12 Items to Ditch From Your Home to Prove You're an Adult

Your home is a reflection of your unique “you-ness”: every colour, item and design choice showcases your personality, style and place in the world. However, while there’s a time and a place for sentimentality, many of us cling to things long past their usefulness to our current situation (do you really still need that grainy VHS tape from 1996, for example?). Whether you’re in you 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s or beyond, here are some items to purge from your home to take adulting to the next level.

young couple sitting on sofa, eating breakfast in white living room

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When You’re in Your 20s

Your twenties are an exciting decade filled with all kinds of newness. From starting a career to creating your first home on your own, it’s a time of discovery – and a time to start letting go of some of the souvenirs of your childhood and teens.

back of teenage girl in bedroom, looking in mirror and doing her hair in front of wall of taped-up posters and pictures

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Taped-Up Posters

Nothing says “teen room” more than walls speckled with a hodge-podge of taped up posters, magazine pages, etc. While that childhood nostalgia is real, swap the beat-up posters for art that reflects your current personal style. Here are a few stylish ideas under $100 to help you stay on a twenty-something budget.

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Plastic Dishes

When you first leave the nest, it’s natural to go for the cheapest essentials possible – especially in the kitchen – but plastic dishes truly are designed for children. When your plastic cutlery cracks, replace it with forks and knives designed to last a little longer.

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Empty Bottles

There’s something about being young that makes many of us souvenir aficionados – keeping movie stubs, scraps of paper and empty bottles as mementos of good times. The problem? As your teen days get further away, that collection of random, empty beverage bottles starts to look (and likely smell) a little sad.

couple having coffee together in contemporary white living room

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When You’re in Your 30s

By the time you reach your thirties, you’ve likely gone through some trial and error and have a better idea of what you really like – and what you don’t. During this time, follow those instincts to replace unloved items with things that really spark joy in your life.

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Hated Hand-Me-Downs

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with vintage and thrifted home decor – in fact, upcycling and antiquing is a great way to add distinctive style and character to your home. With that said, there’s a big difference between an antique armoire you love and an old couch that someone gave you when you first moved out – that you can’t stand to sit on. Say thanks but replace unloved hand-me-downs with pieces you truly love.

bright white modern bedroom in an old country house

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Scratchy Sheets

When you’re college-aged, chances are you can fall asleep practically anywhere. As you start to mature, however, you start to care more about the quality of your bedding. Ditch the cute-but-scratchy or threadbare sheets and choose higher quality, comfier bedding – soon you’ll be on your way to a more restful sleep.

living room with gray sofa and modern decor

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Floppy Futons

Speaking of sleep, if you’re in your thirties, it may be a good time to evaluate your sleeping surface. You spend (hopefully) around a third of your day sleeping, so it may be time to leave the lumpy old mattress or futon behind so you can get a good night’s sleep.

woman sitting in blue armchair in sunlight with closed eyes in front of window

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When You’re in Your 40s

In your forties, you’ve had time to shed your childhood long ago – which means an opportunity to really evolve your adulting style in your home.

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Flat-Pack Furniture

Now that you know what you like, it may be time to leave easy-to-assemble, short-lived furniture for more durable, lasting pieces. Start by learning what makes certain types of furniture expensive.

Australian shepherd dog sitting on the sofa at home looking out blinds

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Basic Blinds

Sure, basic blinds will do the trick when it comes to blocking out light and adding a bit of privacy, but window treatments are the perfect opportunity to add personality and style to your home – and make your space look much more grown up.

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Bad Kitchen Habits

Part of adulting is leaving behind the cheap ramen of your younger days and learning how to make good food at home – but make sure your kitchen habits are up to snuff, too. Things like not washing your hands long enough or having a taste of raw batter can impact your health – and may erode your #adulting status.

woman smiling at man with tea towel, standing by kitchen sink

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When You’re in Your 50s-Plus

You may think that, having reaching the official halfway point to being a centenarian, you’re automatically an adult – but there could still be things to declutter that you may not have considered.

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Energy Wasters

If you’ve lived in a home for a number of years, chances are that you’re using many older appliances – which could be wasting energy and money. Replacing energy-wasting appliances with more efficient appliances can help reduce your carbon footprint and save cash in the long run.

old white plastic outdoor table and chairs on green grass

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Cracked Lawn Furniture

Feel like your home’s interior is a perfect reflection of self? Now could be a good time to turn your attention outdoors – enhancing your backyard to make it a more relaxing retreat to spend time in. Whether you have a cozy patio or a sprawling yard, toss old plastic furniture in favour of durable outdoor furnishings that mesh well with your home’s overall aesthetic.

Old TV and a pile of tapes. TV is showing a glitch

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Outdated Media

Cassettes, CDs, VHS tapes – oh my! The physical tapes we used to use to entertain us can take up a lot of space, without bringing back a lot of value. If you have things like family home videos or treasured mix tapes, look into digitizing them (this will make memories easier to access in the future and takes up much less space). Other than that, a good rule of thumb for old tapes? If you no longer own a working player for it, you don’t need it in your home (especially if the tape was, for example, for a movie you never liked and will never watch again).