10 Things Southern Mamas Always Declutter Before Christmas Company

Southern mamas may keep a lot, but they do not play when company’s coming for Christmas. There’s a mental checklist that kicks in the second someone says, “We’ll be there around lunch.” It has less to do with having a perfect house and more to do with clearing the stuff that makes a home feel cramped, cluttered, or unprepared.

If you grew up around that mindset—or you wish you had—here are the things Southern mamas quietly clear out before the doorbell rings and the casseroles start rolling in.

1. Old Mail and Piles on the Kitchen Counter

Nothing makes a kitchen feel chaotic faster than piles of envelopes, school papers, and random coupons. Southern mamas know the kitchen is where everyone gathers, so that clutter has to go first.

Grab a basket and sweep everything into it. Toss the obvious junk, file anything important, and move the rest to a private spot to sort later. Even if you don’t finish the deep sort, clear counters make the whole house feel calmer when company walks in.

2. Junk in the Entryway

Boots, Amazon boxes, and kids’ backpacks stacked by the door make it hard for guests to step inside without tripping. That’s the first impression, and mamas raised on company don’t let it slide.

Clear a simple path: move boxes, put extra shoes in closets, and wipe up any dirt. Add a mat and one place for guests’ coats or purses. You’re not aiming for fancy—just “Come on in” instead of “Watch your step.”

3. Extra Knickknacks on Every Surface

Side tables and mantels crowded with year-round knickknacks plus Christmas decor start looking like a thrift store shelf. Southern mamas quietly pack away everyday decor so holiday pieces can breathe.

Walk your main rooms and pull anything you don’t love looking at right now. Box it up until January. A few intentional pieces beat fifteen tiny things collecting dust and visual noise around your tree.

4. Worn-Out Throw Blankets and Pillows

Those pilled, stretched, or mystery-stained throws might work for everyday lounging, but they don’t exactly say, “We’re glad y’all are here.”

Pick your best few blankets and pillow covers and wash them before guests arrive. Toss or demote anything scratchy, smelly, or saggy to the garage or dog pile. Keeping fewer, nicer soft things out makes the room look pulled together without buying anything new.

5. Broken Toys and Games

Nothing ruins a peaceful visit like kids fighting over toys that don’t even work or games missing half the pieces. Southern mamas learn to declutter kid stuff quietly before Christmas hits.

Before new presents roll in, go through toy bins and game shelves. Trash the broken, donate what’s ignored, and keep what actually gets played with. It makes clean-up easier and Christmas morning feel less overwhelming.

6. Old Food in the Fridge and Freezer

A fridge packed with mystery leftovers and expired sauces leaves no room for ham, sides, and desserts. Mamas who’ve lived through one chaotic Christmas fridge clear it out early.

Take one shelf at a time. Toss anything fuzzy, smelly, or old enough to make you squint at the date. Do the same with the freezer “science experiments.” You don’t need perfection—just enough room to safely chill what you’re cooking and saving.

7. Extra Chairs and Tables That Don’t Make Sense

That wobbly side table no one uses and the extra chair shoved in a walkway only make rooms feel tighter when the house fills up. Southern mamas decide what truly earns its spot when guests are coming.

Look at each room with fresh eyes. Move unneeded pieces to a bedroom or garage temporarily. Keep enough seating for conversation and eating, but give people space to move around without bumping their hips all day.

8. Old Candles and Wax Warmers That Smell Off

Nothing throws off a house faster than competing scents—last year’s cinnamon candle, a cheap plug-in, and a wax melt you stopped liking.

Gather your candles and warmers in one spot. Keep one or two scents you genuinely enjoy, and ditch the rest. A single good smell, not ten mixed together, makes guests feel like they walked into a warm home, not the candle aisle.

9. Towels and Washcloths Past Their Prime

Guest towels that are thin, scratchy, or stained send the wrong message, no matter how pretty your soap is. Southern mamas never forget the towel stack.

Check what you’d hand your mother-in-law or pastor. Retire anything rough or holey to the rag pile and pull your best ones to the front. Fold them neatly and keep extras where guests can see and grab them without asking.

10. Decor You’re Keeping Out of Guilt

That figurine Aunt So-and-So gave you in 2012, the plaque you don’t actually like, the holiday plate that never fits anywhere—Southern mamas eventually learn to let those go.

You’re allowed to donate pieces that don’t match your home or personality. Less “I have to display this” and more “I love this” is what makes the house feel welcoming at Christmas. The peace and space are worth more than the guilt.