My holiday hot take is that New Year’s is entirely overrated. I love the idea of a new beginning, but the pressure to completely transform your life in one night is overwhelming. While everyone else is popping champagne and ringing in the new year, I find myself overthinking the goals I should set and the to-do lists I need to complete to kick off 2026 right.
This year, I’m ditching the last-minute “New Year, new me” stress and focusing on getting my home ready ahead of time. Instead of cramming closet cleanouts, mood boards, and journaling into one night, I’m tackling these tasks early to make the transition into 2026 smoother. It’s the perfect way to fill your time between Christmas and New Year’s if you have the week off work! Here are the 15 things I recommend doing now to prepare your home for a fresh start.
1. Deep clean your space
The first step in a home reset is a good old deep clean. I’m not talking about giving your countertops a quick wipe-down—I mean really putting the elbow grease into a full-home clean. Before the new year, handle those often-overlooked spots like baseboards, ceiling fans, and appliances. You may want to spread out these tasks over a couple of days so it doesn’t become too overwhelming, but there’s no better feeling than waking up on January 1 to a sparkling-clean home.
2. Play with some new lighting
If I’ve learned anything about interior design, it’s that good lighting is everything—and it’s even more important during these long winter nights. Try adding a table lamp in the kitchen, setting out a few LED candles, or mounting some plug-in sconces near your sofa or bed. Then see how the room transforms from day to night without relying on annoying overheads. Soft, ambient lighting can help give your space that warm, cozy feeling and even help your body wind down in the evening.
3. Add little touches of gratitude to your space
Your home can be a powerful manifestation tool, so try infusing some gratitude into your space as we head into the new year. Pick a little corner, shelf, or spot on your desk and add some physical reminders of your favorite moments of 2025. This could include printing and framing some vacation photos, displaying collected trinkets, or creating a vision board with mementos like ticket stubs or postcards. It’s a unique way to reflect on the year you had and practice gratitude ahead of the new one.
4. Put away your holiday decor
I get it—it’s hard to part with the festive vibes, and I have definitely been known to keep the tree up well into January. However, I would argue that putting everything away before New Year’s Day is superior. Starting the year with holiday decor still up means you have a huge chore ahead of you in the first few weeks of 2026. This can start the year off with some anxiety and dread and make it more tempting to procrastinate even further. Take some time before January 1 to pack it all away so you have one less thing to do in the new year.
5. Declutter your home
This might be a tall order, but you will definitely thank yourself later. It’s so easy for clutter to accumulate throughout your home during the year, and most of it is junk you probably don’t want to take with you into 2026. Take a sweep of your home and say goodbye to the random junk taking up space in your drawers, closets, and cabinets.
6. Start a donation pile
Once you’ve decluttered, take a good look at the items that didn’t survive the purge. While some of it may be junk that needs to be recycled or discarded, items in good condition can be set aside to donate. This is also a good time to look around at your furniture and decor to see if you’re still holding onto things you no longer want or have use for. Giving things a second life not only brings joy to someone else’s home, but it also helps make room for intentional buys that actually elevate your space.
7. Embrace new seasonal accents
Once the holiday decorations come down, your home may feel a little empty and lifeless by comparison. To ensure your space still feels plenty warm and cozy, plan to swap in a few wintery accents to fill in the gaps left behind by the tree and other holiday decor. Drape a fuzzy throw blanket over the sofa, switch out your throw pillow covers, or set the mood with candles in fresh wintery scents. It’s an easy way to cheer up the space and helps those chilly days feel less like survival and more like a cozy escape.
8. Rearrange a room you don’t love
If there’s a space in your home that isn’t working for you, consider rearranging the furniture instead of diving into a full makeover. Just moving around the pieces you already have can give a space completely new life and make it better suited for your day-to-day life. It’s a budget-friendly way to reinvent a room you don’t love.
9. Clean out your closet
Not to brag, but I just finished my annual end-of-year closet purge, and trust me, it wasn’t as hard as you might think. There’s something so satisfying about seeing only the clothes you actually wear in your closet. Channel your inner Marie Kondo and donate anything in your closet that doesn’t “spark joy.” Once you’ve curated a capsule wardrobe of pieces you love, putting together outfits every day is so much easier.
10. Add fresh flowers or plants to your home
There is no pick-me-up like a vase of fresh flowers or a new plant. If your home feels a little stale and empty (especially after putting away all that holiday decor), this small addition can make a big difference. Not only does it perk up your home, but it’s also a fantastic way to treat yourself for getting through 2025.
11. Organize your pantry
If your pantry is anything like mine, it’s full of expired baking supplies and random snacks you’ve completely forgotten about. As we close out the year, use this time to clear it out and organize the essentials. After a season of holiday baking, it’s the perfect opportunity to reorganize what’s leftover and figure out what you need to restock.
12. Take on that project you’ve been procrastinating
We all have that one thing we’ve been putting off for months. Whether it’s a junk drawer you’ve been meaning to organize or a wobbly chair that drives you crazy, now is the time to tackle it. Whatever it is, check it off your list now. You’ll feel accomplished heading into January with one less thing hanging over your head.
13. Consider upgrades
If you’ve been eyeing an upgrade—like a fresh set of bed sheets or a replacement for your coffee maker that struggles to function—that didn’t make its way under the tree, the start of the year is a great time to invest in those items. After your cleanouts, you’ll have a clearer idea of what your home truly needs. Just make sure it’s something you’ll genuinely use and love, not a future decluttering project.
14. Rearrange your mirrors
Mirrors are one of the best design tricks to make your space feel bigger and brighter. Try repositioning the mirrors in your home to reflect more natural light, open up a room, or highlight a beautiful view. Even shifting a mirror from one wall to another can instantly make the room feel brighter, calmer, and more intentional without buying a single new thing.
15. Cleanse the energy of your home
This one might sound a little woo-woo, but hear me out: Clearing old energy can be as simple as opening your windows for fresh air or lighting a new candle. If you’re into it, burn sage or palo santo for a deeper energetic cleanse. If that isn’t your vibe, even just setting intentions for your space in the new year can help it feel renewed.
Lauren Blue, Assistant Editor
As an Assistant Editor for The Everygirl, Lauren ideates and writes content for every facet of our readers’ lives. Her articles span the topics of must-read books, movies, home tours, travel itineraries—and everything in between. When she isn’t testing the latest TikTok trend, she can be found scouring Goodreads for new releases to feature on the site.
Madigan Will, Assistant Editor
As an Assistant Editor for The Everygirl, Madigan writes and edits content for every topic under the digital media sun. As the oldest of four siblings, she enjoys utilizing her big sister persona to connect and inspire readers—helping them discover new ways to maximize their everyday.
