As the festive season concludes and the return to everyday routines looms, many across the UK are facing a familiar January dilemma: a home overwhelmed by new gifts and holiday clutter. The transition can feel daunting, but expert guidance is at hand.
Start with the stress points
Decluttering educator and podcast host Shannon Leyko has shared exclusive, practical advice with The Independent to help households reset. Leyko, a mother of three with a background in psychology, advocates for a gracious approach, acknowledging the post-holiday period as a natural "transition season."
She advises allowing two to three weeks to adjust and suggests beginning the clear-out in the areas causing the most immediate frustration. "The purpose of decluttering is to decrease your stress," Leyko explains. If a child's room is overflowing with new toys, that is the logical place to start.
Create clear boundaries for belongings
A key strategy, especially for children's items, is to establish physical limits. This could be a specific storage bin for soft toys or a set number of clothes hangers. Leyko emphasises involving children in the process to give them agency and avoid negative associations.
"It’s too abstract to say you have too much stuff," she notes. By stating that all stuffed animals must fit in one designated box, a child can choose which ones to keep, understanding the goal while exercising personal choice.
Implement systems and a donation station
Beyond the immediate post-holiday period, Leyko recommends two sustaining practices. First, keep a running donation box in a convenient location for items that are no longer needed as preferences and circumstances change.
Second, implement simple systems for daily routines, such as where coats are hung or shoes are stored. "We need to see [tidying] as goals that we can work towards and feel a sense of accomplishment towards, rather than just these never-ending task cycles," she says. Clear systems reduce household drama and prevent clutter from accumulating on surfaces and floors.
By adopting these focused strategies—tackling stressful areas first, setting physical boundaries, maintaining a donation box, and creating household systems—Leyko believes anyone can navigate the post-Christmas clutter and cultivate a more organised, peaceful living space for the new year.
