Reevaluating Home Essentials: 5 Items I’ve Decided to Live Without

Over the course of my career, I’ve learned that we often accumulate things simply because somewhere along the line we were told we should. Turns out you don’t actually need to own anything you don’t truly want or need - and if you pause to question the items that surround you, you might just find you can dramatically lighten your load.

Photography by Vivian Johnson for Organized Living

Here are five things I’ve discovered I can happily live without:

A Toaster

We ditched our toaster years ago to free up some counter space, and we haven’t looked back. Since we’re not huge on toast, we now warm our bread in the oven—a simple swap that works perfectly.

An Iron

It struck me as odd that nearly everyone has an iron, until I realized that our Airbnb guests would often ask for one. The truth? We never had one, because none of us have ever felt the inclination to iron. Instead, I invested in a compact travel steamer for the occasional guest—it works wonders and occupies almost no space.

A Dishwasher

Although our home came with a dishwasher, we rarely use it. We wash and dry our dishes by hand each night—since we own just enough dinnerware for one meal at a time, this routine takes under ten minutes. To prevent water waste we installed this foot pedal which turns the water on and off with a tap. Best of all, I no longer have to face the dreaded chore of unloading the dishwasher.

A Scale

I grew up in a home without a scale, and over time I’ve noticed that owning one often leads to an unhealthy preoccupation with numbers. I’ve never owned one, and I have no desire to start.

A Mountain of Cleaning Products

I replaced the jumble of random—and often toxic—cleaning products under my sink with a single, fragrance-free, non-toxic cleaning concentrate. Mixed with varying amounts of water, it transforms into a laundry soap, an all-purpose cleaner, a window solution, and even a hardwood floor cleaner. One product under the sink feels like a big win.

In addition to the items listed above, I’ve also opted out of owning plenty of other commonly owned things - formal china, placemats, a salad spinner, and a garlic press, to name a few. I’d love to know - What items have you found you can happily live without? Please share in the comments.

Liz Moody invited me on her podcast to talk about habits and routines for organizing and decluttering every part of your life. Listen here.

Good Housekeeping interviewed me about the perks of living in a small home. Read it here.

Love this list of 13 things mentally strong people don’t do from author Amy Morin.

Gifting Inspo: My husband is a big words of affection guy, so for his birthday I gave him a compliment box. I texted his friends and family with the prompt “quick favor - can you send me a sentence or two on what you most love or appreciate about Jordan?” I printed the responses on nice cardstock paper and put them in a pretty box we already owned tied with a ribbon. See his sweet reaction here.

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