10 Things to Toss Before January 1

As the year comes to a close, we can experience sensory overload from the clutter that holiday celebrations bring. Here’s a quick list of 10 areas you can declutter now to help start 2025 off with fresh spaces and less clutter.

1. Expired Pantry Goods

   • Sort through spices, canned goods, and snacks. Discard anything stale, expired, or no longer appealing. Consolidate holiday treats to manageable containers.

2. Old Leftovers in the Fridge

   • Check those containers lurking in the back of the fridge. If you can't remember when it was made, it’s time for it to go! Be honest about what is going to be eaten. A tidier refrigerator means you can actually find the leftovers you really want (by that I mean stuffing, obviously).

3. Holiday Wrapping Supplies

   • Toss torn, wrinkled, or too-small scraps of tissue paper and wrapping paper. Donate or recycle bags you won't reuse.

4. Christmas Card Envelopes (and maybe the cards themselves)

   • Enjoy your cards as long as you wish, but remember, you’re not required to keep them forever! Once you’ve noted any address changes, there’s no need to save the envelopes.

   • Bonus: Streamline your card system for next year by saving addresses to your phone, an online address book, or a Google sheet so you’re not scrambling to find them next December.

5. Mismatched Gloves and Mittens

   • Here in the upper Midwest, we have lots of winter left. Use the holiday break to do a quick inventory of hats, mittens, and boots. Set aside unmatched ones and once the lost-and-found boxes have been checked, singles can go! Craft groups can sometimes use them.

6. Digital Clutter

   • Every website you visited for your Christmas shopping is probably emailing you at least daily. Unsubscribe from email lists you are no longer interested in, delete unused apps, and clean up your phone's photo library to start the year with less digital clutter.

7. Unworn or Torn Holiday Clothes

   • That festive sweater with a hole? Let it go. Pass along anything unworn to a local charity or textile recycling.

8. Broken or Unloved Decorations

   • If you didn’t put it out this year or it’s damaged beyond repair, it’s time to say goodbye. This will make room for the decorations you actually love!

9. Old Paperwork and Receipts

   • Shred outdated bills, tax forms (check retention guidelines), and receipts you no longer need. Doing a little work now will make your purse lighter and tax time easier.

10. Tired Kitchen Gadgets

• Sort through utensils, cookware, and gadgets. Donate or recycle anything that’s broken or redundant.

That’s a Wrap!

Taking a few minutes to complete these ten easy decluttering projects can free up some space in your home and in your brain so you can start 2025 fresh! Good luck!