In the strange period between Christmas and New Year, it can be hard to tell what day it is, let alone recall what your home used to look like before the holiday chaos.
Luckily, professional home organizers have aced the perfect routine to help reset your home after Christmas to restore a semblance of order after a period away from our standard routines – and it won't leave you overwhelmed, either.
From harnessing home decluttering tips, to organizing your fridge and clearing away decorations, these are the seven things you need to do to reset your home after Christmas and ring in the New Year.
How to reset your home after Christmas
Although there are several January decluttering rules you’ll want to consider later down the line for a refreshing start to the New Year, these seven steps tackle the immediate post-Christmas clean-up to make your home less cluttered after the big event.
1. Integrate gifts into existing storage
Hopefully, you have paid attention to some of the things to get rid of in December and have made some space in your storage ideas for the gifts you received over the holiday, begins Laura Price, professional organizer and founder of The Home Organisation. After all, in the days after Christmas, it is prudent to integrate your gifts into your home to get rid of surface clutter.
She says, ‘In the post-Christmas haze, it’s easy to turn a blind eye to presents littering your surfaces. But at some point, you need to integrate them. Start by removing any excess packaging before adding your presents to existing categories.
‘If you’re struggling for room, it might be time for an edit of your belongings. See if you can donate, sell or recycle anything, especially if you’ve just got a newer or better version of it at Christmas.’
As Di Ter Avest, professional organizer and founder of Di is Organized, explains, if it's a toy, it gets added to your playroom ideas, if it's kitchenware, it finds a space in your kitchen cabinet ideas, and so on. 'It's a small step but so satisfying,' she says. 'You'll be amazed at how quickly your home feels more organized.
Ter Avest also recommends grabbing a small bag, box, or basket, such as the Beachcrest Home™ Crumrine Wicker Basket available at Wayfair, and making a pile near your front door of any items that need to be returned or exchanged.
'This simple trick keeps those items from getting lost in the shuffle of everyday life,' she says. I like to add a sticky note (such as the Post-it Super Sticky Notes available at Amazon) with the receipt or any important info so I don't have to scramble when I'm heading out to run errands. You'll thank yourself later when you can easily grab everything and go!'
2. Complete a deep clean to reset for the new year
While certainly not a tiny way to reset your home after Christmas, and although cleaning is likely the last thing you’ll want to be doing after a period of rest, it is essential to restoring order – especially if you have had guests over and your home has had heavy traffic.
To combat this, Shayne Jeramos, cleaning expert at Bright Cleaners, recommends working in one room at a time to help clean when feeling overwhelmed. Start at the top and work downwards, clearing and cleaning each cabinet and shelf, then furniture and counters, before finishing with sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping.
‘When cleaning countertops and surfaces, avoid cutting corners and use appropriate cleaners depending on the material to avoid damage,’ Shayne reminds us.
As Forrest Webber, cleaning expert and owner of Bear Brothers Cleaning points out, with Christmas comes a whole lot of glitter, so use a lint roller, such as the Scotch-Brite Lint Roller available at Amazon, or damp rubber glove to get to work. 'It's not perfect, but it helps,' he says. 'Accept that you might still find glitter in random places until next Christmas. It's a holiday gift that keeps giving.'
In your living room, which was likely one of the busiest rooms in your home when hosting for the holidays, use your best vacuum to give the carpet or floor a clean, shake your rugs out outside, fluff up your sofa to fix sagging couch cushions, and spritz some fabric freshener or homemade room spray to freshen the space.
Don't forget to clean high-touch surfaces in the home after guests leave.
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3. Have a fridge clear out
With Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year all so close together, the end of each year puts significant strain on our kitchen storage ideas and best refrigerators. As a result, there may be things that get lost and forgotten at the back of shelves that need addressing before they go bad, says professional organizer Price.
‘There is so much amazing food to indulge in at Christmas and our fridges and pantries are often packed full of goodies,' she says. 'Fast forward a week later and they’re now a wasteland of half-eaten packets and leftovers. Reset and declutter your fridge and pantry after Christmas by using up as many leftovers as you can, throwing away food that’s gone bad, cleaning shelves, and regrouping items into categories.'
Then, 'give those shelves a good wipe-down,' using an anti-bacterial cleaning spray, such as the bestselling Lysol Pro Kitchen Spray Cleaner and Degreaser available at Amazon, says cleaning expert Webber, and make room for fresh food.
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4. Complete a quick general declutter of items in the way
As Elizabeth Lulu Miranda, professional organizer and founder of Mercury Organizing points out, while a deep decluttering session may be out of the question, you can still squeeze in a quick declutter of surfaces and anything that has collected in the way of main walkways, such as packaging from presents, or gifts themselves. Aim to declutter without making a mess to avoid adding more to your plate.
‘Out with the old, in with the new,' she shares. 'Take a look around your home and identify items that you no longer need. Maybe there are some old toys, clothes, or gadgets that could find a new home. Decluttering not only makes your home look neater but also gives you a sense of accomplishment.'
You can try the 5-second decluttering rule to focus your gut instinct on whether or not to keep something.
‘Cleaning up can be overwhelming, especially if you try to do everything at once. Instead, tackle one room at a time,’ Miranda recommends. ‘Start with the bedroom, then move on to the kitchen, and so on. Breaking it down makes the task more manageable and less stressful.’
It may be easier to focus on items to declutter in under an hour, if you're struggling to get started, and then decide whether to donate or sell decluttered items to free up space for the new year.
5. Clear away all the decorations
You can’t reset your home to normal without taking down Christmas decorations, and organizing Christmas decorations for storage reminds Shannon Krause, certified professional organizer and founder of Tidy Nest.
She says, ‘As soon as the holidays are over, we recommend reviewing all holiday decor and supplies – this includes the items you used, didn’t use, and have newly acquired this season.
‘Ask yourself if you’re ready to let go of some items; maybe they no longer fit well in your home or your style, maybe you have a few redundancies, etc. Remove the items you no longer need or want from your home, consider donating the items that were not used this past year, discard any broken items, and pack the keepers neatly in labeled boxes or bins for easy access next year.'
Then, after decluttering your Christmas decorations, take the time to inventory your holiday supplies, which is one of the things people who store Christmas decorations properly always do, she recommends, taking note of what needs to be replaced, like broken string lights or tree toppers. 'Take advantage of post-holiday sales but try not to get caught up on the allure of discounts and only purchase what you need to replace,' she adds.
Once down, you might notice your shelves look a little sad and dusty, warns cleaning expert Webber. 'Take a minute to dust everything you had strategically hidden with garlands and stockings,' he advises. 'Your shelves will feel refreshed, and your New Year's self will thank you for avoiding the dusty layer of regret.'
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6. Take time for a personal reset
After the chaos of the holidays, it is important to also give yourself time to reset and relax, whether you have been playing host or not, professional organizer Elizabeth Lulu Miranda urges.
'Don't forget to take care of yourself,' she says. ‘Treat yourself to some quiet time. Do something to make you feel at ease and happy. Try such things as taking a warm bath with your best candle, reading a favorite book, spending some time doing an activity you love, or trying out a gift you have just received.
‘Taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of your home.’
Professional organizer Di Ter Avest agrees, noting, 'the holidays can leave us feeling just as scattered as our homes,' which is why she, like Miranda, recommends taking time for some tiny acts of self-care, part of her Organize Yourself Healthy Method. 'It's all about creating systems that support your lifestyle while making sure you're taking care of yourself, too, especially now at the beginning of the year,' she adds.
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7. Air-out your space
Finally, air-out your home, says cleaning expert Webber.
He explains, 'After all the cooking, candle-burning, and possibly slightly over-toasted marshmallows, you home could probably use a good air-out. Open the windows, even if it's just for a few minutes.
'If it's too cold, try simmering lemon slices and cinnamon sticks on the stove. It's aromatherapy but with ingredients from your fridge.'
If you do want to make a house smell nice without candles, our simmer pot recipes for fall and winter are perfect for the cold month of January and beyond.
FAQs
When should I remove my Christmas decorations?
Not sure when to take Christmas decorations down? While this is, of course, down to personal preference, you should aim to have them all packed away by January 6th.
This is marked as the Feast of Epiphany in the Christian religion and is thought to be the day the three kings arrived to deliver gifts to the baby Jesus. Whether or not you believe in the faith aspect of the holiday, this is also a good day to start resetting your home so you can move into the New Year refreshed.
How do I transition my home from Christmas to winter?
After Christmas, it is a good idea to remove all of your seasonal Christmas decor to help transition into a more neutral winter period. This will make it easier to begin the New Year without feeling overwhelmed by all the post-Christmas clutter or ‘stuck’ in the holiday season. After the holidays, it is best to focus on making your home look and feel cozy to curate a sanctuary away from the bitter winter weather outside.
‘It can be hard to get motivated to clean after Christmas so if you want to reset your home but need a little push, write down daily to-do lists,’ Laura Price, professional organizer recommends. ‘It’ll help you focus as you set yourself little goals to achieve throughout the day and spur you on to get everything cleared away.’
For more inspiration, delve into H&G's decluttering library, where we've tested dozens of methods and categorized them according to who they'll suit, or the decluttering problem they're brilliant for.
