diff --git a/common/list.c b/common/list.c
index ee268c9af..a0b425122 100644
--- a/common/list.c
+++ b/common/list.c
@@ -30,15 +30,6 @@ void list_free(list_t *list) {
 	free(list);
 }
 
-void list_foreach(list_t *list, void (*callback)(void *item)) {
-	if (list == NULL || callback == NULL) {
-		return;
-	}
-	for (int i = 0; i < list->length; i++) {
-		callback(list->items[i]);
-	}
-}
-
 void list_add(list_t *list, void *item) {
 	list_resize(list);
 	list->items[list->length++] = item;
@@ -156,3 +147,15 @@ void list_stable_sort(list_t *list, int compare(const void *a, const void *b)) {
 		list_inplace_sort(list, 0, list->length - 1, compare);
 	}
 }
+
+void free_flat_list(list_t *list) {
+	if (!list) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	for (int i = 0; i < list->length; ++i) {
+		free(list->items[i]);
+	}
+	list_free(list);
+}
+
diff --git a/common/loop.c b/common/loop.c
index 82b80017a..ad2b4a644 100644
--- a/common/loop.c
+++ b/common/loop.c
@@ -45,10 +45,8 @@ struct loop *loop_create(void) {
 }
 
 void loop_destroy(struct loop *loop) {
-	list_foreach(loop->fd_events, free);
-	list_foreach(loop->timers, free);
-	list_free(loop->fd_events);
-	list_free(loop->timers);
+	free_flat_list(loop->fd_events);
+	free_flat_list(loop->timers);
 	free(loop->fds);
 	free(loop);
 }
diff --git a/common/stringop.c b/common/stringop.c
index df016e9df..4b8c9a384 100644
--- a/common/stringop.c
+++ b/common/stringop.c
@@ -97,14 +97,6 @@ list_t *split_string(const char *str, const char *delims) {
 	return res;
 }
 
-void free_flat_list(list_t *list) {
-	int i;
-	for (i = 0; i < list->length; ++i) {
-		free(list->items[i]);
-	}
-	list_free(list);
-}
-
 char **split_args(const char *start, int *argc) {
 	*argc = 0;
 	int alloc = 2;
diff --git a/include/list.h b/include/list.h
index 03851a82e..70af49f66 100644
--- a/include/list.h
+++ b/include/list.h
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ typedef struct {
 
 list_t *create_list(void);
 void list_free(list_t *list);
-void list_foreach(list_t *list, void (*callback)(void* item));
 void list_add(list_t *list, void *item);
 void list_insert(list_t *list, int index, void *item);
 void list_del(list_t *list, int index);
@@ -27,4 +26,10 @@ void list_stable_sort(list_t *list, int compare(const void *a, const void *b));
 void list_swap(list_t *list, int src, int dest);
 // move item to end of list
 void list_move_to_end(list_t *list, void *item);
+
+/* Calls `free` for each item in the list, then frees the list.
+ * Do not use this to free lists of primitives or items that require more
+ * complicated deallocation code.
+ */
+void free_flat_list(list_t *list);
 #endif
diff --git a/include/stringop.h b/include/stringop.h
index 919e605c9..215f79163 100644
--- a/include/stringop.h
+++ b/include/stringop.h
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ int lenient_strcmp(char *a, char *b);
 
 // Simply split a string with delims, free with `free_flat_list`
 list_t *split_string(const char *str, const char *delims);
-void free_flat_list(list_t *list);
 
 // Splits an argument string, keeping quotes intact
 char **split_args(const char *str, int *argc);
diff --git a/sway/commands/bind.c b/sway/commands/bind.c
index c8b634b90..52a245fac 100644
--- a/sway/commands/bind.c
+++ b/sway/commands/bind.c
@@ -23,9 +23,7 @@ void free_sway_binding(struct sway_binding *binding) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	if (binding->keys) {
-		free_flat_list(binding->keys);
-	}
+	free_flat_list(binding->keys);
 	free(binding->input);
 	free(binding->command);
 	free(binding);
diff --git a/sway/commands/reload.c b/sway/commands/reload.c
index c64de4bd8..c236911e9 100644
--- a/sway/commands/reload.c
+++ b/sway/commands/reload.c
@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@ static void do_reload(void *data) {
 
 	if (!load_main_config(config->current_config_path, true, false)) {
 		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Error(s) reloading config");
-		list_foreach(bar_ids, free);
-		list_free(bar_ids);
+		free_flat_list(bar_ids);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -42,9 +41,7 @@ static void do_reload(void *data) {
 			}
 		}
 	}
-
-	list_foreach(bar_ids, free);
-	list_free(bar_ids);
+	free_flat_list(bar_ids);
 
 	config_update_font_height(true);
 	root_for_each_container(rebuild_textures_iterator, NULL);
diff --git a/sway/config.c b/sway/config.c
index ff7de4b90..efb95e31b 100644
--- a/sway/config.c
+++ b/sway/config.c
@@ -654,8 +654,7 @@ bool read_config(FILE *file, struct sway_config *config,
 
 			if (read + length > config_size) {
 				wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Config file changed during reading");
-				list_foreach(stack, free);
-				list_free(stack);
+				free_flat_list(stack);
 				free(line);
 				return false;
 			}
@@ -684,8 +683,7 @@ bool read_config(FILE *file, struct sway_config *config,
 		}
 		char *expanded = expand_line(block, line, brace_detected > 0);
 		if (!expanded) {
-			list_foreach(stack, free);
-			list_free(stack);
+			free_flat_list(stack);
 			free(line);
 			return false;
 		}
@@ -750,8 +748,7 @@ bool read_config(FILE *file, struct sway_config *config,
 		free(line);
 		free_cmd_results(res);
 	}
-	list_foreach(stack, free);
-	list_free(stack);
+	free_flat_list(stack);
 	config->current_config_line_number = 0;
 	config->current_config_line = NULL;
 
diff --git a/sway/config/bar.c b/sway/config/bar.c
index 36e10527e..82457ef48 100644
--- a/sway/config/bar.c
+++ b/sway/config/bar.c
@@ -53,9 +53,7 @@ void free_bar_config(struct bar_config *bar) {
 		free_bar_binding(binding);
 	}
 	list_free(bar->bindings);
-	if (bar->outputs) {
-		free_flat_list(bar->outputs);
-	}
+	free_flat_list(bar->outputs);
 	if (bar->pid != 0) {
 		terminate_swaybar(bar->pid);
 	}
diff --git a/sway/tree/container.c b/sway/tree/container.c
index 91e8dd7f5..ac4335772 100644
--- a/sway/tree/container.c
+++ b/sway/tree/container.c
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "sway/tree/arrange.h"
 #include "sway/tree/view.h"
 #include "sway/tree/workspace.h"
+#include "list.h"
 #include "log.h"
 #include "stringop.h"
 
@@ -67,8 +68,7 @@ void container_destroy(struct sway_container *con) {
 	list_free(con->current.children);
 	list_free(con->outputs);
 
-	list_foreach(con->marks, free);
-	list_free(con->marks);
+	free_flat_list(con->marks);
 	wlr_texture_destroy(con->marks_focused);
 	wlr_texture_destroy(con->marks_focused_inactive);
 	wlr_texture_destroy(con->marks_unfocused);
@@ -1267,7 +1267,9 @@ bool container_find_and_unmark(char *mark) {
 }
 
 void container_clear_marks(struct sway_container *con) {
-	list_foreach(con->marks, free);
+	for (int i = 0; i < con->marks->length; ++i) {
+		free(con->marks->items[i]);
+	}
 	con->marks->length = 0;
 	ipc_event_window(con, "mark");
 }
diff --git a/swayidle/main.c b/swayidle/main.c
index dd7d9de3c..9a76e58c1 100644
--- a/swayidle/main.c
+++ b/swayidle/main.c
@@ -365,11 +365,6 @@ static int parse_args(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void register_zero_idle_timeout(void *item) {
-	struct swayidle_timeout_cmd *cmd = item;
-	register_timeout(cmd, 0);
-}
-
 static int handle_signal(int sig, void *data) {
 	switch (sig) {
 	case SIGINT:
@@ -378,7 +373,9 @@ static int handle_signal(int sig, void *data) {
 		return 0;
 	case SIGUSR1:
 		wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Got SIGUSR1");
-		list_foreach(state.timeout_cmds, register_zero_idle_timeout);
+		for (int i = 0; i < state.timeout_cmds->length; ++i) {
+			register_timeout(state.timeout_cmds->items[i], 0);
+		}
 		return 1;
 	}
 	assert(false); // not reached
@@ -409,11 +406,6 @@ static int display_event(int fd, uint32_t mask, void *data) {
 	return count;
 }
 
-static void register_idle_timeout(void *item) {
-	struct swayidle_timeout_cmd *cmd = item;
-	register_timeout(cmd, cmd->timeout);
-}
-
 int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 	if (parse_args(argc, argv) != 0) {
 		return -1;
@@ -458,7 +450,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 		sway_terminate(0);
 	}
 
-	list_foreach(state.timeout_cmds, register_idle_timeout);
+	for (int i = 0; i < state.timeout_cmds->length; ++i) {
+		struct swayidle_timeout_cmd *cmd = state.timeout_cmds->items[i];
+		register_timeout(cmd, cmd->timeout);
+	}
 
 	wl_display_roundtrip(state.display);