Wondering what to declutter this winter to keep your home organized all year long? These winter decluttering tips plus a free printable checklist will keep your home tidy– from closets to your garage and every space in between.
Ready to declutter your entire home? Check out this popular KonMari Decluttering Checklist for a deep, whole-home decluttering spree that might just change your life.
Whether you’re motivated by a burst of post-holiday energy, have some time off at the beginning of the new year, or are stuck at home due to snow or other reasons beyond your control (ugh), there’s a good chance you’re in the mood to declutter.
I’m not sure about you, but after the holidays my home feels ready to burst so it’s the perfect time to clean out and let your clutter go. Here’s how to declutter in winter, complete with a free printable winter decluttering checklist!
What to Declutter in Winter
There’s no better time than the present to declutter these seasonal areas:
- holiday decorations
- wrapping paper
- winter sports equipment
- winter tools that are no longer useful (ie, broken shovels)
- blankets
- winter outerwear and clothing
Then, tackle these categories that need to be weeded out a few times a year:
- outgrown toys and board games
- expired pantry and food items
- magazines and catalogs
- expired/ unused makeup and personal care products
- your car and trunk
- school papers (see our kids’ paper organizing solution here)
- coupons and receipts
How to Print the Winter Decluttering Checklist
Click the image below to get it sent to your inbox, where you can download it directly and print! Once printed, I like to clip it on a clipboard so it’s easy to find and then work my way through the list. The more you declutter, the easier it gets because your home and heart start to feel lighter.
What to do with items you’ve decluttered
Now that you’ve put all that energy into decluttering, let’s get it OUT OF YOUR HOME. Holding onto it isn’t serving you! So where should your cast-offs go?
This topic could be a whole post in and of itself, but here’s a few general rules:
- donate usable items to local thrift shops or non-profit organizations
- donate unexpired and unopened food to local food pantries
- toss (or compost, if applicable) expired food
- toss or recycle broken items
- some thrift stores accept worn and torn clothing as textile recycling, but be sure to check with your local store before donating so they don’t end up in a landfill
- papers should be shredded and recycled
- tools and home improvement items in good condition are often welcomed by ReStores (they’re run by Habitat for Humanity)
- Facebook ‘Buy Nothing’ groups are a great place to offer items for free
- you can sell items on Facebook Marketplace or consignment stores, but if your ultimate goal of decluttering is to get it OUT of your home then you might feel better by donating it all instead
Once you’ve done your winter decluttering, put your checklist in your Streamlined Home Binder so you can use it next year. You’ll find that this seasonal decluttering rhythm helps saves you time, money and valuable space each season and keeps useless clutter from piling up.
What I love so much about decluttering is the less stuff you have, the less stuff you need to store and organize. It truly streamlines your home systems when things are simple to store and easy to find.
click below to get the checklist sent right to your inbox:
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