The new year tends to bring with it an immense pressure to do better. From less stress and more steps to home-made lunches of lettuce-packed Tupperware, we all make a promise or two to enhance our wellbeing for the coming year. However, the never-ending list of resolutions and diet-plans can soon become overwhelming, leaving us feeling exasperated and depleted by week three. Here at HGTV, we believe in a simpler way to start your year right. They say “a cluttered room is a cluttered mind”, so often the most effective way to tackle the New Year head first is with a good old home refresh. Instead of adding more to your plate, why not just toss the plate entirely, especially that old chipped one you keep “just in case”. Here’s how to de-clutter your home for the new year.
The Sock Drawer
It’s time to admit defeat and toss the lonely straggler that was once part of a beloved pair. While you’re at it, the ones with the toe-holes can go too. 2025 will be your year of settling for nothing other than good quality, matching socks.
Organised Pantry Items, Non Perishable Food Staples, Healthy Eatings, Fruits, Vegetables And Preserved Foods In Jars On Kitchen Shelf
The Pantry
Dry foods can be a blessing and a curse. A blessing because of course, they have a generous expiration date. On the other hand, once they surpass this date, they continue to sit harmlessly in our pantries, being shoved further towards the back- out of sight, out of mind. It’s time to toss the leftover rice noodles from the Pho you made last year, and the same applies to that quirky tabasco you never quite found a use for. While you’re at it, most ground spices should be replaced after 12 months. Give each one a whiff, and if there’s no scent, there will be no flavour. To the bin it goes!
Stylish powder room accessories (Credit: Daniel Cortez via Getty Images)
The Make-Up Stash
Foundations in the wrong shade, mascaras that have clumped, and an eyeshadow palette dating back a decade- we all have at least one of the above lurking in our makeup stash. This serves as a subtle yet important reminder that mascara should be replaced every three months, foundation and concealer every year, and lipstick, eye shadow and blush every two years. If you can’t remember when it was purchased, it’s realistically time to toss.
The 'Bits and Bobs' Drawer
We all have one, and while it’s a safe space for quick, convenient stashing, your bits and bobs drawer deserves a designated clear-out time. From post-it notes to mystery keys, it’s a drawer that quickly accumulates piles of unnecessary clutter. While you shouldn’t dispose of old batteries and cables in the general waste or recycling bins, many shops like your local Tesco will have recycling points to collect them.
The 'Paper' Drawer
Finally, we have the ‘paper drawer’. Usually sitting beneath the ‘bits and bobs’ kind, this drawer is the home to old receipts, crumpled-up celebratory cards, leaflets, bills, and any other paper that may have passed through your letter box. January is the perfect time to sit down, sort through each document and toss what’s no longer needed. Make sure to shred any which contain personal or financial information!
