If you’re like most people, you might find yourself sitting on a mountain of stuff that isn’t quite worth what you’re hoping it is. In other words, your attic full of antiques might just be gathering dust and taking up storage space for no real reason.
While some antiques hold sentimental or monetary value, many of them should just be discarded or donated. Reducing clutter can be beneficial for mental health, so it’s worth sorting through and seeing what you could live without. If it resembles a storage unit more than your attic, simply reorganizing can ease your mind and free up space for things that actually matter.
It’s time to differentiate the worthless from the valuable. Here is a list of 17 items you should throw out ASAP to make space for more worthwhile ones.
1. Royal Family Memorabilia
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Items like mugs or plates with pictures of queens, kings, and princesses have been cherished keepsakes in the past, but due to mass production, they no longer hold the same attraction they once did. Now that they are just cluttering your space, if you’re still keeping these items, know they can only make you a few bucks.
2. Model Trains
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We all loved model trains, especially around the Christmas tree, but now the value of an old model train might disappoint you. While a few unique models could fetch a decent $10,000, others might barely reach $100. It all depends on the manufacturer, the designs, and the rarity of the products. Unfortunately, even if it’s a fancy brand like Lionel, the chances are slim that it’ll be worth much.
If the train isn’t a fun part of the annual holiday decor anymore, it’s time to ditch it or gift it to another child who will enjoy watching it go around the tree endlessly.
3. Vinyl Records
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Some vinyl records can be sold to real music lovers for thousands of dollars, but only if you have a vast collection in good condition. But mainly, they sell at as low as $2 to a few hundred bucks at max.
The value has dropped because of online streaming and decreased demand. Newbies mostly buy newer versions and recent releases, while veteran collectors prefer original copies in perfect condition. It might only be worth keeping these vinyl records if you have an extensive collection that you still personally use.
4. Vintage Band T-Shirts
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People hold on to their favorite band t-shirts as mementos of performances and a way to show off their musical tastes. However, it can’t get them more than a free pass at their band reunion. A typical pristine T-shirt is sold for only $50 on Etsy, but not more than that.
5. Star Wars Toys
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As new Star Wars movies and merchandise flooded the market, the value of older toys decreased. You can only make decent money from the 1970s Star Wars collectibles if they’re in their original packaging. But an average Star Wars figurine is not worth more than $30. So, it’s time to raid your Star Wars collection, find out if you have a diamond hidden in the dust, and throw away the rest.
6. “Silver” Serving Utensils
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These silver utensils were once considered a family treasure and passed down through generations, but honestly, they are worth way less than you think. If you have some silver serving utensils, you can keep them as a memory of your grandma, but don’t expect to earn more than a few hundred if you try to pawn them.
7. Funko Pop Figurines
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These cute, stylized figures are made after popular movie characters, and people like to display their favorite characters. But except for a few rare versions, most won’t ever become valuable the way people expect. If you want to get rid of these, you can get around $20.
8. Stamps
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Many people love collecting stamps from different countries, but these stamps are invaluable today. Of course, exceptions exist, but most are not worth more than a dollar.
9. Wheat Pennies
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These rare coins were assumed to be jackpots because they were worth more than their fair value, and people emptied their pockets to find them. Usually, wheat pennies are worth around four cents to $4, so it will take a lot of them to make you rich. It’s high time you think about whether they are worth holding.
10. Pandora Charms
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Since 1982, Pandora has become famous because of their simple bracelets featuring cute charms of your choice. However, as fashion trends changed and demand for bracelets dropped, the price of Pandora charms also decreased. New bracelets are being sold on Pandora’s website at $30-$990, but if you have an outdated one, it might be worth as little as $15-$20.
11. Happy Meal Toys
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The toys with Happy Meals sold by McDonald’s can be quite a collectible. However, the twist is that they are only worth a fortune if they’re in perfect condition and still in their original packaging, including the Happy Meal box. These are usually ripped open because who can resist playing with these little toys? Otherwise, they can be sold separately for around $5-$10.
12. Old College Swag
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You might have kept your college t-shirts, hats, or pennants to cherish those moments when you get older. While they hold sentimental value, their resale value is typically low. T-shirts might only bring in around $10 to $30, while pennants could go for $5 to $10 if you’re lucky. So, if you’re holding onto them purely for investment purposes, let them go.
13. Norman Rockwell Collector Plates
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People used to decorate their walls and cabinets with these plates featuring scenes from Rockwell’s famous paintings as a symbol of nostalgia and Americana. However, these plates have lost their value over time and are now sold at an average price of $16.32.
14. Ceramic or Porcelain Dolls
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Once admired for their naturalistic features and craftsmanship, these dolls are now considered too creepy to keep and have little to no monetary value. While rare or exceptionally well-preserved dolls may be worth thousands of dollars based on design and condition, most vintage ones are sold for $5-$20.
15. Barbie Dolls
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With the revival of Barbie dolls after the “Barbie” movie hit cinemas, these can potentially bring a reasonable price depending on their age and condition. However, an average doll in good condition might only sell for around $15 to $40.
16. Antique Furniture
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Many people get fooled by its vintage look and expect big money from selling it. However, the value of fine antique furniture in America fell 30 percent in the last ten years because “Heavy” and “brown” are not today’s prevailing aesthetics. Plus, houses, apartments, and rooms are much smaller than they used to be.
17. Costume Jewelry
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Costume jewelry changes with the trend, based on popularity and what’s seen in movies or TV shows, making the previous trend unwanted most of the time. These are produced in large quantities, so everyone can quickly get them for as low as $5. It doesn’t mean it will cost a lot if it looks nice. Time to empty that jewelry drawer.
Jeanne Fleury
Saturday 2nd of August 2025
Never ever throw out any of the items in Bonnie’s article about things in your attic. Disturbing to read her telling people to throw these things out. Ever heat the saying “ one man’s junk is another man’s treasures”? While some of these items may not have a lot of value they do have value. Even if you are rich don’t throw them out. Donate to a church thrift store or put them on your curb for free. People take anything for free. This country is a throw away society and it just clutters our landfills and is a waste.