12 Days of Easy Post-Christmas Decluttering to Reset Your Home – Your Space Will Feel So Zen for January and Beyond
Start on Christmas Day and have complete peace by January 5th
With the whirlwind of holidays coming to a close, it's only natural to crave a bit of breathing room. Homes feel full in every sense of the word, and that's where our post-Christmas decluttering reset comes in.
Spreading streamlining tasks over 12 days, this slow home decluttering approach turns what would otherwise be an overwhelming project into manageable steps so you don't start the new year burnt out.
12 Days of Post-Christmas Decluttering
Spilt tasks into manageable chunks so you can still enjoy your time with friends and family.
December 25 – Deal with Trash
Although you may be juggling guests and dinners on Christmas Day, it never hurts to streamline a little as you go.
Audra George, owner and professional organizer at Pretty Neat: An Organization Solution, suggests starting small and just focusing on the main bulk of trash to tidy a home without feeling overwhelmed, or detracting from quality time with friends and family.
She recommends targeting wrapping paper, packaging, and boxes that you no longer need for an instant refresh that will make any room feel less chaotic, ready for that post-dinner snooze.
December 26 – Clean the Kitchen
Cleaning a kitchen after dinner is a mammoth task on a normal day, but throw in the chaos of Christmas, and it's even tougher. For this, it is wise to encourage family to declutter with you, even introducing children to chores to speed the process up.
Your first task, Audra says, is to deal with Christmas leftovers. 'Leftovers are great to eat on for the next few days, and look up some new recipes of what to do with the leftover turkey or ham, then make some new recipes to enjoy. The sooner you deal with the food, the better tasting it will be.'
For any items you decide to freeze, consider the Rubbermaid Glass Food Containers from Target. They are leak-proof and oven-safe, perfect for quick reheating later on.
As for cleaning the kitchen, you do not need to gut your appliances right now. Rather, deal with the immediate messes, such as cleaning countertops, mopping floors, taking out the trash, and cleaning the kitchen sink. Don't forget to empty and reload the dishwasher, too.
We suggest using a non-toxic cleaner, such as the Attitude All-Purpose Spray from Walmart, to help create a non-toxic home going into the new year. Sponge cloths, from Target, are also a great pick to minimize waste at an expensive time of the year. They can quickly be sanitized on the top rack of your dishwasher for rapid household cleaning.
December 27 – House Gifts
With the excitement starting to dull, it's time to declutter all the new gifts that are likely sitting in piles around your family room. Pro organizer Audra recommends focusing on just one room at a time, determining where the new stuff will live that is both practical and organized.
Look for homes first, and then determine if you need to purchase extra storage to avoid over-shopping and stop clutter before it starts. If you need new storage, consider clear storage bins from Wayfair, allowing items to stay on display. It's a quick way to optimize storage to avoid duplicates in the future.
You may also want to consider the one-in, one-out rule when putting gifts away. Does a new gift replace something old? Toss or donate the old to make space.
December 28 – Tackle Tables
With the majority of dinner parties over, it is time to declutter your dining room and clear decorations and linens from your table, suggests Max Wilson, home storage expert and co-founder of Pocket Storage.
Put decorations back in their boxes, wipe down place mats, and toss table linens such as cloths and napkins in the laundry basket. It is also a good idea to disinfect the dining table and chairs with a non-toxic disinfectant spray such as Method Citron Antibacterial from Target.
This will give you the perfect clear slate to set up your New Year table decor ideas.
December 29 – Gut the Guest Rooms
If guests have stayed over through the Christmas period, reset the bedrooms now, ready for any New Year friends and family, Audra urges.
Strip and make beds the right way, whether or not guests are arriving in the coming days, so that the space is always ready for last-minute use.
Declutter surfaces and guest bathrooms, not forgetting about clothes storage, to make a guest room feel more homey, and consider curating new guest welcome boxes to present yourself as a super host.
December 30 – Start on Laundry
No one likes laundry, but after Christmas dinner, days spent lounging in PJs, and guests staying the night, it is sure to have piled up in various rooms of your home.
A quick organizing trick to make laundry easier is to gather all of the laundry in one place. This will make sorting laundry and making up loads easier. A pre-divided laundry hamper, such as the Joseph Joseph Tota Trio Hamper, from Wayfair, is ideal for this, with removable baskets making it easy to take items to your laundry room without dropping anything.
When doing laundry, avoid the common laundry mistake of overloading the drum, opting for several smaller washes over one massive one to avoid breaking your best washing machine. It takes longer, but you will get better results.
To keep things clean and simple, use a gentle detergent, such as Tide Free & Gentle from Walmart, to avoid damaging any fabrics or setting off allergies.
December 31 – Clear Family Rooms
The New Year usually means another influx of guests. To prepare, spend some time decluttering the main gathering places, such as the family and living rooms.
Max suggests, 'Fold throws, stack books, and return items to their homes. This area often becomes the dumping ground, so bringing order back here instantly changes how the whole house feels.'
For a systematic approach to decluttering a living room, try the ski-slope organizing method, going back and forth with a laundry basket (I use a folding basket similar to the Joseph Joseph Hold-All Basket from Wayfair) to collect items that don't belong and easily take them to their appropriate homes.
Short on time or energy? Try the GFD basket method, paired with the guest scanning method, to get a home guest-ready in under one hour.
January 1 – Clear Cards
You may be feeling pretty tired on New Year's Day, so take a step back and focus on a small task to help recoup energy.
Max suggests organizing paperwork and decluttering Christmas card displays on New Year's Day, tasks you can sit down and tackle while watching TV.
He recommends, 'Recycle old cards, save a few special ones, and file receipts or warranties. This clears visual clutter and stops piles from spreading into January.' For those cards you want to keep, a shallow project box from Walmart is more than adequate, keeping them safe from damage, ready for redisplay next year.
January 2 – Declutter Decor
The festivities are officially over, so it is time to declutter Christmas decorations and reclaim your home, Max urges.
He suggests, 'Take a moment to reflect on your holiday décor. Start with any decorations that feel out of place. Keep sentimental items and donate or recycle what no longer suits your space.'
Pack items away securely so that they are not damaged for next year. Ornament bags, from Amazon, will protect baubles from breaks and scratches in attic storage, while a sturdy Christmas tree bag, also from Amazon, can protect artificial trees from mold and pests.
January 3 – Blast Bathrooms
You will likely have been cleaning bathrooms periodically over the Christmas period, but now that guests have moved on, it's time to declutter and organize bathrooms thoroughly before giving them a deep clean.
Guest products will likely have been used up, or half emptied, Max points out, so take some time to consolidate products into one bottle where you can and declutter the empties. The same goes for any products or tools that have been replaced by new gifts or items you didn't like using.
When rearranging items in bathroom storage, consider using breathable storage containers from Amazon to corral clutter without trapping moisture.
January 4 – Empty the Entryway
Bulky coats and shoes will always make an entryway look cluttered. While we are still a long way from switching to spring jackets, it's a good idea to declutter any items you are not using and tidy up items that you may have left out in the holiday rush, ready for going back to school and work.
January 5 – The Final Sweep
It's the end of the 12 days of post-Christmas decluttering. By now, most of your home should look as it did before the madness of the holidays.
For the final day, Audra concludes, 'Focus on any other spaces that still need a small reset. Go slow and steady, focusing on one space at a time – baby steps will make to-do lists less overwhelming, decrease stress, and allow you to gradually work on things vs trying to rush and get your home organized all at once.'
What to Shop
All prices were correct at the time of publication.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has certified Attitude products as non-toxic, meaning they contain no harsh chemicals or artificial compounds.
Microfiber cloths are machine washable, meaning you can reuse them for years with proper care. Simply wash after use on a warm water cycle and gentle detergent (skip the softener) to sanitize.
Environmental Working Group (EWG) Certified, these laundry pods are certified healthier for use in your home, helping to cut out toxic laundry room items. Plus, they are pre-dosed, so you don't have to worry about using too much or too little.
Dryer balls are a great dryer sheet alternative that will break up and fluff up your laundry for even drying and softer bedding. They also increase airflow for speedier drying, helping you tackle larger laundry backlogs after hosting.
Measuring 8x10x11 inches, these handwoven water hyacinth baskets are ideal for drop zones, shelves, and cabinets. They're also great for quickly corraling clutter and gifts when guests are staying.
These under-bed storage bags on wheels are easy to pull out, and maintain good ventilation for items to prevent mold or musty bedroom smells. They are ideal for stashing away some of the new gifts you get over the holiday period.
Meet the Experts
Audra George has over 12 years of experience working in clients' homes. Her passion is to help others and to organize and help busy families get their spaces in order.
Max specialises in helping people make smarter decisions about what to keep, what to let go of, and how to store belongings safely and effectively. He regularly advises clients on decluttering strategies and storage solutions that protect what matters most, while preventing homes from becoming overwhelmed with excess.
Struggling to beat the post-Christmas blues at home? Our experts have rounded up the best tips to help boost your energy in the coldest, darkest month of the year and make a home less depressing in fall and winter.
