25 Things Professional Organizers Are Doing for the New Year

New year, new you. But can your house keep up? Hitting reset is not about scrambling to declutter every corner. It is about smart, simple moves that actually make life feel easier. From closets to kitchens, calendars to digital chaos, a few clever tweaks can completely change how your space and your mind function. Think of it as a gentle reboot: less pressure, more flow, and a few tricks you probably haven’t tried yet.

Here are 25 tips to help you kick off the new year right. And when you're ready for more, check out our decluttering checklist and 50 things you can easily get rid of right now.

The start of the year is a chance to release the small, nagging leftovers of the past — unfinished errands, unsent cards and items that quietly carry guilt. “These things linger as unfinished business, but they don’t deserve space in our new year,” says Katrina Teeple of Operation Organization. Bag them up, donate what you can, make a note if it still matters, and then let yourself mentally move on.

“Do not forget to buy your new calendar if you use paper calendars,” Molnar says. She suggests taking the time to set it up thoughtfully to fit your and your family’s needs. Laying out schedules, appointments, and priorities in advance can help you stay organized and reduce stress, making it easier to manage the year ahead with clarity and calm.

“I’m a big believer in ‘deciding once,’ so I map out travel, home projects, errands, and personal time on my calendar early, which makes everything feel more manageable and more likely to happen,” says Susie Salinas of Systems by Susie. By making decisions upfront instead of repeatedly revisiting them, this approach reduces mental clutter and decision fatigue. The result is a schedule that feels intentional, realistic and easier to follow through on.

To create quick wins, Salinas schedules focused time for small tasks. “I schedule what Gretchen Rubin calls a ‘Power Hour’ to knock out those non-urgent, lingering tasks we all tend to avoid — like replacing the glass in a frame or changing a credit card statement to paperless,” she says. By batching these nagging to-dos into one focused hour, the list shrinks fast and momentum builds, making everything else feel easier.

Janelle Cohen of Straighten Up By Janelle says, “The very first organizing task I tackle at the start of the new year is making sure that everything from the holidays is put away and organized properly.” She emphasizes checking systems and loose ends, adding, “I also make sure that any gifts are put away or returned (if something wasn’t quite right).”

For every gift you received this season, choose one similar item to give away. "Ideally, shop your own closet for a similar item," says Morgan Ovens, founder of Haven Home Wellness. "If you were gifted a new pair of jeans, donate a pair you don’t love as much." It’s a simple way to make space while sharing the abundance.

Blanka Molnar of Awarenest encourages giving yourself permission to part with items and gifts that no longer fit your style or needs. "It already served its purpose when it was gifted," she says. Letting go of things that don’t bring you joy helps clear your space and makes room for what truly matters.

To kick off the year, pro organizers focus less on maximizing space and more on how a home actually feels day to day. Look for friction points where routines break down or clutter creates stress, then simplify systems so life runs more smoothly. "My goal isn’t perfection," says Jolin Polasek of Sage Organization. “It’s creating spaces that feel calmer and easier to move through, so staying organized feels intuitive and gives you time back.”

When systems are packed too tightly, even the most thoughtful organization becomes impossible to maintain. “If taking out one item requires moving several others, the system is already failing,” Teeple explains. White space is not wasted space; it is what allows order to keep its shape, boundaries, and longevity over time.

A fresh start applies to digital clutter, too. If your inbox was overloaded, Owens suggests searching “unsubscribe” and clicking through the results to cut out what you don’t need. Hello, clean inbox.

Don’t stop at your inbox, keep going! Kati Wadsworth of Custom Organization LLC recommends deleting unused apps on your phone and decluttering your camera roll by reviewing pictures from “this day” in years past. “Chances are there are duplicates and bad photos you are ready to delete when looking back at the same day in previous years,” she says. Doing this each morning makes the task less scary.

Paper clutter can pile up quickly, but professional organizer Wadsworth says a few simple habits make a big difference. “Stop junk mail and unwanted marketing mail from coming in,” she advises, pointing to tools like DMAchoice.org to control what shows up in your mailbox. Once mail does arrive, Wadsworth recommends acting fast: “Toss unwanted mail in the recycling as soon as you bring it in,” switch to paperless billing and e-statements, and “put all receipts and important tax documents in one folder throughout the year” so everything is organized and ready when tax time rolls around.

Janelle Williams of Organized by JWC’s family begins the year by reviewing their financial spreadsheet to identify opportunities for improvement with clarity and intention. “Another essential task to prepare for the year is reviewing our family's pantry,” she says. By pausing or reducing food purchases in January and focusing on what’s already in the pantry and refrigerator, they create a natural reset in the kitchen while supporting financial awareness.

Rather than organizing once and hoping for the best, Tyler Moore, or Tidy Dad builds in regular resets. “I’ve started treating refrigerator organization as an actual system,” he says. “At the end of each week, I do a quick reset, clean it out, and we only grocery shop for what we realistically plan to eat.” The payoff is less pantry backstock and more fresh food that actually gets used.

Professional organizers say choosing stackable, nesting items is one of the simplest ways to maximize kitchen cabinets and drawers. “When everything stacks neatly, your kitchen stays calmer, clearer, and easier to use all year long,” says Ovens. Opting for stackable food containers, nesting mixing bowls, and coordinated cookware sets — and tossing stray lids or container bottoms without a match — helps keep storage streamlined and frustration-free.

To streamline school days, Moore has refined his family’s snack routine. “A big one has been refining our ‘snackle box’ routine for after school and lunches,” he says. “It keeps snacks contained, helps the kids hit a few different food groups, and very realistically, stops them from wiping out an entire container of berries in a single afternoon.” He refills it each evening so it’s ready to go the next day.

Organizers intentionally move away from clear bins in visible spaces to create calmer, more intentional rooms. “While clear containers are popular, they often feel visually messy and overstimulating rather than soothing,” Teeple says. Wood and natural-fiber bins soften a space and add warmth, while plastic still serves a purpose behind the scenes where function matters more than appearance.

The new year is a natural reset, and professional organizers often start by improving everyday storage. “The new year is the time to get creative with storage solutions to maximize your spaces,” says Emily Counts of Small Stuff Counts, noting that adding roll-out drawers to lower kitchen cabinets transformed her kitchen. Without a pantry, the upgrade made it easier to access small appliances and baking supplies while fully using the cabinet depth.

Professional organizers encourage starting the new year with a thoughtful closet edit to make space for what truly gets worn. “Didn’t wear it last year? Don’t let it hang around another season,” says Ovens. Releasing pilled sweaters and unworn seasonal pieces helps reclaim valuable closet space and keeps priority items front and center, making it easier to stay organized all year long.

Marisa Smith of MACMOM Organizing recommends donating or selling what you no longer wear. And old clothing or sheets? There’s a place for that! “Donate old sheets and towels to animal shelters” she says.

Jessica Litman, The Organized Mama, emphasizes starting the year by resetting your sleep space: “For many reasons, having a relaxing space to decompress (especially after the holiday craziness) is essential for your mental wellbeing.” Remove any visual clutter, keep floors, countertops and nightstands tidy, and limit the bedroom to essentials.

Teeple always kicks off the new year by refreshing her kids’ rooms, especially after the holidays when new toys and books pile up fast. “A quick reset creates breathing room and brings an instant sense of calm to the entire home,” she says. By creating simple, clear zones for each type of toy, everything has a place and cleanup becomes easier for kids to manage on their own.

“So often there is open air above items that isn’t being utilized, and adding shelves in those spaces is a complete game changer,” says Tracy Bowers of Organize Simply, noting that simple additions like cut-to-size shelving from home improvement stores can dramatically improve function. “By adding shelves inside existing cabinets, you instantly maximize vertical space without a full renovation, creating systems that feel intentional, efficient, and built to last.”

Many organizers are shifting away from rushed, all-or-nothing cleanouts and meeting clients where they are. “There’s a growing recognition that decluttering isn’t just about getting rid of stuff,” says Elizabeth Harrison of Sarasota Home Organizer. “Many clients are navigating transitions, grief or overwhelm, and we’re giving people more permission to move at a pace that feels supportive rather than rushed.” As Harrison notes, clutter is often tied to life changes, not laziness, and systems work best when they’re built with compassion.