6 things you should declutter in January — the manageable tasks professional organisers recommend tackling now

Chalk it up to the classic ‘new year/new you’ mindset combined with how much time we’ve spent indoors over the festive period – but in January, we all get the collective urge to start as we mean to go on by decluttering and welcoming a sense of order and organisation into our homes.

Purging clutter from our homes makes for a far calmer environment, and after the frantic Christmas season, it’s no wonder we’re all craving that. But the idea of stripping away needless stuff, no matter the decluttering method you choose, can be overwhelming – where to even begin? According to the experts, the best way is to break it down into a decluttering calendar and break each monthly task into manageable chunks.

Rather than biting off more than you can chew and giving up halfway through, dividing the things to declutter in January into actionable tasks means you can start this new year with a lighter clutter load. To help, we’ve called on a selection of expert organisers to guide us with a list of the six things that we should concentrate on tackling this month before the year gets busier and decluttering falls to the bottom of the priority list.

How to get started with a January decluttering session

Ingrid Jansen and Lesley Spellman from The Declutter Hub say, ‘First, set your goals for the year. A lot of people want to stop smoking, lose weight, declutter their house – all at the same time. It’s too much. You really need to focus on one goal – one big picture. What’s your reason for wanting to do it? Do you want to declutter so your grandchildren can visit, for example? Or do you want to have your best friends over for a crafting session? Or you might not have an exact reason, it might purely be that it’s because the clutter is becoming overwhelming.’

Ingrid and Lesley agree that breaking down the job will lead to more success, ‘You can’t just say “I want to declutter my whole house”, and expect it to happen. How will you get started? Which room/s will you start with? It’s important to start with easier rooms like the kitchen, the bathroom, the linen cupboard and work your way through your home step-by-step. These rooms normally have fewer sentimental items, so you can see progress.’

Take a look below at what the experts say are the vital things to declutter in January and use this as your jumping-off point.

1. Christmas decorations

First things first, if you celebrate it, it’s time to de-Christmas your home. Janine Lowe, decluttering and feng shui expert, suggests we, ‘Donate baubles or lights you didn’t use to charities. Immediately bin broken baubles and lights. Do not repack them thinking you will mend them next year.’

Future you will thank you for that little bit of time spent this month sorting and organising the decorations into separate colour themes and properly winding the lights when storing away Christmas decorations so they don’t get tangled.

2. Food in the kitchen cupboards and fridge

The dreaded fridge/freezer clear-out – a job we all put off, especially if some major de-icing is also needed. But tackling it this month will set you in good stead for the year ahead.

Craig Hoareau, APDO member and managing director of A Tidy Mind London says, ‘A lot of food is purchased over the holiday season and is often not all used. Have a review of everything in your cupboards, placing emphasis on anything in the back. Check expiry dates to ensure nothing is out of date, and consider donating anything you won’t use this coming year to food banks.’

When organising a fridge, work methodically, starting with the fridge shelf by shelf, also cleaning as you go, then the freezer and then onto the cupboards.

3. Paperwork junk drawers

Unless you’re in a regular shredding habit, you likely have a drawer, box or cabinet full of old bank statements and letters that are no longer of use. But it’s finally time to get rid. Janine says, ‘A great way to start the new year is to clear up your paperwork clutter and set up new efficient ways of paying your bills. If you haven’t gone paperless then arrange to where possible. Shred unneeded papers and file only the important ones.’

If you don’t have a shredder you can shred by hand – cutting the letters into tiny strips or buy some cheap shredding scissors. You could also redact information with a permanent black marker or use a hole punch to remove personal details.

Once you’ve finished with the paperwork, it’s time to organise the junk drawer. We’re not suggesting getting rid of it altogether, where would all the half-used Sellotape, Blutack, paperclips and takeaway menus go then? However, do you really need so many old phone chargers and miscellaneous mystery wires? And loose batteries too, for that matter. Have a sort-through; you might even find that one thing you spent all of 2024 searching high and low for.

4. Wardrobe

This is another one on the to-do list that is often met with the opposite of enthusiasm, but if you want to have a good clutter cull this January, needs must. The only way to approach decluttering a wardrobe is to avoid a half-hearted removal of one or two things that no longer fit. As Melissa Denham, interior design expert at Hammonds Fitted Furniture, says,

‘Unfortunately, there’s no way around it – when it comes to clearing out your wardrobe, you must be ruthless.’

The best way to get serious about clearing things out is to separate your emotions from your clothing, ‘It’s easy to become attached to our clothes, and this can make it hard when attempting to have a proper clear-out. Setting yourself some ground rules and getting in the right frame of mind is important before you tackle the dreaded task,’ Melissa says.

One trick Mellisa suggests is removing all items you’re not likely to wear over the next few months and keeping them elsewhere. ‘Keeping seasonal items separate is a ‘golden rule’ for ensuring your wardrobe remains simple and spacious. To make the best use of what you own, have a small selection of clothes in your wardrobe. This additional space will help you see exactly what you own and encourage you to wear them, too.’

5. Hobby items or old toys

Have you been guilty in the past of starting January with the urge to find a new hobby? Do you have untouched tennis rackets in the understairs cupboard next to a sewing machine and a foldaway pilates contraption that’s covered in dust? If so, it could be time to let them go. If you didn’t dive into the hobby last year, will you ever? Be honest with yourself.

You could even set a target – the item must be used at least twice a month between now and March or by Easter, it’s gone. You could sell it for a little bit of extra spending or donate to a good cause.

The same goes for any old toys, charity shops, local toddler groups and nurseries are often crying out for extra toys – so you’ll clear your home this January whilst also starting 2025 with a good deed.

6. A digital declutter

Just because you’re not tripping over it daily, digital clutter exists and it could be adding to your stress without you even realising it. Janine says, ‘Clean and organise your digital files and your phone. Digital clutter can be as stressful as physical clutter. Think how you feel when you see all those unopened emails!

'Delete old emails, duplicated photos, or the photos that were taken and you don’t know why. Organise files and pictures into folders and back them up safely.’ You might have made a resolution to cut down on the time you spend in front of screens, but this chore can be the one exception to the rule.

Also, set aside time to review subscriptions, as these can often be running in the background without you realising. Craig says, ‘The start of the new year means you set goals for the upcoming year. One of those is usually cutting down on unnecessary spending. Have a look at all subscriptions you have and declutter those you have not/will not use.’

If you blast through all these decluttering tasks at the start of January, don't be tempted to start pilling more and more things to your list of things to declutter. Slow and steady wins the race, if you've committed to decluttering your home in 2025, you don't want to burn out in the first week!