7 Things People Keep Way Too Long Because Throwing Them Away Feels Wasteful
BearFotos / ShutterstockI have a bad habit of holding on to things I never use, which ends up leaving my space too cluttered for me to buy new things. Still, it feels wasteful to me to throw away perfectly good items I spent my money on.
Given how focused many people are on the environment and sustainability now, a trip to the garbage bin can be anxiety-inducing for more people than you might think. Getting rid of some specific items feels particularly wasteful to many, even though it's probably really the best thing to do.
Lots of people keep these things way too long because throwing them away feels like a waste
1. Leftovers
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Throwing away food can feel pretty wasteful. The World Food Programme reports that, as of this year, 266 million people are at risk of going hungry. With that many people not having enough food, bringing leftovers home from a restaurant only to end up throwing them away can definitely feel selfish and wasteful.
While wasting food isn't good, it's still not smart to eat it if it's been sitting around for too long. The USDA says the best rule of thumb is that most leftovers can be "kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or frozen for 3 to 4 months," but it depends on the kind of food and the way it's been stored. Ideally, bringing home leftovers should save you the money and hassle of at least one meal in the day or two after, but if you forget about them or end up going out again too many days in a row, you're better off tossing it than possibly making yourself sick.
2. Letters and keepsakes that aren't particularly special
In my mom's attic, there are two huge tubs of old Christmas cards from friends and family. When those bins ran out of space, my mom started storing the cards in decorative bowls she had around the house. She can't get rid of them because they're too sentimental.
Feeling sentimental about items is a major reason people hold onto things they should probably have gotten rid of a long time ago. They may feel like old letters they never look at somehow connect them with their past, and worry that throwing them away would mean their memories are gone too.
Letters or cards are easy to form an attachment to because they often represent the relationship you have with the person who sent them. Someone had to take the time to write them, and they were thinking about you when they did. While it's not literally wasteful, throwing away old letters might feel like you're wasting the chance to reread them and feel special or connected to your loved ones again in the future.
3. Clothes that don't fit or have minor tears and stains
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This is the most hoarder-like habit I have. Even if I haven't worn something in years, I still keep it just in case I might want to in the future. I justify hanging onto clothing by saying that fashion evolves. Clothes go in and out of style, so I never know if a piece will become trendy again.
I rarely end up wearing those clothes, but it feels too wasteful to get rid of them. I justify hanging on to them because I don't want to have to buy more clothes and waste more of the materials it takes to make them. Clothing contributes to 92 million tons of global waste. It has a terrible effect on landfill storage and can cause irreversible damage to the environment. Some people who hang on to their old clothes might not want to create even more textile waste, or they may just think getting rid of them is a waste of the money they spent in the first place.
Donating or reselling clothing that doesn't fit or no longer feels like your style but is still in good condition is a great way to clear out space without feeling like you just threw it in the trash.
4. Old chargers and electronics cords they might need someday
Almost everyone has a drawer somewhere filled with mystery charging cables, outdated phone chargers, random USB cords, and power adapters for devices they no longer own. For people who struggle to let things go, throwing them away can feel surprisingly risky. What if they need that cord someday?
This just-in-case scenario rarely comes true. Instead, those cables continue multiplying until it becomes nearly impossible to tell which ones are actually useful or which go with what device. The fear of accidentally discarding something valuable ends up creating more clutter and making it harder to find the chargers they really do need.
A good rule of thumb is to identify any cords that belong to devices you no longer own, or that use obsolete connections, then recycle them through an electronics recycling program. Keeping only the chargers and cables you currently use frees up space and makes it much easier to find the right cord when you actually need it.
5. Books they've already read or plan to in the future
Some people who love to read overstock their bookshelves with novels they have or haven't read. It can be a convenient way for them to pick up a new book after they finish another one. This way, they don't have to go back to the bookstore and sift through numerous shelves to find something they like. Others keep their books long after they've read them as a sort of trophy, or in case they want to read it again in the future or loan it out to a friend.
Most people don't really have enough time on their hands these days to go back and reread old books or get to all of the books they plan to read later. Books can be expensive, and their prices are only getting steeper. When you've already purchased one, it can be hard to let it go because throwing away a perfectly good book is like throwing away money. There are plenty of great solutions, though, such as selling your old books on Amazon or donating them to Goodwill.
6. Important documents
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Many people keep bills, medical forms, tax paperwork, or insurance documents out in plain sight because they're afraid that putting them away means they'll forget to deal with them altogether. The problem is that what starts as one or two reminders can gradually become a growing stack of unfinished tasks. Those piles eventually stop functioning as reminders and blend into the background, becoming another source of stress, and making it even more likely they’ll postpone dealing with them.
Each unopened envelope or unsigned form becomes a small reminder of something left undone. A more effective approach is to create one designated place for paperwork that requires attention and schedule a regular time to work through it. Having a simple system makes it much easier to stay on top of important documents without allowing them to spread across countertops.
7. Supplies for hobbies they no longer do
Sometimes, people get too busy to keep up with their hobbies. They may have too much going on with work or with friends and go years without taking part in a hobby they used to love.
Because they still love doing these activities, they hold on to the supplies they need so they can return to their passions when they have more time or money. For an artist, that might mean paints that dry out and canvases that end up covered in dust. Even though those things can take up a lot of space, people still struggle to get rid of them because they want to use them eventually and they don't want to spend money buying new ones when they're ready. Their idle craft supplies could even be meant to inspire them to return to their hobby again.
Lily Bell is a college student studying English and Publications who covers relationships, mental health, and personal narratives surrounding the human experience.
