TL;DR
Organization experts and designers recommend a short, targeted decluttering effort before the holiday rush, focusing on entryways, guest rooms, kitchens and other spaces visitors use. Their suggested list includes unused coats, worn linens, excess gift wrap and damaged food containers; the advice is to make room without discarding meaningful possessions.
Organization experts and designers are advising households to clear a few high-use spaces before holiday guests and seasonal supplies arrive, rather than attempting a whole-home purge. Their recommendations cover 12 categories of clutter, from unused coats and worn linens to excess decorations and damaged food containers, with an emphasis on keeping possessions that hold personal meaning.
Get the little things that make your day delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
The advice comes from several organizing and design professionals quoted in the source material, including Ann Lightfoot, cofounder of DDH Home Organizing & Move Management; Amelia Meena, owner of Appleshine, Organization + Design; Kerrie Kelly, CEO and creative director of Kerrie Kelly Studio; and Laura Kinsella, founder of Urban OrgaNYze. They recommend concentrating on the entry, living room, dining room, kitchen, powder room and guest bedroom, rather than trying to sort every part of the home at once.
The suggested categories are excess decorative accessories; old magazines and books; coats and boots nobody wears; damaged or unused winter accessories; gift-wrap supplies that cannot be used; worn towels and sheets; items stored in the guest room; damaged or unmatched food containers; old candles and overpowering fragrances; and other belongings that no longer serve the spaces visitors will use. The source presents these as practical recommendations, not as a formal checklist or requirement for every household.
Several suggestions pair sorting with a possible next step. Experts recommend donating wearable coats and usable household goods where local organizations accept them, recycling unusable wrapping materials when possible, and checking whether animal shelters take old towels or sheets. Kinsella also advises gathering remaining wrapping supplies in one place before buying more, while Meena recommends removing containers that are stained, damaged or missing matching lids.
Make room for holiday guests without losing what matters
Organizers and designers recommend a focused sort of the spaces guests use most. Clear practical clutter while keeping possessions with personal meaning.
Start with guest spaces
Choose a few high-use rooms instead of attempting a whole-home purge.
What to sort
Focus on items that take up space or no longer serve the rooms visitors will use.
Unused coats and boots
Make closet space for guests; consider donating wearable items locally.
Worn linens and stored items
Prepare the bed and clear surfaces. Check whether local shelters accept usable towels or sheets.
Damaged food containers
Remove stained or damaged pieces and containers without matching lids.
Excess gift wrap and décor
Gather wrapping supplies before buying more; recycle unusable materials when possible.
Make each pass manageable
Sort one space at a time and give each item a clear next step.
Start with the entry, kitchen, or another room visitors will use.
Decide what to donate, discard, or move elsewhere.
Confirm local donation or recycling rules before dropping items off.
Clutter is not character
The advice is to make useful space, not to follow a required purge.
- Items that are damaged or unusable
- Supplies you have in excess
- Belongings that no longer serve these spaces
- Inherited linens and family china
- Collected ornaments
- Possessions with personal meaning
Making Space for Holiday Guests
The recommendations focus on practical pinch points that can become harder to manage once visitors, food, gifts and seasonal decorations arrive. A cleared entry closet can make space for guests’ coats, while a prepared kitchen cupboard may make it easier to store leftovers. In the guest room, a bed and clear surfaces are more useful to visitors than storage for items awaiting attention.
The advice also gives households a way to limit the work. Kelly suggests spending 20 or 30 minutes per space and deciding what to donate, discard or relocate. That time frame is her recommendation, not a measured estimate of how long decluttering will take. The broader aim is to reduce immediate household friction without turning seasonal preparation into a large, stressful project.
Donations can also put usable items to work outside the home. Lightfoot says donation centers, coat drives and shelters need gently used goods during the season. Availability and acceptance rules vary, so households may need to contact local organizations before dropping items off.
Products Worth Considering
Levoit Vital 100S-P Air Purifier with Washable Pre-Filter
Ring Battery Doorbell Plus, Satin Nickel
Dyson V8 Motorhead Origin Cordless Vacuum
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
A Targeted Seasonal Sort
The source frames the recommendations as preparation for the holiday period, when homes may see more guests and an influx of gifts, food and decorations. It does not identify a particular event, study or newly introduced professional standard. The development is a service-oriented roundup of advice attributed to organizers and designers.
The experts caution against treating the list as a call to remove belongings simply because they are old or do not match. Kelly specifically says family china, inherited linens, collected ornaments and other meaningful objects can contribute to a home’s character. The distinction is between removing functional clutter and eliminating possessions that matter to the people who live there.
“The goal is to remove the clutter, not the character.”
— Kerrie Kelly, CEO and creative director of Kerrie Kelly Studio
Local Donation Rules Vary
The recommendations are expert advice rather than research findings, and the source provides no survey data on how common these household problems are or how much time decluttering saves. It also does not name specific donation organizations or confirm which items they currently accept. Donation policies differ by location, especially for worn linens and other household goods, so readers should check with local centers or shelters before bringing items.
The list is not exhaustive, and whether an item counts as clutter depends on a household’s needs and preferences. The source does not set a required number of items to remove or suggest that every household should follow all 12 categories.
Sort the Spaces You Use
The next step in the experts’ advice is to choose the rooms guests are likely to use and make a brief pass through each one. Set aside items to donate, discard or move elsewhere; check closets and storage areas for usable coats and wrapping supplies; and prepare the guest room with a bed and accessible surfaces.
Before donating, recycling or replacing anything, check its condition and confirm local acceptance rules. The source offers no scheduled follow-up or formal next milestone; the recommendations are intended for households to use at their own pace before holiday hosting begins.
Key Questions
Which areas should I declutter first?
The experts recommend starting with spaces guests are likely to use: the entry, living room, dining room, kitchen, powder room and guest bedroom. The source suggests focusing on one area at a time rather than taking on a whole-house purge.
What should I do with old coats and linens?
Consider donating usable coats and boots through a local coat drive or donation center. Some animal shelters may accept towels and sheets, but acceptance policies vary, so contact the organization first.
Should I get rid of meaningful or inherited items?
No. Kelly advises against discarding belongings simply because they are old or do not match. The recommendations distinguish household clutter from items such as inherited linens, family china and collected ornaments that have personal meaning.
How much time should I set aside?
Kelly suggests allowing 20 or 30 minutes per space for a focused sort. That is a practical recommendation, not a guarantee that every room can be finished in that time.
Source: veranda.com
