TL;DR
Get business pricing on tools and workshop supplies
- Business-only prices and quantity discounts
- Tax-exempt purchasing
- Multiple users, one account, clear invoices
A House Beautiful report lists 13 categories of household belongings that organizers and designers say homeowners may want to review after five years in the same home. The advice is to keep what is used or valued, donate or sell usable items, and dispose of materials such as leftover paint according to local rules.
A House Beautiful report outlines 13 categories of belongings homeowners may want to sort through after living in the same home for five years, drawing on advice from professional organizers and a designer. The recommendations include unused exercise and wellness equipment, outdated manuals and cords, expired products, and leftover renovation materials, with experts urging residents to keep items they actually use and handle disposal responsibly.
The experts frame the five-year point as a useful time to review what has accumulated, not as a strict deadline to throw things away. Ann Lightfoot, cofounder of DDH Home Organizing & Move Management, says that by then the novelty of having storage can wear off as possessions accumulate. Laura Kinsella, founder of Urban OrgaNYze, says changing routines and interests can leave people storing belongings they no longer need.
The report’s list covers tote bags, water bottles and branded items; manuals and cords for devices no longer owned; worn linens; unused fitness equipment; abandoned project supplies; decorative accessories; decor that did not suit a previous home; leftover paint, tile and building materials; rarely used kitchen gadgets; wellness devices; furniture that no longer fits a household’s routines; expired products; and unopened boxes. The source lists unopened boxes as a category but provides no further advice about what they contain or how to sort them.
Suggestions vary by item. The experts recommend donating or selling usable fitness equipment and passing along extra bags or bottles. Worn linens may be recycled where local services accept them. Lightfoot advises keeping a small, labeled paint sample and perhaps one spare tile, while taking remaining paint and other building materials to a municipal hazardous-waste drop-off when required. The report also recommends working in small areas, such as one drawer or closet, rather than attempting to clear the whole home at once.
How a Five-Year Review Can Help
The advice matters because storage space is finite and belongings can persist after the routines that made them useful have changed. Reviewing them can free cabinets, closets and rooms for current needs, while making it easier to find items that are still in use. The report presents decluttering as a practical household choice, not a requirement to own less or discard everything that is old.
Disposal choices also have practical consequences. Donating or selling usable goods can keep them in circulation, while paint and some renovation materials may need special handling. The article’s guidance is general; local recycling and hazardous-waste rules can differ, so residents should check what their municipality accepts before discarding materials.
Products Worth Considering
Shark HydroVac MessMaster Cordless Wet Dry Vacuum and Mop Combo, AW261
Philips Hue Secure Starter Kit with Contact Sensors, Motion Sensor, Bridge, and Color Smart Bulbs
Levoit EverestAir-P Smart Air Purifier for Large Rooms
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
The Experts’ Room-by-Room Advice
The report’s recommendations reflect comments from organizers Ann Lightfoot and Laura Kinsella and designer Kerrie Kelly, CEO and creative director of Kerrie Kelly Studio. Their shared premise is that five years in a home can reveal which objects fit a person’s actual routines, rather than the intentions they had when they moved in or bought something.
Kelly advises editing by category and starting with one drawer, cabinet or closet. She says meaningful collections can remain, but each piece should have a reason to stay. Lightfoot likewise suggests letting go of projects that have remained plans for years. These are expert recommendations, not findings from a study measuring how often households should declutter.
“Our careers, families, routines, and interests can change dramatically, but the things we’ve accumulated don’t automatically change with us.”
— Laura Kinsella, founder of Urban OrgaNYze
What the List Does Not Establish
The report does not establish that every household should discard these items after five years, nor does it set a universal lifespan for belongings. Whether something is useful depends on the household, available storage, condition and plans. The article gives no detailed directions for the listed unopened boxes, and it does not identify a publication date in the supplied material.
Disposal rules also depend on location and material. The report points readers toward municipal hazardous-waste services for leftover paint and building materials, but it does not specify rules for every product or recycling program. Readers should check local guidance before putting chemicals, electronics or other restricted materials in household bins.
Start With One Small Area
The next step is a gradual review, beginning with a single drawer, cabinet or closet and sorting items by category. Keep belongings that serve a current purpose or hold genuine value; consider donating or selling usable extras, and check local rules for items that need special disposal. The report does not announce a follow-up survey or a formal deadline—its practical recommendation is to make the review manageable rather than tackle an entire home in one weekend.
Key Questions
Does the report say to throw away everything after five years?
No. The experts recommend reviewing belongings after five years, not discarding every item. Their advice is to keep what is used, valued or needed and reconsider the rest.
Which household items does the report suggest reviewing?
The 13 categories include unused bags and branded items, old manuals and cords, worn linens, fitness and wellness equipment, abandoned project supplies, decor, renovation leftovers, kitchen gadgets, furniture, expired products and unopened boxes.
What should I do with leftover paint?
The report suggests keeping a small, labeled sample for touch-ups and taking remaining paint to a municipal hazardous-waste drop-off where required. Check local rules, which vary by location.
How should I begin decluttering?
Designer Kerrie Kelly recommends starting with one drawer, cabinet or closet, rather than trying to sort the entire home at once. Review one category at a time and return only the items that deserve the space.
Source: housebeautiful.com
