What to Declutter During the Winter: 7 Things to Clear Out

Inside: Learn seven types of items that are ideal to declutter during the winter. Enjoy a calmer and more cozy season with a simplified space.

Winter, with its shorter days and longer nights, encourages a slower pace of life. It’s the perfect time to simplify your space, clear away the clutter, and make your home a warm, cozy haven to retreat to.

After the holiday hustle, and with the chill setting in, take a few moments to declutter, reset your home, and prepare for the season ahead.

By eliminating unnecessary items and getting your house in order, you’ll not only make room for winter essentials but also create an environment that feels peaceful, functional, and ready for the season.

Here’s a guide to the best things to declutter during winter to make your home feel cozy and calm.

7 Types of Items to Declutter During the Winter

Here are seven types of items to declutter during the winter for a more organized and cozy space.

1. Linens

As you’re spending more time indoors, it’s easy to notice worn-out towels and bedding that no longer meet your needs. Over time, towels can lose their softness and absorbency, and bed linens can become threadbare or faded. Winter is the time to inspect these items closely.

What to declutter:

1. Towels: Are there any with stains, fraying edges, or worn-out textures? If so, it’s time to swap them out for new ones. Old towels are often an appreciated donation at animal shelters.

2. Bedding: Sheets, pillowcases, and blankets can pill or get holes after frequent use. Consider donating what you no longer use or need, and replace items only if you truly don’t have what you need.

3. Table linens: After the holidays is a great time to look over your tablecloths, napkins, and placemats. Determine if there are pieces you can let go of or if anything additional is needed.

4. Throw blankets and toss pillows: Winter is a great time to take stock of the blankets and throw pillows in your home. If you have ones that aren’t in good shape or that you no longer like, now is a great time to let them go.

Decluttering your linens will make it easier for you to locate what you need and to feel cozy and calm in your home.

2. Winter Gear

In the cooler months, take a moment to reevaluate your winter essentials.

Are your jackets, boots, hats, and scarves in good condition? Have your kids outgrown their snow suits from last year? Have your own winter boots seen better days?

What to declutter:

1. Winter outerwear: Check the condition of your coats, jackets, and winter wear. If there are items you haven’t worn in the last couple of winters or things that are stained or torn beyond repair, it’s a good time to donate or discard them.

2. Old gloves, hats, and scarves: If you’ve accumulated more than you’ll ever need or if they’re mismatched, give them a proper purge. You only need a couple of good sets — donate extras and get rid of ones that are in poor condition.

3. Boots and shoes: Are your boots still waterproof? Are your kids’ boots too small? Do you have several pairs that you don’t wear? Now is the time to pare down your shoe collection.

4. Kids’ winter gear: It’s common for children to grow out of winter clothing quickly. Assess whether their snow gear, boots, mittens, and hats still fit. If not, donate or sell items in good condition, and replace only what’s necessary.

Keeping your winter gear organized and streamlined will ensure you have everything you need without the stress of rummaging through a disorganized pile.

3. Pantry (& Restock as Needed)

Winter is the time when we spend more time indoors, enjoying the warmth and comfort of home. If part of enjoying cozy moments is making and eating homemade food, having a decluttered pantry will make your life easier.

Doing a thorough declutter of your pantry, organizing what you are keeping, and making a list of items you need to restock will make it easier to prepare meals.

What to declutter:

1. Expired items: Check dates on canned goods, spices, and dried foods. Expired or outdated items not only take up space but can also create unnecessary clutter.

Also, check for items that aren’t expired, but may have gone bad. Nuts, cereal, and crackers that have been open for a while are common culprits.

It’s important to note that some foods are still safe after their expiration dates. Do some research before throwing out food that you may still be able to use.

2. Unopened or duplicate items: Do you really need five boxes of crackers or three jars of peanut butter? If you find multiples of something you’ll never use, donate it or pass it along to a friend or family member.

3. Non-essential snacks and processed foods: Clear out snacks or foods that don’t align with your health goals. Instead, stock up on nutritious, easy-to-make options that’ll get you through the season.

4. Overcrowded shelves: An organized pantry makes it easier to meal plan for the colder months. Group similar items together and ensure everything has a place. This will help you avoid buying duplicates and let you see what you’re low on, so you can stock up accordingly.

A decluttered, well-organized pantry will make it easier to whip up hearty soups, stews, and baked goods all winter long.

4. Excess Items in the Entryway

The entryway often becomes a catch-all for shoes, coats, and bags as we rush in and out of the house. But with winter comes wet, muddy boots and coats that need to be easily accessible.

A clutter-free entryway will not only save you time by making it easier to find your things but will also create a welcoming space as you enter the warmth of your home.

What to declutter:

1. Extra shoes: We already talked about decluttering shoes, but now is your chance to remove non-essential shoes from your entryway area. Shoes that don’t get worn regularly in the winter months should be moved to a bedroom closet instead. This will help keep the entry from getting too cluttered.

2. Unused bags and backpacks: Extra bags or backpacks that are either in a state of disrepair or are no longer used should be removed from the entryway as well. Donate ones that are in good condition and keep only the bags that you love and use.

3. Too many coats: If you’re tight on space in your entryway or in your coat closet, make sure to keep only the coats that get worn regularly in this area. Leave enough space so that visitors have a place to hang their jackets as well.

4. Umbrellas, hats, and gloves: Clear out broken or excess umbrellas, mismatched gloves, or hats that never get worn.

A tidy, functional entryway sets a calm tone for your home and helps keep winter clutter from overtaking your living space.

5. Paper Clutter

Winter is the season for cozying up with a hot drink, and while you’re relaxing, take some time to go through the paper clutter that inevitably accumulates—old bills, receipts, and documents.

Sort through your paperwork and create categories for what needs to be kept and what can be shredded or recycled. Keep only the documents that are essential, such as important bills, tax documents, and personal records.

As you declutter your paper piles, consider creating a filing system that will help you stay organized throughout the year. Having a designated place for important papers ensures you don’t let things pile up again in the future.

What to declutter:

1. Junk mail: Create a daily habit of tossing junk mail in the recycle bin. Do what you can to get off mailing lists from companies that are constantly sending you unwanted mail.

2. Papers you don’t need to keep: Determine what types of paper you need to keep so that you’re also aware of the ones you can shred.

3. Sentimental papers: Figuring out what sentimental items you want to keep can be tricky. And it can also be an emotional process. This is a project to take on when you have time and feel ready to tackle it.

Removing unneeded papers will help you to simplify and organize paperwork in your home, making important documents easier to locate.

6. Decorations You Don’t Love

Winter is the prime time for holiday decorations. Now that the season is over, it’s a good time to evaluate both your seasonal items as well as your everyday decor.

Do you have a lot of items you no longer love or use? Now is the time to downsize and keep only the pieces that bring joy to your celebrations.

What to declutter:

1. Old or broken decorations: If you have items that are broken, worn out, or no longer fit your current style, it’s time to let them go.

2. Excess holiday or seasonal decor: Too many holiday decorations can quickly overwhelm a space. Simplify your decor and only keep what makes you feel festive and joyful. If you have a lot of unused items, consider donating or selling them.

It’s also a good time to evaluate whether you still love your home decor. It is possible to have a cozy home and decor without creating clutter.

By keeping your seasonal decor organized and minimal, you can free up space in your home while creating more peace and serenity.

7. Bathroom Clutter

Bathrooms are often overlooked when it comes to decluttering, but they can become filled with half-used products, expired medication, and cluttered counters.

What to declutter:

1. Expired items: Most items in your bathroom have an expiration date. Look for makeup, medications, and products that are past their prime. Make sure to dispose of unused medications properly.

2. Unwanted products: It’s common to buy a new product, hoping it will work for you, and then discover it didn’t. Go ahead and pass these along to a family, friend, or someone in your community via a group like Buy Nothing.

3. Travel toiletries: If you’ve collected travel toiletries on your travels, but never use them once you get home, declutter them. Check with shelters in your area to see if they could use them.

Streamline your bathroom by keeping only the essentials and finding storage solutions for the items you do use. A well-organized bathroom makes it easier to maintain your morning and evening routines, leaving you with a sense of calm and order.

Final Thoughts on Decluttering During the Winter

Winter isn’t just about bundling up in warmer clothing. It’s also a great opportunity to simplify your home for a more peaceful, organized season.

By decluttering linens, winter gear, the pantry, the entryway, paper, decorations, and the bathroom, you’ll make your home a more comfortable and efficient place to spend the colder months.

Embrace the beauty of winter with a home that’s free from excess so you can enjoy more cozy moments at home. You’ll feel lighter, more organized, and ready to embrace the current season and the ones ahead with a clearer mind and a calm, beautiful space.

What do you plan to declutter during the winter? Let us know in the comments section below.

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