ATLANTA » With the holiday shopping season behind you, you may want to take a break from the retail scene. But if you’re in the market for winter apparel, fitness equipment, video games or other items, shore yourself up and get ready to hit the stores for some of the best deals of the year.

The obvious categories to look for in January are winter apparel and anything holiday themed, says Trae Bodge, senior editor of The Real Deal by RetailMeNot. Discounts on winter clothing and holiday-themed items — Christmas trees, decorations, etc. — will go up to 80 percent off throughout the month as retailers try to clear space.

This also applies to beauty and personal care items, says Bodge. Expect to see clearance prices on holiday beauty gift sets including some prestige brands that don’t often offer discounts. "It is a good time to stock up on your favorite products," she says.

Trend watchers at CreditDonkey.com say you can also find discounts on shoes in the range of 20 to 25 percent off.

Bodge has also found good discounts on video games. Gaming consumers who did not get what they wanted for the holidays can take advantage of discounts that are 30 to 40 percent higher than those normally seen at this time of year.

January also brings reliable discounts on fitness equipment, gym memberships and workout DVDs, says Bodge, as retailers appeal to our post-holiday desire to get in shape.

Classic white sales will pop up at retailers such as Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Pottery Barn. You can also dress up your home with some big-ticket items since January is a good time to add updates. Carpeting, flooring and furniture tends to go on sale in January as retailers make space for spring merchandise. Furniture discounts are 50 percent higher in January than the average savings for the rest of the year, says Bodge.

According to CreditDonkey, you can find savings on large appliances around 30 percent off while electronics shoppers can anticipate drops of up to 20 percent off on last year’s TV models.

While it is not typically a discounted area, Bodge adds that anyone getting married in the next few months has some bargaining room with vendors since it isn’t high season for weddings. See if you can negotiate on the price of everything from flowers to the venue to save yourself some cash.