It's hard to believe spring is already here, and ifyou're like our real estate agents, you're probably getting ready for your annual spring cleaning routine. Clearing the whole house of clutter takes time, but if you break it down into manageable pieces - start by targeting items that you can throw away or donate right now. It is the perfect time to get rid of unwanted things you've accumulated throughout the year. While it can seem like a hassle, it's definitely worth the effort. After all, few things are as satisfying as a nice clean home.

Here is a quick jumpstart list to get you motivated. If you're getting ready to start your cleaning process, don't forget to throw out these items this year.

Items to Toss While Spring Cleaning

Unworn Clothes:

Maybe it's an unwanted Christmas gift, or maybe it's an old favorite shirt that no longer fits. As a general rule, if you have not worn an item of clothing for a year or more, it goes in the purge pile spring is the time to finally part with unwanted clothing.

Take the opportunity to go through your closet and dresser and get rid of clothing that you know you're not going to wear in the future. Instead of throwing them away, consider taking unwanted clothes to your local donation center. Goodwill, Salvation Army, and Savers are all excepting clothing. A quick Google search will help you find the closest to you.

Office Supplies:

With many of us working from home this year, it is likely you have accumulated more office supplies than typical. We often have the tendency to go overboard when it comes to storing office supplies. Many of us keep drawers full of unneeded office supplies - old white-out, paperclips, or an excessive amount of pens. Take a look around your home office and see what is not in use, or you might have an excess.

If you have not used something for the past six months, then you should consider giving it away. Lots of schools, churches, and other non-profits would appreciate donations of supplies. If you find items in bad shape - remember to recycle where appropriate.

Expired Items:

Canned food, condiments, vitamins, and old medicine are just a handful of examples of expired products you may find throughout your home. During your spring cleaning routine, go through your pantry, freezer, and medicine cabinet and check the dates on all perishable items.While you're at it, also get rid of any old makeup or nail polish that may have reached its expiration date.

Tips for safe disposal of expired medicine: The best way to dispose of your expired, unwanted, or unused medicines is through a drug take-back program. For more information about drug take-back programs, visit the Department of Justice.

If you dispose of your medicine at home, the FDA suggests flushing your medicine or if disposing of it in the trash, use these steps:

1. Mix your medicine with an unappealing substance - e.g. coffee grounds, soil, kitty litter
2. Place it in a sealed leakproof bag
3. Throw it in your trash
4. Use a sharpie to remove all personal information that appears on the bottle from your pharmacy

Plastic Food Containers:

It always seems like we can never have enough Tupperware, but if your cabinets are overflowing with plastic containers, and you have more lids than bottoms, it's probably time to purge your collection.Most plastic containers are not made to last over an extended period of time, so it's a good idea to get rid of overused containers.

This year, how about replacing your plastic with more eco-friendly products. The options are plentiful - from stainless steel to glass to even bamboo. A quick search on Amazon or at your local stores will likely produce many to choose from. If you are looking for eco-friendly alternatives for your food storage try choosing something with as little plastic as possible. It's both better for your health and for our planet.

Books:

While we generally don't recommend throwing out books, you can still donate them, so others can enjoy them. Books can really take up a lot of space, so make it a point to sort through your reading material and get rid of titles you've already read or aren't planning to finish. Many local libraries, nursing homes, and hospitals accept books but check first as some have suspended donations due to Covid-19.

Coat Hangers:

If you frequently use dry cleaning services, chances are you've acquired many clothes hangers over the years. An abundance of hangers not only take-up space but also make your closet look cluttered.

Can clothes hangers be recycled? Yes and No!

• Metal hangers: Metal hangers are recyclable, but oftentimes, dry cleaners are willing to take back these clothes hangers. Or you can drop them off at your local recycling center.
• Plastic hangers: While one would think "they're plastic, of course, they are recyclable" chances are they won't be accepted by your local recycling center because the type of plastic used in these types of hangers is hard to identify. Plastic hangers are best reused or donated to the local thrift shop.
• Wooden hangers: Wooden hangers are coated with varnish which makes them non-recyclable Like plastic hangers these are best reused or donated.

Spring Clean Old Technology:

If you're accumulating old laptops, phones, TVs, or other electronics, spring cleaning is a great time to get rid of your old gadgets. Getting rid of old electronics can be tricky. Many electronics contain hazardous materials and can't be thrown away or recycled. Be mindful, some also store personal information. Proper care is a must when disposing of old technology.

Some tips for tossing old electronics:

• Check with your local municipality - many offer annual electronic disposal days, and it is usually in the spring.
• Find a local hazardous waste facility - most take back old electronics for a small fee.
• Look for buy-back programs - who knows your early edition iPhone might be worth a few bucks.
• Most importantly, make sure to remove all personal information from your device.

Spring cleaning is one of those things that many of us dread! But once the task is complete, you get to enjoy an organized home and a home that will show well to potential buyers! Contact us for more ways to appeal to buyers this season.