Twenty Five Things to Declutter to Get Organized in 2025

Sharing is caring!

It’s that time of year – a new year – a new you.  Maybe not completely new, but a chance to start fresh or have a re-do from 2024.  Like many, I’m not big into resolutions, but having goals and plans for the year.  Getting organized and losing weight is usually at the top of many lists.  Use this list of Twenty Five Things to Declutter to Get Organized in 2025 for a good start if that is on your list.  

How did you do in 2024 with plans, goals, or resolutions?  Me – pretty good.  The older I get though, the more I discover it doesn’t take as much to make me happy. 

If you are still undecorating from Christmas, that’s a great place to start.  What have you kept saying about some of it?  If it’s, “oh, I might use that next year”, think about it.  How many years have you said that?  More than a couple – time to let it go.

Christmas time is a perfect time to start with all the new items being brought into the home, think about what you can do away with to jump on the decluttering bandwagon.

Get Started Now

Don’t wait til 2025 to get started.  Think about as you are taking the décor down, ask yourself these questions:

• Do you really like this?
• Will you use it again next year?
• Did the lights go out – or part of them?
• Is it broken?

If you answer yes to any of these, maybe it’s time to trash or donate it.  Maybe a family member or friend would like it. 

Declutter before Getting Organized

Doing these Twenty Five Things to Declutter to Get Organized in 2025 will get you on a good start.  Don’t think you have to do them all today or tomorrow, but this list will help in the coming days and weeks.

Most think of decluttering and organizing as the same thing.  It’s not.  Before you can really begin to organize anything, whether it’s a drawer, your closet, or a kitchen cabinet, you must know what you are keeping to best organize it. 

Decluttering isn’t just making any area Pinterest worthy; it’s getting rid of all that small stuff that creates clutter or mess.  That small stuff could include receipts, extra bags from shopping, mail, outdated or expired food and medicines, or even too many shoes stacked by the door.

A mistake many will make, is buying a lot of organizing items such as bins and baskets before you really know what you need.

Where to Start?

Start small – don’t think you will get your whole house, or even a room, decluttered or organized in a few hours, or maybe a day.  It took a while for all that clutter to build up, so it will take a while to get it gone.

There are many great people on You Tube with ideas, and most will say it will take a while.  Sometimes you will find someone who says organize your whole home in a week or maybe even 30 days.  For most that isn’t attainable. 

A simple way to begin – grab a trash bag.  If you have a black one, use it so you can’t see what you have tossed, and you won’t second guess yourself.

Walk through the house – grab anything which looks like it can be tossed.  If you can quickly say – that’s no good, then toss it in the bag.  You may also want to have a designated box for things to donate and to move to another area. 

How many things did you put in the donation box or trash bag?  I bet you would be surprised how quickly you find things. 

Remember too, decluttering is an ongoing project.  Even if you are organized, you can still create clutter.  I have a stack of receipts from Christmas which need to be looked at. 

Decluttering isn’t a one and done thing.

Find 25 Things to Declutter in 2025 and Get Organized

Now let’s think about those 25 Things to Declutter in 2025

And remember, this is to trash or donate. Decluttering might even be finding a new home for something so you can find it.

At the top of my list:

• Home décor – your style has probably changed, or maybe you are a less is better now
• Old magazines
• Expired medicine
• Clothing – Torn – can it be repaired or is it time to trash?
• Clothing – not wearing, or doesn’t fit – donate it
• Duplicates – do you have 5 sets of measuring cups? Do you really need all of them?
• Old electronic cords – do you still have a cord from a phone 10 years ago?  Too many extension cords?

• Old eyewear – donate
• Broken jewelry
• Extra assembly pieces – you kept that Allen wrench from Ikea, didn’t you?
• Old makeup

• Old craft projects and paint – if you didn’t finish it 2 years ago, you probably won’t
• Hats & caps – how many do you wear?
• Mismatched items – socks and gloves to begin with
• Cleaning supplies – did you buy something and not like it? 
• Kitchen utensils – that lemon squeezer or reamer just doesn’t work, or you don’t like it

• Old manuals – you may not have that vacuum anymore, or you can find the information online
• Books – this can be touchy. If you enjoy having them, keep.  If not, donate or take to a used bookstore and trade them in.
• Office supplies – I cleaned out a drawer and had so many pens and labels
• Greeting cards – you don’t have to keep every one of them you’ve ever received
• Old tax returns – most can be tossed (shredded) after 5 years. Check state and federal laws for specific time
• Blankets and throws – it’s easy to collect these, but have too many? Great to donate to pet or homeless shelters.
• Food items – do you have something you bought and now don’t want? If not expired, send to the food bank
• Hobby, DIY, and craft items – oh my!! Ask yourself, are you really going to use that wood piece you purchased 3 years ago?

• Towels – maybe it’s time to replace what you have. Donate old ones to pet shelters.

Bonus item for decluttering – Digital

How many photos are on your phone?

How many emails do you have?

Do you have a plan to clean these up?

I Might Need That

Is that an excuse you use?  I know I do. 

What to do with these items?  

I hear many say they have a time will tell bins or will it be used bins.  These are where you place things that I call more “I might need that” items.  Put these items in a bin with a date to check.  Three months – six months, a time you set to work for you.  At that time, if you haven’t wanted it, it’s a good indication you can donate it.

To Sell or Not To Sell

Do you ever sell items?  It must be a bigger ticket item for me to deal with selling it.  I spent all day one Saturday selling a $20 bookshelf.  It was more of a hassle than worth it.

Many of these items can be donated to schools, senior centers, or organizations for craft projects. 

Many of these I’m saying and it’s like looking in a mirror.

Let me know what you have decluttered so far this year?  Do you make a resolution to get more organized? 

One of my favorite projects I have used in several areas is covering wire shelves.  I’m not a fan of them.

 

Need an inspiration idea to organize your bathroom closet after you declutter?  COVER UP THOSE UGLY WIRE SHELVES

Twenty Five Things to Declutter to Get Organized in 2025

How many of these could you grab in a matter of minutes?  I bet a lot.  Try it.

Join me and get started.

Sharing is caring!