10 Things That Did Not Make It Into My Empty Nester Home
If you are wondering what things to get rid of when downsizing, one of the best places to start is by looking at the items you no longer use, need, or even want to take care of anymore.
Becoming an empty nester changed the way I looked at my home completely. Things I had kept for years suddenly stopped making sense for the way we live now.
So, I am sharing 10 things I refused to bring into my empty nester home and why letting them go made life simpler, easier to manage, and far less crowded.
Now before we dive in, I want to say this: these are the things that no longer fit our life. Your list may look completely different, and that is exactly the point. Right-Sized Living is not about copying someone else’s home. It is about choosing what actually works for you and letting the rest go.And if you are just getting started, my Downsizing 101 guide will help you take those first practical steps without feeling overwhelmed.
What Things Should You Get Rid of When Downsizing?
The best things to get rid of when downsizing are the items that no longer fit the way you live today. Things you no longer use, need, wear, or rely on as you once used to.
For many empty nesters, that includes duplicate kitchen items, unused hobby supplies, oversized furniture, old paperwork, “just in case” items, and things being stored out of guilt or habit instead of actual use.
Downsizing is not about getting rid of everything. It is about choosing what deserves space in your home and letting go of what no longer supports your current lifestyle.
The Storage Unit Became My Reality Check
My real wake-up call happened the day the moving truck pulled up.
Because one look at that truck and I knew immediately: there was absolutely no way all our stuff was going to fit into our much smaller and cozier home.
Not even close.
So instead of trying to cram everything into closets and spare rooms like a squirrel storing nuts for winter, we put a huge amount of it into storage.
The funny thing is, I thought those storage units were temporary.
Yeah…not even close.
It took me a year to clean them all out. And during that time, I had to make some pretty big decisions inside those metal buildings.
If I used it, it could stay.
If I didn’t, it could go.
Here’s what that dance looked like…
I would pull something out and think:
“Well… I haven’t used you in five years.”
And into the donate pile it went.
Then I would pick up the next item:
“Why in the world did I drag this all the way here?”
Straight into donate again…this time with a little toss for dramatic effect.
Or my personal favorite:
“I’m pretty sure I haven’t touched this since 1997.”
Another basketball shot into the donate pile.
And little by little, as I worked through all those things, I started realizing something important: just because something survived all my previous rounds of downsizing did not automatically mean it deserved a place in this new home.
That storage unit became the place where I finally got honest about what actually fit the way we live today.
10 Things I Refused to Bring Into My Empty Nester Home
Your list may look completely different than mine, but sometimes seeing someone else’s choices can help you look at your own home with fresh eyes.
1. My Iron and Ironing Board
One of the first things I decided not to bring into our empty nester home was my iron and ironing board.
Because as I sat there looking at it, I realized…I never used it anymore.
Over the years, my husband and I changed the way we dressed, the clothes we bought were wrinkle free, no iron needed.
So instead of automatically keeping it, I finally stopped and asked myself:
“If I was shopping today, would I buy this again?”
The answer was no.
And that little realization opened my eyes to how many things we keep simply because we have always kept them.
Action Step
Take a slow walk through your home and look for items tucked into corners, hiding on shelves, or buried in the back of cabinets that have not been used in years.
Then pause before making any quick decisions and ask yourself:
- Am I keeping this because I actually use it?
- Is this something I still want in my life today?
- If I was shopping would I buy it again?
You may decide to keep it.
You may decide it no longer fits your life.
Either way, the goal is not to force yourself to get rid of things.
The goal is to start noticing what you are managing out of habit instead of purpose.
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2. Oversized Furniture
One of the biggest surprises during our move was realizing how much furniture we had that simply did not fit our empty nester home anymore.
And I do not just mean physically.
Sure, some pieces were too large for the rooms, but honestly, a lot of them also no longer fit the way we live now.
In our larger family home, it made sense to have extra seating, bigger furniture, and rooms packed full because we had kids at home, constant activity, and a much busier lifestyle.
But once we moved into a smaller home, trying to squeeze all that furniture into the space made everything feel crowded and uncomfortable.
At one point I remember looking around and thinking: “Why does this room feel stressful instead of cozy?”
The answer was simple.
Too much furniture.
So instead of forcing everything to fit, I chose the pieces we actually loved and used most often and let the extra pieces go.
And the room instantly felt calmer.
Action Step
Take a look around the rooms you spend the most time in and pay attention to how the space feels when you walk through it.
Ask yourself:
- Is there furniture blocking easy movement through the room?
- Are there pieces being used mainly because they are already there?
- Does the room feel peaceful…or packed?
Sometimes downsizing furniture is not about getting rid of beautiful pieces.
It is about creating a home that feels easier to live in every single day.
3. Extra Sets of Dishes
When I was packing I was surprised to see that I owned five sets of dishes.
Apparently, I believed I was one unexpected phone call away from hosting a banquet for 40 people.
Meanwhile, our dining room can barely hold everyone comfortably at Thanksgiving without somebody balancing a dinner roll on their lap.
So when we downsized, I finally stopped and asked myself how many dishes we actually used on a regular basis.
The answer was: far fewer than I owned.
Now I keep:
- one everyday set
- one set for holidays or company
And honestly, that has been more than enough.
One thing I realized is that a lot of us store things for occasional events while making our everyday spaces harder to manage.
And those overstuffed cabinets? They become so exhausting after a while.
Action Step
Open your kitchen cabinets and take a look at how many dishes, serving bowls, mugs, and glasses you realistically use during a normal week.
Then ask yourself:
- Am I storing extras for rare occasions?
- Could a smaller amount make my kitchen easier to manage?
- Do I actually enjoy using these items, or am I just keeping them because I always have?
Remember, this is not about getting rid of things just to get rid of them.
It is about creating space for what truly works in your life today. Use the questions to guide you to the best answer…for you.
4. “Just in Case” Clothes
Another thing I lugged with me was a collection of bins full of old outdoor clothes. Things like my farm clothes, the things I wore when I gardened, even my heavy-duty outdoor work clothes and big barn boots.
And years ago, all of those made complete sense because our lifestyle was very different then.
But now?
The most outdoor work I usually do is taking the dog outside and reminding him to hurry up because I am cold.
That is it.
I am not fixing fences, or hauling feed buckets. And I am definitely not outside at four in the morning milking a herd of goats.
But I was still keeping all those clothes “just in case.”
That phrase right there can keep a whole lot of clutter hanging around.
Action Step
Take a look through your closets, storage bins, or dresser drawers and look to see whether you are keeping clothes for the life you are living now…or for a life you used to live years ago.
Ask yourself:
- Does this still support my current lifestyle?
- Would I choose to wear this today?
- Am I keeping this because I use it…or because I feel strange letting it go?
You do not have to get rid of everything overnight.
But noticing the difference between your “life now” and your “life then” is a powerful place to begin.
5. Multiples of Everything
One of the most eye opening things I saw as I was downsizing was how many duplicates I had tucked all over the house.
Extra towels, sheets, duplicate kitchen tools and so many backup beauty products.
And enough throw pillows to open my own pillow department at HomeGoods.
Now listen, some extras absolutely make sense.
But somewhere along the way, my “extras” turned into things I was constantly organizing, washing, storing, and moving around.
One of the biggest shifts for me was realizing: more stuff does not always make life easier.
Sometimes it simply creates more things that you have to manage.
Action Step
Pick one small area in your home like:
- a towel closet
- a makeup drawer
- a kitchen utensil drawer
- your throw pillows
Then ask yourself:
- How many of these do I realistically use?
- How many are backups of backups?
- Would having less actually make this space easier to maintain?
The goal is not perfection.
The goal is creating a home that feels manageable instead of overwhelming.
6. Old Hobby Supplies
This one surprised me a little because I realized I had boxes of supplies for hobbies I had not touched in years.
Not months.
Years.
At some point, those hobbies stopped being something I enjoyed and started becoming storage I felt guilty about.
And honestly, that was hard to admit.
Because sometimes when we keep old hobby supplies, we are not really keeping the items.
We are keeping the version of ourselves connected to them.
But eventually I had to ask myself a hard question: “Am I realistically going back to this?”
For many of those hobbies, the answer was no.
And letting those things go created space for new interests that fit my life much better today.
Action Step
Think about any hobbies or projects you once loved but have not touched in a very long time.
Then ask yourself:
- Do I still enjoy this?
- Do I realistically see myself using these supplies again?
- Or have I been storing these things out of guilt because I spent money on them?
You may decide to keep some of it.
You may decide to let some go.
Either decision is okay.
The important part is making the choice intentionally instead of automatically storing it forever.
7. Christmas Decorations
Oh boy.
This one was a reality check.
At one point I had:
- 27 totes of Christmas decorations
- 9 Christmas trees
Nine.
And while I still absolutely love decorating for Christmas, there was simply no way all of that was fitting into our empty nester home.
So I finally scaled things back.
Not completely.
Just realistically.
And you know what surprised me most?
Decorating actually became more enjoyable.
Less unpacking and, even better, less chaos afterward trying to put everything away again.
Sometimes too much holiday decor can turn something joyful into a giant stressful production.
Action Step
The next time you decorate for a holiday, pay attention to what you actually enjoy unpacking versus what feels like work.
Ask yourself:
- Which decorations truly make me happy?
- Which ones do I use every year?
- Are there items I continue storing out of guilt or habit?
Just remember, you do not have to stop decorating like you used to….but you can absolutely make decorating easier on yourself.
8. Old Paperwork
Paper clutter is sneaky because it usually piles up slowly over time.
One folder becomes two.
Two boxes become five.
And before you realize it, you are storing paperwork you have not looked at in over a decade.
Oh yes, that is exactly what happened to us.
So one of the first things I did was get all those boxes of papers into one area so I could work through them at a pace that didn’t stress me out.
Sometimes just seeing what you have in one spot can help you better deal with things. Now we have a paper system that actually makes sense and is much easier to keep up with going forward.
Action Step
If papers are overwhelming you right now, do not start by dumping every stack and box onto the floor all at once.
That usually creates a bigger mess and a whole lot of frustration.
Instead, start by gathering papers from around your home into one main area so you can finally see what you are dealing with.
Once everything is together, set a small and realistic goal like:
- one box a month
- one folder a week
- one short sorting session every Saturday morning
Then, as you work through things, ask yourself:
- Is this important enough to keep?
- Is this information outdated?
- Do I realistically need a paper copy of this anymore?
Paper clutter did not pile up overnight. And it does not have to disappear overnight either.
Slow and steady progress is still progress.
9. Things I Was Keeping for Other People
One thing I noticed over the years is that when you have a larger home, people tend to give you things because they know you have the room.
Family furniture.
Boxes of keepsakes.
Extra household items.
Things nobody else quite knew what to do with.
And for a long time, I accepted a lot of it.
Not necessarily because I wanted it…but because I felt guilty saying no.
So into the attic, basement, or spare room it went.
But when we moved into our empty nester home, I realized something pretty quickly:
I could not keep storing things for other people if they did not actually fit our life or our space.
That meant I had to have a few honest conversations.
The funny thing is, I expected those conversations to feel awkward.
The surprising thing was, most of them were not.
Because once I explained that we were setting this home up for the way we live now and simply did not have room for extra storage anymore, people understood.
And if they truly wanted those items to stay in the family, they could choose to keep them themselves.
Action Step
Take a look around your home and notice if you are storing things mainly because:
- someone gave them to you
- they belonged to another family member
- you felt guilty saying no
- or you became the “storage house” over the years
Then ask yourself:
- Would I choose this item for my home today?
- Does this support the way we live now?
- Am I keeping this out of obligation instead of purpose?
You are allowed to create limits around what enters and stays in your home.
That is not selfish, that is practical.
10. My Old Decluttering Approach
This may have been the biggest thing I refused to bring into our empty nester home:
my old way of decluttering.
For years, I approached decluttering by constantly looking for things to get rid of.
And that approach, I realized, always left me frustrated.
Because it felt like I was endlessly walking around my house trying to force decisions or convince myself to part with things before I was ready.
But somewhere during our move, my approach changed.
Instead of asking:
“What can I get rid of?”
I started asking:
“What actually deserves space in this home?”
And that one question changed everything.
Because suddenly, the focus was no longer on loss.
It became about choosing.
Choosing what we use.
Choosing what we love.
Choosing what supports the life we are living today.
It’s about choosing, not losing.
That is what Right-Sized Living became for me.
Not getting rid of everything.
Just creating a home that feels more comfortable, and less overwhelming.
Action Step
The next time you are working through a drawer, cabinet, or storage bin, try changing the question you ask yourself.
Instead of:
“What should I get rid of?”
Try asking:
- What do I actually use?
- What makes life easier for me?
- What deserves space in my home today?
That small shift can completely change the way downsizing feels.
Final Thoughts on Creating a Right-Sized Home
One of the biggest things I learned during our move into an empty nester home is this: creating a right-sized home is not really about getting rid of things.
It is about getting honest about what actually fits your life today.
Some of the things on this list may have surprised you.
Some may not apply to you at all.
And that is exactly how it should be.
Because Right-Sized Living is not about following someone else’s checklist.
It is about learning how to look at your home differently so you can stop managing things that no longer support the way you live now.
Little by little. One decision at a time.
And if you want help applying this approach in your own home, that is exactly what we do inside the Right-Sized Living Community.
Every month, we work through different areas of the home together using a practical and realistic method that helps you create a home that feels calmer, easier to manage, and better suited for the life you are living today.
Because your home was never meant to store every version of your past.
It is supposed to support your life now.