Creating a Clean Slate at Home for the New Year

Hi Friends!!

Happy New Year! I’ve always loved the feeling of a fresh start that comes with the new year—a new calendar, a new planner, and the sense that anything is possible. Once the Christmas decorations are taken down and put away, I like to let our home sit in that in-between space for a bit—simple, open, and calm. Before I start adding more layers back in, I take time to reset our home and thoughtfully consider what’s working and what needs a little extra attention.

Let’s Reset Together ~

That quiet moment after the holidays—when the decorations are packed away and the new year feels wide open—is my favorite time to really look at our home. Not with a critical eye, but with intention. I slow down and evaluate which spaces function well for our family and which ones need a little more support.

I pay attention to where clutter tends to collect, where we naturally gather, and which areas constantly feel like they need “fixing.” Sometimes the solution isn’t another basket or decorative piece. Sometimes it’s a small project, a layout change, or finally addressing the root of the problem instead of covering it with new knickknacks that only offer a temporary solution.

This reset matters to me. It helps me avoid filling our home with quick fixes and instead encourages thoughtful decisions before layering things back in.

Over the years, I’ve shared different versions of this new year home reset—refreshing our entire house, creating a clean slate, and easing into January with intention rather than urgency. While the details change from year to year, the heart of it always stays the same: creating a home that supports the way we want to live now.

A clean slate at home doesn’t mean empty or minimal. It means edited and intentional. It’s about letting go of what no longer fits this season of life and making space—physically and mentally—for what does.

I usually begin with the spaces we use every single day: kitchen counters, entry surfaces, bedside tables. Clearing just these areas instantly changes how our home feels and brings a sense of calm without the overwhelm of a full-house declutter.

From there, I look at what we already own. Can something be rearranged instead of replaced? Can decor be rotated, furniture shifted, or storage simplified? Often, the refresh we’re craving is already within our walls. (And those just happen to be some of my favorites because the cost is = FREE!)

Each January, I also like to create one small “anchor moment” in our home—a styled console, a cozy chair, a quiet corner—that reflects how I want our home to feel in the new year. It becomes a visual reminder to slow down and live with intention.

This process isn’t about finishing everything at once. It’s about setting the tone.

Creating a clean slate at home is less about perfection and more about alignment—making sure our spaces work for us, not against us. And this gentle reset, before adding anything new, always feels like the best way to begin again.