100 Things to Declutter for the New Year

The beginning of a new year always makes me want to simplify my home and get everything back in order.

After the busy holiday season, it’s amazing how much extra stuff can accumulate without us even realizing it.

Between Christmas gifts, decorations, holiday shopping, family gatherings, and all the little projects we’ve been putting off, our homes can start to feel a little overwhelming.

And while I love the holidays, I also love that feeling of taking down the decorations, cleaning everything up, and starting the new year with a fresh, clutter-free home.

One thing I’ve learned from years of decluttering is that you don’t have to do a huge home cleanout to make a difference.

Sometimes it’s the little things that are taking up the most space.

The empty boxes, old receipts, expired coupons, leftover wrapping paper, and random things that have collected on the kitchen counter.

These are all things we tend to overlook because we’re so busy during the holidays.

So I put together a list of 100 specific things to declutter for the new year.

Instead of giving you broad categories like clothes or kitchen items, I wanted to focus on the actual things you can look for and get rid of right now.

You can use this as a checklist and work through it a little at a time. You might even be surprised by how many things you can declutter in just one afternoon!

100 Things to Declutter for the New Year

Christmas Decorations and Holiday Leftovers

The first place I like to start is with anything left over from Christmas. Before putting everything into storage for another year, take a few minutes to sort through what you actually used and enjoyed.

1. Christmas lights that stopped working. Test them before putting them away. Recycle broken strands where accepted.
2. Broken Christmas ornaments. Let go of ornaments that are cracked, missing pieces, or beyond repair.
3. Empty ornament packaging. Get rid of unnecessary boxes and plastic packaging from new decorations.
4. Christmas decorations you didn’t put out this year. If they’ve stayed in the storage bin for several years, consider donating them.
5. Old Christmas cards you don’t want to save. Keep a few meaningful ones and recycle the rest.
6. Leftover Christmas party invitations. Recycle invitations and event reminders from celebrations that have already happened.
7. Half-burned holiday candles. Use up the ones you enjoy and let go of candles you no longer want.
8. Dried-out holiday greenery. Remove old wreaths, garlands, and arrangements that can’t be reused.
9. Christmas stockings nobody uses anymore. Donate extras that are still in good condition.
10. Holiday decorations that don’t fit your current style. Keep the decorations you truly love instead of storing everything year after year.

Gift Wrapping and Christmas Shopping Clutter

It’s amazing how much packaging and wrapping supplies can accumulate during December. This is a great category to tackle while everything is still fresh in your mind.

11. Tiny scraps of wrapping paper. Recycle pieces that are too small to realistically use again.
12. Gift bags with ripped handles. Get rid of bags that are too damaged to reuse.
13. Crumpled tissue paper. Save the good pieces and recycle the rest where accepted.
14. Empty gift card holders. Recycle the little cardboard sleeves and envelopes you don’t need.
15. Used gift tags. Remove old tags from gift bags before storing them.
16. Empty shipping boxes from online orders. Keep only the boxes you have a specific use for.
17. Plastic packaging from Christmas gifts. Clear out the packaging that’s been sitting around since Christmas morning.
18. Instruction manuals for gifts you’ve already figured out. Recycle unnecessary paper manuals when the information is available online.
19. Gift receipts you no longer need. Shred receipts containing personal information and recycle the rest.
20. Expired holiday coupons and promotional flyers. Get rid of those special offers that ended in December.

Kitchen and Pantry Items After the Holidays

After all the holiday baking, cooking, and entertaining, the kitchen can definitely use a reset.

21. Expired holiday baking ingredients. Check baking powder, yeast, and other ingredients you pulled out for Christmas recipes.
22. Leftover candy canes nobody wants. Use them in a recipe or let them go.
23. Stale Christmas cookies. Clear out holiday treats that are no longer fresh.
24. Opened bags of holiday candy. Get rid of candy that’s stale or unlikely to be eaten.
25. Expired eggnog or holiday drinks. Check the refrigerator for seasonal drinks that are past their prime.
26. Half-empty bottles of holiday sauces and dips. Toss anything that’s spoiled or no longer safe to eat.
27. Disposable party plates and napkins you won’t use. Donate unopened extras or use them up before buying more.
28. Holiday-themed paper cups. Use up leftover cups instead of storing them for another year.
29. Unused gingerbread house decorating supplies. Sort through leftover candies, icing packets, and decorations.
30. Specialty ingredients from recipes you won’t make again. Donate unopened, shelf-stable ingredients when appropriate.
31. Old takeout containers from holiday meals. Recycle or discard containers you don’t need.
32. Food storage containers missing their lids. Match everything up and let go of unusable pieces.
33. Chipped serving bowls from holiday gatherings. Remove damaged dishes that aren’t safe or practical to use.
34. Extra holiday cookie tins. Keep the ones you actually reuse and donate the rest.
35. Freezer leftovers you don’t plan to eat. Check dates and quality, and clear out food that’s no longer suitable.

Paperwork, Mail, and End-of-Year Clutter

I think paper clutter is one of the easiest things to overlook during the holidays. It collects on counters, desks, and in drawers while we’re busy doing other things.

36. Old calendars from last year. Recycle them after transferring any important information.
37. Last year’s planners. Keep anything you need for reference and let go of the rest.
38. Outdated school calendars. Recycle old schedules, event flyers, and reminders.
39. Completed holiday shopping lists. You don’t need to save every list from Christmas shopping.
40. Old grocery lists from holiday meals. Recycle the lists that are no longer useful.
41. Expired store coupons. Check your purse, wallet, and junk drawer.
42. Outdated catalogs from holiday shopping. Recycle the catalogs that arrived during November and December.
43. Old shipping notifications and packing slips. Keep only what you need for returns or warranties.
44. Receipts for purchases you no longer need to track. Keep tax, warranty, and return records as necessary.
45. Old holiday event programs. Recycle programs from concerts, performances, and events unless they’re meaningful keepsakes.
46. Outdated appointment reminder cards. Clear out reminders for appointments that have already happened.
47. Expired restaurant coupons and takeout menus. Recycle old promotions and menus you can easily find online.
48. Old handwritten to-do lists. Transfer anything important to your current list and recycle the old papers.
49. Unnecessary envelopes from holiday mail. Shred anything with sensitive information and recycle the rest.
50. Outdated notes stuck to the refrigerator. Remove old reminders, shopping notes, and event information.

Clothing, Shoes, and Winter Accessories

The new year is also a great time to simplify your closet, especially after receiving new clothes or accessories for Christmas.

51. Christmas pajamas that no longer fit. Donate pairs in good condition that won’t be worn again.
52. Holiday sweaters you didn’t wear. Consider whether you really want to store them for another year.
53. Worn-out winter socks. Get rid of socks with holes or stretched-out elastic.
54. Gloves missing their matches. Check for missing pairs before letting them go.
55. Winter hats nobody wears. Donate extras that are still in good condition.
56. Scarves you haven’t worn in years. Keep your favorites and pass along the rest.
57. Slippers that have worn out. Replace or let go of pairs that are falling apart.
58. Shoes that were replaced at Christmas. Donate your old pair if it’s still usable.
59. Clothes with tags still attached from last year. Ask yourself whether you’re realistically going to wear them.
60. Uncomfortable holiday outfits. Let go of clothing you only kept for an occasion but don’t enjoy wearing.

Kids’ Toys, Crafts, and School Supplies

If you have kids, you probably know how quickly things can accumulate after Christmas.

This is a great time to go through toys and make room for the things they’re actually enjoying.

61. Broken toys from before Christmas. Get rid of toys that no longer work and can’t be repaired.
62. Toy packaging and cardboard inserts. Recycle the packaging from new Christmas toys.
63. Old toys that were replaced by new versions. Donate the older ones if they’re still in good condition.
64. Puzzles missing important pieces. Let go of incomplete puzzles that can’t be used.
65. Dried-out markers from holiday crafts. Test markers and remove the ones that no longer work.
66. Empty glue sticks. Check the craft drawer for used-up supplies.
67. Leftover Christmas craft kits. Donate unopened kits your kids are unlikely to use.
68. Finished holiday coloring pages. Save a few favorites and recycle the rest.
69. School papers from the previous semester. Keep meaningful work and recycle unnecessary worksheets.
70. Party favors from holiday celebrations. Get rid of broken or unwanted little toys that came home from parties.

Bathroom and Personal Care Products

The bathroom is another place where things can pile up, especially if you received beauty or personal care gifts.

71. Nearly empty shampoo bottles. Finish the products you like and remove the empty bottles.
72. Expired sunscreen from last summer. Check expiration dates before keeping it for another year.
73. Old makeup past its safe-use period. Let go of products that are expired or have changed in smell or texture.
74. Dried-out nail polish. Get rid of polish that has become thick and unusable.
75. Empty lotion bottles. Check bathroom cabinets and bedside tables.
76. Unwanted bath products from gift sets. Donate unopened, usable products you won’t use.
77. Worn-out toothbrushes. Replace toothbrushes that are due for a change.
78. Old razors and empty shaving cream containers. Clear out used-up supplies.
79. Hotel toiletries from trips last year. Use them, donate accepted unopened items, or let them go.
80. Expired medications and vitamins. Follow pharmacy take-back guidance and local disposal instructions.

Digital Clutter From the Past Year

Digital clutter might not take up physical space in our homes, but it can make our phones and computers feel just as overwhelming.

81. Screenshots of Christmas gift ideas. Delete screenshots you no longer need.
82. Old holiday shopping confirmation emails. Remove messages once returns and warranty information are safely saved.
83. Duplicate Christmas photos. Keep the best photos and delete unnecessary duplicates.
84. Blurry photos from holiday gatherings. Delete pictures you know you’ll never use.
85. Unused apps downloaded during the year. Remove apps you haven’t opened in months.
86. Old digital grocery lists. Delete completed lists from your phone.
87. Outdated holiday Pinterest boards or saved pins. Remove ideas you no longer want to try.
88. Downloads from last year’s projects. Delete files you no longer need, while keeping important records.
89. Old event reminders on your phone. Clear out completed reminders and outdated tasks.
90. Unnecessary promotional emails. Unsubscribe from stores you only shopped at during the holidays.

Random Things That Accumulate by the End of the Year

Finally, there are all those miscellaneous things that don’t really fit into one category but somehow accumulate throughout the year.

91. Empty batteries from Christmas decorations. Recycle batteries according to local guidelines.
92. Broken phone charging cables. Recycle cords that no longer work.
93. Old phone cases from phones you no longer own. Donate or recycle them where possible.
94. Empty tape dispensers and used-up tape rolls. Clear out the supplies left over from wrapping gifts.
95. Dried-out pens from your desk or junk drawer. Test them and throw away the ones that don’t work.
96. Old birthday and holiday balloons. Dispose of deflated balloons and leftover party decorations.
97. Unused free samples collected throughout the year. Try the ones you’re interested in and let go of the rest.
98. Empty product boxes you’re saving just in case. Recycle boxes that aren’t needed for returns, storage, or resale.
99. Items sitting in your donation pile. Finally take those bags or boxes to your donation center.
100. Things you’ve been meaning to return but can’t anymore. See whether the store will still accept them; otherwise, sell or donate usable items.

How to Declutter 100 Things Without Feeling Overwhelmed

Looking at a list of 100 things might seem like a lot, but remember that you don’t have to tackle everything in one day.

In fact, I think decluttering works best when you break it down into small, manageable projects.

You could choose one category each day or simply spend 10 to 15 minutes working through the list.

I also recommend keeping a donation box somewhere convenient in your home. That way, whenever you come across something you no longer need, you have a place to put it.

And don’t feel like you have to get rid of something from every category. If you don’t have any of these items, just move on to the next one.

The goal isn’t to get rid of 100 things just for the sake of getting rid of things.

It’s to look around your home with fresh eyes and remove the things that are no longer useful or meaningful to you.

Start the New Year With Less Clutter

I always find that starting the new year with a cleaner, simpler home feels so refreshing.

After the busy holiday season, it’s nice to put everything back in order and make room for a fresh start.

And one of the best things about decluttering is that you don’t have to spend any money to make your home feel better.

Sometimes all you need to do is remove the excess.

As you work through these 100 things to declutter for the new year, remember that even small changes add up.

A cleared-off counter, an organized drawer, or a little more space in your closet can make everyday life easier.

Here’s to starting the new year with less clutter, less stress, and more room for the things that really matter!