THE GENTLE JANUARY RESET - HOW TO DECLUTTER YOUR HOME AND DIGITAL LIFE ONE DAY AT A TIME.
- Jo from Benella
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
A Simple January Declutter Reset Challenge for Your Home and Digital Life
January doesn’t need a dramatic overhaul or an unrealistic “new you” plan.
What most of us need after December is something gentler. A reset that feels achievable, calming and kind.
This Gentle January Reset is about small daily decluttering tasks that take 10-20 minutes and create visible progress without overwhelm.
You’ll declutter both your home and your digital life because mental clutter doesn’t just live in cupboards anymore, it lives in inboxes, photos and endless notifications too.
No pressure to be perfect. Skip days, swap days or repeat the ones that feel good. The aim is simple: finish January feeling lighter than you started.
How to do the January Declutter Challenge
Choose one task per day. Set a timer if that helps. Stop when the timer ends, even if you haven’t finished. Decluttering works best when it’s done little and often.
Don't forget that selling your clutter can also make you some money!
I’ll be sharing short daily videos talking through each task on my social media and inside my Facebook group, so you can follow along and feel supported rather than doing this alone.
You can find me here - always a quick video sharing the daily challenge with extra tips.
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/benellahomeorganisationhq/
Thursday 1st January: Clear Your Bag
Empty your handbag, work bag or backpack. Bin receipts, wrappers and random bits. Put back only what you use.
Friday 2nd January: Digital Quick Win
Delete unused smartphone apps and turn off notifications you don’t need. Instant mental space.
Saturday 3rd January: Kitchen Counter
Clear your kitchen surfaces. If it’s not used daily, it doesn’t need to live there.
Sunday 4th January: Bathroom Cabinet
Ditch expired products and half used items you never reach for.
Monday 5th January: Photo Clean Up
Delete screenshots, blurry photos and duplicates on your phone.
Tuesday 6th January: Fridge
Check dates, recycle or bin what’s past its best and group similar foods together so you can see what you have.
Wednesday 7th January: Inbox
Search “unsubscribe” and unsubscribe from at least five emails you never read. (Hopefully not my Benella Edit!!)
Thursday 8th January: Wardrobe Edit
Keep what fits, feels good and gets worn. Donate anything that doesn’t earn its place.
Friday 9th January: Living Room Surfaces
Clear coffee tables, sideboards and shelves. Put away anything that doesn’t belong.
Saturday 10th January: Digital Desk Tidy
Clear your computer or laptop desktop. File what matters, delete the rest.
Sunday 11th January: Sock and Underwear Drawer
Match pairs, fold neatly and let go of worn out or uncomfortable items.
Monday 12th January: Spice Rack Reset
If it’s older than your last house move, it’s time to go. (When I cleared my late Mom's home I found cornflour from 1970 - the year I was born!!)
Tuesday 13th January: Phone Contacts Clean Up
Delete duplicate contacts and update names so you actually know who’s calling.
Wednesday 14th January: Bedside Table
Remove finished books, empty glasses and anything that doesn’t belong.
Thursday 15th January: Downloads Folder Declutter
Sort or delete old files and screenshots hiding in your downloads.
Friday 16th January: Toy or Hobby Declutter
Toys, craft supplies or hobby bits. Keep what’s used and loved, donate the rest.
Saturday 17th January: Dining Table
Clear paperwork and clutter so your table is ready for meals, not mail piles.
Sunday 18th January: Photo Albums or Cloud Storage
Delete duplicates and organise photos into albums if you can.
Monday 19th January: Under the Sink
Bin empty bottles and products you never use and enjoy the space you’ve reclaimed.
Tuesday 20th January: Junk Drawer
One drawer, one timer, surprisingly satisfying.
Wednesday 21st January: Shoes
Donate pairs you don’t wear and recycle worn out ones.
Thursday 22nd January: Notes App Tidy
Delete old lists, half written thoughts and notes you no longer need.
Friday 23rd January: Linen/Airing Cupboard
Fold neatly, group by set and donate extras you never reach for.
Saturday 24th January: Paper Pile Declutter
Recycle, shred or file what you actually need to keep.
Sunday 25th January: Garage or Storage Sweep
Group seasonal items and let go of what’s no longer useful.
Monday 26th January: Message Clean Up
Archive or delete old WhatsApp or message threads you don’t need anymore.
Tuesday 27th January: Desk Declutter
Clear your workspace so it feels calm and productive.
Wednesday 28th January: Final Digital Sweep
Choose one digital area you avoided earlier and tidy it or go back and do more.
Thursday 29th January: Catch Up Day
Revisit any tasks you skipped or want to redo.
Friday 30th January: Final Flourish
Put away the last few bits that have crept back out and take a moment to notice how far you’ve come.
Why Digital Decluttering Matters Too
If the digital days felt harder than the physical ones, you’re not alone.
Digital clutter is the area most people avoid, yet it’s often the biggest source of mental overload.
If you’d like guided, step by step help with photos, emails, files and digital life admin, I’ve created a Digital Declutter Course to walk you through it calmly and clearly.
Use code January10 for £10 off this January only so you enter 2026 without digital clutter - just imagine being able to find files, not having 10,000 photos all over the place and opening up your computer to an organised screen.
A Gentle Way to Start the Year
If this challenge helps you, please do share it with a friend who might need a gentle reset too.
You’re also very welcome to join me on social media or inside my Facebook group where I’ll be talking through each task daily.
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/benellahomeorganisationhq/
Small steps really do add up. Here’s to a calmer home, a clearer head and a gentler start to the year.
Thanks for reading, I'm Jo, a Professional Organiser for 20 years and your new partner in creating an organised home.
Based in Petersfield, Hampshire but covering Surrey, West Sussex and London (upon individual request basis).
I help busy professionals, families and home movers, organise and declutter their homes, paperwork and photographs.
Comments