Real talk: How many coffee mugs does one household need?

You probably started out with one or two go-to mugs. But time flies, and all of sudden, your pantry is overflowing with kitsch coffee mugs. Those mugs may seem innocent enough, but clutter can be a serious source of stress.

If clutter is stressing you out, you don’t need to overhaul your entire house. Start with repeat items. These are the things you really only need one or two to function, but somehow own ten.

Not sure what we mean? Here are a few extraneous items to toss today:

1. Books You’ve Read

This one may be controversial, but hear us out. Although it’s easy to get attached to your favorite stories, books can quickly equal clutter, dusty shelves and wasted space. Share the knowledge and donate your read books to schools or used bookstores. Then, give your local library card some exercise. Bonus: If you switch to borrowing from the library, you’ll save some cash, too.

2. Reusable Shopping Bags

Assess what you really need. If you generally leave the grocery store with three bags, keeping four is appropriate. Once you exceed four, you’ve entered the scary-pile-shoved-under-the-sink phase. Avoid that at all costs!

3. Vases

Unless you have a constant supply of cut flowers coming into the house, a cabinet full of vases will likely never come in handy. Pare down your collection to the vases with sentimental value and toss the rest.

4. DVDs and CDs

In the era of Netflix, these guys have basically become irrelevant and can take up a lot of space. If you watched or listened to it 20 times, and you’re ready for 20 more, you should keep it. If you’re likely to never use it again, away it goes.

Don’t want to say goodbye to your collection but are interested in having more space? Try downloading the movies & MP3s onto an external hard drive.

5. Coffee Mugs

When it comes to dishware, we recommend having enough for one week, and then it’s time to do the dishes. So, if you drink coffee every morning, save your favorite seven mugs and donate the rest.

6. Magazines

Limit your magazines to the coffee-table collection. Keep the most recent issues available and make a one-for-one trade when you pick up a new read.

7. Tech Clutter

Audit your desk or junk drawer for duplicate cords, chargers and that phone you used ten years ago. Once you’ve trimmed your collection to only the necessities, organize your tech clutter.

8. Toys

Whether they are for your child, your pet or your niece that comes over on occasion, keep the collection fresh. Only hang on to the most sentimental and recent additions to the toy collection. Depending on how often the toys are being used, choose a fair number of toys to be the base of the collection, and then adopt the one-in-one-out policy.

9. Linens

Limit yourself to two sets of sheets and towels. This will save space in your linen closet and won’t let laundry pile up. Plus, you’ll stop holding onto old, dirty linens “just in case.”

10. Tupperware

The days of saving old takeout food containers are over. Keep only enough Tupperware for one week’s worth of lunches. If there’s a certain type of Tupperware you prefer, limit your collection to only those and recycle the rest. Tip: Using only one type of Tupperware will make it easier to keep it organized.

Information provided by BrightNest.com.

Search all Harrisburg PA homes for sale.

When you are buying or selling property in today's Harrisburg PA real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. Don’s commitment as your Harrisburg PA REALTOR® is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.

When you are an informed buyer or seller, you'll make the best decisions for the most important purchase or sale in your lifetime. That's why Don’s goal is to keep you informed on trends in Harrisburg PA real estate. With property values continuing to rise, real estate is a sound investment for now and for the future.

As a local area expert with knowledge of Harrisburg PA area communities, Don’s objective is to work diligently to assist you in meeting your real estate goals.

If you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area, please don't hesitate to call me at (717) 657-8700, complete my online form, or e-mail me at don@donroth.com.