so full that I couldn’t store anything else, so I had to throw them all out.

If you have similar items at home, don’t hesitate, clean them up now to make your space more spacious.

2. Takeout containers
   Every time I browse the internet and see videos showing how to recycle old items into useful things, I always wanted to try it. So, after receiving takeout orders, I would keep the plastic containers, piling them up in my home with the intention of using them to store miscellaneous items. The result? The containers kept piling up, and I never used them.

In reality, most takeout containers are made of cheap materials that can become brittle and break when exposed to the sun. Not to mention, they are full of bacteria and harmful chemicals.

So, if your home is also filled with plastic takeout containers, it’s best to throw them out to protect your health and keep your space clean.

3. Plastic bags
   From shopping bags to vegetable bags, I kept every clean one thinking, "I’ll need it someday."

But the reality wasn’t as expected. When I used plastic bags to store trash, there were several times when liquid leaked out, and the bags tore easily, causing the trash to spill everywhere. In short, you should buy separate black trash bags instead of collecting plastic ones, as it is both a waste of effort and makes the house cramped, with low practicality.

4. Cardboard boxes
   Similarly, every time I received an online purchase or goods in cardboard boxes, I couldn’t bring myself to throw them away and kept stacking them up in the house. I thought I’d gather them and sell them after a few months, probably making a few tens of thousands.

But the harsh reality is that, after months of hoarding, I only made less than 50,000 VND. Looking back, I regretted it so much. The pile of cardboard not only made the house messy but the money earned wasn’t worth it.

So, I’ve changed my approach: Cardboard will be folded and placed near the trash bin for the cleaners to collect. Not everything should be kept; sometimes, letting go can make life much more comfortable.

5. Cheap clothes
   With the rise of online shopping, clothes in various cute designs with prices ranging from 100,000 to 200,000 VND made consumers want to buy them immediately. I wasn’t an exception, and my closet filled with clothes. Though the material wasn’t great, I thought the designs were nice, and I wouldn’t mind wearing them a few times before discarding them.

But the result was that many of the cheap clothes I bought were not wearable, and my closet kept getting fuller and fuller. Later, I decided not to buy cheap clothes anymore and cleaned up my wardrobe. Immediately, my closet became much neater and more organized.

My advice is not to be tempted by cheap clothes of low quality. Invest in better quality pieces that are both durable and beautiful.

6. Seasoning packets
   Every time I ate instant noodles or other ready-to-eat food and didn’t use the entire seasoning packet, I would save it, thinking that I would need it later.

But in reality? I completely forgot about these seasoning packets. When I recently cleaned the kitchen, I found many packets had expired and even had mold growing on them. So, if you like to save seasoning packets, it’s best to quit the habit if you know you can’t use them soon. This will prevent your kitchen from getting cluttered and ensure better food safety.

7. Bubble tea cups
   Nowadays, bubble tea cups are designed to be sturdier and more attractive. Many times, after finishing the drink, I couldn’t bear to throw the cups away, so I kept them at home.

After browsing online and seeing bloggers recycle bubble tea cups into cute storage baskets, I was excited to try it. But no matter how hard I tried, my creations never turned out as nice as what I saw online. They still looked cheap when placed in my house, and in the end, I had to throw them away.

If you plan to keep bubble tea cups for recycling, I suggest you reconsider. Instead of wasting time, it’s better to just buy a nice, quality storage basket. It will save you time and make your home look much tidier.