Despite there being a very convenient trash can right in your inventory, there is a way to drop items in Stardew Valley. Being able to drop items and come back for them later (once your inventory is less full) is incredibly useful. This guide details exactly how to drop items properly in Stardew Valley across multiple platforms, as well as how to keep your items safe.
PC/Mac
When you are playing Stardew Valley on a PC or Mac, dropping items is quite easy though it is not the most intuitive.
To do this, you need to access your inventory by pressing E. Next, click on the item in your inventory that you want to drop. This picks it up. Then you click just outside your inventory frame, on the right side in the empty space above your trashcan. This will drop the item and you will then be able to see the item on the ground next to you.
Mobile
Previously mobile users, playing on phone or iPads, were forced to trash items if there was no space in the inventory. Fortunately, now there is a way to drop items on a mobile device!
You simply need to access your inventory with the 3 bars. Next, long drag the item you would like to drop to the bottom right of your inventory. Hover over the area where it shows your funds, also known as your total revenue area. Letting go of the item in this area should drop it onto the ground.
Console
Playing on console (Xbox, PS4, Nintendo Switch) might make it seem like it is impossible to drop items. This is because when you are navigating your inventory, the cursor remains inside the inventory box or shifts directly to your trash can. But there is a way to drop items, it just involves turning off controller style menus. Turning off this menu option removes the cursor auto locking to options in the menus. Overall, it helps with not just dropping items but also navigating through the menus in general.
To turn off controller style menus, open your menu and scroll over to the options tab. From there, you are able to scroll down to the “Use Controller Style Menus” button and uncheck the box to turn it off.
Useful Tips
When you drop items on the ground in Stardew Valley, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. The item might immediately try and return to your inventory. To combat this it is helpful to have a desired item right next to you to fill the space instead. Alternatively, you can split stacks of items already in your inventory to fill the space. Then you are free to move away from the item you just dropped and restack the items.
Another thing to keep in mind with dropping items is to just remember to go pick them back up again! Items in Stardew Valley do despawn after a day or two so if make sure to either only drop things you do not care about losing, or to take time to retrieve them before night falls.
Magnet Radius
There are a few items in Stardew Valley that increase your magnet radius. This statistic is a reflection of how far away you can be from an object before it is automatically picked up into your inventory. If you have items that increase your magnet radius, then whatever you throw on the ground might just be picked right back up again.
There are four different rings and three consumables that increase your magnet radius. These rings are the small magnet ring, magnet ring, glowstone ring, and iridium band. The smallest increase to your magnet radius is the small magnet ring versus the largest increase is from the iridium band. Make sure to unequip any of these rings before you try to drop something.
The consumables that increase your magnet radius include crispy bass, miner’s treat, and bean hotpot. Crispy bass increases your magnetism by 64 for 7 minutes. Miner’s treat increases your magnetism by 32 for 5 minutes and 35 seconds. Bean hotpot increases your magnetism by 32 for 7 minutes. Unfortunately, if you have consumed one of these dishes and it is impairing your ability to drop items then you will just have to wait out the buff.
Mods
There are more reasons to want to drop items than just if your inventory is too full, and one of the biggest ones is that you want to share items in multiplayer. It can be a hassle to have to go into your inventory and navigate through the whole process for each item you’re trying to share. This is why other games like Minecraft have hotkeys for dropping items easily and efficiently.
If you find yourself wishing there was a hotkey for dropping items in Stardew Valley, luckily there is a mod just for you. The Drop It mod can be downloaded here.
