Every New Year has a smell of new beginnings. Now is the perfect time to reflect on the previous year, keep what you love and enjoy, and let go of the things that drag you down or, at least, don’t do you any good. Of course, this can mean many unique things for many different people. However, if you’ve stumbled across the article on decluttering your home right before the New Year, this probably means you wish to start the upcoming year fresh and clean.

Minimalism, or owning somewhat fewer possessions, can be an antidote for those who feel they’ve been living in chaos and it started to bother them. On the other hand, you might wish to create and keep your home clean during and after the holidays. Or, you might entirely be starting fresh and moving to a new home after the holidays. No matter the reason, you’ve come to the correct address. Decluttering can only help in any of these cases. So let’s learn how to use this time to clear up the clutter and welcome some fresh energy into your household.

Decluttering your home before the holidays

Starting the home decluttering project before the holiday is a great time, as you’ll at least have a starting point: the holiday clutter. Over the years, we tend to collect and hold on to different bits and bobs that no longer suit our style. This point will get you going and help you work your way through the rest of the house.

Therefore, if you wish to get rid of some items you haven’t used in years, it’s crucial to have an overall plan. Jumping into the ‘declutter before moving or holidays’ task can be overwhelming. That’s why doing this step-by-step in manageable time frames will make the whole process easier.

So, logically, the first step would be to create a list of rooms or tasks you’ll be doing. In this article, we suggest the ‘room-by-room’ approach, which we’ll dig deeper into later. However, before we jump into the actual rooms, here’s a list of tasks to keep you focused during this mission.

Main steps for efficient home decluttering

Firstly, you should list all the areas you wish to declutter in your home. A piece of advice: start with the most effortless room. Then, you can leave the more challenging once you’re “in the game.”

This step can be crucial if you don’t have a free week to declutter your home. Deciding how much time you can spare when decluttering your house is vital. For instance, this can be 15 or 30 minutes daily or 2 hours each weekend.

Setting a deadline to ensure you don’t take too much time would be good.

If you’re having trouble deciding which items to get rid of, there’s an unspoken rule that usually works well. If the item has no sentimental value to you and you haven’t used it in a year, it’s time to get rid of it.

Perhaps the most valuable advice that will make refreshing your home much easier is to designate four boxes for each room. These are the keep, donate, recycle, and trash boxes.

Finally, make sure you give each room a deep clean. Cleaning your home will keep the allergies at bay. Furthermore, this is a great way to make your home feel fresh for the upcoming year.

The hallway

Even though it might not seem like it, your entryway might be the most crucial area you’ll need to declutter. This room is the first room anyone who enters your home sees. So, because it gives an overall impression of your whole house, keeping it welcoming and tidy is essential.

For instance, if there needs to be some clutter, it would be good to keep it hidden. You can create drop stations like boxes and baskets for each family member (for purses, keys, and wallets). Finally, placing a bench next to the front door will look nice, so your guests can sit and take their shoes off.

The living room

Having an open floor plan has become a norm. However, that also means many areas with clutter run into each other.

As we cannot simply close the door and pretend we don’t see what’s not there, we must devise a way to keep that large space tidy. So, what can we do?

Firstly, you can carefully curate what you have displayed on your shelves and the coffee table. Secondly, if you have kids, it would be wise to give them a basket for the things they can bring to areas other than their room. This way, you’ll keep the number of toys limited and your living room clutter-free.

Finally, if you have an entire box of things you don’t know where to put in your living room, it’s time to find a new home for them. You could place them into storage boxes, reuse them as décor pieces elsewhere, or donate some of them.

Kitchen and dining room

These areas are usually the dumping ground for papers, posts, laundry, and sports bags. However, the kitchen is also the hub of family times together. Therefore, you’ll want to make it as functional and tidy as possible.

In practical terms, clearing up your kitchen looks like something like this.

• Get rid of the old utensils you no longer use or have duplicates of;
• By using drawer separators you will keep your drawers organised;
• Keep necessary items only on one side of the worktop. Keep the rest of the surfaces clean for functional and aesthetic reasons.
• Decluttering your home can seem like a nightmare if your cabinets are full. In this case, it would be best to look for alternative options, like drawer dividers or organisers, to ensure you use the space you have to its whole.

Master bedroom

Your bedroom should be your relaxation sanctuary. That’s why making your bed in the morning is a rule everyone should follow. Coming home after a long day to a soft and cosy bed is sometimes indescribable.

Therefore, apart from making your bed, going through your closet is another big thing when on a home decluttering mission. Once you finish with your clothes, you should focus on making your bedroom beautiful and suitable. For example, getting new bed linens, cleaning the bedside tops, and putting a vase with two or three stems will give the room another vibe.

Kids’ rooms

As it’s likely that the number of kids’ toys will only increase during the holidays, now is the perfect time to organise their room.

So, firstly you should be able to separate the toys they’ve outgrown. These can be perfect for donating to someone who needs them. Also, experts recommend decluttering to keep it neat and clean twice a year. For example, a back-to-school declutter and a holiday one. This way, you’ll avoid the scenario of your kids not even knowing what they own.

Ultimately, making different categories and grouping them on the shelves will make it visually more manageable for your kids to clean up the toys at the end of the day.

Final words on decluttering your home before the New Year

We hope you learned something before decluttering your home before the New Year. By following our tips and tricks, you’ll be able to refresh your home and ensure you start the year fresh and clean.