15 Things You Need to Declutter Before the Holidays

The holidays can bring a lot of joy, but they also bring people, food, packages, and mess. If your home already feels full in November, adding Christmas decorations and guests will push it over the edge. A little decluttering now makes the whole season smoother—less cleaning, less scrambling, and more time to enjoy what you planned.

You don’t need a perfect house. You just need a little breathing room. These are the spots worth hitting before the holidays kick off.

1. The Entryway Shoe Pile

The entry is the first thing people see and the first place that gets buried. Piles of shoes, random bags, and out-of-season boots make it hard to walk in, much less welcome guests.

Pull everything out. Put away off-season shoes and donate pairs no one wears. Give everyone a limit—maybe two pairs per person by the door. Add a basket or rack if you can. A clearer entry instantly feels calmer and more welcoming.

2. The Coat Rack and Hall Closet

Holiday guests will need somewhere to hang coats and bags, but many of us have every hook filled with our own stuff all year. Coats that don’t fit, extras you never wear, and random bags can hog all the space.

Try on coats now. Donate what doesn’t fit, is uncomfortable, or hasn’t left the hanger in two winters. Move off-season items to a bedroom closet if you’re able. Leave a few open hangers and hooks so you’re not shoving guests’ coats into a closet avalanche.

3. The Fridge Door and Expired Condiments

When it’s time to cook big meals, nothing slows you down like a fridge packed with mystery bottles and expired sauces. The door, especially, is where old dressings and months-old marinades go to hide.

Take ten minutes and pull everything off the fridge door. Toss what’s expired, smells off, or no one likes. Wipe the shelves before you load it back in. You’ll have room for holiday leftovers and won’t have to dig around outdated condiments to find the cranberry sauce.

4. Old Leftovers and Freezer Mystery Containers

Those containers in the back of the fridge and freezer were somebody’s good intention, but if you don’t even recognize what’s inside, they’re not getting eaten. They’re stealing space you’ll need for dough, casseroles, and leftovers.

Toss anything unidentifiable, freezer-burned, or past the point of no return. Quickly wipe out sticky spots and reorganize so you can actually see what you have. Label a few containers for holiday food now so you’re ready when it’s time to pack it up.

5. Guest Bedding and Linen Stacks

If you have guests coming, you don’t want to realize the guest sheets are stained or scratchy the night before they arrive. Same goes for towels that have seen better days.

Check guest sheets, pillowcases, and towels as if you were staying there. Toss anything thin, torn, or stained beyond saving. Make one neat stack of what’s guest-ready. If you’re short, make a simple list so you know what to grab on your next errand run.

6. Bathroom Counters and Old Toiletries

Nothing makes a bathroom feel cluttered faster than bottles, outdated products, and makeup you haven’t used in years. When guests come over, they end up staring at all of it while washing their hands.

Clear off counters and under-sink storage. Toss expired medication, old makeup, and products you’ve tried and secretly hate. Keep only daily-use items accessible and tuck extras into bins. A clean counter makes the whole bathroom feel fresher with almost no decorating needed.

7. The Junk Drawer That Swallowed Everything

Every house has one, but in December, that drawer seems to catch even more—tape, scissors, name tags, batteries, and everything else that doesn’t have a home. If it’s already full of trash, you’ll never find what you need.

Dump the drawer out. Toss trash, dried-out pens, dead batteries, and random bits of packaging. Group what’s left into rough categories and put only the useful things back. Leave some empty space so tape, scissors, and batteries actually have a reliable spot for the season.

8. Extra Decor Sitting in Corners

Plant stands that are always empty, random side tables, or decorative ladders that only collect clutter take up space you might need for a tree, extra chairs, or a kids’ play area.

Walk through your main living spaces and notice anything that’s only there because it’s always been there. If it’s not useful or truly loved, move it to another room or consider selling/donating it. Clearing a couple of pieces can open up the room more than you expect.

9. Outgrown Kids’ Clothes and Shoes

December is a good time to admit what your kids have outgrown. Drawers stuffed with too-small clothes make it hard to put away laundry and easy to feel like everything is always overflowing.

Go through clothes and shoes quickly and pull anything obviously too small or worn out. Trash what’s stained or torn and donate the rest. You’ll free up space for what actually fits now—and for the new things that usually show up around Christmas.

10. Old School Papers and Kids’ Artwork Piles

If you have a growing mountain of school papers and art piled on the counter, it’s going to feel even more out of control once Christmas cards and holiday mail start showing up.

Set aside a short window to sort it. Keep a few favorites, snap photos of some drawings, and let the rest go. Create one simple place for new important papers. A folder or bin is plenty. This keeps the counters from disappearing completely under paper by mid-December.

11. Excess Throw Blankets and Pillows

It’s nice to have cozy blankets around, but twenty of them stuffed on the couch, plus seasonal pillows, can make the room feel messy instead of inviting.

Pick your favorites—the ones people reach for and the ones that actually look good with your space. Fold or roll them into a basket and limit what stays on the furniture. Donate or store the extras. Breathing room around the couch matters more than one more throw.

12. Extra Kitchen Gadgets You Never Use

Holiday cooking will test your storage and your patience. Gadgets you never touch, duplicate spatulas, and novelty items clog drawers and cabinets you need for things that actually work hard this time of year.

Pick one drawer or cabinet and be ruthless. Keep the tools you reach for every week and let go of the ones that seemed like a good idea but never earned their spot. Making room for sheet pans, mixing bowls, and storage containers will help more than a melon baller ever will.

13. Old Cleaning Products and Empty Bottles

Under the sink and in cleaning closets, half-empty bottles, dried-out wipes, and products you don’t like can stack up fast. When it’s time to actually clean for company, you’re digging past things that don’t help.

Pull it all out. Toss anything empty, separated, or leaking. Keep the products you truly use. You don’t need eight different sprays that all claim to do the same thing. A smaller, simpler cleaning lineup makes the pre-guest scramble easier to handle.

14. Pet Gear You Don’t Use Anymore

Chewed-up toys, old collars, crusty leashes, and worn-out beds can clutter corners and make rooms feel messier than they are. They also don’t do your pets any good.

Gather pet stuff and be honest. Toss broken toys and ripped beds that can’t be washed. Keep a small basket for current toys and neatly store leashes and grooming tools. Guests will be less likely to trip over dog toys, and your house will feel more pulled together.

15. Extra Decor Totes You Never Open

If you have bins of holiday decor you haven’t touched in years, they’re taking up space in closets, garages, or attics that could be used for things you actually need.

This year, as you decorate, pay attention to what stays behind. If there’s a tote you never even open, go through it after Christmas or as you put things away. Donate what no longer feels like your style and trash anything broken. Your future self will be grateful not to drag it out again.