Free Promotional Items and Swag
Companies love handing out free tote bags, branded water bottles, and cheap coffee mugs at corporate events and conferences. While human psychology makes it difficult to throw away anything you receive for free, professional organizers recognize this promotional swag as pure clutter.
We attach an irrational sense of value to these items purely because they cost us nothing. However, every item you allow into your home takes up physical space and mental bandwidth. A cluttered shelf full of mismatched water bottles constantly falls over and frustrates you when you try to unload the dishwasher.
You must give yourself permission to throw away items you never asked for in the first place. Gather all your canvas totes, plastic water bottles, and promotional koozies into one pile. Select your absolute favorite three tote bags for grocery shopping and your top two water bottles for daily hydration.
Once you meet that limit, immediately place the rest in a donation box or the recycling bin. Reclaiming your kitchen cabinet space from unwanted promotional items drastically simplifies your morning routine, allowing you to easily find the dishes you actually use and love.
Yes I have done all these things 6 months ago, and I’ve got to do it again, electronics and chargers strings that have frayed. I’ve just thrown away ink pens I’ve had for a year or more, my new ones don’t last 2 months. I buy in bulk bc I get use to that style. Then they change and then the news bleed. I don’t like certain things to change. If it works don’t change it.
Don’t throw away canvas, or other types of, bags. Reuse them when you go shopping so you don’t get plastic bags!
Very helpful. I’m starting with the cabinet under my bathroom sink because that annoys me the most then on to the linen closet.
Thank you for providing me with a very helpful guide to declutter in an organized manner.
Great information. Great advice.
Great ideas. Useful. Common Sense. Thank you
Be careful about medical bills. My insurer tried to retroactively deny a claim for surgery eighteen months after the fact. I had to use my old records to prove that my claim was valid. I would keep them for five years to be safe. Because the insurance racket in America is so corrupt, I might even consider keeping them in perpetuity.
EXCELLENT column full of very helpful advice for those of us who are guilty of the save-everything-mode because some day we may need it!
Are there any guides or books that I can purchase to give me something in writing showing a list of things that I should keep or throw out.?
Hilarious. I must be a professional organizer because I am in the middle of similar madness!
Excellent advice thank you