19 Things to Declutter Before the New Year
The new year is a great chance to reflect and move forward. And it’s a great time to declutter!
If it’s been a while since you’ve sorted through your stuff and said goodbye to the things that no longer serve you, you might want to declutter for the new year. Not only will it help you truly feel as though you’re starting fresh, but you’ll also find it easier to focus and make progress toward your goals when you aren’t feeling overwhelmed by your environment or struggling to find the things you need.
To get the fresh start you’re looking for, you’ll need to clear some clutter out of your way. Here are 19 ideas of things to declutter for the new year to get you started.
1. Your wardrobe.
Many people keep old clothes which become clutter. Consider how often you wear each item. Are they adding value? If not, they’re just getting in the way, or even worse making you feel bad about yourself, and should probably be rehomed. Sort through your closet and dresser drawers and get rid of anything you really aren’t going to wear again. Chances are, you’ll find more stuff than you thought.
And when you’re done? Sell it, donate it, swap it with a friend.
2. The Kitchen pantry.
The kitchen pantry is a great place to declutter in the new year. Things tend to get shuffled around, shoved to the back, and pushed out of sight and out of mind that need to be dusted off and brought forward. It’s also a good idea to check your expiration dates and get rid of anything past its prime – it might take a while, but spices, soups, and canned goods do eventually expire.
3. Your medicine cabinet.
Like spices, prescriptions don’t last forever. Every medicine out there has an expiration date, even the over-the-counter stuff you keep around to fight off a cold.If you haven’t gone through your medicine cabinet recently, it’s a good spot to declutter for the new year.
4. Makeup & toiletries.
Yes, even makeup and toiletry items have a shelf life. Things like lotion don’t seem like they should go bad, but eventually, they do. Old items can also collect bacteria so it’s a good idea to go through these areas in your bathroom from time to time.
5. Subscriptions.
One thing you should declutter for the new year that most people don’t consider?
Your subscriptions!
You can subscribe to virtually anything nowadays. From audio and video streaming services to meal delivery programs, and shaving kits, you can get pretty much anything with a recurring payment. And since those recurring payments are out of sight and out of mind, we don’t think about them and may not realize they’ve become a money drain. Take advantage of the new year as a time to review your subscriptions and declutter or unsubscribe from any you no longer need. You’ll eliminate clutter and save some money!
6. Your email inbox.
Digital clutter is absolutely a thing – and it can be harder to manage than physical clutter.
If you’re one of those people whose unread emails are in the thousands, you certainly aren’t alone. But you can take some steps to reduce your digital clutter. It will keep things a little more manageable, making it easier to find what you need and skip over the stuff that you don’t. You might be amazed to see just how much of an impact a quick ‘unsubscribe’ session and a few inbox filters can make.
7. The junk drawer.
Most homes have at least one junk drawer. Filled with the most random assortment of odds and ends you can possibly think of, it’s a place where lots of things go to be totally forgotten. If it’s been a minute since you’ve looked through your junk drawer, add it to your list of things to declutter for the new year. Spend a few minutes getting rid of the stuff you don’t need, and find a proper home for the stuff worth keeping.
8. Your desk drawer.
One more thing you should declutter for the new year? Your desk drawer! This is especially true if you’re working from home. Between all of the pens, pencils, binder clips, paper clips, extra staples, rubber bands, thumbtacks, and other random odds and ends that find their way in here, it can be difficult to keep everything organized.
9. Cords and cables.
Pretty much everyone has one: a random spot where miscellaneous cords and cables are hidden. We keep them around sometimes without even knowing what they’re even for on the off-chance something breaks and you just happen to have the right one to swap it with. Before the new year, sort through all of those cords and cables and let go of the ones you don’t need to keep. Spoiler alert it’s likely most of them!
10. Craft supplies.
Love to craft in your spare time, or have a kid who enjoys rolling up their sleeves and getting creative? Chances are, you’ve got more craft supplies than you really need. Between all of the construction paper, glitter glue, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, stickers, and other miscellaneous odds and ends that can be put to good use during art projects, it can be tough to keep it all organized.Take some time in the new year to evaluate what you’ve got and get rid of anything you know you won’t use again. If you can replace it in less than 20 minutes for less than $20 is it really worth holding on to just in case? It will make organizing your craft supplies much easier!
11. Your board game collection.
If you and your family love to play board games as we do, you might have a bigger collection than you really need. Go through your collection and keep your favourite games. Make that overflowing game closet manageable by decluttering your games at least once a year and donating the ones you no longer play to someone who could really use them.
12. Kitchen counters.
Counters are often a magnet for random household junk. They attract the items waiting to be put away and dealt with. All of those dumped items take away from your counter space making it more difficult to work in there as well as making your home look cluttered. It doesn’t take too much time and has a big impact on the look, feel, and function of your space.
13. Drinkware.
Water bottles and coffee cups tend to multiply through the year only to find yourself with a too-full cupboard and nowhere to store the overflow. You can donate any unwanted glasses, cups, or bottles to a local organization in need.
14. Your schedule.
A new year is a great time to reevaluate your commitments. See where your schedule reflects your values and where it doesn’t. If you are a people pleaser, you’re more likely to say yes and overcommit, which can leave you feeling exhausted and regretful. Take the opportunity now to declutter your schedule and create boundaries with your time.
15. The fridge.
Does it smell kinda strange every time you open your refrigerator? Maybe you know this task needs to happen but you’ve been putting it off. Start the year with a clean fridge. Declutter anything that is past its date or smells or looks bad. Once you’ve gotten the gross stuff out, wipe down the shelves with some cleaner. Then you can happily open your fridge without cringing.
16. Your phone.
Our phones get used a lot…probably too much. With all of the apps, and photos it's easy to become a cluttered mess. Take a few minutes here and there to work on deleting apps you don’t use. Eliminate those duplicate and blurry pictures. It may take some time to make your phone a clutter-free zone, but it’s well worth the effort.
17. Shoes.
Life is too short for uncomfortable shoes. If you have shoes you never wear, shoes that are falling apart, or shoes that hurt your feet, do yourself a favor and start the year off by decluttering them. Improperly fitting shoes can cause problems and pain in your feet. No matter how cute the shoe is, it’s not worth it. Clear that space up in your closet and declutter those shoesYour feet will thank you.
18. Books.
Books that are never used and sit on a shelf collecting dust for years have become clutter. Books are meant to be read and enjoyed and passed along to others to read. If bookshelves filled to the brim with books are overtaking your space, the new year is a great opportunity to re-evaluate them.
19. Your feed.
If you spend any amount of time on social media, you know your feed can become cluttered. Cultivate a feed that you feel good about by unfollowing, snoozing, or hiding the pages and people that aren’t adding to your life or your mental well-being. Social media can be a positive place, but it does require carefully curating your feed.
What do YOU declutter for the new year? Leave a comment and let me know!
The new year provides a great opportunity to clear out the junk and start over. Don’t let your stuff hold you back from focusing on what matters and enjoying your space!
Happy Organizing
Jocelyn