Holiday Junk That Quietly Takes Over Your House Every December

Some Christmas clutter you see coming—totes, big decor, the tree. Other things sneak in, multiply, and suddenly you’re kicking them out of the way in every room. Knowing which categories explode on you helps you get ahead of them before they’re everywhere.

If December always leaves your house feeling “too full,” these are probably the things doing it.

1. Gift bags and tissue paper

You start with a neat little stack. Then you’re reusing bags, saving “good” tissue, grabbing last-minute options, and suddenly there’s a whole drift of flattened bags and crumpled paper living on a chair.

Set one basket, drawer, or tote as the wrapping home. Everything goes there—new bags, reusable bags, tissue, tags. Once it’s full, that’s your limit. Anything extra can either be tossed or donated to a gift drive, not saved “just in case” for years.

2. Shipping boxes and packing material

Online orders hit hard in December, and those boxes hang around “in case you need them for wrapping or returns.” Meanwhile, they pile up by the door and in corners.

Break them down once a day. Keep one or two boxes if you truly have gifts to mail, and recycle the rest. Toss bubble wrap and air pillows unless you know you ship things all year. Your entry will breathe again.

3. Extra throw blankets and seasonal pillows

You drag out the Christmas blankets and pillows without putting any of the regular ones away, and now the sofa looks like a linen closet exploded. People don’t know where to sit, and half of it ends up on the floor.

Pick a set number—maybe four pillows and two throws for the main room. Rotate, don’t stack. Anything over your number goes in a closet or bin so the couch still works as a couch.

4. Holiday dishes and specialty serveware

Cookie tins, platters, cake stands, punch bowls, themed mugs—all of it feels useful…for about three days. The rest of the month it hogs cabinets, counters, and dish rack space.

Pull only the pieces you know you’ll use this year and put the rest of the “someday” items back in storage. Once the party or baking day is done, wash and put those pieces away too. They don’t need to live on the counters all season.

5. Kids’ crafts and school holiday projects

The paper chains, foam ornaments, glittered coloring sheets, and handmade cards are sweet, but they stack up fast. They end up on fridges, counters, and every flat surface.

Display a few favorites at a time—hang them on a string with clothespins or on one designated door. When new ones come home, swap and quietly recycle some older ones. You’re not a museum; it’s okay to rotate.

6. Advent calendars and “daily” activities

Advent calendars, books, daily crafts, little trinkets—these all come with pieces that need somewhere to land. After a week, those pieces are scattered across the house.

Give each “daily” thing a base: a tray for the advent pieces, a basket for the books, a box for any surprises or small toys. At the end of the day, everything goes back to its station. If it doesn’t fit, you’ve got too much in rotation.

7. Hostess gifts and food gifts

Cookies from neighbors, tins of popcorn, chocolates, jars of mix—nice, but they steal counter and pantry space. They also become clutter when no one really eats them and you feel guilty throwing them out.

Group food gifts in one basket or section of the pantry. See what your family will actually eat and let the rest go sooner rather than later. You’re allowed to bless someone else with it or toss it if it’s not getting used.

8. Extra coats, bags, and boots

Guests plus kids plus winter gear equals a hallway full of stuff that stays for days. If you don’t create a place for it, it’ll live on backs of chairs and railings.

Set up hooks, a temporary rack, or even a labeled laundry basket for guests’ outerwear. Clear your own off-season things first so there’s room. When people leave, reset that area so it doesn’t become permanent overflow.

9. Half-finished “Christmas projects”

Open DIY kits, half-assembled gingerbread houses, puzzles, and craft supplies can occupy entire shelves and tables for weeks if you let them.

Decide which projects are actually happening this year and give them a home base—a card table, one end of the dining table, or a tray that can be moved. Anything else goes back in the closet for another season instead of living half-done in the middle of the house.