Goodbye Old Reference Materials – An Easy Way to Free Space in Your Home Office

If you have a home office—or even just a workspace—it can easily become crowded. These areas often turn into dumping grounds for books and paper. Over time, unused materials pile up, leaving the space feeling cramped and unproductive. One easy way to free space in your home office is by letting go of old reference materials.

In the past, access to information was limited, so holding onto reference materials made sense. Today, the internet has made information widely available. While not all of it is reliable, it often provides a faster, easier alternative to storing hard copies.

Most reference materials are worth keeping only if they meet three criteria:

1. They contain information we need, either regularly or periodically.
2. They are current and trustworthy.
3. We can’t easily find the same information quickly and easily anywhere else.

Some materials are worth keeping for sentimental reasons—and that’s perfectly fine. If they’re not being used for reference, consider moving them out of your workspace and into storage as memorabilia.

Below is a list of items I frequently find when working with clients in office-type spaces. It is helpful to consider whether or not they have the three characteristics listed above. If they do, they can and should be kept. If they don’t, they are either candidates for the trash bin, the recycling bin, the shredder, a memorabilia bin, or possibly for display as décor.

Let’s look at some “common clutter culprits” and see if you might recognize some things you can shed.

Maps

Many people have maps. You also may have old AAA TripTiks™ and road atlases. The advent of GPS and mapping apps has rendered these less useful. Paper maps are ergonomically difficult to use, and in some cases may be out of date.

Maps can serve as beautiful art, and old ones have historic value. These can be framed and displayed.

Travel Books and Brochures

Travel brochures are full of information that helps when you are planning a trip. The challenge is that they quickly become obsolete. Prices, hours, and even locations change swiftly. My general rule of thumb is that any travel brochure pre-COVID is probably full of out-of-date information. A quick online search will usually give you more reliable information.

If you have a beautiful travel book with photographs you love, move it to a display area like a coffee table.

Manuals, and Especially “Quick Start” Guides

Every time we get a new gadget or appliance, we get a bunch of paperwork. After using an item a few times, you can usually discard the “Quick Start” guide.

Manuals and warranties for things you currently own and use can come in handy when something breaks. You don’t need to keep the plastic bag they came in, nor any advertising that was stuck in with them.

This may seem obvious, but you also don’t need manuals or any paperwork for things you no longer own. You might be surprised to see what you have if you dig into your collection. Many people have manuals for things they got rid of a long time ago.

If you want some more information on how to manage this type of paperwork, click here.

Textbooks and Notes

Textbooks can be an excellent source of information, especially in specialized fields. Not everything you need to know may be accessible on Google or Claude.

That said, many textbooks aren’t worth keeping. More specifically, books that you never reach back to are just taking up space. If you’d search online before reaching for a textbook, you likely don’t need to keep it.

The same principle applies to notes you may have taken in a class, seminar, at work, or while hearing a speaker. If you look back to them, and if you can store them in a way that makes their contents reliably findable, then by all means keep them. However, if you have notes that you’ve never once checked, odds are you won’t become more likely to use them as time passes.

Paper notes can be recycled (or shredded, if they contain private information). Textbooks that are under five years old can usually be donated. Older ones are trash.

Directories and Old Phone Books

If you are as old as I am, you remember reaching for the yellow (and white) pages. While these having fallen out of fashion, directories for schools, organizations, and clubs, may still be on your shelves. I understand wanting to keep these, as they may provide an easy way to reach someone from your past.

That said, these only deserve space if you trust the information is current. If you were to pull out an old directory and then think, “Well, I’m not sure if this person is still at this number or address…” it’s time to toss it.

Most organizations are moving to digital contact lists, so this problem is self-solving. If there is someone from an old directory you want to stay in touch with, add him/her to your digital contact list.

If you still feel timid, remember that messaging apps and messaging features on social media platforms are making it easier to contact people for whom you may lack a phone number.

Old Address Books

As with phone books, address books are falling out of fashion. When someone new enters my life, I immediately add them to my phone contact list. Yes, it takes a minute, but I’m always glad I did it, especially when my phone rings and I can quickly see who is calling.

Many people have old, hand-written address books or card files. You may feel guilty about pitching yours, but odds are it is taking up space while not contributing to your productivity.

If you happen to be “old school,” and your analog address book is still your primary tool, keep it.

Expired Warranties and Registration Paperwork

Warranties have time-sensitive value. We tend to tuck them away in a file and forget about them until we need them, and then we hunt them down and often find they are expired.

Keep the registration and warranty information that is current. Get rid of the old stuff.

Out of Season Catalogs

It used to be common to hold onto catalogs to remember a product or inspiration. If you are preparing for a remodel, having these favorite images can be helpful. However, if the catalog is more than six months old, chances are that the products inside are no longer available or being sold at the same price point.

I think most items in catalogs can be viewed online these days. Resist the urge to hold onto them unless they are tied to a specific project or timeline. The same principle applies to newspapers. If you are keeping them for memorabilia, cut out the part you love, place it with your other keepsakes, and recycle the rest.

Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

I loved my dictionary and thesaurus. My husband used to read the encyclopedia. We held on to them for a long time.  Finally, we had to admit that when we wanted to look up a word or either of us wanted information on a topic, we weren’t reaching for these printed editions but were instead using online tools.

Encyclopedias can make for an attractive display. Beyond that, be honest with yourself about whether you are using them or not.

Old Business Cards

Even in this digital age, a lot of people still share business cards. I find them in most home offices. The question with business cards, as with all contact information, is whether or not it is current.

Periodically review your collection of cards. They may be in a binder, a rolodex (yes, some people still have these, and they still work fine), or even tossed into a drawer with a rubber band. If you don’t recognize the name of the person or the company, or if you wouldn’t trust the data to be current, recycle it.

Old Resumes and Cover Letters

It’s a good idea to have a copy of your resume or CV on hand. If nothing else, it provides a summary of your professional experiences. If yours is old and out-of-date, it’s worth updating. Once you have a current version, the simplest option is to save a digital copy.

You don’t really need to keep old cover letters. The process for applying for jobs is constantly changing. Most current systems are online. If you do need a cover letter, you would be wise to research current trends rather than reference your old letter.  

If you are hunting a job now, keep digital copies of the cover letters you are sending for quick reference.

Training Materials and Employee Handbooks from Previous Jobs

These tend to hang around, but you don’t need them. Employers are lucky if current employees read and familiarize themselves with the recent handbook. If you no longer work for a company, you can guiltlessly let such materials go.

Old Health Plan Documents

As with handbooks, the only thing you need hold onto is paperwork relating to your current health plan. Worth noting is the fact that most of this is now available online. Since printed copies of these plans tend to be bulky, one efficient option is to download the digital portion and keep it in a folder on your computer with your other medical-related information.

Cookbooks and Recipe Files

Cookbooks, recipe files, and clipped recipes are classic reference materials. We want to be able to reliably find them and trust them to provide accurate guidance. In addition, they may be hand-written and/or family heirloom recipes that have sentimental value. Many are worth keeping.

That said, you may be holding onto more than you truly need. If a book has only one or two recipes you use, you can take a photo or tear out those pages and donate the remainder of the book. Cookbooks or recipes you aren’t using aren’t worth their real estate.

Many people keep “recipes to try.” If you are actively cooking, this is fine (and can be fun!). However, too many recipes can get out of control. Place a physical boundary on how much space you want to allocate to untested recipes (e.g., one folder).

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Having quick and easy access to reference materials you need is smart. Materials you will never need or use are clutter.

What reference materials might you have in your space that you really could be shedding?