January is a cold and grey month. It’s the time of year we least want to go outside, and mostly want to stay inside in the comfort of our home. January is also synonym of resolutions and new fresh challenges. It’s a great month to purge and declutter your home. 

Make the best of this cold month by going around each room of your house, which will occupy some of those cold days and give you a sentiment of satisfaction. This will motivate you to undertake new projects at spring, it’s a snowball effect!

“In January, I declutter my house room by room… One room at a time!”

Here are 7 suggestions of what you can do to declutter and add a bit of love to each room in these cold winter days. 

01. Enhance the living room (family room):

Go through each shelf, cupboards and drawers. Get rid of anything that is useless. 

Tidy up the magazines, books and photos. 

Rearrange the decorative items in new places and add a few candles that you will enjoy in the evenings. You will find the ambiance heartier in the evenings. 

02. Buy a new scent for your aroma diffuser. You can get an aroma mixed with pine, bergamot (pear variety) and lavender. Bergamot will bring an exotic sense and lavender soothes and invites relaxation. 

03. Go through your entry closet. Bring forward hats, mittens and gloves, scarfs, etc. We all have the tendency of wearing the same and forget what is lost in the back of the closet. We all love to cozy up in the winter… So you might find something dear that you forgot you had!

04. Go through all the other closets and get rid of any surplus… Do it in 30 minutes or less, and everything you’ve accumulated can be given to Centraide or a local charity. 

05. Check every lighting fixture and change burnt light bulbs. 

06. Do a cleaning of the pantry: throw out food that has been sitting for too long such as pasta, spices, canned goods, oils, etc.

07. The infamous Tupperware drawer: how many times have you tried to find the lid? All lidless lonely bowls can now be disposed of!

Now that everything is tidy in your living room, kitchen and closets, you will feel liberated of all the clutter. Note that it is essential to do this exercise when your house is for sale or if you are thinking about putting it on the market. 

A majority of buyers start their house search in the beginning of the year. February and March are busy months for new listings and house visits. 

So take advantage of this beautiful January to improve each room in your home, and if it isn’t for the sale of your home, do it for you J 

Happy January!