21 “Big Little Wins” I Do in My Kitchen Every January That Make So Much Sense
I love taking advantage of any “fresh start” energy — especially the blank-slate feel that comes with the start of a new year. By the time the holidays have passed, I’m itching to clear things out and clean things up all over the house. It’s a season of purging, organizing, and making space — both literally and figuratively.
As the most heavily used room in the house, the kitchen sees more than its fair share of my new-year, new-start flurry of activities. If your resolution is to be tidier or more organized in 2025, or you just want to cut through the end-of-year clutter for a fresh start, take it from this mom of five: It all starts in the kitchen. You can start small with these little wins I like to do every winter.
Here are 21 small things I do in my kitchen every January that just make sense.
- Reorganize the junk drawer.
- Get rid of chipped or broken mugs or dishware.
- Organize any drawers or shelves that have gotten messy. (Try these drawer organizers!)
- Clear out expired items in pantry and fridge.
- Clean vent hood filters.
- Bleach kitchen sink drain flange.
- Get rid of (or repurpose) food storage containers with no lid or lids with no container.
- Put away all holiday decor.
- Donate servingware that’s never been used.
- Go through your old snack stash and toss what’s gone bad.
- Clean trash and recycling bins.
- Wipe down kitchen cabinet fronts.
- Go through water bottles and get rid of any that are unused or have missing/broken parts.
- Deep-clean water bottles (take them completely apart and clean gaskets).
- Deep-clean and polish the sink.
- Deep-clean the air fryer (and all its parts).
- Reorganize cabinet contents and wipe down interiors. (Try these cabinet organizers!)
- Make it a point to finish up any containers with small amounts of soap, detergent, etc.
- Wipe down light fixtures.
- Toss or upcycle torn or heavily stained dish towels.
- Deep-clean the drying rack.
And here are a few tasks I never do in winter.
- Purchase new dishware or servingware. (I’m too busy going through what I already have.)
- Purchase any cleaning supplies without making sure I don’t already have backstock.
- Wash windows or window tracks. (It’s too cold!)
- Replenish pantry staples. (I’m in use-up-what-I-have mode.)
And just like that! How does that feel? For more fresh-space inspiration, check out Apartment Therapy’s January Cure.