15 Things You Need to Clear Out Before You Put Up the Tree

Putting up the tree in a cluttered living room feels a little like trying to decorate a storage unit. The lights and ornaments might be pretty, but everything still feels crowded and stressful. Clearing out a few things before you haul in the tote stack makes decorating a whole lot more fun.

You don’t have to turn into a minimalist. You just need to move out the stuff that gets in the way so the tree is the star, not the last straw.

1. Extra Furniture That Crowds the Room

If the tree has to squeeze between an unused accent chair, a tiny side table, and a plant stand no one cares about, the room will feel jammed the second you plug in the lights.

Pick one or two pieces that don’t matter day to day and move them to another room until January. Even shifting one chair or table can give your tree breathing room and make walking around it much easier.

2. Random Paper Piles

Bills, school papers, mail, and coupons stacked on every surface don’t magically look better next to garland. They just compete with everything you’re trying to enjoy.

Grab a bin and sweep all paper into it. Toss the obvious trash, stash the bin in your bedroom or office, and plan a sort later. For now, the goal is cleared surfaces that let decor actually stand out.

3. Outdated Magazines and Catalogs

Coffee tables and end tables covered in magazines, catalogs, and booklets make the room feel busier, especially once you add Christmas mugs and candles.

Recycle anything you haven’t touched in months. Keep one small stack you truly flip through. Your living room will look cleaner instantly, and you’ll have more space for hot cocoa and cookie plates.

4. Toy Overflow in the Living Room

If toys have taken over the room, adding a tree will push it from “lived-in” to “too much.” You don’t need to ban toys completely, just tame them a bit.

Sort quickly into three groups: keep in here, move to bedroom, donate/trash. Keep one basket or shelf for living room toys and stick to it. That way kids still feel welcome, but you’re not decorating around a plastic avalanche.

5. Throw Blankets You Don’t Like or Use

Stacks of blankets draped over every surface can look messy once stockings and pillows show up. Not every blanket needs to stay out for Christmas.

Keep your softest, most-used throws within reach and fold or roll them into a single basket. Move the extras to a closet. A couple of good blankets look warm and intentional; ten look like laundry.

6. Everyday Decor That Competes With Christmas Pieces

If every table tray, vase, and sign stays out plus nativity sets, villages, and greenery, your home starts to feel like a packed store shelf.

Before you bring out Christmas totes, walk around and pull down a handful of everyday decor. Store it in the empty holiday tubs until January. Swapping decor instead of stacking it keeps the overall look calmer.

7. Old Candle Jars and Wax Burners

Half-burned jars with no scent left and dusty wax warmers only take up space you could use for fresh greenery or a new candle you actually like.

Toss the spent ones and wipe down what you keep. Make space for one or two cozy touches that still earn their spot instead of keeping “meh” ones out of habit.

8. Overflowing Entry Table

If your entry table is stacked with keys, sunglasses, random tools, and mail, adding Christmas decor will feel like clutter on top of clutter.

Clear it down to the surface. Add a small tray for keys and one simple Christmas touch—a candle, tiny tree, or nativity. The first thing people see should be calm, not chaotic.

9. Pet Gear in the Main View

Leashes tossed on the floor, chew toys under the coffee table, and a ripped dog bed front and center can make your decor feel secondary.

Gather pet toys into one basket and move beds just slightly out of the main sightline. Your pets still get their comfort, but the room itself looks more intentional with the tree as the focus.

10. Shoes in the Living Room

If shoes migrate from the door to under the coffee table and beside the couch, that clutter will bother you more once you’ve decorated.

Set a clear shoe rule for yourself: by the door, in bedrooms, or in a bin. Even if real life creeps in, starting with a cleared floor lets the room feel open on day one.

11. Old Throw Pillows That Sag

Flat, faded pillows drag the room down no matter how pretty your lights are. When you put the tree up, they look even worse by comparison.

Pick a small number of pillows that still have life in them and donate or store the rest. If the inserts are good, swap on a couple of inexpensive covers in colors that work with your Christmas decor.

12. Broken or Unused Electronics

Random cords, dead remotes, and old gaming systems shoved behind the TV stand create visual clutter, especially when you hang garland or stockings nearby.

Spend ten minutes untangling. Toss anything broken, label the cords you keep, and box up electronics no one uses. A cleaner TV area makes stockings and garland look far better.

13. Floor Piles That Never Move

That stack of returns, the bag of random stuff for “later,” or the pile of folded laundry sitting in the living room corner will be even more annoying with a tree in front of it.

Deal with one pile before decorating. Put things in their true homes or at least move them out of the main room. The tree will feel like a joy, not another thing in the way.

14. Extra Rugs and Doormats

Layering rugs can work, but too many mismatched runners and mats make a space feel chopped up, especially around a Christmas tree.

Keep the rug that anchors the room best and pull up any extras that just slide around or visually cut everything into pieces. One good rug plus a tree is plenty.

15. Anything You Keep Moving to Dust Under

If you always slide the same knickknacks and frames around to dust, that’s a sign they might not need to stay. Christmas is a good excuse to test life without them.

Pack them into a labeled box for the season. If you don’t miss them by January, you’ve already decluttered without pain. Meanwhile your Christmas decor gets room to shine.