Your bedroom closet is meant for clothes, shoes, and the occasional “I’ll-deal-with-this-later” pile. But the bedroom closet slowly turns into a black hole that eats up every type of random item. The problem is that these random items can include things that attract pests, mildew, mold, and just plain messiness.
Here are 12 items that have no business being in your closet, and that you should probably get rid of right now.
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Old electronics or cables
That box of tangled charging cables or old game controllers is taking up space and collecting dust. Keep your electronics and cables in a more organized spot and recycle what you can.
Unsealed food or snacks
“Just one snack for later” doesn’t work at all. Food in the closet is an invitation to pests, rodents, and mildew. Snack in the kitchen, folks.
Shoes you never wear (especially if they’re dirty)
Worn-out sneakers, grimy boots, and other unworn footwear just take up space and stink up the room. Let them go if you haven’t worn them in a year.
Old cosmetics or toiletries
Expired or half-used lotions, dried nail polish, random liquids from ages ago: none of these are welcome in your closet. Toss them before they leak or turn foul.
Paperwork or old files
You can’t store important documents under a pile of sweaters in the closet. Closets can be damp, may have pests like moths and aren’t too secure. Use a locked safe for important paperwork instead.
Wet or damp items
The towel you forgot to hang up or the damp jacket you tossed in the closet can create mold and mildew and ruin everything else in there. Hang it up or let it dry before it goes back in the closet.
Dirty laundry
Sweaty gym clothes or damp towels shoved in the back corner are a breeding ground for musty odors, and possibly mold/mildew. Keep dirty laundry in a hamper or basket outside the closet.
Source: TheSpruce
Candles or anything meltable
Candles seem like a harmless thing to store in a closet, but on a warm or humid day, they can melt or leak all over your stuff. The same goes for any other thing that can be affected by heat or humidity.
Source: Better Homes & Gardens
Suitcases you haven’t emptied
You came home from vacation and tossed the suitcase in the closet “for now.” Two weeks later, it’s still full of who-knows-what. Not to mention all the germs, dirt and grime the wheels picked up over your vacation. Take it out.
Clothes that smell like smoke or sweat
Stashing smoky or sweaty clothes in your closet just transfers the smell to everything else. Neglecting to air out or wash your closet can lead to an overwhelming smell.
Unused gift bags, boxes, or wrapping paper
It’s tempting to stash gift stuff “just in case,” but they pile up fast and take up prime closet real estate. Store them somewhere else or get honest about what you’ll actually use.
Pet food or supplies
Keeping the kibble bag in your closet might seem like a good idea, but it can attract pests, rodents or mites easily. Keep it sealed and store it in a better place.
Source: PetMD
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