No-Spend January: How We Reset After Christmas Every Year

Every January, we do a No-Spend Month, and honestly… it saves my sanity. After Christmas, our house looks like a toy factory has exploded — toys bursting out of every drawer, cupboard and random crevice I didn’t even know existed. The kids are overstimulated, routines have gone out the window, and I’m usually trying to regain some sense of control.

Reset after Christmas with a No-Spend January. Free days out, toy rotations, simple activities, savings tips and calm routines to start the year stress-free.

Here’s exactly what we focus on — all simple, free, grounding ideas that genuinely work.

Re-discover The Books We Already Own

Christmas always brings new books, and half of them barely get opened in December.
January is when we finally sit down and enjoy them properly.

We rotate:

new Christmas books
old favourites
weekly library books

It brings calm back to bedtime and gives the kids something soothing and predictable.

Free Days Out That Still Feel Special

A No-Spend January doesn’t mean staying in all month.
There are so many free options that feel like proper outings.

Our biggest anchor each weekend is exploring a new walking route — nothing fancy, just a new place to wander, explore and talk. It resets everyone.

Other free days out:

museums and galleries
library events (rhyme time, craft mornings)
children’s centres
parks and playgrounds
nature walks and scavenger hunts
visiting a new village or trail we’ve never tried

Fresh air + novelty = calm kids, clear minds.

Rotate Toys And Re-discover What You Already Have

Instead of buying more, January is for fully using what we already own.

Each week we rotate:

building toys
puzzles
dress-up clothes
dolls/figures
creative supplies

This quickly shrinks the number of boxes that still haven’t found a home after Christmas, and it stops kids jumping to “I’m bored” when they’re actually overwhelmed.

Make Plans For The Year Ahead

January is when we sit down with a warm drink and map out the year.

We:

write things we’re excited for directly onto the calendar
draw little pictures next to events (Lily LOVES doing this)
talk about holidays and birthdays
plan simple goals for the house
look ahead at budget and savings

Lily also updates her diary — it helps her process the new year and gives her a sense of ownership.

Put Pennies In The Piggy Bank

This one is for both us and the kids.

Even saving an extra £100 across the month genuinely adds up — it’s noticeable by February. And the kids join in too, putting coins into their jars and choosing something to save for.

It teaches patience and resets their expectations after the Christmas whirlwind.

A New-Year Clear-Out (With The Kids Involved)

This isn’t just tidying — it’s a reset.

We go through toys, books and drawers together, creating piles to:

keep
pass on
recycle
give to charity

Donating to charity gives the kids a sense of accomplishment and pride, and it helps them understand the idea of making room for the things they truly enjoy.