Home Care Challenge: Clearing the Post-Holiday Clutter
Overwhelmed by Holiday Chaos? Same.
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Is anyone else looking around their house post-holidays and wondering, What happened here?
Because, same.
Week 1 of my Home Care Challenge is all about getting my house back into everyday order. Not Pinterest-perfect, not decluttered within an inch of its life—just normal. For those of you diving headfirst into New Year decluttering challenges, like KonMari or The Home Edit, love that for you. Truly.
But I need to actually find my house under the post-holiday chaos before I can even think about what sparks joy.
Let’s be real: the holidays are magical but also messy. Between skipping normal cleaning days to prep for hosting, squeezing gift wrap into random closets, and making space for all the new stuff, my house feels like it’s been on a month-long bender.
So, before I pack away the tinsel and move furniture back to its January-November positions, I’m starting with a mini deep clean and mini declutter. Think of it as hitting the reset button.
Mini Decluttering
Decluttering before cleaning makes everything easier (and honestly, less soul-crushing). Here’s how I tackled my holiday aftermath:
Gift Overload. Start by sorting through all those holiday gifts. Keep what you love and will actually use, and for the rest? Donate, regift, or set aside for next year’s white elephant party. (Pro tip: label your regift stash so you don’t accidentally give Aunt Cheryl back her Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus toilet seat cover. Yes, this really happened.)
Remember: it’s the thought that counts, not the clutter.
And if you have kids? Good luck carving out space for the mountain of toys the grandparents went overboard on. I’ve officially decided that every future gift for me must include a $50 Amazon or Target gift card—for storage containers. Consider it self-care.
Holiday Décor Audit. As you take down your decorations, assess their condition. Broken ornament? Toss it. That box of “maybe next year” garland? Let it go. Pack away only what you love and know you’ll use next year. Bonus points for labeling your storage bins so future-you doesn’t have to guess where the tree topper went.
Hosting Hangover. Hosting during the holidays comes with an army of serving platters, mismatched linens, and those “just in case” table settings you never actually used. Keep what you regularly use or truly cherish, and let the rest go. Freeing up storage space feels like a gift to yourself.
Mini Deep Cleaning
Once the holiday stuff is handled, I’ll be moving on to mini deep cleaning – between the holiday chaos, the influx of guests, and your own decision to cover every available surface with festive decor, some spots in your home probably haven’t seen a cleaning rag since before Thanksgiving. And why does so much holiday decor have glitter? This mini deep clean is less about perfection and more about getting your space feeling livable again.
Under the Couch (AKA the Bermuda Triangle). Start by moving furniture back to its non-holiday layout. While you’re at it, check under the couch cushions and furniture for rogue candy wrappers, crumbs, or the random gift tags that escaped during the unwrapping frenzy. Bonus: you might even find a missing remote or toy.
Wipe Down Surfaces. With all those holiday decorations taking up prime real estate, it’s likely your surfaces were left out of your usual cleaning routine. Dust and wipe down shelves, tabletops, and even those baseboards you’ve been ignoring. Don’t worry—we all do it.
Mop the Floors (Because Manners Took a Holiday). Let’s not sugarcoat it—holiday guests (and maybe even your own family) tend to forget how to use a napkin when treats are flowing or forget to take off their shoes when coming into the house. A good mopping session tackles sticky spills, dropped crumbs, and whatever mystery stains Uncle Bob left behind.
This mini deep clean is less about perfection and more about getting your space feeling fresh and livable again. After all, it’s easier to love your home when it’s not sticky.
This isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress—turning the holiday aftermath back into a livable space.
How are you resetting your home after the holidays? Let me know in the comments—or join me in this perfectly imperfect challenge to embrace the everyday!
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Products I use to help tackle this week’s weekly home care challenge.