10 Things to Get Rid of Right Now That Are Secretly Stressing You Out

You open the junk drawer for the fifth time this week, stare at the tangle of old cables and dead pens, and quietly shut it again. Nothing in there is a crisis. But somehow, every time you see it, something in your chest tightens a little. Ever notice that?

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That’s the sneaky thing about clutter. It’s not just the big, obvious mess that wears you down — it’s the small stuff you’ve stopped seeing but your brain still tracks. Here are 10 things to get rid of right now that are secretly stressing you out, plus how to actually let them go without guilt.

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Jump to a sectionIn this article7 sections

1. Why This Stuff Weighs on You
2. Physical Things to Get Rid Of
3. Digital Things to Get Rid Of
4. Invisible Things to Get Rid Of
5. Getting Rid Of vs. Organizing
6. What to Do This Week
7. You Deserve a Space That Feels Lighter

Why This Stuff Weighs on You

Let’s clear one thing up first: if your home has clutter, you are not a lazy or messy person. You’re a busy one. Between work, family, and everyone else’s needs, “deal with the pile” slides down the list every single day. That’s normal.

But here’s what the research suggests — a cluttered environment can quietly raise your stress levels, even when you’re not actively thinking about the mess. Your brain treats unfinished business as an open loop, and open loops nag. Every “I should sort that” is a tiny tab left open in your head. 💡

I’ve coached people on habits for over 20 years, and the pattern holds far beyond fitness: clearing physical and mental clutter frees up energy you didn’t know you were spending. Martial arts taught me the same thing — you can’t move well in a crowded space. Neither can your mind. So let’s clear some room.

Physical Things to Get Rid Of

1. Clothes That Make You Feel Bad

Not clothes that don’t fit some future version of you — clothes that make you feel bad right now. The jeans that pinch, the top you keep skipping, the “someday” pile that only serves up guilt every time you open the closet.

You deserve to dress the body you have today, not the one a magazine says you should have. A closet full of clothes that fit and feel good — even a small one — beats a crammed one full of quiet judgment. That’s the whole idea behind a capsule wardrobe: fewer pieces, all of them ones you actually wear. Keep what serves you. Let the rest go without a second thought.

2. The Catch-All Pile

Every home has one. The chair. The counter. The drawer. The spot where random stuff lands and then breeds. It’s not a moral failing — it’s just physics. Stuff without a home ends up in a pile.

The pile stresses you because it’s a to-do list you can’t finish by looking at it. Pick it up, and most of it is trash, belongs somewhere else, or can go to donation. What’s left needs one real home. ✅

3. Expired and Dead Stuff

Old medications, crusty condiments, dried-up markers, sunscreen from three summers ago, half-used products you didn’t like. This stuff takes up space and gives nothing back.

There’s zero decision-making cost here, which makes it the perfect place to start. It’s already useless — you’re just making it official. A cleared-out cabinet or pantry gives you a quick, satisfying win that makes the harder clutter feel possible.

4. Broken Things You’re “Going to Fix”

The lamp with the frayed cord. The blender that leaks. The shoes you keep meaning to take somewhere. Be honest — how long have they been waiting?

If a fix has been “on the list” for months, it’s not really on the list. It’s just decoration for your guilt. Either handle it this week or let it go. Holding onto broken things you’ll never fix keeps you paying rent on a task you already quit.

Digital Things to Get Rid Of

Clutter isn’t only physical. Your phone can be just as crowded — and just as draining.

5. Notifications You Never Asked For

How many times a day does your phone buzz for something that doesn’t actually matter? Every ping pulls your attention and asks your brain to make a tiny decision: check it or not? Do that a few hundred times a day and you get decision fatigue — the mental tiredness that builds up from too many small choices.

Turn off notifications for everything except what genuinely needs you — real people, real time-sensitive things. You’ll be shocked how much quieter your head gets.

6. Apps You Don’t Use

Scroll through your phone. Half those apps are dead weight — used once, forgotten, still sitting there adding clutter and the occasional guilt trip. Delete them. A calmer home screen means fewer little decisions every time you pick up your phone.

7. Inbox Clutter

An inbox stuffed with newsletters and promos you never read is a low-grade stressor you check dozens of times a day. Unsubscribe as they come in — don’t try to clear it all at once. Two weeks of unsubscribing and the flood slows to a trickle. This is a small digital detox — a deliberate break from digital noise — and your future self will thank you.

Invisible Things to Get Rid Of

8. Feeds That Leave You Feeling Worse

Some accounts inform you, make you laugh, or lift you up. Others leave you feeling behind, inadequate, or vaguely anxious — and you keep scrolling anyway. That’s doomscrolling: getting stuck scrolling through content that quietly drains you.

You don’t owe anyone your attention. Mute, unfollow, or curate ruthlessly. A feed should add to your life, not tax it. Ask yourself: after ten minutes here, do I feel better or worse?

9. The Obligation You Keep Dreading

Not every stressor is a thing. Sometimes it’s a “yes” you regret — the commitment you dread, the favor you never wanted, the standing plan that drains you. That dread is clutter too, just the invisible kind.

You’re allowed to bow out. “I can’t make it work anymore” is a complete sentence. Setting a boundary — deciding what you will and won’t take on — isn’t rude. It’s how you protect your energy for what matters.

10. Guilt Over Unfinished Projects

The half-knit scarf. The course you started. The hobby that’s now just a box in the closet. Somewhere along the way, “I’d like to do that” turned into “I’m failing at that.”

Here’s your permission: you can quit things. Not everything you start has to be finished. Let the guilt go, and either restart the project because you want to — or release it and free up the mental space. Both are fine.

Getting Rid Of vs. Organizing

People often reach for organizing when what they need is to get rid of things. There’s a big difference.

	Decluttering	Organizing
What it does	Removes stuff for good	Rearranges the stuff you keep
Effect on the load	Actually lightens it	Just tidies it
Cost	Free — you’re removing	Often means buying bins
Long-term result	Less to manage	Same amount, neater
Best when	You have too much	You have the right amount

Organizing clutter is like reshuffling a messy pile into a prettier pile. It looks better for a week, then drifts back — because the amount never changed. ❌ Getting rid of things first is what actually reduces the load. Declutter, then organize what’s left. ✅

What to Do This Week

You do not have to tackle all ten at once. That’s a fast track to giving up. Start tiny.

• The 15-minute version: Set a timer and clear one drawer, one shelf, or one corner. Stop when it dings. Done is done.
• One thing to remove: Toss all the expired stuff from one cabinet. Zero decisions, instant win.
• One digital swap: Turn off notifications for one noisy app today.
• One “no”: Bow out of one obligation you’ve been dreading. Kindly, and without a long excuse.
• The two-minute habit: Each night, put five things back where they belong. Five. That’s it. It keeps the catch-all pile from ever forming.

If letting go of things feels genuinely impossible — not just hard, but distressing in a way that’s affecting your daily life — that’s worth taking seriously, and a mental health professional can help you work through it with care. There’s no shame in that at all.

You Deserve a Space That Feels Lighter

Clearing out the things that are secretly stressing you out isn’t about a magazine-perfect home. It’s about giving yourself a little more room to breathe — in your space, your phone, and your head. And you don’t get there through one dramatic purge. You get there one drawer, one “no,” one deleted app at a time.

Tending to your space isn’t vanity, and it isn’t fussiness — it’s you clearing room for the life you actually want to live. Small, steady changes compound. Pick one thing today. Let it go. Notice how much lighter that corner of your world feels. 💡

This article is for general wellbeing and isn’t a substitute for professional advice. If clutter or stress feels overwhelming or hard to manage, please use your own judgment and consider reaching out to a qualified professional.

Medical disclaimer: This article is for general education and isn’t a substitute for personal medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Everyone’s situation is different, so please talk with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your diet, exercise, supplements, or medications — and seek prompt care for any new, severe, or persistent symptoms.

Keep going: this article is part of my complete lifestyle guide. For every guide, free tool, and honest review, organized by where you are stuck, visit the Start Here page.