Has your Christmas and New Year left you not knowing where to start decluttering to regain some control over your home?
Does “where to start decluttering” leave you overwhelmed?
Hopefully this blog will give you some ideas to get organised and ready for 2025!
Now that the Christmas and New Year season is behind us, we can be left in a world of chaos.
Many of us haven’t had time to pull down the Christmas tree, let alone the decorations.
We can find ourselves surrounded by the remains of torn wrapping paper, empty boxes, food platters that don’t belong to us, leftover food, and a list of new belongings too long to mention.
How to deal with the strange person you’ve found asleep on your lounge after New Year’s Eve.
Welcome to 2025!
You are not alone with this conundrum. I hope you can find some answers here on where to start decluttering.
Most importantly, start with removing the stranger that is asleep on your lounge after New Years Eve. Offer to pay for their Uber and send them on their way!
Too much yet?
Here’s my tips on how and where to start decluttering.
1. Have A Plan
Before diving into the chaos, take a moment to create a clear plan. Setting goals for your decluttering project will help you stay focused and achieve your vision.
While jumping in feet first might seem like the quickest solution, having a plan often proves more effective in the long run when looking at how to clear clutter.
2. Declutter First
Before rushing out to Bunnings to buy shelving, tubs, smaller containers for your drawers etc. it is important to declutter first.
It is practical to make these purchases when you know exactly what you have left and the best way to create functional processes that will help you and your family remain organised into the future.
Begin by sorting everything into categories.
In addition to the regular Toss, Keep, and Donate, adding some others applicable to you are listed below:
- Belongs in another room
- Belongs to another person
- Items for exchange/return
- Items for repair
- Items for sale
3. Sort and Organise
After decluttering, organise the remaining items into categories. For example, within the “Christmas” category, you can break this down further into decorations, gifts, wrapping supplies, and cards. Use labelled storage bins (suitable for each category and its contents) to keep everything organised and easily accessible for next year.
Remember, the goal is to find a system that works for you and your family.
While Instagram-worthy setups might look gorgeous, they’re not always practical for everyone. Choose what is in-line with your budget, time, and personal style.
By no means am I saying that the social media worthy look can’t be achieved.
You need to love everything about your storage, including the aesthetic.
4. Deal with the Leftovers
Holiday meals can often result in an abundance of leftovers. Think of ways ahead of time as to how you can use this food.
Of course, the quickest and easiest way is to load up your family and guests when they leave. With what remains be frozen, what needs to be used straight away, or what can be used for sandwiches are great options to consider.
Maybe not ham sandwiches. There is only so much ham that can be eaten.
You can share with neighbours, or local food bank. This is becoming more and more difficult due to health restrictions. Of course, canned and long-life products are always welcome and can be used throughout the year.
5. Find a Home for New Gifts
Let’s focus on children’s toys. They seem to breed so quickly.
Toys can quickly overrun your space after holidays, birthdays, name days and a multitude of other celebrations.
Studies suggest that while children in developed countries may own 100-200 toys, they typically only play with 12-15.
By reducing the number of toys children can have more creative and focused play.
If there are some of those special toys that remain extremely difficult to let go, consider using the toy rotation system. Younger children will think it’s Christmas all over again.
6. Find a Routine
When you find a post-Christmas clean-up and organising routine that works for you, keep it. Organising is not about reinventing the wheel. It needs to only work for you.
Once your home is decluttered and organised, maintaining it is key.
A simple routine of spending 10-15 minutes a day tidying up can help prevent clutter from building up again.
Use the “one-minute rule”: if putting something away takes under a minute, do it immediately.
The One In-One Out rule is an easy one to follow as well. For every item that comes into your home, one of equivalent size or category needs to leave.
Don’t try the good old “one beautiful winter coat in while only one pair of socks leave. That is not how the game is played.
7. Embrace the Fresh Start
The post-Christmas clean-up can feel overwhelming, but it’s also an opportunity for a fresh start.
By decluttering, organising, and creating a routine, you can transform the chaos into a sense of calm.
Remember, it’s okay to take your time and ask for help when needed.
With a little patience and effort, you can regain control of your space and enjoy a clutter-free new year.
Look for our other blogs to break some of the suggestion above into smaller chunks. Managing Children’s Toys, devising a plan to get start etc.
If you need help or don’t know where to start decluttering – Contact Leesa who can help organising, storing or creating order within your home.
Here’s to a Happy and Organised New Year!!