:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/9935_241212_Flanigan-12cd3970053e44629fb2498cdb9bac05.jpg "Designers Say This Is the First Home Project You Should Tackle in January")
Key Points
- Use January to organize spaces like pantries, closets, and playrooms.
- Start planning larger renovation projects while schedules are quieter.
- Knock out small cleaning or maintenance tasks for quick wins.
Don’t let winter doldrums keep you from embarking on a big renovation project or minor refresh. We asked designers which first big home project they plan on or recommend tackling in January.
Meet the Expert
- Marie Flanigan is an interior designer and the founder of Marie Flanigan Interiors in Houston.
- Yvonne Jacobs is founder and principal designer of Jacobs + Interiors in Vail, Colorado.
Storage and Organization
Design by Marie Flanigan Interiors / Julie Soefer Photography
Interior designer Marie Flanigan recommends rethinking storage and organization spaces in January.
“The start of the year naturally invites reflection and reset,” she explains. “Organization projects are a gentle way to create impact without turning your home upside down.”
Storage and organization projects can be planned, ordered, and installed with minimal disruption. Closets, pantries, and mudrooms set the tone for how your home functions day to day, and the designer notes that investing in cabinetry, shelving, and thoughtful storage inserts can transform your routines.
She suggests adding built-ins and storing items with smart labeling and in beautiful baskets so that organization feels intentional rather than merely utilitarian.
“When the ‘behind-the-scenes’ spaces work, the entire home feels calmer,” she advises.
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Large Project Planning
Design by Jacobs + Interiors / Photo by Kimberly Gavin
Interior designer Yvonne Jacobs says that she is starting the new year with an ambitious project.
“I love the idea of planning in January,” she says. “I am personally planning a kitchen remodel that I have been wanting to do for a while.”
Flanigan cautions against the downsides of starting a major kitchen or primary bath overhaul in January due to long lead times, material delays, and significant downtime. But she agrees that it can be a great time for “design planning, sampling, and contractor coordination so construction happens more smoothly later.”
Jacobs suggests that using the quiet month of January to create a plan has psychological as well as practical benefits.
“It can be a gloomy month in that the excitement of the holiday season is over,” she explains, “so it’s a good time to reflect. Starting the year with the idea of having this done by the end of the year is exciting and something to look forward to.”
Deep Cleaning and Touch-Ups
Design by Jacobs + Interiors / Brent Bingham Photography
If you’re looking for a small project that can be finished this month, Jacobs recommends targeting an “out-of-the-ordinary cleaning project.”
She recently sent out all of her area rugs to be professionally cleaned, and tasked her husband with doing touch-up work on wood floors.
The designer is based in the Colorado mountains, making outdoor projects impractical during winter. But Jacobs says she uses this time to evaluate areas that look a little run down, such as decks in need of paint, or trim work that needs touching up, making a plan for tackling those areas when spring rolls around.
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