I love the fresh start a new year brings. The air is ripe with goals, habits and ideas for the future—I can’t help but be inspired to reassess my life and my home. While many January goal setting sessions include categories like wellness, career and personal goals, I always like to include interior design goals in the mix as well. Even if your 2025 vision doesn’t necessarily include dinner parties or a kitchen reno, our environment plays such a huge factor in our overall mood and wellbeing. A well-organized home filled with pieces you love can help you stay focused, happy and at ease—all essential for making your dreams a reality. If you’re ready for a January home refresh, read on for a few ideas to help get you started.
Declutter
After the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I find January is the perfect time to declutter your space. Especially since you’ve probably accumulated new items over the past few months, spend some time making room for holiday gifts. When you think of decluttering, I’m sure most of us probably have a space that comes to mind first (yeah, you know the one!). I recommend starting there. Whether it’s your closet, your pantry, kitchen cabinets, or even your inbox—block out a weekend morning to declutter. I recently went through my closet and made three different piles labeled cash (clothes to donate or sell), stash (clothes to put away for the season) and trash (clothes that can be tossed or recycled). I loved this organizing method and it only took about an hour.
Decluttering your entire home is a big ask in one month, however. Don’t feel pressure to do it all in just a few weeks. Make a list of projects and set a goal to tackle one each month, or even every two weeks.
Deep Clean
A January home refresh wouldn’t be complete with a deep clean. I always feel like my house is brand new after it’s thoroughly cleaned. This is a perfect project once you’re done with some decluttering. You don’t have to scrub your entire home in one fell swoop, but picking a room a day could be a great way to get it done in about a week. Here’s a handy check-list to help you get going!
- Kitchen: Disinfect all surfaces, wipe down cabinets, appliances and the stovetop, deep clean the oven, wipe the inside of the microwave, declutter the fridge and freezer, deep clean the dishwasher and garbage disposal
- Living Room: Dust everywhere (surfaces, shelves, decor, frames etc.), vacuum the floors, wash throw blankets and pillows, vacuum and clean sofas and chairs
- Bedroom: Wash all bedding, dust furniture and surfaces, declutter nightstands, wash curtains, rotate your mattress
- Bathrooms: Deep clean the shower and tub, wash bath mats and towels, clean and disinfect the toilet, replace toothbrushes, wash and disinfect the trash can
Implement Organization Systems
In order to keep your home tidy, organization systems are key. Think labels and zones in your pantry, a designated shoe storage system in your entryway, or small organizers in your kitchen and bathroom drawers. It’s always a bummer to put major work into decluttering, only to have your space go back to being a mess (speaking from experience!). Take time to invest in simple organization tools. Containers, a label maker or hooks for the wall will keep your space neat and tidy for a January home refresh that will last all year long.
Update Your Decor
Breathing new life into your space can go beyond cleaning and organizing—why not sprinkle in some new decor while you’re at it? I love walking through my home at the beginning of the year and making a list of little design projects I’d like to tackle. A decor refresh can include small touches that won’t break the bank, like new pillows, frames or throws. I love cozy lighting, especially in the winter, and updating lamps can be a nice touch. Even something as simple as a bouquet of flowers on your table or swapping out the pictures in your frames are perfect for your January home refresh.
Embrace The Season
Winter is a time to settle in and cozy up. Adding seasonal touches to your home will keep you and your loved ones happy and warm indoors. Consider adding a winter home fragrance like citrus or cedar. A homemade simmer pot with orange slices, apples, cranberries, cinnamon sticks and rosemary sprigs will fill your home with a gorgeous winter aroma. Keep a few twinkle lights out from the holiday, and layer fluffy textiles like faux furs and knits. I personally keep faux garland out through January since it doesn’t scream holiday and it makes me happy. You can also never go wrong with candles. Candlelight reminds me of hygge, or the Danish tradition of finding comfort in coziness. To really turn your home into a hygge hideaway, burn multiple candles at once. To reduce the risk of a fire, use battery operated ones instead. They still give off an ambient glow!
Set Intentions
Refreshing your home can be tied to your new year intentions. Take a moment to consider how your space can support you and your goals for the new year. Perhaps you have a reading goal—why not do a little rearranging and create a cozy reading nook? If wellness is on your mind, dedicate a corner for meditation or declutter your kitchen so you can tackle your cooking goals with ease. Or it can be as simple as displaying your vision board in a place where you’ll see it often. Investing in a home upgrade that will make your life easier is a fantastic January home refresh idea. The simple act of creating space in your home for your dreams can help get you there faster. Create an environment where it’s easy to do the things you want to do, and watch as the magic unfolds.
Rearrange
A cost-free way to add new energy to a space is to simply rearrange it. I rearranged my bedroom last year and moved the bed to the opposite wall and it made all the difference. It felt like an entirely new room! If there’s a spot in your home that doesn’t feel quite right—approach it with new eyes and focus on having fun. Play around with new arrangements, then try one out for a week and see how you like it. If there’s a room with a problem, ask yourself how you can solve it. My husband and I moved our bed because it was against a closet. We weren’t able to open the door all the way, and I got to a point where I was just sick of it. A simple swap made it happen!
Starting January in a refreshed, peaceful home is a great start to the new year. Our outer world is a reflection of our inner world, after all. If you’re yearning for calm, let your home be your guide. Here’s to falling in love with your space this year!
