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I want to start the year feeling fresh—not just physically, but mentally.
When we talk about decluttering, we usually jump straight to our stuff: cleaning out drawers, donating clothes, clearing the freezer. That can be satisfying, but I’ve noticed the things that overwhelm me most aren’t what’s in my home but what’s taking up space in my brain.
The thing about digital and mental clutter is that it can stealthily build until you finally reach the point of utter overwhelm. Open tabs, crowded inboxes, bloated camera rolls, emails you marked “important” in October and never opened again.
So today I’m sharing a few small resets to help clear some of that noise - simple ways to start the year feeling lighter and make things easier for your future self.
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1. Get your open tabs under control.
Or just delete them all? It will be okay, I promise. I use the free OneTab extension when things pile up, and the built-in “tab groups” feature in Google Chrome to help me monotask vs. have a gazillion tabs open.
2. Clear out your Downloads and Screenshots folders.
If you’re anything like me, there are hundreds or thousands of unnecessary files taking up storage space. It will free up so much storage space and you’ll feel so much better. You can sort by file size or file type, if needed.
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To future-proof this task:
Set a reminder to do a monthly cleanup. It’ll take five minutes, tops.
Examine what you’re typically screenshotting and set up a better system. Can you send them to a specific folder, Pinterest, or a specific album if you find that you’re typically screenshotting visual inspiration?
If you screenshot a lot on your phone, I like the trick of sending your screenshot straight into a Note. That way, it’s not clogging up your camera roll, and you can type in any additional context so you can search for it later
1) after you screenshot, tap the share arrow and select the Notes app. 2) type any context about what you just screenshotted. 3) go back to your screenshot and delete it.
Extra cred:
Clean out your Bookmarks folder and your Bookmarks Bar. Chances are, you don’t need half the links anymore. Delete, delete, delete.
Clear out your Desktop. While you’re at it, create a fresh background for your Desktop. What mood are you hoping to bring into 2026?
3. Edit down your camera roll.
If you’re overwhelmed by this task (I am), the GetSorted app has been recommended by many readers.
I like the “search today’s date” method: Open the Photos app, search for today’s date (i.e., “January 14”), and delete all the photos over the years taken on that date that you don’t need to keep. An easy, daily task that usually takes about ten minutes. Again, a daily recurring reminder can help here. It’s usually a quick, mindless task.
4. Centralize and share your household’s to-do list.
Dumping it all onto this list means we don’t have to store the info in our brains. Sharing it with your spouse or someone else in your household means you’re not dealing with the full mental load alone. I recommend a shared:
Household shopping list. This can get overwhelming, so write down what you need right now, and everything else can go to the “paused” section.