Decluttering falls somewhere between backing up your hard drive and filing taxes on the excitement scale. If you set aside a little time to chip away at it periodically throughout the year. The end of summer is no exception. Now is a great time to take stock of your needs and ditch all those ill-fitting swimsuits and untapped barbecue condiments.

In other words, don’t hold off for a big spring clean, take the end of the season as the perfect time to close up shop. Get a head start on your end-of-summer purge with this list of items you can donate, recycle, or toss without a second thought.

1. Old binders and folders
If you’re planning to replace supplies like binders and folders for the new school season.

2. Worn beach towels
Got beach towels that have seen better days? Don’t let them take up shelf space in the linen closet. Most animal shelters accept old towels as donations — which come in handy for lining cages, cleaning up messes, and bathing pups.

3. Summer clothes
If you have a bathing suit that doesn’t fit well enough for you to wear it regularly, donate it. Likewise, toss sandals and flip-flops that are worn out from a season or two of pounding the pavement. And peruse your closet: If you have spring or summer clothes that you didn’t wear this year, chances are, you won’t touch them down the line – time to donate.

4. Unused condiments and spices
Gourmet chipotle barbecue sauce, blackening spices, and pickled vegetables often look great at the store — and then don’t necessarily cut it when you try them out. Pare down your collection so they don’t get pushed to the back of the fridge or pantry and sit unused.

5. Old makeup
If it’s been awhile since you’ve cleaned out your makeup kit, now’s your chance. Shelf life varies depending on the product and how it’s formulated — for example, lipsticks can last a couple of years, but mascara is best replaced at least every six months.

6. Broken pool noodles
Those ubiquitous floating toys are fun but tend to snap easily. If you have beat-up pool noodles you regularly tote to your apartment’s pool, dry out the pieces and then take Naylon’s clever suggestion: Reuse them as boot shapers for winter boots.

7. Running shoes
Most athletic shoes are spent after 400 to 600 miles of running or walking (or 45 to 60 hours of other cardio like tennis, dance, or basketball), but there are so many variables that it can be hard to pinpoint exactly when it’s time to retire a pair — look for signs like a worn-down tread, thin sock liner, and loss of resilience underfoot. Turn them over to a recycling program like Soles4Souls or One World Running.

8. Air-conditioning filter
After the air conditioner has been chugging along all summer, it’s probably time to toss the old filter and replace it for the coming year.

9. Party favors
If you’ve accumulated small gifts and trinkets from spring and summer weddings and other events, assess your collection, determine what’s worth hanging on to

After you are done purging – it is time for a good clean – using our cleaning service in Kansas City, you can count on our skilled staff to take care of any loose ends throughout the week. Call us today to our teams of professional cleaners are ready to take care of the hard work for you. Book a clean today and leave the rest up to us – Treat yourself and your home! Tidy Up Angels has been providing residential cleaning service to the Overland Park area since 2008. Trusting someone to clean your home can be a little unnerving. If this is your first time hiring a cleaning company, we want you to know that you can relax with Tidy Up Angels. Our company is fully insured and bonded; safeguarding your most personal possessions. Honesty, integrity, and good work ethics are the back bone of our company. We aim to meet all your expectations and we hope to exceed them during each service. Let us know how we can help with your house cleaning services in Overland Park and how we can help you – contact Tidy Up Angels LLC at 913-642-2006.