Organizers Say You Can Toss These 12 Items in May

Inspect the garage and backyard shed for outdoor toys and sports equipment in poor condition. In addition to looking out for items that you no longer use, gather any broken products, pieces that can be donated, and things that can be discarded altogether. Steppe says this includes "left for dead deflated soccer balls (or any sport!) and nasty, chewed-up dog toys Toto has long since moved on from.”

There is a common misconception that sunscreen doesn't expire, however, that's not the case. This month, take the time to go through bathroom items that are overdue for the trash. “Sunscreens are especially important to check as they do expire—we don't want burns happening because you used an out-of-date item,” Steppe says.

We typically only reach for bug spray in the summer, so make sure you have a new can ready for the season. “Bug sprays get used up quickly—have fresh ones ready to go,” Steppe advises. Be sure to check the can for the exact expiration date.

“Hats wear out and can get grubby over time," Steppe shares. Rather than letting old summer hats take up closet real estate, the organizer suggests tossing those that have seen better days. "If they won't come clean in the wash, thank them for covering you in the past, but their days knocking around your noggin are done,” Steppe says.

“We need those sunglasses at the ready—not broken or scratched up—so we can see all the fun we are about to have,” Steppe says. Go through your collection of sunglasses and try on every pair. Throw out any that are loose and can't be tightened, and have scratched or missing lenses.

“Goggles need to have their seals checked, as they can deteriorate from chlorine and sun exposure," Steppe explains. Additionally, she shares that the elastic bands can dry rot over time, also making them unusable. There's no reason to keep these pairs around any longer. "No one has time for defunct goggles when there are laps to be swum and oceans to explore out there,” Steppe says.

We tend to shove old pool and beach bags in the back of the closet at the end of the summer, but now is a great time to see which ones needs to be cleaned, repaired, or tossed. “The pool and beach bags, along with coolers, need a deep clean and reset, so you are at the ready when it's time to hit the pool or plan that trip to the beach,” Steppe says.

If you've been holding onto ratty old beach towels "just in case" for one too many summers, throw them out! “Donate any that are worn out, stained, or ripped to your local animal shelter,” Steppe suggests. You'll gain extra space in the linen closet and won't be unpleasantly surprised when you hit the beach this summer.

Steppe says May is the time to purge all the catalogs and magazines you accumulated during fall and winter. “Not only are these constantly coming in and need to be regularly purged, they are dust collectors piling up in that basket in the corner, giving you one more item to try and keep clean," the organizer says.

Another spot to declutter this May? Your closet. “We've made it through fall and winter and what you didn't wear all those months didn't make the cut for one reason or another, so now it gets cut," Steppe says. Eliminate no longer worn hats, gloves, scarves, boots, and bags. "This will open up space in your closet and drawers for the items you love and wear,” Steppe says.