The 10 things I’m decluttering in 2026 and the simple reasons why.
These are my intentional goals for a decluttered home to save space, money and sanity.
Every year I ask myself how to get even more organised.
My friends will sigh and roll their eyes when they read this, but here we are!
This year, I’m going to be less efficient.
How? By running down the stocks of things I buy “just in case”. The things I convince myself are practical, but that quietly gather dust or skulk silently instead of being used.
I’m choosing to use what I already own and let go of the items that take up space but add nothing to my life.
10 things I’ll STOP buying and START decluttering in 2026
1. Candles I love but don’t burn
I love candles. I’m always searching for that perfect scent that lingers without being overwhelming. I have a whole drawer full of them that I’ve been saving for ‘special occasions’.
But what actually counts as a special occasion?
Your bestie popping in for a glass of wine?
A self-care Friday night when you have the house to yourself and you’ve ordered a takeaway?
The fancy dinner you keep meaning to host but haven’t actually scheduled since Covid struck?
Benefit : Sanity
Your home feels instantly cosier when you actually use the things you bought to make it cosy.
Action: Pick one and light it tonight. Prince William is not popping round any time soon.
2. Haircare products I’ll never finish
I’ve only got one head, yet somehow, I’ve accumulated enough bottles to treat every possible hair crisis. Frizz, volume, shine, ‘repair’, ‘miracle’, ‘rescue’... Most of them did absolutely nothing except take up space. But I’ve kept them anyway in case my fine hair suddenly develops its own volume and becomes frizzy instead.
Benefit: Dignity
The shower stops looking like a clearance bin.
Action: Keep the ones that work. Bin the rest.
3. Body products I avoid
Especially anything vanilla scented. They sit in my bedside drawer like guilty secrets, even though I know full well I’m never going to use them. Meanwhile, I’m walking around with heels that could strike a match and shins that could sand a wooden table.
Benefit: Relief
You stop pretending that you’re EVER going to moisturise nightly.
Action: Keep one you actually enjoy using. Let the rest go and take the guilt with them.
4. Skincare I Haven’t Finished
No more stockpiling moisturisers for a future version of me who apparently has ten faces. Or.. more realistically, extra chins! I’m done with the serums that expired before I even opened them.
Benefit: Restraint
You save money and free up shelf space.
Action: One in, one out. Finish what you have first.
5. Notebooks I keep buying for inspiration
I am a to-do list girl. Just ask my family! I love a new notebook and a fresh page of possibilities. I also own enough of them to write a multi‑volume memoir, complete with sequels, spin-offs and a prequel nobody asked for. And yet I keep buying more, as if the next one will actually get the list done.
Benefit: Closure
Finishing a notebook feels like an accomplishment.
Action: Pick one and fill it to the end before buying another.
6. Beauty minis I keep for travelling or houseguests
I hoard mini products like I’m running a spa retreat. I have enough tiny shampoos, conditioners and face creams to go backpacking for six months, or host future houseguests who don’t exist. I try to palm them off on my kids, but they prefer decanting their own skincare, thank you very much.
Benefit: Space
No more minis rattling around in drawers like maracas every time you open a drawer.
Action: Keep a couple for travel. Let the rest go. You are not operating a boutique hotel.
7. Books I’ll Never Read Again
My shelves are full of books I meant to read, reread, or just look clever owning. Some of them have travelled through a few house moves without ever being opened. They deserve better.
Benefit: Education
Triage to rediscover forgotten gems and (re)educate yourself, then free up space when you pass them on.
Action: Choose one book from your shelf and start it this week.
8. Jeans I Don’t Need
I have so many jeans, yet every new trend convinces me I need one more pair. Skinny (not so much anymore), straight-cut, wide, cropped, ‘vintage wash’ ... I’ve basically lived through every denim era except the one I refuse to revisit: low-rise. Absolutely not. Whoever invented those clearly hated women and wanted us all to suffer.
Benefit: Comfort
Jeans take up space and rarely spark joy unless they fit perfectly.
Action: Try on every pair you own. Keep the ones that make you feel great. Donate the rest.
9. Random home decor that is trendy but not useful
Storage baskets, decorative bowls, chain link ornaments. All the things Pinterest told me I needed, but that now sit around collecting dust and regret.
Benefit: Clean
Fewer dust collectors mean surfaces can breathe.
Action: Pick one drawer, tabletop or shelf each month and clear it.
10. Newsletters I subscribe to but never read
I sign up with the best intentions – or for the freebie, tbh. Who doesn’t?
But then the automated follow-ups pile up like digital laundry. Thanks for the support and all that, but I do not need 47 unread emails in the morning reminding me to join the workshop I thought I wanted when I saw the ad, but have since changed my mind.
And don’t pressure me with reminders that feel slightly judgy.
Benefit: Calm
Your inbox stops acting like a to-do list you never agreed to.
Action: Unsubscribe from three today. Keep the ones you actually enjoy (hi!).
Obviously don’t unsubscribe from mine! In fact, share it to your entourage.
Please and thank you.
2026 is the year of ENOUGH
Not a year of restriction. A year of using what you already have.
Not a year of guilt. A year of clarity.
Not a new you. Just a lighter, calmer version of the one you already are.
Your turn - What are YOUR intentions for 2026
Before you go, I’d love to know where you see yourself in all this. Be honest — this is a judgement‑free zone (unless you’re hoarding 47 candles, in which case… we need to talk).
See that little heart down the bottom of this post? Just click on it to show some love! Hit subscribe, share this with a friend who hoards candles, or reply and tell me the first thing you’re decluttering. Let’s make this the year of enough, together.