50 Things No Man Over 40 Should Own

It's time to retire that "lucky" piece of clothing.

There's an old proverb (or maybe it's just the title of a Broadway play) that reminds us of the universal truth: "You can't take it with you." Though they're talking about life after death, this also applies to your 40s, as well. If you're a 40-something-year-old man, there's a long list of things you should be leaving in the past—everything from scooters, to wildly age-inappropriate clothing, to the single worst haircut any man can have. At your dignified station in life, these are the 50 things you should probably say goodbye to.

1
"Funny" Ties

funny looking tie, men over 50 fashion
Shutterstock

You're no longer the funniest guy at the frat party. It's time to get a better tie.

2
Enormous Piles of Laundry

Dirty clothes, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

If you've ever uttered the sentence, "I'm out of clean underwear again," it's time to take a long, hard look at your life priorities. No 40-year-old man should ever get to the point where an underwear-less day sneaks up on him.

3
Shot Glasses

Shot glasses, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

Are you really doing shots so often that you need your own hard-liquor glassware? It's time to keep a bar stocked with the glassware and liquor to whip up a more sophisticated drink.

4
An AOL Email Address

AOL, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

It's time to enter the 21st century with a more modern email address. Say goodbye to the little yellow AIM guy.

5
A "Lucky" Piece of Clothing

Tattered t-shirt, lucky t-shirt, 40s, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

Sorry, but that crusty old T-shirt that you refuse to wash isn't the same thing as Michael Jordan's so-called "lucky shorts." Please don't make us enumerate the ways that you're probably not the Michael Jordan of your office or local pickup games.

6
Velcro Wallets

Velcro Wallet, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

If you can't pull out some cash or a credit card without making a loud ripping sound, it's time to upgrade to a great, handsome wallet.

7
Scooters

Scooters, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

We can prove to you that a scooter is a terrible idea with one video. Nothing about this electric scooter commercial is based on real life. Nobody who uses a scooter as his main mode of transportation wears a suit or has a "9 a.m. meeting." Also, this scooter is called the Swagtron Swagger. Seriously? (Also, it should go without saying that hoverboards fall into the category of banned items for a 40-year-old man, as well.)

8
The Art of War by Sun Tzu

The Art of War, what to give up in your 40s
Tuttle Publishing

There are so many better ways to announce to the world that you're someone who thinks he's a "warrior" at life.

9
Hacky Sacks

hacky sack things no man over 40 should own
Shutterstock

Put down the footbag—you're a 40-year-old man now.

10
Wire Hangers

no woman over 40 should have wire hangers in her apartment
Shutterstock

Sure, you got them for free from a dry cleaner, but your clothes deserve better. Hopefully, you've invested in an adult wardrobe, which deserves more than wire hangers that can stretch out clothes. Upgrade to something sturdier.

11
Bowling Shoes

Bowling shoes, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

As we learned in this 2012 study published in the Journal of Research in Personality, people can correctly guess your age, gender, and income just by looking at your shoes. You know what bowling shoes reveal about you? That you're a broke teenager who steals his footwear from bowling alleys. Or, at the very least, that you're not a 40-year-old man.

12
Hoodies

40s hoodie
Shutterstock

You're just a little bit too mature for this look. And if your defense of your favorite hoodie is, "Mark Zuckerberg wears an old hoodie every day! He's a CEO," then you'd be right. He's also not yet 40.

13
Acoustic Guitars for Parties

Acoustic Guitar, 40s, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

In your head, it's easy to convince yourself that everyone at the party is secretly hoping that a you'll whip out your guitar and break into a one-man acoustic version of "Ants Marching." But trust us on this one, they're really not.

14
Flip-flops

flip flops
Shutterstock

I know, this is a tough one. What else are you going to wear when you're trying to keep the chill vibes flowing and you're kicking around the hacky sack with your best bros? Can we suggest actual shoes? And as we've already established: Drop the hacky sack!

15
Tracksuits

track suit 40s
Shutterstock

Run DMC is not a good look on a guy old enough to have been in Run DMC in the '80s.

16
Speedos

sppedo store front, 40 year old men
Shutterstock

No.

17
A Story Involving a Jail Cell

40 things give up in 40s
Shutterstock

That crazy yarn about you and your buds committing a minor felony back in college is one thing. But if you begin any dinner party story with, "You'll never believe how I ended up in jail last weekend," don't expect an enthusiastic response.

18
A Key Chain Bottle Opener

Key Chain with Bottle Opener40s, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

There is always a bottle opener nearby. If there isn't, maybe you need to ask yourself, "Am I currently at a location where it's appropriate to be drinking alcoholic beverages?"

19
Gamer Injuries

Man Playing Video Games, 40s, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

We like playing a little Resident Evil 7 as much as the next guy, but if you're playing so much that your thumbs are permanently calloused, you've been killing too many fake zombies and not getting nearly enough cardio and sunlight.

20
Burning Man Friends

Hippies, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

Having Burning Man friends means that you've attended enough Burning Man festivals to have a Burning Man social circle. That's waaaaay too much Burning Man, man.

21
Baseball Caps

Man Wearing Baseball Cap Backwards Things No One Over 40 Should Do
Shutterstock

Unless your name is Aaron Judge, you have no reason to be wearing a baseball cap.

22
A Guy Fieri Haircut

Guy Fieri, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

The Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives host does a lot of good in the world—his hairstyle though, is another story.

23
A Roommate

40s roommates
Shutterstock

It's fine to live with other people. They're called your spouse and kids.

24
Band T-shirts

Band t-shirt, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

Who exactly do we think we're impressing with our Spoon concert tee?

25
A Tinder Account

Tinder, 40s, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

If your dating app of choice has been blamed for the rise of STDs in some states, it might be time to move on to something more reputable, like Match.com.

26
Wallet Chains

Wallet Chains, 40s, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

There's no good explanation for a wallet chain. Unless you're biking through rough mountain terrain, you shouldn't be worried about losing your wallet.

27
Themed Bedsheets

stars wars bed cover, no man over 40
Amazon

At your age, you should be more concerned with thread counts than whether your sheets have a cool illustration of Han Solo. Just because you can buy them on Amazon, doesn't mean you should. And while we're on the subject of beds…

28
A Bed without a Frame

Floor mattress, bed without frame, 40s, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

If you're just out of college and living with three other guys in a city apartment, a mattress on the floor is understandable. But unless your life goal is to be a character in a Tom Waits song, you're way too old to not be investing in the entire bed. C'mon, you're a 40-year-old man; you've had decades to figure out the whole raised bed thing.

29
A Bong

Marijuana leaves, which science says could boost your sex drive
Shutterstock

No, you don't still need your six-foot bong from college that you've nicknamed The Wizard.

30
Skinny Jeans

Man in skinny jeans, v40s, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

The only person allowed to wear skinny jeans over the age of 40 is Iggy Pop. End of story.

31
Frozen Pizza Rolls

Frozen pizza rolls, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

A freezer filled with pizza rolls and other microwavable junk food is not an option for the modern man.

32
An Unstamped Passport

Passport, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

You do realize that a passport isn't just for threatening to leave the country when things don't go your way, right?

33
Unframed Posters

Pulp Fiction poster, what to give up in your 40s
Miramax Films

A Pulp Fiction movie poster taped to your wall is just one step above refrigerator magnets in the hierarchy of home décor.

34
A Partner Born in the Clinton Years

Older man younger woman, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

Let's be clear: No, you don't "own" a significant other—no matter their age. But if your S.O. can only recall the three most recent leaders of the free world, you are officially dating too young, buddy.

35
A Tattoo Less Than Five Years Old

Tattoo, tattoo removal, 40s, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

A fresh tattoo on a 40 year old isn't cool or dangerous or a symbol of your unique personality. It's the "buying a sports car because I'm terrified of growing old" of our generation.

36
A Fast Food Condiment Packet Collection

ketchup packets against a blue background
Shutterstock

Taco Bell hot sauce is an occasional guilty pleasure, not a home kitchen staple.

37
A Buddy on Your Couch

Man living on a couch, 40s, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

You shouldn't even be Facebook friends with this guy any more, much less letting him "crash" with you until his divorce is finalized and he can get his own place to live. (You know that's never happening, right?)

38
A Black Eye

Black eye, 40s, what to give up in your 40s
Shutterstock

It's not that you can't take a punch, it's that you're still finding yourself in situations where you have to take a punch.

39
Drop-Crotch Pants

Deep crotch pants, something no man in his 40s should own
Shutterstock

There's no reason you need that much room down there.

40
A Yellow Hummer

50 things no man over 40 should own hummer
Shutterstock

These gas-guzzling relics from the '90s already exist deep into no-go territory. But if you add this eye-popping color, you're doing the only thing that can possibly make it worse.

41
Your Grandmother's Hand-Me-Down Couch

50 things no man over 50 should own couch
Shutterstock

Free furniture is a great thing when you're in your 20s and struggling to get by. But saying "My grandmother slept on this couch in college" when you're 40 is a cry for help.

42
A Selfie Stick

selfie stick no man over 40 should own
Shutterstock

A grown man knows how to politely ask a stranger to snap a quick photograph.

43
Your Childhood Arts-and-Crafts Wares

childhood arts and crafts things no man over 40 should own
Shutterstock

That glazed clay bowl you made at camp is definitely not a suitable living room centerpiece.

44
Pokémon Cards

pokemon cards things no man over 40 should own
Shutterstock

Put. The cards. Down. And walk. Away.

45
Empty Beer Can and/or Empty Liquor Bottle Collection

liquor bottles things no man over 40 should own
Shutterstock

Saving hundreds of empty aluminum cans and bottles of all the beers you've consumed over the years isn't like covering a suitcase with stickers from far-off places. It just makes people think, "Wow, this dude has a serious drinking problem."

46
Sports Team-Themed Wall Art

sports memorabilia things no man over 40 should own
Shutterstock

It's time to invest in some serious statement pieces, man.

47
Keepsakes from Fast Food Restaurants

mcdonalds memorabilia things no man over 40 should own
Shutterstock

Yes, your tumblers featuring Mayor McCheese and Grimace are collectors' items. But they're maybe not how a guy in his 40s should be sipping on a weekend cocktail.

48
Wine Bottles as Candle Holders

wine bottle acting as a candle holder, 40 year old men
Shutterstock

Unless you live in an Italian restaurant, this is not nearly as cute as you think.

49
Jorts

jorts things no man over 40 should own
Shutterstock

Or anything "norm core," for that matter.

50
A Flip Phone

flip phone things no man over 40 should own
Shutterstock

You don't have to buy every new tech gadget that comes on the market. But using a flip-phone will instantly add 30 years to your age in ways that unhealthy living can only dream of.

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