New Year Home Cleaning Checklist: How to Reset Your Home After the Holidays

The holidays have a way of filling your home without you even noticing. Decorations overstay their welcome, drawers overflow with new gifts, and everyday spaces carry the quiet clutter of a season that was anything but calm.

Now that January has arrived, it’s time to reclaim your sanctuary. We’ve developed a comprehensive New Year home cleaning checklist to help you prioritize your tasks, declutter what no longer serves you, and start this fresh chapter with a clean slate.

Whether you are diving into a full home reset or tackling one room at a time, this step-by-step January cleaning guide will help you clean with purpose. It’s time to welcome the year with a home that truly feels refreshed.

What to Clean First After the Holidays

Before any deep cleaning begins, there are a few things that need immediate attention. These are the items and areas that, if left untouched, make your home feel cluttered and unfinished, no matter how much you clean later.

In fact, research shows that clutter or an overabundance of possessions creates a 'dark side' of the home, directly undermining our well-being and sense of peace

So, by addressing these high-impact items and places first, you’re setting a breathing room and setting a clean baseline for the rest of your post-holiday cleaning.

1. Take Down Holiday Decorations

Holiday décor has a way of overstaying its welcome. Once the festivities have passed, keeping decorations up can make spaces feel visually crowded and harder to organize. 

Taking them down right away clears surfaces, opens up rooms, and helps your home transition back to its everyday rhythm. It is one of the quickest ways to signal a fresh start.

2. Clear Out Expired and Leftover Food

After weeks of gatherings, the kitchen often holds forgotten leftovers, opened packages, and expired items. These not only take up valuable shelf space but also affect how clean the kitchen feels overall. Clearing them out early prevents odors, frees up storage, and makes future meal prep far more efficient.

3. Empty Trash, Recycling, and Donation Piles

Bins often overflow during the holidays with gift packaging, boxes, and bags. Taking care of these immediately removes the most obvious visual mess and prevents clutter from migrating into other rooms.

4. Reset Entryways and Drop Zones

Shoes, bags, coats, and delivery boxes tend to pile up near doors during the season. When ignored, these areas can make the entire home feel disorganized the moment you walk through the door. Resetting these zones early restores order and makes coming and going feel calm again.

5. Wash Holiday Linens and Fabric Items

Tablecloths, throws, and guest towels often get heavy use in December. Leaving them unwashed keeps that "post-holiday" feeling lingering in the air. Washing and storing these items right away helps your rooms feel lighter and more refreshed.

Focusing on these essentials clarifies exactly what to clean first after the holidays. Once these high-impact tasks are handled, the rest of your New Year home cleaning checklist becomes easier, more focused, and far less overwhelming.

Step-by-Step New Year Home Cleaning Checklist

Now that the essentials are out of the way, it’s time to tackle the rest of your home with a clear plan. This room-by-room New Year home cleaning checklist breaks the process into simple, manageable actions so you know exactly what to do.

Living Room and Common Areas

The living room takes on the most activity during the holidays, from lounging to entertaining, with extra décor crowding every available surface. Because it is a high-use space, dirt, dust, and wear build up quickly.

• Remove any remaining holiday decorations or seasonal items

• Clear and wipe coffee tables, side tables, and shelves

• Dust picture frames, décor, electronics, and TV screens

• Sanitize light switches, remote controls, and door handles

• If you have leather furniture, wipe surfaces with a slightly damp cloth to remove oils and residue, then condition leather to prevent drying and cracking

• Check armrests and seat edges where hands and clothing cause the most wear

• Move small furniture pieces to vacuum beneath them (often overlooked)

• Shake out smaller rugs or take them outside to remove trapped dust

• Vacuum carpets and area rugs thoroughly, focusing on high-traffic paths and edges

Kitchen

The kitchen is the heartbeat of the home during holiday meals, often leaving behind food residue, sticky spots, and hidden bacteria.

• Clear countertops and remove items that belong elsewhere

• Throw out expired food and leftovers from the refrigerator

• Wipe refrigerator shelves, drawers, and handles

• Clean countertops, backsplash, and sink

• Wipe appliance exteriors, including the microwave, oven door, and refrigerator

• Clean cabinet fronts and handles

• Inspect and clean the dishwasher filter if needed

• Sweep floors to remove crumbs and debris

• Mop floors, focusing on edges and corners

Dining Area

Holiday meals often spread crumbs and spills that go unnoticed until the festivities end.

• Remove table décor, centerpieces, and unused items

• Clear the dining table and chairs

• Wipe the table surface, edges, and legs

• Clean chair backs, seats, and legs

• Wash, fold, or store tablecloths, placemats, and napkins

• Wipe light fixtures or pendant lamps above the table

• Vacuum or mop under the table and around chair legs

Bedrooms

Even if guests stayed over weeks ago, bedrooms collect dust, clutter, and often hidden allergens.

• Clear bedside tables, chairs, and visible surfaces

• Strip beds and launder all sheets, pillowcases, and mattress protectors

• Wash sheets, pillowcases, and mattress protectors

• Dust headboards, lamps, nightstands, and window sills

• Put away clothes and items left out during the holidays

• Rotate the mattress to ensure even wear

• Vacuum or mop floors, including under the bed

Bathrooms

Holiday prep often focuses on big gatherings, overlooking the deep resets that support long-term health and freshness.

• Clear countertops and remove empty or unused products

• Replace used towels and bath mats with fresh ones

• Deep clean sinks, faucets, and mirrors

• Scrub toilets, tubs, and showers

• Wipe countertops and cabinet fronts

• Disinfect high-touch areas like light switches and door handles

• Empty trash bins

• Sweep and mop floors

Entryway and Hallways

These transition zones show dirt, mud, and clutter faster than most people realize — and they shape your home’s first impression.

• Organize shoes, bags, coats, and seasonal gear

• Clear console tables and drop zones

• Wipe door handles, light switches, and railings

• Clean mirrors or wall décor near entrances

• Shake out or wash doormats

• Sweep or vacuum floors, especially near doors and walkways

Start Your New Year with a Fresh, Clean Home

A clean home sets a vibrant tone for everything that follows. After the holidays, taking the time to reset your space creates the clarity, calm, and sense of control you need to start the year with confidence.

We hope this step-by-step New Year home cleaning checklist helps you build systems that make everyday life easier and more intentional.

Complete the look and feel of your refreshed sanctuary by exploring our official stores on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop. From clever storage solutions to stylish furniture, our collection is designed to keep your space organized, cozy, and ready for the New Year. It is the perfect final touch to your post-holiday reset!