The Post-Holiday Declutter Checklist: Reset Your Home for the New Year

After the holidays, our homes often feel just a little fuller — more décor, more gifts, more wrapping, more everything. A gentle reset now creates the clarity and calm you want to carry into the New Year.

This refined, step-by-step checklist focuses on the spaces that make the biggest difference with the least overwhelm.

Add a mug of something warm, set a 20-minute timer, and begin wherever feels easiest.

1. Clear Out Gift Packaging and Holiday Wrapping

What to do:

• Flatten or recycle shipping boxes

• Reuse or discard torn tissue paper

• Keep only a small set of gift bags in excellent condition

• Replace broken or incomplete sets of wrapping supplies

Tip: Store wrapping in a single bin with dividers — a calm system you can revisit all year.

2. Edit the Decor Before Storing It Away

Holiday decor tends to grow every year. Editing before storing prevents clutter from returning next season.

What to do:

• Let go of decor you didn’t use this year

• Remove duplicates (only keep your favorites)

• Donate anything that doesn’t suit your current style

• Choose clear bins for easy visibility next year

Tip: Label bins by room or category to simplify decorating next season.

3. Refresh the Kitchen After Hosting

The kitchen carries so much holiday activity — now is the perfect moment to reset.

What to do:

• Clear out leftover specialty ingredients you won’t use again

• Recycle or donate unopened holiday foods

• Reset the pantry categories

• Edit mugs, serveware, and gadgets that showed their wear this season

Tip: A 10-minute fridge sweep keeps the whole space feeling lighter.

4. Streamline Kids’ Items After New Gifts Arrive

A thoughtful edit helps make room for new favorites and reduces visual overload.

What to do:

• Donate items children have outgrown

• Recycle broken or incomplete toys

• Keep only the pieces they truly love

• Store collections in labeled bins for easy rotation

Tip: Involve older kids in choosing what to “keep, donate, or rehome.” It builds calm habits early.

5. Reset the Entryway and Mudroom

These spaces carry the most traffic and visual weight during winter.

What to do:

• Put away holiday-specific items

• Edit coats, hats, and gloves for wear

• Rehome shoes that don’t belong in the entry

• Add baskets or trays for a cleaner daily flow

Tip: One calm entryway sets the tone for the entire home.

6. Refresh Your Living Room Surfaces

After gatherings, surfaces tend to collect items. A simple edit makes the room feel spacious again.

What to do:

• Clear coffee and side tables

• Edit seasonal pillows or throws

• Return items to their proper homes

• Re-style shelves lightly for January

Tip: Fewer objects equal more serenity.

7. Do a Gentle Wardrobe Edit

After dressing for events and the winter season, your wardrobe reveals what deserves to stay.

What to do:

• Remove items you didn’t reach for

• Donate or tailor anything that needs attention

• Simplify winter categories

• Refresh your hangers for a clean look

Tip: A small wardrobe reset makes January mornings feel much easier.

A New Year, Made Lighter

A calm home supports a calm mind.
Even one or two sections of this checklist will help lighten your routines as you transition into the New Year.

If you’d like expert support, All Sorted brings subtle luxury and refined systems to homes across Boston and MetroWest.

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