15 Things You’re Secretly Hoarding (Even Though You Don’t Realize It)

Take a good look around your home and be honest with yourself. Do you have too many things? What about too many of one specific item?

It’s okay. You aren’t alone. I recently deep-cleaned my kitchen and counted 33 nicknacks. I couldn’t remember when or where I got more than half of them. It was a hard lesson for me!

Just in case you’re not sure if you’re secretly hoarding items, here are 15 things you might be hoarding without realizing.

1. Notebooks

I can’t be the only person with way too many notebooks. Throwing them away is so hard. Maybe that’s why I somehow have 12, three of which have never been used. If you have unused notebooks, consider donating or giving them away. Create some space. You can never have too much.

2. Sauce Packets

Like most people, I have a drawer dedicated to miscellaneous items that have no place. There are always way too many sauce packets. Honestly, I can’t tell you how old some of them are. Embarrassingly, I don’t even use some of the sauces!

3. Old Makeup

Until recently, I didn’t realize that makeup had expiration dates. For the longest, I used an eyeshadow palette from 2011. It was first my mom’s. Just this month, I got rid of it and bought a new palette with similar colors. When you have a second, check on your makeup. Test your nail polish bottles. If any are dry, it’s time to part.

4. Pencils and Pens

Most of the items I find myself unknowingly hoarding are office supplies. This is funny to me, considering nearly everything I do is online. I rarely take notes or write down my schedule, yet I have a container filled with pens and pencils.

5. Receipts

Did anyone else’s parents drill it in your head to keep all your receipts? I listened a little too well. Generally, you don’t need to keep all your receipts. I only keep receipts from large purchases over $200 because they sometimes contain warranties. Even now, as a freelancer with slightly more complicated taxes, my receipts are digital.

6. Dried Markers/Pens

What use are dried markers or pens? If something doesn’t work, it’s time to throw or give it away. In the case of markers and pens, trash them. This happens to me unknowingly. I love coloring and have two pencil pounces full of colors. Sometimes, my marker caps aren’t on tight and fall off, leading to a mess and eventually a dry and useless marker.

7. Old Clothes

I’m sentimental, which is likely why I hoard so many items. Old clothes are one of them. I always find myself holding onto dresses and pants that are too small, swearing I’ll fit into them soon. But styles change with time, so even if you can fit into the clothes later, who knows if you’ll like them anymore?

8. Plastic Bags

Are you also a plastic bag hoarder? Do you have one spot where you put them, or what about two or three? I’ve finally started reusing these bags instead of letting them sit there. If you aren’t too careful, suddenly, you’ll have drawers overflowing with plastic bags.

9. Greeting Cards

I’m guilty of hoarding this item. I struggle to throw away or recycle old greeting cards. However, not all greeting cards are the same. Keeping a greeting card with a long, lovely, personal message is one thing. It’s another to keep empty greeting cards with just a signature. If they can’t all fit neatly into a binder for safekeeping, it may be time to do an edit.

10. Containers With Missing Lids

Do me a favor: Take an hour or two to go through your containers and Tupperware. Lay them all out on your dining table or kitchen counter and find the lids. Are there some missing lids? Or lids with no containers? It’s time to recycle, reuse, or get rid of them.

11. Gift Bags

Gift bags are always excellent to have around. Celebrations, including weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries, come fast. This is especially true when you have a large family. Every month, I find myself at a birthday party. To help save money, I recycle and reuse gift bags, but somehow, I still have way too many taking up space in my closet.

12. Mugs

I’m a mug collector. My husband and I both always get each other mugs when we travel, on birthdays, and Christmas. It’s gotten a little ridiculous. Some of the mugs are even cracked, chipped, and scratched. Rethink if you really need the broken mugs.

13. Boxes

We always have way too many cardboard boxes in my apartment. When ordering online, nearly everything comes in a box. I always find myself saving the boxes for another time but rarely use them. Another closet is filled with far too many cardboard boxes, just collecting dust. Does this sound like you?

14. Purses

Another item you may be secretly hoarding is purses. You know the saying, you can never have too many purses? You definitely can. I’ve held onto purses I’ve had since middle school, well over a decade ago. After a while, it’s time to say goodbye. My last donation of purses and clothes was a filled-to-the-brim black garbage bag.

15. Cables

Last but not least are cables; wow, I have a lot. I’m definitely a hoarder of cables, and I’m always wondering if I’ll need them in the future or when one breaks. Spoiler alert: I never use them. Stick to just a handful of popular cables rather than a massive mountain of them.

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