How Do You Refresh Your Home (and Your Sanity) After the Holidays?

The holidays are warm, joyful, and… a little chaotic. Between glittery ornaments, pine needles, cookie crumbs, and the sheer number of things that seem to appear out of nowhere, your home may be feeling less “winter wonderland” and more “holiday hangover.”

As the New Year approaches, a quick post-holiday reset can make your space feel calm, cozy, and livable again. Here’s how to bring your home back to baseline—without harsh chemicals, overwhelm, or compromising your peace of mind.

Step 1: Sort and Store Holiday Decorations

Start with the star of the show: the tree. Remove ornaments one by one, checking for broken pieces (recycle or toss them) and deciding which ones you want to keep or donate. Coil tree lights neatly so you’re not wrestling with a tangled mess next December.

Once the tree is bare, gather the rest of your holiday décor—village displays, garland, outdoor lights—and pack everything into clearly labeled boxes. Store them somewhere easy to reach so next year’s decorating feels joyful, not stressful.

Green Tip: Wrap fragile ornaments in reused tissue paper or old dish towels instead of buying new packing materials.

Step 2: Give the Tree a Graceful Exit

Artificial trees can go back in their box, stored upright so the branches stay in better shape. Real trees need a bit more planning.

Call your local waste management service for Asheville-area Christmas tree recycling schedules, or place the tree in a corner of your yard to create winter shelter for birds and wildlife.

A quick sweep will take care of stray pine needles—and then it’s goodbye, forest floor.

Step 3: Gather Wrapping Paper, Bows, and Ribbons

If gift wrap is still scattered around the living room, now’s the moment to reclaim your floor. Recycle what you can and save any unripped bows or ribbons for next year.

Once the space is clear, vacuum up pine needles, crumbs, and glitter (which somehow multiplies).

Step 4: Find Homes for New Gifts

New holiday treasures can easily become clutter if they don’t have a landing spot. Give each item—kids’ toys, books, kitchen gadgets, cozy socks—a dedicated home.

If you love a minimalist approach, try the “one in, one out” system: each time a new item comes in, donate something you no longer use.

Green Tip: Donate gently used items to local Asheville organizations so they can be rehomed sustainably.

Step 5: Clean and Store Holiday Attire

Party dresses, ugly sweaters, Santa suits—these pieces only appear once a year. Wash or dry clean them, allow everything to fully dry, and store them in breathable garment bags to protect from dust until next December.

Step 6: Make a Plan for Leftovers

Choose one day to declare “Leftover Day.” No cooking allowed. If someone gets hungry, they heat up what’s already in the fridge and wash their own dishes.

This clears refrigerator space quickly and prevents forgotten holiday foods from spoiling.

Step 7: Refresh the Kitchen the Green Way

The kitchen works overtime in December, so it deserves a little TLC.

• Wipe down counters, cabinet fronts, and appliances using a non-toxic, food-safe spray made with warm water, distilled vinegar, and castile soap.

• Give the oven a natural deep clean: sprinkle baking soda, spritz with water, let it sit overnight, and wipe clean.

• Clear crumbs and dust from under and around small appliances like the toaster oven.

• Finish with a gentle scrub of the floors using warm water and a splash of castile soap.

This simple reset instantly makes your space feel lighter—and more functional.

Step 8: Give the Bathrooms a Quick Detox

High-traffic bathrooms see a lot of action during the holidays. Freshen them up by:

• Washing rugs and towels

• Dusting light fixtures and baseboards

• Wiping toiletry bottles, counters, and mirrors

• Using a gentle castile-soap solution to clean surfaces without artificial fragrances

Clean bathroom, clearer mind.

Enjoy a Fresh Start to the New Year

A calm, tidy home sets the stage for a cozy, restful winter season. And if the deep-cleaning portion of this checklist sounds… less than magical, we completely understand.

At Green Home Cleaning, we help Asheville families restore order with eco-friendly, non-toxic home cleaning that supports a healthier home and a healthier planet.

Want a fresh start without the scrubbing? Schedule a post-holiday cleaning with Asheville’s most eco-conscious cleaning team. Call us at 828.505.7320 — we’d love to help you welcome the New Year in a clean, peaceful home.