I was at a friend’s house recently and couldn’t help noticing her extensive book collection. Books squeezed into shelves, stacked on top of each other, piled on every flat surface. I could tell they were weighing on her when she mentioned she’d been meaning to declutter them for months.

I get it. Not long ago, we were up to our eyeballs in kids’ books (a lot of which were truly terrible!)

But it made me realize that somewhere in the last eight years, I stopped impulse-buying books—and a lot of other things too. Turns out, when you stop buying things you don’t really need, you have significantly less to manage. 

Here are seven things I’ve stopped buying that have made the biggest difference: 

1. Trendy water bottles

For years, I felt compelled to buy the newest viral water bottle — Nalgene, bkr, S’well, Hydro Flask, Stanley. I bought them all, thinking each one would finally make me drink more water.

Turns out the bottle was never the answer.

We’ve since downsized to one water bottle each, plus a couple of extras for when one gets left at school, or the kids want milk or hot cocoa to go. They’re starting to look banged up, but they do the job—and I have more drawer space and significantly fewer things to clean and hunt for.

2. Single-use kitchen gadgets

At one point, I owned three different avocado tools—a pitter, a slicer, and a keeper that didn’t even keep the avocado from browning—hah! 

Now, before buying a new kitchen gadget, I consider whether I already own something that can do the same job. A good knife and a handful of versatile tools handle most of what I need. That’s not to say I don’t have any single-use tools (the garlic press, citrus juicer, and pizza cutter definitely earn their place), but having more drawer space makes the kitchen run more smoothly. When a drawer isn’t stuffed, things are easier to find and put away. 

(If you’re curious what actually made the cut in our kitchen, I shared it all in my essential kitchen tools post.)

3. The latest viral skincare, makeup, or hair product

I used to be much easier to influence when it came to skincare and makeup, and my bathroom drawers showed it. These days, I resist trying something new unless what I have runs out or stops working the way I want it to — which feels increasingly more common in my mid-forties. 😅

By getting pickier about what I buy, my bathroom drawers are no longer cluttered with products I regret, and I can find what I need without digging.

4. Clothes that aren’t an immediate yes

Clothing sales and trends are a trap I know well. Years ago, something being 40% off and remotely cute was good enough—until I had a closet filled with clothes I never wore, some even with the tags still on. (Gasp!)

Turns out, a closet full of ‘maybes’ and ‘good enough’ pieces only makes getting dressed harder —not to mention the guilt you carry over things you never wear, the mental load of managing pieces that don’t quite work, and the money you can’t get back.

My rule now: if it’s not an immediate yes, it’s a no. No more deliberating over whether I like it enough, whether it fits my style, whether it could be a little more flattering, or whether I’ll actually wear it. It doesn’t matter how on-trend it is or how good the deal is.

My wardrobe is smaller than it’s ever been, and I’ve never gotten dressed faster or felt better about what I own.

If you’re ready to simplify your clothes, here’s how I’d create a capsule wardrobe if I were starting today.

5. Stuffed animals

Stuffed animals have a way of multiplying like nothing else I’ve experienced. (I had a trunk full of them as a kid, so I know!) Our kids have a small collection they genuinely love, but that doesn’t mean they never ask for more when one catches their eye while we’re out shopping.

The requests are still frequent and enthusiastic, but they’ve been getting the same answer for years. They ask, we say no, we move on. If they really have their eye on one, it goes on the birthday or holiday list. Friends and family are always happy to oblige.

A small, loved collection of stuffies is so much more meaningful (and a lot easier to tidy up) than a pile that just keeps growing.

6. Cutesy home decor

I used to wander around HomeGoods and TJ Maxx looking for cute decor—throw pillows, knick-knacks, blankets, signs with cute little phrases. Anything to make my home feel cozy, cute, and satisfy the itch to change things up.

Now I skip the extra home decor. My home is less cluttered and easier to clean without all those knick-knacks cluttering surfaces and extra pillows needing to be fluffed. When I want to freshen things up, a seasonal candle, decor rearrangement, or fresh flowers do the job.

7. Books (mostly)

We have a small collection of books we genuinely love—our personal favorites, a few picture-heavy encyclopedia books for the kids to peruse. The ones worth owning.

But somewhere along the way, the library and the Libby app became our default. They’re free, the selection is almost limitless, and we read pretty much every night. 

I honestly can’t remember the last time I actually needed to buy a book. But best of all, our shelves are manageable, and our surfaces are clear—no piles of books to dust around that we’ll never read again anyway.

The pattern I noticed

The funny thing about these seven items is that I never really considered why I was buying them—or what I was giving up by letting them accumulate in our home. At some point, though, I started questioning whether they were worth the effort to manage and maintain—and for these, the answer was a clear no.

If your home feels more cluttered than you’d like, start noticing what you’re buying on autopilot—and whether it’s adding value to your life or just more to manage.  My home decluttering guide is a good next step if you’re ready to start simplifying.