Winter is upon us and we need to make some room for it. The start of a new month is always a great opportunity to give yourself a bit of a clean slate, and what better way to do that than by clearing some household clutter.
While many things we declutter simply need re-homing or can be reused in some newfangled handy way, not everything can. A lot of the time, clutter is built of items that have been on the waitlist for the bin for many months – even years.
To help make this November clearout a bit easier, we’ve picked out some of the key items to chuck this winter so that you can make room for all the winter essentials you’re actually going to use.
Broken or surplus hangers
This one came to me as I finally got round to doing my winter wardrobe swap this past weekend. And in doing so, I came across more than a few totally useless clothes hangers. From broken ones to cheap and flimsy ones, they were taking up much more room than they were serving a purpose.
Make room for the coats you’ll actually wear, and stop over-cramming your wardrobe. Keep enough sturdy hangers for the clothes you actually hang, then remove any that are cracked, bent out of shape or gathering dust at the back of the rail. If they’re still usable, ask a charity shop, dry cleaner or local giveaway group if they can use them. Hangers are usually a no-go for household recycling bins because their mixed materials and awkward shape can cause problems at sorting facilities. For broken ones, check your council’s guidance: metal and wooden hangers may be accepted at a recycling centre, while plastic ones often need to go in general waste.
Gloves with no matching partner
It’s definitely winter accessory season, but before you rush out to buy fluffy gloves or a glamorous new scarf, check what you already have at home. You may have forgotten the devastation of losing one glove last year, while its partner has been sitting idle in a drawer ever since. Give coat pockets and bags one last sweep for any strays. If the missing glove doesn’t turn up, clear out the lonely, broken or stained ones and make room for pairs you can actually wear this winter.
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Old thermal layers
Thermals are a low-cost, high-impact way to stay warm in winter, but only if they still fit comfortably and the fabric is in good condition. Before the next cold snap, check yours for holes, thinning patches, loose seams and stretched cuffs or waistbands. These can leave gaps or areas that no longer sit close to the body, making the layer less useful when you’re trying to keep warm.
Also, set aside anything that’s become too tight, baggy or uncomfortable to wear. Keep the thermals you’ll actually reach for and clear out the rest so the wearable ones are easy to find in the drawer.
Damaged hot water bottles
This is potentially one of the most important items to throw out this month. As temperatures drop, many more of us are reaching for our old trusty hot water bottles, only they shouldn't be old and aren’t always trusty. Hot water bottles really shouldn’t be very old at all, about two to three years, max. Your hot water bottle comes with an expiry date, often located on the neck of the bottle. Check it; if it's passed, then it's time to chuck it. Make sure to also check for cracks, leaks or other signs of wear before using yours this month. An old or expired hot water bottle can leak or burst as its rubber deteriorates, spilling hot water and causing serious burns – you’ve been warned.
Bedding that no longer fits your bed
The linen cupboard can become a home for bedding that no longer has a matching set, fits your current bed or feels comfortable to sleep in. Pull everything out and check sheets against the mattress, as well as looking for faded fabric, thinning patches and elastic that’s lost its stretch. If you’re keeping warmer bedding to use as the nights get colder, make sure it’s clean, dry and easy to reach. Donate clean sets in good condition if they’re no longer useful to you, and check local textile recycling options for anything too worn to pass on.
Expired cold and flu medicines
Before cold and flu season gets properly underway, check the dates on medicines in your cupboard and remove anything that’s expired, damaged or no longer needed. Pay attention to any instructions about how long a product lasts after opening and keep only in-date remedies you know are suitable for those in your home. But before you get a little too bin-happy, don’t put unwanted medicines in the bin or flush them away; NHS advice is to return them to a pharmacy for safe disposal.
Torches that don’t work
The recent government advice on stocking up on household essentials in the case of an emergency had something about the essentials we rarely use, and therefore rarely check the condition of. The government’s campaign recommends keeping a battery-powered or wind-up torch (and spare batteries) in a home emergency kit.
With the evenings drawing in, it’s a good time to check yours before you need it in a hurry. Test the switch and beam, and look inside the battery compartment for corrosion or leakage. If it’s faulty, take it to an electrical recycling point; don’t put it in the household bin. Recycle used batteries at a battery collection point, too, then keep a working torch and fresh batteries together somewhere easy to find.
