11 Everyday Items People Hoard For No Good Reason
There's a difference between frugality and being a bit obsessive.
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A | Shutterstock In the 2000s, the hit TV show "Hoarders" was mandatory watching for reality television enthusiasts. Whether it was mountains of teddy bears and clothes to moldy food containers, the living situation of these people was astonishing. And while times have changed since then and reality television has moved on, real people still continue to collect things that others would normally throw out.
Their homes may not be filled head to toe with junk, but there are plenty of everyday items people hoard for no good reason. From over-shopping at thrift stores to having a large collection of books they'll never read, hoarding has become very common in our consumerist society. And with prices of necessities skyrocketing, it's no wonder people are stockpiling.
Here are 11 everyday items people hoard for no good reason
1. Cups
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Every single mom usually has a cupboard filled to the brim with decorative mugs. From Stanley tumblers to funky holiday mugs, there's a cup for every occasion when someone visits their house. From the cute designs to the promise of cold or hot beverages for hours on end, people get sucked into buying cups all too easily. However, it's usually because they believe it's a status symbol.
The Stanley cup craze made waves among women for its beautiful array of colors and durability. Thanks to a viral video showcasing a Stanley cup surviving a fire, sales jumped from $75 million to $750 million. But before people buy into the hype, they should at least ask themselves whether they truly need the cup or not; otherwise, they might just be buying it for no reason.
2. Expired beauty products
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Women know just how expensive beauty products are. Unlike men, whose products are often advertised as a three-in-one solution, women are led to believe that if they don't have a product for every single part of their body, somehow that makes them less than. As a result, many women are led to overbuy products they don't need.
Data from Statista estimated that worldwide, the beauty industry is slated to make a whooping $677.19 billion in 2025. So, it should come as no surprise that one of the everyday items people hoard for no good reason is expired beauty products.
It's understandable why women don't want to throw away their $50 foundation. Makeup and skincare are expensive, and most people aren't all that keen on simply throwing them away because they've expired. Still, using expired skincare products can lead to breakouts or reactions.
3. Condiment packets
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Every single time people go out, they tend to collect all the condiment packets they can and shove them in their pocket. Even if they have a full-size version of those condiments at home, they will add those packets to their collection to use at a later date.
While there's nothing wrong with hoarding condiments, not using them and letting them collect is problematic. It might be a force of habit, but stuffing them in the fridge is just a waste of space. Additionally, the mindset of "this will be good to have just in case" can cause anxiety.
According to Gregory L. Jantz, founder of mental health treatment facility The Center, "Hoarding both relieves anxiety and generates it. The more hoarders accumulate, the more insulated they feel from the world and its dangers. But, of course, the more they accumulate, the more isolated they become from the outside world, including family and friends."
So, if someone wants to hoard a few packages of ketchup just in case of a rainy day, fine. Just don't go overboard, okay?
4. Old receipts
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It's normal to get a receipt from the store and immediately put it in your pocket. But over time, those receipts accumulate, even if there's no intention to return an item. Rather than throw them in the trash, old receipts are some of the everyday items people hoard for no good reason.
While it's good to have those receipts, after a few months, people should seriously think about decluttering that junk drawer. Not only does it feel good, but decluttering has psychological benefits that are rarely talked about.
According to experts from Utah State University, removing clutter can actually lower people's stress levels and, in turn, make them happier and confident. So, while it might be tempting to hoard those receipts, every few months, be sure to clear out that drawer.
5. Socks that are missing their pair
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There's no greater frustration than opening a sock drawer only to find that half of them are missing their pair. It's not like people intentionally mean to hoard socks that don't have a mate, but perhaps they think the missing sock will eventually show up.
According to a 2016 study conducted by Samsung, in the UK alone, 84 million socks go missing every month! Whether it's because they fell behind furniture or accidentally got separated, one thing is for sure: if someone doesn't find their missing sock in a month, it might be time to get rid of it.
6. Pens
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Everyone should have a few pens lying around just in case they need to write a quick note, but the attachment people have towards pens is a bit out of hand. People know they don't need these pens once they expire, and should probably replace them, but hold onto them for one reason or another.
Growing up, a person's parents may have kept a cup full of pens. It's not like they needed all those pens, but they collected them. And while a cup of pens looks cute on a desk, it can be a bit distracting and wasteful, as testing out each pen to see which one works is time-consuming.
Neuropsychologist Diane Roberts Stoler suggested decluttering a home by starting small. From emptying out pens to receipts, using these small tasks to get to the bigger ones is a perfect way to stop hoarding.
7. Out-of-date calendars and planners
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As college classes start and people enter the workforce, most spend an abnormal amount of time getting planners or calendars for the year ahead. Maybe it's because they want to be more organized, but things can quickly get out of hand without a bit of decluttering.
Calendars and planners are very useful. According to experts from Wayne State University, "By planning ahead, you can break large projects into manageable steps, track progress, and avoid last-minute stress... A planner provides a clear overview of deadlines, appointments, and daily responsibilities, reducing the chances of forgetting important tasks."
While there's nothing wrong with keeping oneself organized, hoarding outdated calendars and planners seems pretty illogical. If neither have the correct year, throw it out. Even if it's sparkly or looks cool, keeping something of no use can become a headache.
8. Cables and chargers that no longer work
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Almost everyone does this at some point in their life. They know they need to throw away their old charger that no longer works, but keep it around "just in case." Maybe it's because they don't know how to safely throw them out or because they can no longer tell which cable is working and which one isn't, since they all look the same.
Either way, it's not uncommon to find a drawer full of cables that are so mixed they can't even tell which is which. Whether it's a lack of organization skills or something else entirely, it should go without saying that hoarding anything is bad for people's mental health. If someone has a drawer full of cables, according to organizing expert Taylor Flanery, it's actually best to find a nearby BestBuy and drop it off.
If someone doesn't have one close to them, it's worth calling their local waste disposal company and asking them where to drop it off. Even though this might sound like a lot, getting this information can save people time and money.
9. Rusted or warped utensils
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There's nothing wrong with having a full set of forks and spoons in a drawer, but when they are clearly rusted, bent, or no longer of use, it's time to throw them out. Spoons and forks and other utensils can be replaced, and while it may appear that keeping them is saving money, eating off of them can pose a health risk.
It may be difficult to part with certain utensils that may have sentimental meaning, but if that's the case, there's no need to actually use them. It's better to declutter and only have what they need; otherwise, cleaning day might be more tedious than it needs to be.
10. Expired spices
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When people think about the last time they replaced or bought spices for cooking, they may scratch their head wondering. But there are some people out there who can't help but hoard everything under the sun. From multiple containers of onion powder to an excessive amount of salt, some people keep spices way past their expiration date.
While there's nothing wrong with having a drawer full of spices, as meals can always use some flavor, there comes a point where they're just no longer good. If spices have been sitting there for years and years, it might be time to throw them away. And while it might cost a bit of money, health is more important than anything else.
11. Old instruction manuals
Jelena Zelen
There are two types of people in this world: those who use instruction manuals, and those who guess their way through building something. Either way, once a person has finished building an item, the next course of action should be to throw everything out or recycle it. But still, old instruction manuals are one of the everyday items people hoard for no good reason.
Why is it that so many people get stuck on keeping instructional manuals in their junk drawers? Maybe it's because they saw their parents do this, but there's no real reason why someone should keep these around unless they absolutely need it for later.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor's degree in psychology who covers self-help, relationships, career, family, and astrology topics.
