10 Items Interior Designers Always Tell Their Clients To Get Rid Of And 10 They Say You Can Keep
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Ever wondered what professional interior designers would say about your cherished possessions? When experts walk into a home, they quickly spot what enhances a space and what drags it down.
I’ve gathered insights from top designers on which items deserve a permanent spot in your home and which ones should make their way to the donation pile. Here’s the ultimate guide to decluttering and elevating your space like a pro!
1. Toss: Bulky Entertainment Centers
Remember those massive wooden entertainment units from the 90s? They’re collecting dust in homes across America, taking up valuable square footage while offering little aesthetic value. Modern TVs don’t need these dinosaurs anymore.
Wall-mounting your television creates a cleaner look and frees up floor space. If storage is your concern, opt for sleek floating shelves or a streamlined media console instead. Your living room will instantly feel more spacious and contemporary without that hulking piece dominating the room.
2. Keep: Quality Wooden Furniture
Solid wood pieces with good bones are worth their weight in gold! Unlike particleboard alternatives that fall apart after a few years, quality wooden furniture can last generations with proper care. Even if the style feels outdated, don’t rush to discard that oak dresser or maple dining table.
A fresh coat of paint, new hardware, or simple refinishing can transform these pieces completely. Designers love the character that wood brings to spaces – the natural grain adds warmth and texture that manufactured materials simply can’t replicate.
3. Toss: Inspirational Word Art
Those mass-produced canvas prints declaring “Live, Laugh, Love” or “Home Sweet Home” make designers cringe. They’ve become visual clichés that lack personality and genuine artistic value. Your walls deserve better!
Personal photographs, original artwork, or even vintage prints create more meaningful visual interest. If text art speaks to you, consider custom pieces with quotes that truly resonate rather than generic phrases.
The goal is to surround yourself with decor that reflects your unique story instead of following tired trends found in every discount home store.
4. Keep: Inherited Antiques
Family heirlooms carry stories and history that new items simply can’t match. That vintage sideboard from your grandmother or those antique candlesticks passed through generations add soul to your space.
Good designers know how to integrate these treasures into modern settings. Mix old with new to create dynamic tension in your decor. An antique chair can shine as an accent piece in an otherwise contemporary room.
Just be selective – keep pieces with personal significance or exceptional craftsmanship rather than holding onto everything for obligation’s sake.
5. Toss: Fake Plants Collecting Dust
Artificial greenery from decades past is a definite designer no-no. Those dusty silk arrangements and plastic palms fool absolutely no one while collecting grime and looking increasingly shabby. Today’s low-maintenance houseplants offer better alternatives for even the most forgetful plant parents.
Snake plants, ZZ plants, and pothos thrive with minimal attention while purifying your air and bringing actual life into your space. If you truly can’t manage real plants, today’s high-quality faux options look remarkably realistic – just be prepared to invest in better quality versions.
6. Keep: Books You Actually Read
Contrary to minimalist trends, designers often encourage keeping books that genuinely matter to you. Well-curated bookshelves reveal personality and create conversation starters unlike any other decor element. The key word is curated.
Keep volumes that you’ve read and loved or plan to read soon. Arrange them thoughtfully rather than cramming shelves full, mixing horizontal and vertical stacking with meaningful objects.
Books add warmth, color, and intellectual depth to rooms. They transform sterile spaces into homes that feel lived-in and thoughtfully assembled.
7. Toss: Excessive Throw Pillows
The pillow mountain overtaking your bed or sofa isn’t doing your space any favors. Too many decorative pillows create visual clutter and become a daily hassle to remove and replace. Quality over quantity is the designer’s mantra here.
Select 2-3 statement pillows with interesting textures or patterns that complement your larger pieces. They should enhance comfort while adding just enough visual interest without overwhelming the furniture.
Bonus: fewer pillows means less dust collection and more usable space for actually sitting or sleeping comfortably.
8. Keep: Original Architectural Features
Those crown moldings, hardwood floors, and vintage doorknobs are treasures worth preserving! Original architectural elements add character and historical value that new construction simply can’t replicate.
Designers routinely encourage clients to restore rather than remove these features. Even in modern renovations, maintaining architectural integrity creates depth and uniqueness. Exposed brick walls, ceiling medallions, and vintage radiators can become stunning focal points.
Embrace the quirks and history of your space instead of fighting against them – they’re what make your home distinct from cookie-cutter new builds.
9. Toss: Outdated Window Treatments
Heavy, dusty drapes with swags and valances instantly date your home to a bygone era. Those yellowing vertical blinds and floral curtains from 1995 are blocking both natural light and style potential. Modern window treatments should frame views while enhancing the room’s aesthetic.
Simple linen panels, Roman shades, or tailored blinds create clean lines without the fussy excess fabric collecting dust and allergens. Updating window coverings is one of the most impactful changes you can make – it transforms light quality and can make ceilings appear higher and spaces feel airier.
10. Keep: Statement Lighting Fixtures
Gorgeous light fixtures function as jewelry for your rooms. That sculptural pendant or striking chandelier creates a focal point while literally highlighting your space in its best light. Designers frequently encourage investing in quality lighting rather than settling for builder-grade fixtures.
Even in minimal spaces, an extraordinary light piece adds personality and visual interest without creating clutter. The right fixture can define a dining area, anchor a foyer, or transform a bedroom. Don’t hesitate to keep or upgrade statement lighting that makes your heart sing every time you see it.
11. Toss: Collection Overload
Fifty ceramic elephants marching across your mantel create visual chaos rather than curated charm. Collections that have grown unwieldy become clutter that diminishes your space’s beauty and peace.
Designers recommend selecting only your favorite pieces to display, rotating items seasonally instead of showcasing everything simultaneously. A thoughtful arrangement of 3-5 pieces creates more impact than dozens crowded together.
Consider shadow boxes or dedicated display cabinets for collections you cherish, allowing them to shine as intentional decor rather than appearing as random accumulation.
12. Keep: Quality Area Rugs
Well-made rugs anchor rooms and add layers of texture, color, and comfort underfoot. Unlike trendy, mass-produced alternatives, quality rugs maintain their beauty for decades while telling visual stories in your spaces. Vintage Persian rugs pair surprisingly well with contemporary furniture.
The juxtaposition creates rich, collected-over-time environments that feel authentic rather than catalog-ordered. Designers often build entire room schemes around exceptional rugs.
Their patterns can inspire color palettes while their craftsmanship adds undeniable quality to even the simplest spaces.
13. Toss: Matching Furniture Sets
That identical bedroom suite or living room collection purchased all at once screams “showroom floor” rather than thoughtfully designed space. Matching sets lack the personality and layered interest that makes rooms feel authentic.
Keep the pieces that function best for your needs and gradually replace others with items that better reflect your personal aesthetic.
Mixed furniture creates visual rhythm and suggests a space that evolved naturally over time – exactly the collected, curated look that designers strive to achieve.
14. Keep: Art That Moves You
That painting that makes your heart skip a beat every time you see it? Absolutely keep it! Meaningful artwork creates emotional connections within your space that no trendy decor item can match.
Designers encourage clients to invest in art that resonates personally rather than pieces chosen solely to match a color scheme. Original works, regardless of value, carry energy and authenticity that mass-produced prints simply cannot replicate.
Don’t worry about whether your art is “in style” – if it speaks to you, it belongs in your home. The most memorable spaces reflect the inhabitants’ passions and perspectives.
15. Toss: Unnecessary Paper Clutter
Stacks of old magazines, mail piles, and random paper ephemera create visual noise that prevents spaces from feeling serene. Paper accumulation is the sneakiest form of clutter because it happens so gradually. Digital alternatives exist for almost everything now.
Scan important documents, cancel paper statements, and create systems for processing mail immediately. Magazine information lives online, making those dusty back issues unnecessary space-wasters.
No designer has ever walked into a home and thought, “This place needs more random paper stacks!” Clear surfaces create calm, orderly spaces.
16. Keep: Natural Materials
Wooden bowls, stone sculptures, woven baskets – items crafted from natural materials add organic warmth that synthetic decor can never achieve. These elements ground spaces with textural interest and timeless appeal.
Designers consistently recommend incorporating natural elements to create balance in our increasingly digital world. The imperfections and variations in these materials add character and visual richness to any design style.
From minimalist to maximalist spaces, natural materials create sensory experiences through their unique textures, subtle colors, and connection to the earth.
17. Toss: Cheap Accent Furniture
Flimsy particleboard side tables and wobbly accent chairs aren’t doing your home any favors. These bargain pieces often look dated quickly and can make even well-designed rooms feel cheapened.
A single well-crafted side table offers more value than three disposable versions that need replacing every few years. Focus on sturdy construction and classic proportions rather than trendy details. Quality accent furniture provides both function and beauty while avoiding the environmental impact of disposable decor.
18. Keep: Meaningful Travel Souvenirs
That handwoven textile from Peru or ceramic vase from a Greek island market brings personal history into your home. Thoughtfully selected travel mementos tell your unique story while adding global perspective to your spaces.
Display these treasures intentionally rather than scattered haphazardly. Group smaller items in a curated vignette or give significant pieces prominence as focal points. The key is selectivity – choose items with both aesthetic appeal and meaningful memories.
19. Toss: Outdated Family Photos
Faded snapshots in mismatched frames from 20 years ago create visual chaos rather than meaningful memory displays. Those school portraits with laser backgrounds and wedding photos with dated hairstyles aren’t doing your decor any favors. Update your photo displays with current images in cohesive frames.
Consider creating a gallery wall with a consistent theme or converting special memories to black and white for a timeless look. Digital frames offer rotating displays while reducing clutter. The goal is celebrating cherished memories in ways that enhance rather than detract from your overall design.
20. Keep: Vintage Textiles
Hand-knotted rugs, embroidered linens, and woven tapestries carry craftsmanship rarely found in today’s mass-produced items. These textural treasures add depth and history to contemporary spaces.
Designers often build entire color schemes around vintage textiles. Their natural dyes and handmade imperfections bring authenticity that new products can’t replicate. Even fragments can be framed as art or incorporated into pillows.
Unlike trendy textiles that quickly feel dated, quality vintage pieces transcend time with their craftsmanship and patina. They add the perfect touch of soul to even the most modern interiors.