
Many things have become harder since I turned 45. I may have celebrated the occasion at home, with a night full of martinis and surrounded by people I love, but the truth is I started feeling older, more tired, and less tolerant of the challenges and stressful moments life insists on bringing.
And to be honest, the walls of my home started to feel like they were closing in on me.
+ 6 decorating mistakes that make your home’s facade look tacky (and how to avoid them)
I often tell my friends that the key to feeling in control of your life when things get more complicated is something I like to call “adult life management.” That means handling paperwork, organizing finances, resolving personal matters, and also getting rid of the physical clutter that has piled up over the years.
I’ve found that the more I remove these things from my space, the more in control and lighter I feel in life after 45. Here’s everything I decided to eliminate after reaching that age.
1. Unnecessary mugs and glasses
I had accumulated a ridiculous — read: unnecessary and frustrating — amount of shot glasses, themed mugs, and random wine glasses. What once seemed like a cute souvenir from a trip to Mexico ended up never being used and just took up space. Since I started organizing, I’ve reduced everything to a functional set of wine glasses, martini glasses, and coffee mugs that I actually use every day or when I have guests over.
2. Tickets, wristbands, and collected memorabilia
Concerts, festivals, fairs, and events left a trail of tickets, wristbands, and badges in drawers and on walls. As nostalgic as they were, I realized they just took up space. If something holds sentimental value — like a first date ticket — you can save it in a memory box or album. The rest can be tossed (or digitized in photos if you want to keep the memory).
3. Expired products
It’s amazing how we complain about lack of space, yet waste it on expired items. Expired vitamins, old medicine, unusable cosmetics and beauty products, forgotten spices, and pantry items — I threw them all out. After all, it makes no sense to keep things that no longer serve you — in life or in the cabinet.
4. Piles of paperwork and old mail
Every time I go through the drawers, I’m surprised by how many papers are totally useless: old travel itineraries, menus from restaurants that no longer exist, brochures, catalogs, receipts paid years ago (and now available online!). The rule is simple: if it has personal data, shred it. The rest? Toss it without fear.
5. Useless kitchen tools
Being a food lover has a cost: collecting random utensils. Some are useful, but many sit in drawers for years. My rule now is clear: if I haven’t used it in a long time or don’t even know what it’s for, it’s time to let it go. Donate, discard, or recycle.
6. Outdated decor and accessories
When I moved into my first apartment, the decor reflected who I was then: leopard print pillows, polka-dot curtains, pink towels… Today, that no longer fits who I am. I replaced it all with more neutral pieces — lots of black, white, and subtle color accents. Your decor should reflect who you are now, not who you were 20 years ago.
7. Obsolete cables, cords, and chargers
Twelve chargers for phones that no longer exist. Cables for devices I’ve long discarded. Mysterious adapters. My junk drawer had become a tech graveyard. The solution? Get rid of everything that no longer works. If it doesn’t plug into anything you use, it has no reason to stay.
8. Old manuals and receipts
Manuals for appliances I no longer own, receipts for purchases from years ago… all just taking up space. Keep only the important receipts for tax or warranty purposes. And remember: almost all manuals are available online now.
9. Clothes I haven’t worn in years
My closet has to fit everything: clothes, jackets, shoes. And yet I discovered items I haven’t worn in years. If it’s torn, stained, no longer suits who you are, or simply doesn’t fit — it doesn’t belong there. Everything I hadn’t worn in the past year was donated.
10. Old books, albums, and unused cookbooks
I love my books and albums, but I realized some no longer belong in my current life. Books I haven’t read in decades, albums I no longer listen to, cookbooks I never opened… I donated them all and, honestly, haven’t missed them. Free space is much more valuable at this stage in life.
Source: Apartment Therapy
This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.