Here's to enjoying a clutter-free summer!
10 Things Professional Organizers Say to Toss at the Start of Summer
Published on Jun. 25, 2025
After such a long winter and rainy spring here in the Northeast, I am ready to enjoy every minute of summer. In fact, I’m tempted to throw away every sweater, coat and boot just to clear out those cold-weather memories, even though I know I’ll need them again in just a few short months.
Still, summer is a good time for my husband and me to clear out some clutter in the house and yard so that we’re ready to host friends and family for barbecues, or even just hang out on our patio on a warm night. I asked two professional organizers—Shantae Duckworth, founder of Seattle-based Shantaeize Your Space, and Wendy Trunz, partner and head organizer at Jane’s Addiction Organization in Port Washington, New York—for some decluttering advice as we head into the long, lazy days of summer.
Keep reading to see the 10 things they suggested for the discard or donate pile.
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Unwanted or broken pool accessories
Too many pool noodles on hand? Upcycle them for your flower pots. Cut a piece of a pool noodle and arrange it around the rim of a larger plant pot as a reservoir to keep the soil well hydrated. You could also cut the noodles into rings and place them around plant stems to keep slugs and snails away. If you have an extra-large flower pot, don’t fill it completely with soil. Instead, cut up pieces of the pool noodle and layer them on the bottom of the pot so that it requires less soil to fill.
Duckworth also recommends checking those pool floaties at the start of the season and discarding any that won’t hold air.
Expired sunscreen and bug spray
Go through your sunscreen stash from last season and check to see if any of it is still good. “Yes, that expiration date matters,” says Duckworth, especially for old bottles that have been sitting in the trunk of your car since last Labor Day. (No judgment!) Get rid of any bottles that have indeed expired—this also applies to bug spray—and don’t forget to buy a new supply to protect your skin.
Untouched seasonal items in storage
To be fair, this category might warrant more of a reorganization than a decluttering session. But do be sure to check your basement, garage, shed or patio for seasonal items you’ve never used, like lawn and garden tools that might have been more aspirational than practical. “Be honest—if it’s been gathering dust and you keep saying ‘maybe next year,’ it’s probably time to let it go,” says Duckworth.
But if any of the stuff you have in storage is indeed staying for the season, make sure it’s arranged within reach, says Trunz. “Summer is here, and it’s time to play outside and create memories with your family, and the toys and bikes and beach gear need to be placed for easy access,” she explains. Other summer essentials to move to the front of your garage include bikes, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, towels and functioning beach chairs, garden supplies and pool toys.
Outgrown toys
This will be bittersweet for some readers, but if your children have outgrown their outdoor toys, such as water tables or tot-size watering cans, it’s time to say goodbye, says Duckworth.
Rather than simply discarding them, give them new life by donating them to a school or passing them along to a neighboring family with age-appropriate kids.
Busted outdoor furniture
The fabric on a couple of our beach chairs ripped last season. Apparently, I was hoping that they would miraculously repair themselves over the winter. But after Duckworth’s reminder to check for broken outdoor furniture, that pair of useless chairs is ready to go out with the next garbage pickup.
Summer clothes you won’t wear
Duckworth recommends pulling out your summer wardrobe to see what still fits and what you’ll actually still like to wear. “If you’re still skipping that romper or avoiding those sandals that give you blisters, it’s OK to say goodbye,” she says. “Summer should feel comfortable and easy, not like a battle with clothes that don’t fit your body or your life anymore.”
Depending on what items you’ll be purging from your closet, you might want to try to make a few bucks with a secondhand seller or simply donate them to a local charity. Check ClotheDonations.com for charities and thrift stores near you.
Winter items cluttering up entryways
If your home is a flurry of activity, with people coming and going often during the summer, Trunz says it’s time to make way for it all. That means it’s time to put away for the season any coats, sweaters, hoodies and heavy winter shoes hanging around your entryway or mud room. “Time for flip-flops and sandals,” says Trunz. And if any of it doesn’t fit, donate it.
Paperwork and homework from the past school term
If you have any calendars or event flyers with past events from the school year, add them to the recycling pile without a second thought. Your child’s school papers and homework can likely go too, but go ahead and see what’s memorable and worth saving first.
Trunz has a good rule to help you decide what to declutter and what to keep for posterity: If your child made art with their handprints, footprints, etc., then keep it. The same goes for anything they’ve written that comes from their hearts. But those random worksheets and coloring pages can likely go. Whatever you decide to save should be put in a storage bin marked with the year or child’s age.
Digital clutter
Make time for a digital decluttering session too—although we don’t blame you if you tackle this task poolside, on the beach or in a hammock. “Clean out your camera roll, delete the screenshots from six months ago, unsubscribe from email lists you never read and close the tabs that have been open since April,” Duckworth says. “Make room for the good stuff—new memories, easy mornings and whatever joy looks like for you this season.”
Anything else in the “Why do I still have this?” category
Consider this the bonus round of decluttering for the summer, as answers will vary greatly by household. For inspiration, Duckworth recommends duplicate grilling tools, water bottles with no lids and yucky-smelling picnic blankets. Oh, and any random cords that you think you might find a use for but haven’t. “These things take up way more mental space than we give them credit for. Let them go,” she says.
It pays to do a little bit of work decluttering your home so you can actually enjoy some lazy summer days.
“Summer is the perfect time to lighten things up, literally and emotionally,” says Duckworth. “The days are longer, the energy is brighter and there’s this natural momentum to refresh your space so you can actually enjoy the season—not just trip over it.”
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Sources:
- Shantae Duckworth, founder of Shantaeize Your Space; email interview, June 18, 2025
- Wendy Trunz, partner and head organizer at Jane’s Addiction Organization; email interview, June 19, 2025
