Wardrobe Waste & Odd Socks

When it comes to socks, especially cotton tube socks, Dunn says rather than tossing them out, consider repurposing them into a dusting tool.

"You can put them on to your Swiffer as well instead of using a Swiffer pad," she explained.

"They're great when you're doing shutters (...) you just put the sock on your hand and then grab the shutter and just run your hand over each one and it's doing the top and the bottom at the same time."

You can also use old socks (without any holes) to create a heating pad.

Dunn says fill it up with some dry beans or rice, seal it with a rubber band and place it in the microwave for up to three minutes.

Also, go through your closet and see what you no longer wear and consider donating it to a local shelter.

Take-Out Menus & Old Manuals

Consider going paperless when it comes to take-out menus and coupons to keep your cupboards organized.

Go through all your manuals that have piled up over the years and only keep the ones that you may need.

"I've got a small canvas bag that I keep in my storage closet (...) and every time I get something new, it goes in there. It's quick and easy."

Canned Goods & Old Spices

Canned goods do expire so take some time to go through your pantry and toss those that are past their prime.

Don't forget to go through your spice drawer also as spices can lose their flavour and potency.

"Six months is typical for spices. I think if they're stored properly, dry [and] closed in a cupboard, you can probably get about a year out of them," Dunn says.

The cleaning expert recommends only buying those spices you use often in big containers and going to bulk stores (like Bulk Barn) to get what you need for the spices you use less often.

Medicine

When you're going through your medicine cabinet, don't toss old pills and supplements down the toilet or drain.

"I just throw them all into a Ziploc bag and you just go and drop it off at the pharmacy and they dispose of it properly," Dunn says.

Old Make-Up

Make-up doesn't last forever and you may want to go through your bathroom drawers to dispose of old products you don't use.

Sunscreen is another item that does have an expiry date and it actually needs to be disposed of in hazardous waste, according to Dunn.

Outdated Cords, Chargers & Electronics

Who doesn't have an old iPhone or even Blackberry charger tucked away into a cabinet at home?

If you're not using it, then it needs to go.

Dunn says you can take old cords, laptops and monitors to stores like Best Buy and Staples and they will recycle them properly.

Unloved Toys

Toys easily accumulate with young kids in the house and Dunn recommends going through them at least once a year and deciding what you're able to donate or sell online.

You may even consider organizing a garage sale when the temperatures warm up and get some money that way.

Hasbro also has a great recycling program for its toys. Just go to their website, download a shipping label and drop off the packaged box.

Multiples of Anything

Even the best of us can wind up with multiples of certain kitchen items like vegetable peelers and can openers.

Rather than having the extras sit around and collect dust, consider donating them to a secondhand store or selling them online, Dunn says.