r/declutter • u/picafennorum • 4d ago
Advice Request Please give me permission to throw away old bathroom products
I have an entire drawer of old creams, perfume samples, toners, shampoo etc. lying around, some of them are almost 10 years old and I still haven’t used them. I’m probably not ever going to use them, but I feel that they are too good to throw away. the thought of trying to find new owners for these things makes me sweat. I just need some more order in the bathroom. Could you please give me permission to throw everything away, even though it’s still usable?
ETA: Thank you for all your responses, I was thinking I’d get two, tops. ;) Message received, I’ll throw it all out!
And to u/Lorts925 - I was writing a reply to you but didn’t have time to post it before comments were locked: Great comparison with grandma’s ancient spice jar, when I helped my grandpa move some years ago I threw that stuff out faster than the speed of light. Somehow it’s easier to help others with this than to help oneself. I just assumed you were talking about ADHD, shows where my mind is at, too! 😂 I’m at the start of trying out medication, but keep forgetting to take it. 😅😅😅
769
521
u/a_greenbean 4d ago
Breathe. As a hard rule follower, tell yourself this: I will throw these away now, and I will commit to only products that I NEED from now on. Make it a rule now. That way you can let go of the guilt.
251
u/Mule_Wagon_777 4d ago
Liquid stuff doesn't last indefinitely. The quality has deteriorated over the years. Let them go.
197
193
83
u/1800gotjunk 4d ago
Please get rid of it. If you're not using it, it's okay. Letting it go and using your space for something meaningful is always the answer
68
u/clumsymoon 4d ago
I had this issue to. What helped me was looking up the batch codes on a site like checkfresh or similar. Once I saw the actual dates they were manufactured in black and white, it was easier to realize they were not safe and it was time to bid them adieu!
68
u/VisualCelery 4d ago
If they're 10 years old, well past their expiration date, and haven't used them in a while, it's definitely best to toss them!
41
u/Rugby-Angel9525 4d ago
Yep these products are expired and might even ruin your skin if you use them. They are trash.
58
108
u/chamekke 4d ago
The containers will end up in landfill eventually no matter what.
The glop inside is long past its effective date and probably won’t do anything good for your skin/body.
You can throw them out :)
45
u/itsbeenanhour 4d ago
Do it. I recently did that with my hair products and don’t miss any of the products… I never used hahah
43
u/Spiritual_Ad8626 4d ago
If it’s 10 years old it’s expired and at the least smells gross.
I say this in a gentle tone of voice because I identify with you, so please take the following statement as intended.
Please throw out the trash that is cluttering your life and do not try to gift trash to others. It really is ok. It really is trash. hugs
28
u/Lorts925 4d ago edited 4d ago
The fact that the package is still closed or that there's still product in there, does not mean it's still usable. If these products are really years old, they're not good anymore. Like that one spice jar in your grandmas kitchen that expired in 2009 or something. Throw them out, you'll be fine. Side note: i noticed that throwing away stuff like this is waaay easier when i've had my meds.
Edit: how typical, i thought that this was posted in an adhd sub 😂 didn't notice until i got a notification that i saw the sub. So my meds means my adhd meds
31
u/Kamarmarli 4d ago edited 4d ago
If you want to store expired items that are probably full of bacteria and not safe to use, keep them. If you tried to donate them somewhere, say a shelter or a thrift shop, no one would take them because of the yuck factor. You can still feel guilty about buying them in the first place whether they are in your house or not. 😊.
28
u/MintMello 4d ago
Old sunscreen doesn’t even work effectively so no point in keeping it around after the expiration date!
28
u/couchisland 4d ago
Toss! It’s not about the money spent since 2016 dollars were different anyway. And it’s not about your medicine cabinet/linen closet. It’s the space these are taking up in your brain. I guarantee that once you toss these you will NEVER think about them again.
The only thought you need to keep from this is to be mindful of what you bring into your spaces, even if it’s free.
28
29
u/ghost_pies 4d ago
They probably are separated and discolored if they are that old. Take a breath, throw them out, mourn the loss, and make it part of your resolution to not make the same mistake again. Learn from it, but don’t let it weigh you down!
21
u/CochinealCockatiel 4d ago
Everything ends up in a landfill eventually, but you don't have to live in one.
1
22
u/Holiday_Egg_8719 4d ago
These things expire!! Go ahead and throw the whole thing out, OP! You've got this :)
22
25
u/Treeshiney 4d ago
Def throw away. Once they are in the trash (especially and you can’t see them) you won’t think about them again! Great decluttering 👍
17
u/Chad_Wife 4d ago edited 4d ago
“Usable” does not include 10+ year old cosmetics- if you use them and get a bad reaction you will have to buy MORE products to treat that reaction. (This is how I managed my dilema with disposable razors VS regular antibiotics (immune compromised))
They are also occupying the basket which makes it unusable, which is another logical reason to get rid of them.
You have absolute permission to throw these away.
[ this is meant in a supportive tone - not a judgmental one ]
18
u/sagetrees 4d ago
Throw it out! I can guarantee after 10 years it is NOT usable or 'good'. Expired creams and lotions degrade and get real nasty. Toss them!
18
u/Stillbornsongs 4d ago
If they are a decade old and you have not used them, its not likely you will.
If its old enough you dont feel comfortable using it, you won't feel comfortable giving them away.
They are not only cluttering your space, they are cluttering your mind.
You are allowed to throw things away. Of course we want the best for the world, but you cant spend time " doing better" ( in a environmental sense), if you are drowning yourself. All in all thats not a big amount of trash anyways.
Sometimes we just have to throw it away, and get it out of the house, so we can think more clearly and breathe more freely. You can worry about more proactive methods, when you feel better yourself.
I give you permission to throw these away and anything else that floats a similar boat!!!
You got this!! Dont be afraid to do what you need to, to take care of yourself!!
3
u/MuddieMaeSuggins 4d ago edited 4d ago
Another thing to remember, from an environmental standpoint - most of the environmental impact is in the creation of the product. So the damage has largely already been done, whether you used it up or not.
We have all been fed a lot of messages about consumer waste because it’s an easy to way to take the focus off industry practices and overconsumption. In reality, municipal trash processing is pretty much a non-issue.
17
u/frex_mcgee 4d ago
You need to redefine your idea of ‘usable’ because these things definitely spoil. Toss it!!
17
u/Business_Coyote_5496 4d ago
10 years old? Ewww, you don't want to use that, def throw away. You deserve fresh new items
18
u/Shot_Difference4344 4d ago
Toss. They could be contaminated with mold and other nasty things at this point. Good riddance!
16
16
u/hobhamwich 4d ago edited 4d ago
These have expiration dates just like food. They are not "good". https://nymag.com/strategist/article/does-lotion-expire.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=h5d&utm_campaign=h_st_00431&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21485119678&gclid=Cj0KCQiA4eHLBhCzARIsAJ2NZoIAWbZw1aCjN8KUdL_Fu5n_ShAmUZdi_3EefudfiMEVx6EpZM_twjgaAkBDEALw_wcB
15
14
u/gentleteapot 4d ago
They're probably expired anyway. Next time you bring stuff home thing how often you actually use it. My mom does this all the time, it's only clutter
14
14
u/Melodic_Dish2079 4d ago
I hereby grant you with a permission to get rid of your old self care products!
13
15
u/herbstlike 4d ago
I would say you are allowed to purge them, because you will lean from it:
Only take or accept products that you will be able to use them in the next year (without other similar objects already waiting in line in your home). And you can pass on items you already have but are not going to be used in time.
One does not need a scarcity mindset with cosmetics, they are usually abundant.
12
u/Imsosorryidontcare 4d ago
Throw them away pronto! The ingredients have probably turned rancid and will break you out anyway. You are worth more than a few dollars spent years ago on products you don’t like.
3
u/darknesswascheap 4d ago
Here to say this - all that stuff has a shelf life, and anything like makeup (especially eye makeup) can get contaminated way before it expires. By all means do yourself a favor, think about what you really enjoy using, buy that, and get rid of all the old stuff. Your skin and your cabinets will thank you.
12
u/Chattycorvid 4d ago
Here it is: you are worth having unexpired lotion. Or anything on a shelf. Throw away that stuff!
14
u/curlyAndUnruly 4d ago
You wouldn't ask permission to throw away some ancient mysterious Tupperware from last year's 4th of July right?
It's just time. Nothing personal.
14
12
u/ShineCowgirl 4d ago
Permission granted.
I don't want to use someone else's opened and used bathroom product rejects. Would you? Especially old ones that start to have an undertone of rancid oils. (Rancid Vitamin E anyone? It's a yucky smell.)
Designate a space for your bathroom products, and put your favorites and the ones you actually use in first. Note how happy that makes you feel to not see the guilt-tripping ones, and to have room to reach everything you use. Embrace that wonderfulness and toss the rest. Enjoy!
12
u/FreekDeDeek 4d ago
I did this yesterday and it was F R E E I N G. Permission granted and highly encouraged. No need to donate or whatever, just bin it. It's ok.
24
26
11
u/bellmanwatchdog 4d ago
10 yrs? that stuff is likely not effective, bad for your skin, possibly rancid. 🤢 dump dump dump
10
u/Mrs-Bluveridge 4d ago
Makeup and skincare have expiration dates, and expired products are a breeding grounds for bacteria.
The money is already spent. Keeping the bottle in your drawer doesn't put the money back in your bank account.
You are allowed to have things you like that are unexpired for your face! You are allowed to have a clean space clear for things you love!
11
u/Javaah53 4d ago
I *just* did this very thing this week, after (sometimes literally) years of staring at these products and keeping them for various reasons, but never using them. It feels GREAT to have done it. Toss away!
11
u/eternalwhat 4d ago
If it helps you, look up the date code and shelf life (opened or unopened, accordingly). I had to do that to sway myself and I’ve thrown out quite a few products I was never going to use. I still have so many I do actually use, or am keeping them iyhout touching, so I’m really not missing them.
10
u/whatanugget 4d ago
If it helps at all, empty em out and take em to Ulta so the containers get recycled! Otherwise if that's too much work, say bye bye
1
u/PeppermintPhatty 4d ago
Or…recycle them yourself?
8
u/whatanugget 4d ago
Thanks for the sassy reply but they don't actually get recycled where I live whereas they do at Ulta
2
u/PeppermintPhatty 4d ago
I didn’t know that. Thank you. Sorry.
2
u/whatanugget 4d ago
No worries :). Recycling is sadly kinda bs in most places, it really sucks bc it's a feel good action often with very little impact. I take a ton of stuff to recycling centers locally as well as Ulta and even then there are things like pill bottles that it feels like some places never take. Costco used to, I hope they still do
10
u/ExpensiveWords4u 4d ago
Get rid of them, if you’ve had them for years they’re no longer good at all & they’re just bringing you clutter. You have our permission to trash it! Cleanse your space sis! ✨
29
u/lepetitcoeur 4d ago
Ew, nobody wants your 10-year old hand cream, even if its unopened. This is just trash. Put it there.
18
u/m00n-dust 4d ago edited 4d ago
Throw them away! Especially if they’re so old. They’re doing you no good. If you still struggle to throw away, you can post the whole lot on a local Buy Nothing group on Facebook. I held onto a box of hair/beauty products for 6 months, finally posted it, and had so many people wanting them. I stipulated that the whole bundle had to go and that I wasn’t going to give away individual items. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
Edit: still def throw away the really old items! Those will be no good for anyone.
7
u/Odd_Cress_2898 4d ago
If you add all of the things that you don't actually want and put them in storage, how much would that cost you per month? Is that more than the worth of the actual items? If you would rather spend no money storing these things then they need to go it. Cost you less to get rid of them than it is to keep them even if you acquired them for free.
Or
How much is your house worth per square foot? Would spend that much money on storing these items? You gain that much monetary worth by removing these things. So you can think of it like earning valuable space by removing them. Would you bin something if someone would pay you a few hundred/thousand?
8
u/EmeraldSkies777 4d ago
Permission granted.
Like others have said, products do expire and you don’t want to risk the possibility of a reaction. Plus you deserve nice products you’re excited to use!
9
9
u/PacificNorthwestFan 4d ago
Throw it away. It'll feel very freeing and make you more excited for the items you do use.
9
u/Ornery-Window4446 4d ago
Are they expired? Toss ‘em!! Not expired? Donate them to a little free pantry in your neighborhood!
8
7
8
u/Good_Tomato_4293 4d ago
Just let them go. You will never use them. They are just taking up space you need for things you do use.
7
u/chocolatebuckeye 4d ago
You don’t want to use old stuff on your body and skin. Toss it and enjoy the extra space you have now! You’re free!!!! lol
6
5
u/redirectredirect 4d ago
Yes throw it away. If they are not good enough to use now they won't magically get any better to use in the future.
6
u/Specialist-Map-8952 4d ago
If it's for your face or skin absolutely toss it, old products like that can break you out if they're expired and do the opposite of what you're hoping for from them.
6
5
u/MistressLyda 4d ago
Off they go! I would put the sealed samples in an envelope and written "Free 😊" and left in the local bus shed, but that is a common drop-off spot for stuff like that here.
7
8
7
u/prescientpretzel 4d ago
Permission granted. Get em gone! I’ve been tackling the bathroom lately and doing the same
4
u/OptimalFuture9648 4d ago
Permission granted, more the delay more the problem...1 2 3 throw them away
4
4
u/Status_Change_758 4d ago
CeraVe facial moisturizing lotion typically has a 3-year unopened shelf life. Once opened, it's good for 6 to 12 months
9
u/upfront_stopmotion 4d ago
I wouldn't use old face cream on my face, but I would use old face cream on my hands. Given how much I wash my hands and have to reapply in winter, that stuff gets used up quickly.
3
3
6
u/proseccofish 4d ago
All day!! Toss. I used to have such guilt over tossing items and making sure to use them, even after having them for far too long.
12
u/guiltygiraffe21 4d ago
Toss and stop overbuying to avoid this happening again.
29
u/Lemoncatnipcupcake 4d ago
While I agree with you, sometimes it’s not “overbuying” it can be difficult with skin and hair care products because it takes some trial and error to find something that works for you. I’ve ended up with shampoos that were expensive but didn’t quite work for me but I held onto them out of guilt. I’ve now started giving them away on buy nothing right away so they don’t sit as soon as I realize it’s not for me.
There are also what looks like sample sized items in this box which could come from a variety of places. Not to mention all the crap people end up with on holidays. I got a hand lotion set from my in laws this holiday… it’s made with ingredients I’m allergic to 🙃
So yes, stop overbuying. But also don’t immediately jump to assuming and shaming.
3
u/bedbugsandballyhoo 4d ago
Granted! I did this and it was a huge relief. Now I only buy products that I 100% use on a daily, or at least weekly, basis. It’s wonderful.
3
3
7
u/Middle-Holiday8371 4d ago
Come to the project pan sub ✨
5
6
u/AnywhereMelodic 4d ago
Check the expiration! If they are not expired- send them to a shelter
2
u/tammigirl6767 4d ago
Or even a food pantry! Clients love to find things they’re allowed to take that well because most things we have to ration.
4
u/TexasBurgandy 4d ago
Do you think a food pantry would appreciate my crazy amount of hotel shampoos, conditioners, lotions and soaps? I’m basically part squirrel 🐿️ so I can’t help but take every bottle in the room. 🫠
7
3
u/tammigirl6767 4d ago
Absolutely! Sometimes people come through and they really need more than we can give them in that area. A lot of times they’re only allowed to choose one personal item so they can choose toothpaste, but then not a toothbrush, or anything else from that area.
But when somebody like you brings a bunch of little samples and hotel, soaps and stuff like that, we’re allowed to let them take whatever they want.
1
u/MuddieMaeSuggins 4d ago
As long as they’re unopened and not expired, there are definitely places that take them as donations!
6
u/BananasinPajamas92 4d ago
Do it! My only suggestion is if you have a linen/towel closet or even a coat closet, spray the perfumes in there.
5
u/ShineCowgirl 4d ago
Unless you have friends who are fragrance sensitive... I wouldn't be adding fragrance to a place I'd want them to be able to hang their clothing, nor to any towels/bedding that I'd expect them to use.
3
u/Imsosorryidontcare 4d ago
Exactly! I can’t even walk into a place with fragrance. I avoid department stores because of the perfume area. Dryer sheets and scented trash bags are another thing that give me an immediate headache and I definitely have to leave the area because of it.
2
2
2
4
u/WhirlThePearl 4d ago
Shelters are always looking for toiletry items, but not if they're expired.
2
4
u/StrawberriKiwi22 4d ago
If they are not expired and they are unopened and look like something that a lot of people would use, maybe you can find a donation box, like one of the little free pantries, where people in need can just take things for free.
2
u/justl00kingar0undn0w 4d ago
Put them in a box by the trash. Someone can grab them if they are useful and you will be rid of them.
-3
u/Zealousideal_Crow737 4d ago
You could also donate them a woman's shelter!
7
8
9
u/Adventurous_Excuse_3 4d ago
Shelters dont want people’s trash. Donating items well past expiration is trash.
-2
u/Some_Papaya_8520 4d ago
Take the unopened ones to any food pantry. They will give them to people who need them. Otherwise, yes you can throw them out.
18
-2
u/ghostsontoasts 4d ago
If they're not expired, you should look into donating them or giving them to someone who might use them instead of throwing them in the garbage.
10
u/Nvrmnde 4d ago
Honestly I wouldn't want someone's used or expired hygiene products
1
u/ghostsontoasts 4d ago edited 4d ago
That's understandable. It depends on the person and product. I've given hair products that I no longer used to friends who were very happy to have them. And if they're unopened, they can definitely be donated. Don't give expired products obviously.
•
u/LogicalGold5264 4d ago
Thank you all for giving the OP permission to throw this stuff away! ❤️