Remember when IKEA shelf just disintegrated in my hands trying to move it.

Your point on "just in case" items is spot on, so I add a rule to donate anything unused for six months.

Totally get that with the brush. It's like when I soak my oatmeal overnight, the texture is way better in the morning. I see this with a lot of little prep steps, like letting coffee grounds bloom before brewing. Even pre-wetting a sponge before cleaning makes it work better. Makes me wonder what other daily routines could be improved with a simple soak?