TikTok decluttering and cleaning hacks for a fresh start this January

The in-laws have left, the washing basket is full, and there’s a definite feeling of ‘reset’ for the New Year. January is the perfect time to declutter and get ready for 2023 and as always, TikTok has all the best hacks waiting for you to do just that.

From organising what you already have to clearing out what you no longer need, a good clean can make our homes feel brand new.

Be it keeping your bathroom tidy or using the space you have in the best way possible, here are just a few of the ways you can declutter your home and make it ready for a fresh start.

Shelf up

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by honeybobabear (@honeybobabear)

Getting some shelves that can be attached to different walls with drilling or nailing will mean you can organise spaces while ensuring you don’t damage the walls or spend hours assembling.

You could pick up some easy-to-put-up suction cup-mounted shelves for applying to a clean wall in a bathroom or kitchen, some light ones that could be mounted with command strips, or some velcro-adhesive shelves.

Being able to phyically see some of your most-used belongings, rather than having to root around in a messy draw for them, can make you feel far more organised.

Clean up old shoes

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ✨Ames✨ (@time.and.season)

You may have shelves full of shoes in bad shape that you no longer wear, so why not take the chance to try and clean them up into a condition where you can wear them again?

One TikTok hack is to use a volumising hair mousse to remove gum or debris from the bottom of your shoes by scrubbing it. If they can’t be brought back to life, then you can get rid of them and clear some more space.

Creatively organise kitchen cupboards

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Gneiss Spice Magnetic Jars | Beth (@gneissspice)

You may find yourself overwhelmed by the state of kitchen cupboards, as they can go untouched for years. Your spice cupboard may be full of expired or half-empty jars, so why not clear it out, clean down the shelves and organise them creatively with some smaller shelf interest, a turning shelf or even a magnetic one? Just think how much easier it will be to find what you need when cooking.

Break your jobs down into categories

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Amy-Ellen | decluttering doula (@declutteringdoula)

TikTok creators are fans of breaking down big decluttering jobs into categories. For example, in the morning you could take on tidying your bookshelf and deciding what to keep or donate, and then in the afternoon tackle the laundry category and get to the bottom of the basket. Either way, over time you can tackle everything that needs doing without feeling too overwhelmed.

Give your car a deep clean

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cleantok Cary (@pairswellwith.whine)

Decluttering and cleaning your car will make heading out anywhere feel much more relaxed. Take out the mats, have a good vacuum and even, as TikTok content creator Pairs Well With Whine suggests, sweep the seats with a brush to get everything out to be vacuumed away.

Up your folding game 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Threeya | Prof Organiser (@tidy_with_threeya)

Saving space could be as simple as folding towels more effectively. It’s far less overwhelming opening a cupboard where everything is folded so you can see what is in there. TikTok has lots of creators who fold clothes, linen and towels in really creative ways and can help you.

Try neatly rolling clothes to fit in a drawer, folding shirts how they are folded in clothes shops (preventing creasing by folding from the sides inwards, followed by a double fold from the bottom) or, for towels, do two folds in half horizontally, then fold it over three times into a rectangle vertically.