The holiday season should be about enjoying quality time with your family and friends. But for many, the clutter and endless to-do list just ramp up the stress.
I know you might already be feeling overwhelmed by your home or the sheer thought of hosting, and that the last thing you want is another big task to add to your list. However, a little pre-Christmas decluttering now is one of the kindest things you can do for yourself. It doesn’t mean tackling the entire house, just a focused, manageable clear-out of key spots.
By starting to address these nine areas today, you won’t just make space for new gifts and festive food. You’ll be making space for a calmer, more stress-free Christmas where you can actually relax and enjoy the celebrations. And make the post-holiday clear-up much easier too!
The 9 Declutter Hotspots to Tackle Before Christmas
I have tried to order this list chronologically, starting with the deep-prep tasks that require the most time and attention (like involving children or sorting long-term storage) and moving to the functional tasks that are best left until right before the holidays. However, feel free to reorder it according to your specific needs.
1. The Children’s Toys and Games
In preparation for the inevitable avalanche of presents your children will receive, go through their current toys and games.
- Sort out: Let go of the ones that are damaged, missing critical parts, or that your children have outgrown (unless you are setting them aside for a younger sibling – in which case, put them away in a separate box).
- Involve them: Your children might be willing to get involved in the process, getting excited to make space for the new toys while feeling good about giving away to children who are not as lucky as they are.
If you have more time on your hands and want to dive deeper, you can find more practical steps to put an end to the toy chaos at home in my blog post Too Many Toys.
2. The Guest Bedroom
This room is quite often used as a dumping ground for anything that doesn’t have a dedicated place. If you’re having overnight guests over the Christmas holiday, now is the time to reclaim it.
- Free up space: Declutter and free a few shelves or drawers so your guests can unpack their things and feel more at home. Having space to put things away makes a room feel calmer.
- Check the bedding: Make sure the bedding you plan to use is clean and aired. Otherwise, wash it now so you don’t have a pile of laundry waiting for you in December.
3. The Living and Dining Areas
These are the rooms where the Christmas magic happens. But only if they aren’t filled with ‘stuff’ that has migrated from elsewhere.
- Make space: Before you even think about putting up your beautiful Christmas décor, remove any unnecessary clutter that has been lying around. This could be old magazines or miscellaneous items that belong elsewhere.
- Be intentional: When clearing the surfaces and floor space, think about what activities will happen there – it should be for the Christmas tree, the decorations, and your guests. Being intentional makes your home feel instantly more festive and less stressed.
4. The Christmas Decorations
When you take the decorations out this year, treat it as a quick decluttering mission, not just a set-up.
- Be ruthless: Put aside the ones that you no longer like, are damaged, or that just don’t fit your theme anymore.
- Decide quickly: Decorations in good condition should be donated right away so they can be enjoyed by someone else this year. Damaged items that can’t be fixed should be disposed of and replaced if necessary.
5. The Gift-Wrapping Supplies
Before you buy any new rolls of festive paper, you need to know exactly what you already own.
- Use it up: If you are like many of my clients, chances are that you have got more than enough from previous years! Make it your mission to use up any single, orphaned sheets of paper or half-used ribbons.
- Standardise: Consider standardising your wrapping by having a few neutral papers that can be used for various occasions throughout the year. Then use ribbons or other embellishments to customise your wrapping for Christmas. This reduces clutter year-round.
6. The Entryway and Hallway
The front door is the first impression for guests and a huge source of stress when clutter builds up.
- Set up systems: This is the key to preventing the drop zone stress! Rather than just clearing the clutter, use this time to create a dedicated home for shoes, bags, mail, and keys. Once the system is set up, your tidy before guests arrive will be a quick, two-minute sweep.
- Make room for belongings: Ensure there are enough clear hooks or space in a cupboard for guests’ everyday bags, light jackets, or umbrellas. A clear entryway is not just visually calmer; it’s a safer route into your home.
7. The Pantry, Fridge, and Freezer
This step is about decluttering the old to prepare for the new.
- Clear the way: Go through all three storage areas and discard anything that has expired, or that you know you won’t use before it expires, or that is no longer fresh.
- Make room: Doing this proactively makes room for all the seasonal cheese, fresh fruit and vegetables, that big turkey, and the baking items you need to stock up on. You can’t organise new things if the old ones are getting in the way!
If you have more time and want to take the organising further, check out my post How To Organise Your Fridge for all my tips on saving time and money in the process.
8. The Guest Bathroom
This is a small room, but a quick declutter here can make a big difference to how comfortable your guests feel.
- Tidy essentials: Ensure the surfaces are clutter-free and the towels are clean. Put out a small basket with spare loo roll and perhaps some of those toiletries samples you’ve been collecting over the years – it’s a nurturing touch that makes your guests feel looked after.
- The medicine purge: This is an ideal time to check your medicine cabinet and bathroom drawers for any expired medication or toiletries. Safely dispose of them.
If you want to take the organisation of the bathroom further, read my post on Medicine Organisation Made Simple.
9. The Kitchen Countertops
If you’re planning a lot of cooking and baking, you will need every inch of surface area.
- Operational space: It’s a good idea to free the countertops for food preparation so you don’t waste time and get stressed hunting for space.
- Tuck away: Remove appliances and gadgets you won’t be using for festive cooking and tuck them away in a cupboard. This prepares the space for the inevitable convergence of guests and family members who want to chat or help while you prepare food.
If you have more time on your hands and want simple, effective guidelines on creating an organised kitchen, check out my post Kitchen Organisation.
This small investment of time in a pre-Christmas declutter will pay you back tenfold in reduced stress and a calmer home environment.
If this list feels overwhelming, don’t worry—you only need to start with one thing! Which of the nine hotspots are you going to tackle first this week? Let me know in the comments below, or just write it down for yourself. Either way, you’ve already started.
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