Beauty & Fashion Items You Should Be Getting Rid Of Each New Season

Spring cleaning gets a lot of hype, but there's no reason to limit yourself to tidying up in April or May. On the contrary, starting each season with a quick clean-out can help you feel organized, energized, and refreshed. Whether you divide the year into two long periods of hot and cold weather or commit to fresh starts in all four seasons, semi-annual decluttering helps you curate your beauty and fashion collections and prioritize your favorite items.

Of course, decluttering is sometimes easier said than done. If you find yourself struggling to let things go due to guilt or obligation — maybe you bought it at full price yet only used it once, or perhaps it was a gift from a loved one — remember that it'll feel a whole lot better to clear out those regret-inducing items so they stop triggering bad feelings. This is especially true if you can turn your clean-out into a positive experience by rehoming your clothes or unopened beauty products to a friend or organization that can get real use out of them.

The real question, then, is where to begin. We could all use a few extra tips for decluttering an out-of-control beauty stash. Fortunately, undertaking your clean-out at the start of a new season uses timing to your advantage. As the weather turns, we tend to prioritize different clothes, makeup, and even skincare staples. When this time comes, there are a few indisputable beauty and fashion items that you should consider trashing or donating instead of shoving into the back of your closet.

We understand the urge to make your holy grail cosmetics last as long as possible, especially if they were pricey investments. But the harsh truth of makeup is that it expires, and probably sooner than you think. Not only can their formulations start to break down after a certain point — even if you've never used them — but opened cosmetics also start to rack up bacteria. As dermatologist Margarita Lolis, M.D., told Vogue, "Preservatives in makeup have a limited lifespan. ... Once they break down, the product is more susceptible to microbial growth."

Yikes, no thank you. So, when do we need to let go of our makeup? Because of their unique formulations, there are varied rules and lifespans for different products. For instance, lipsticks and eyeshadows typically last one to three years; lip gloss for a single year; blush, contour, and bronzer for three years; and foundation and concealer for up to two years. Meanwhile, eye products like eyeliner and mascara tend to have shorter expirations of three to six months. We hate to say it, but even perfumes can expire. On the upside, though, they have a much longer shelf life than most beauty products — three to five years on average, but sometimes up to a decade of safe, delicious-smelling use.

If the label on your makeup has worn off and you can't find the expiration date, there are other ways to tell when your makeup is going bad. Embrace the changing seasons as an excuse to check your less-used cosmetics for signs of degradation like weird smells or changes in color or consistency. Using expired makeup can risk health issues from breakouts and eye infections to outright chemical burns, so don't gamble with products that seem off. When in doubt, throw it out.

If the idea of tossing out dusty old makeup hurts your heart, just wait until we get to expired skincare and haircare products. Unfortunately, items like shampoo and conditioner can, indeed, expire, as can pretty much every item in your daily or weekly skincare regimen. How crucial is it to switch out these expired items? For one thing, they'll stop working as well over time, so you'll miss out on promised benefits. More importantly, expired skin and hair products can carry some pretty hefty dangers, like skin irritation, rashes, breakouts, infections, dandruff, and even fungal diseases on your scalp.

While food items tend to have clearly marked use-by dates, the safety of your skincare collection has more to do with how long products have been exposed to air and bacteria, which is why they are usually labeled with a "Period After Opening," or PAO, symbol that identifies their ideal length of use. "Most products are stability-tested to ensure that they will last for two to three years unopened on the shelf," cosmetic chemist Jim Hammer explained to Allure. But once they're opened, the clock starts ticking down. "In general, it's best to discard products that are past their expiration date," Hammer added.

Checking the PAO on your specific products is always preferable, but sometimes that may not be possible. In this case, here are a few average lifespans to help guide your cleaning efforts: Moisturizers and creams in jars tend to go off after six months; toners last for a year; cleansers and face masks are good for one to two years; and shampoos and conditioners keep for 18 months after opening. Note that one especially critical product to replace regularly is your SPF. If your sunscreen has expired, it may not be protecting your precious skin from harmful UV rays, so ditch it and get a fresh bottle pronto.

Off-season clothing can take up a lot of storage space, especially if you're still clutching onto items that are worn out, the wrong size, or no longer suit your style. Instead of packing away things you don't use "just in case," why not leverage your seasonal closet swap to declutter unloved garments? You're already going through your clothes, anyway, so this is the perfect time to consider each piece and toss a few items into the donation pile.

Cycling out seasonal clothing saves you space, keeps your wardrobe focused on your favorite lasting styles, and gives you breathing room to tweak your aesthetic with a few new pieces the next time this season rolls around, whether that means replacing a threadbare winter coat with something warm and timeless or letting go of last year's must-have sundresses to embrace the latest trends next summer. And if you've been dying to build the perfect capsule wardrobe, the changing seasons offer an ideal moment to create a foundation by limiting the items you keep for next year.

Ready to get started on your own seasonal clothing refresh? Explore easy ways to declutter and organize your closet at any time of the year.