Welcome to the golden years. No more sweaty commutes, no more fluorescent office lights, time spent finally doing what you actually want to do. Tackling those goals, hobbies and adventures you’ve always wanted to do. And what’s top of the list? Finally tackling that clutter.
Ok, fine, it might not be at the top of your list of what you want to do with your retirement – but it should be near the top. After all, you’ve been waiting for this next chapter for a long time, so the last thing you want to do is head into a new chapter carrying all that extra baggage of the past ones.
So, to ensure you get to properly put your feet up, in a home that represents this new calm and leisurely part of your life, I’ve picked out the key things you need to declutter before heading into retirement.
Old hobbies
Retirement is the perfect time to start all those hobbies you’ve always wanted to try, after all, now you’ve actually got the time. But before you dive headfirst into hardening or pickleball – you should probably address the hobbies of years gone by.
It’s easy to hold on to the things you once enjoyed – or always intended to enjoy – because getting rid of them can feel like admitting you’ll never take that hobby up again. But retirement doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll suddenly want to finish every abandoned craft project, dust off the golf clubs or learn to play the guitar that’s been sitting untouched for 15 years.
Be realistic about the hobbies you’re actually excited to spend your newfound free time on, rather than the ones you feel you should return to. Keep the equipment for activities you genuinely enjoy or have concrete plans to pick back up, and consider selling or donating the rest. Hobby equipment can be surprisingly bulky, so clearing it out could also free up valuable space for the things you really do want to spend your retirement doing.
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Burden clutter
There are some belongings we keep because we know what they are and why they matter – but to anyone else, they’re a complete mystery. Think unlabelled keys, unidentified photographs, boxes of old paperwork, mystery cables, miscellaneous valuables and sentimental items whose significance is known only to you.
This is not to say retirement is a death sentence or anything, but it could be a great use of time. These are worth tackling before retirement, particularly if you’re already having a wider clearout. Ask yourself whether your family would know what an item is, whether it’s valuable and what you’d like to happen to it. Label anything important, add names and dates to old photographs where you can, and get rid of items that no longer serve a purpose. It might not be the most exciting decluttering job, but a little organisation now could save your loved ones from having to make difficult – and sometimes impossible – decisions about your belongings later.
Work documents
The most obvious thing to declutter when you retire? Work stuff. Retirement is a good opportunity to finally tackle the paperwork you’ve accumulated over your working life. Old training manuals, conference notes, business cards, notebooks and documents from previous jobs can easily linger in drawers and filing cabinets long after they’re useful – and, chances are, you won’t need most of them once you’ve clocked off for the final time. And don’t forget, this clutter exists on your devices as much as it does your desk drawer.
Start by separating anything that belongs to your employer or contains confidential information, as this may need to be returned or securely destroyed rather than simply put in the recycling. Then consider what you genuinely need to keep for your own records, such as important pension, tax or employment documents. Everything else can go, leaving you with a much smaller and more manageable collection of paperwork.
Clothes
After years of dressing for work, you may have accumulated an entire wardrobe that no longer fits the life you’re about to lead. Suits, shirts, smart dresses, uncomfortable shoes and other office wear can take up valuable wardrobe space, particularly if you’re planning to downsize.
That doesn’t mean getting rid of every smart outfit the moment you retire. Keep a few versatile pieces for weddings, dinners and other occasions, then be realistic about how often you’re likely to wear the rest. Anything in good condition could be sold or donated to those heading into the workforce, freeing up space for the clothes you’ll actually reach for in retirement – and giving you a good excuse to reassess the rest of your wardrobe while you’re there, midweek shopping sprees can now be a reality.
The kids stuff
It’s time to finally reclaim your space. Retirement is a perfect excuse for finally booting out all the stuff you’ve been storing for the ones who are not so little anymore, after all – they do have their own places (or even kids) by now.
Old school books, toys, university boxes, clothes and childhood keepsakes can take up an impressive amount of room, particularly when they’ve been sitting untouched in the loft or spare room for years.
Rather than deciding what stays and goes yourself, ask your children to go through their belongings and take anything they genuinely want to keep. Give them a reasonable deadline, too, otherwise those boxes have a habit of sticking around for another decade. You can, of course, keep a few sentimental favourites of your own, but you don’t need to remain the permanent custodian of everything they’ve ever owned.
The spare room
If your spare room is anything like ours, it slowly becomes a dumping ground over the years. It’s probably been on your list to declutter since you moved in, well now’s finally the time. From old furniture and exercise equipment to boxes you haven’t unpacked in years, it’s all too easy to shut the door and promise you’ll deal with it another day.
Retirement is a good opportunity to decide how you’d actually like to use that space. Perhaps you’d love a dedicated craft room, somewhere to exercise, or simply a more welcoming room for guests since you actually have time to host now. Having a purpose in mind can make it much easier to decide what deserves to stay. Clear out anything that doesn’t fit with your plans and you could gain an entire room to enjoy in retirement, without having to add a single square foot to your home.
The garage
The Mecca of clutter. Sometimes it feels like a chicken and the egg situation, what came first? The clutter or the garage space? Garages have a habit of becoming a home for all the things you don’t quite know what to do with. Half-used tins of paint, leftover DIY materials, duplicate tools, old gardening equipment, hobby materials and abandoned projects can gradually pile up until there’s barely enough room for the things you actually need – let alone the car.
Before retirement, take stock of what you realistically see yourself using in the years ahead. If you’re looking forward to spending more time gardening or tackling DIY projects, those tools may well earn their place (though they might need a tune up). But broken equipment, supplies from jobs you finished years ago and tools you have several versions of can go. Just remember that paint, chemicals and other potentially hazardous products may need to be disposed of separately rather than put in your household bin.
Old tech
Old technology has a habit of sticking around long after we’ve stopped using it. Previous phones, laptops, cameras and tablets get tucked into drawers “just in case”, while chargers and cables accumulate even when you can no longer remember what they belong to.
Retirement is a natural point to tackle this clutter, as you may have devices and accessories tied to your working life that you’ll no longer need. It’s also a chance to get your digital life in order before starting this new chapter, particularly if you’re planning to downsize or want fewer things to manage. Keep any useful devices, then recycle, donate or sell the rest where appropriate. Just remember to back up anything important and securely wipe personal data before getting rid of old tech.
Sellable clutter
I know the top of my to-do list when I get any spare time, let alone retirement, is to tackle the pile of stuff in my house marked “sell”. We all have things we’re convinced we’ll sell one day, whether it’s an old piece of furniture, a barely used kitchen gadget or clothes that you’re convinced you could earn a pretty penny for. The trouble is, actually listing them can feel like another job, so they end up sitting in a cupboard, garage or spare room for years instead.
Before you retire, make a point of finally tackling your “to sell” pile, particularly if you’re planning to downsize or simply want to start retirement with less clutter to manage. Give yourself a deadline to list anything genuinely worth selling and be realistic about its value. If something doesn’t sell within a set amount of time, consider reducing the price or donating it instead. That way, you can head into retirement with a little extra money in your pocket – and without a pile of belongings still lingering on your to-do list.
