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A cluttered home does more than look messy – research shows it can leave you feeling anxious and less productive. The good news? A strategic January declutter can help you reclaim your calm and start 2026 feeling refreshed. And professional organiser (Chantal Mila, aka @mama_mila_au who has over 3 million followers on Instagram) is here to help! “January is one of my favourite times to refresh our home to start the year feeling calm, organised and inspired,” she says. “A quick declutter of key areas can make a big difference to your home and how you feel in it.
“Whether it’s stacks of paperwork, an overflowing make-up drawer or a cupboard filled with items you rarely use, clutter can make you feel stressed and take up valuable space. Taking the time to sort through what you use and let go of what you don’t helps create a relaxed and peaceful environment.”
Mila’s #1 decluttering tip
My biggest piece of advice is to start small. Focus on one space at a time – whether that’s one drawer, one shelf or one room. And celebrate the wins along the way! (I love taking before and after photos as a way to track my progress and keep myself motivated.) This is also the perfect opportunity to get the whole household involved and let everyone tackle a different area – put on some music or your favourite podcast and turn it into a fun family project.
In the kitchen
1. Pantry: Clear expired items and create zones
- Start by emptying your pantry and giving all the shelves a good wipe down.
- Get rid of any expired items.
- Next, categorise similar items, such as baking supplies, tinned food, sauces and snacks, before placing them back.
- Place items with the nearest expiry dates at the front so they get used first.
Tip for expert-level pantry organisation
Use clear containers, labelled jars and baskets to keep everything organised and easy to find. A well-organised pantry not only looks great but makes meal prep and grocery shopping much easier, too.
2. Fridge and freezer: Clean and deodorise
When deep cleaning the fridge, I love to use my DIY fridge spray to keep it clean and deodorised.
How to make Chantal Mila’s DIY fridge cleaning spray
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In a spray bottle, mix 1 cup water, 1/2 cup white vinegar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Shake to combine
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Spray across your fridge shelves before wiping with a warm, damp cloth. This spray helps cut through sticky mess and leaves your fridge smelling amazing.
- When you’re putting fresh items in the fridge, place them in clear containers to help keep them fresh.
- Using storage turntables makes it easier to access items in hard-to-reach corners of the fridge.
3. Cupboards: Donate unused cups, cutlery and kitchenware
- To save time when decluttering cups and cutlery, start at the back of the cupboard and work forward, as often the unused mugs end up right at the back. This doesn’t have to be a big task – even clearing out five unused mugs, can openers or duplicate spatulas will free up so much space.
4. Say goodbye to worn-out food containers
- Empty your storage container cupboard and clear it of any stained or cracked containers.
- Match the remaining containers to their lids before placing them back.
A hack for storing container lids
If you’ve got the space, using office file racks to vertically store container lids makes finding the matching one so much easier!
In the living room
5. Clear the coffee table
- Remove any old magazines, toys or paperwork and only keep a few items with pops of colour that bring you joy.
- Use colourful trays or boxes to store remotes, batteries or other functional items.
6. Declutter the entertainment unit
This is a great area to get the entire household involved in, including kids.
- Sort through the various consoles, video games, DVDs, tech equipment and cables.
- Organise the items you actually use and donate the rest.
7. Make space on your bookshelves
- Sort books into those you want to keep and those you’re ready to part with. You can donate books to charities, give them to friends, or sell some.
- While you’re at it, you can sort your books by colour, by author or by genre!
In the bedroom
8. Cull unworn clothing in the wardrobe
- When you’re clearing out wardrobes, empty everything out and place the items in the middle of the bed. This helps motivate you to finish the task (as you need to use your bed that night!).
- Go through clothes by category. Start with tops, then pants, then dresses and shoes and donate anything that you don’t want to keep.
Host a clothes swap party!
A clothes swap party means inviting friends and family over, and everyone bring things they no longer use or love. This includes clothing, household items and accessories that are one-size-fits-all such as hats, bags and scarves. It’s a great way to refresh your wardrobe, recycle clothes and catch up with friends at the same time!
9. Re-style bedside tables
A bedside table can become a dumping ground for books, receipts and general clutter.
- Start by emptying everything out
- Give the bedside table a wipe down and add some pops of colour, such as books, a colourful candle or a plant to invigorate the space.
10. Peek under the bed
This space under the bed becomes a haven for forgotten items.
- Pull everything out and give it a good vacuum – you never know what’s hiding under there!
11. Sort through your linen and towels
- Clear out your towels and linens and donate the items you no longer use.
- When you refold your linen, place sheets or quilt covers inside the pillowcase of the set. This keeps the set together and makes it so much easier to find.
In the bathroom
12. Medicine cabinet clear out
- Empty your medicine cabinet and collect up any expired or unwanted medicines – your local pharmacy should be able to dispose of them safely for you.
- Use a pull-out drawer or boxes to order the rest into categories, such as pain relief, hayfever medication and first aid.
13. Be ruthless with cosmetics and skincare
- Empty out your toiletries and skincare, and check expiration dates before organising them. As a general rule, skincare products such as moisturisers and serums and toiletries like shower gel and shampoo will last about six months after opening.
- Make-up expires after a period of time once opened as preservatives lose strength and microbes grow. Clear out makeup you no longer use or need to replace. You’ll find the expiry period on the product, with a graphic of a cream pot.
In the laundry
15. Re-set coat and shoe racks
- If you have a pile of shoes or jackets in your bedroom or by the front door, now is the time to sort them out.
- Declutter, set aside some for donation, and, if you have room, place a small bowl of baking soda with a few drops of essential oil on a top shelf. This will help absorb odours from smelly shoes and also provide a hidden fragrance.
Are your shoes no longer white?
You can also use baking soda to create a paste for cleaning your shoes with! Follow our shoe cleaning guide for white, bright results.
16. Love your laundry
- Empty your laundry cupboards and sort through detergents, stain removers and cleaning supplies.
- Store half-used bottles at the front so that you finish them up.
17. Deal with the supplies in the junk drawer
We all have a junk drawer, and now’s the time to go through it!
- Use a tackle box to organise random household supplies such as screws, batteries and bolts, which makes looking for them easier.
Outdoors
18. Empty garage shelves
- Empty all shelves and place items in the middle of the garage floor, then group items into categories such as sports equipment, car cleaning and holiday decorations.
- Use large, clear boxes to store items and pop on a label listing what’s inside.
19. Toolshed stocktake
- Go through your toolshed and get rid of or repair any items you no longer use or that have rusted over.
- You can use pegboards to keep tools organised and off the workbench.
In the office
20. Declutter your work desk
- Clear your desk and give it a good wipe down, especially the area under your computer, which can collect dust.
- Use organisers to keep your workspace tidy and easy to use.
21. Action and file bills and paperwork
Go through your bills and paperwork and categorise them into three piles:
- Declutter pile: can be thrown away or recycled.
- Organise pile: can be filed away.
- Action pile: requires immediate action, like paying a bill.
You may want to use this time to scan your paperwork and digitise it to reduce physical clutter. Switch to email billing where possible.
22. Detangle cords and chargers
Your office drawers can become a dumping ground for random cords and cables, and you may even forget what they’re for! This is a great time to finally tackle this pile of cords.
- Match cords up with items you have and recycle what you no longer need.
- You can also label your cords for future reference.
Digital items
23. Empty your email inbox
- Go through your inbox and unsubscribe from newsletters you no longer read.
How to unsubscribe from unwanted email lists
In Gmail, there’s a folder on the left-hand side called ‘Manage Subscriptions’ which lists all the newsletters you’re subscribed to. Otherwise, search in your Inbox for ‘unsubscribe’ and go through it.
24. Manage your phone photos
- If you have an iPhone, you can open your photos app and under ‘Utilities’ you’ll see a tab called ‘Duplicates’ and ‘Screenshots’. Clear duplicate photos to free storage space.
25. Delete unused phone apps
- Review your phone’s home screen and uninstall any unused apps to free up space.
- You can categorise apps into folders to make them easier to find.
26. Rethink subscriptions
- Go through your bank account and look at which services you’re subscribed to and what you could unsubscribe from – think audio or TV subscriptions, or Apple or Google digital storage. Even taking a break for a few months can save you money.
