20 Things to Declutter Before Christmas

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To help you prepare your home for the holiday activities and influx of stuff coming in, we’re sharing a list of 20 things to declutter before Christmas. Whether you pick a few areas or do them all, you’ll feel ready to tackle the month-long events of entertaining, gift-giving and exchanging.

While Christmas time is filled with joy, friends, and family, sometimes things get a little hectic and your budgeting stress may be at an all-time high. That’s why I created 8 Last Minute Ways to Earn Money for Christmas and 7 Steps to Stick to Your Christmas Budget to help you rein in the financial chaos.

Also, if you are planning on hosting a party don’t forget to check out 10 Fun Christmas Party Ideas for Families and our favorite ideas for a Slow Christmas.

Decorations

After a full year of decorating your home, get rid of any seasonal decorations you didn’t use throughout the year. Additionally, it’s a good idea to check things over for damage or excessive wear and tear. If it can’t be repaired or refreshed it’s time to toss it in the trash.

Expired Food

Do you have any food in the pantry or freezer that’s nearing its final days? Toss out anything that’s expired. Or if it’s not expired yet, make a plan to use it up quickly or donate it to your local food bank.

Games and Puzzles

This one gets me every single time! Check your board games and puzzles to make sure they are complete. Toss any that are missing pieces. Additionally, if your kids have outgrown any games donate, pass them on to friends or sell them.

Kitchen Tools

You may be surprised at how many kitchen tools you’ve accumulated. Take a hard look at what you have and try to narrow it down to only those items you’ve used in the past year.

You’ll also want to check your cooking utensil drawer. If you have to battle the drawer every time you open it it’s time to whittle it down. Besides, how many spatulas do you really need?!

Clothes

Now that you’ve had a chance to cycle through every season, it’s time to purge any clothes that no longer fit or that you didn’t wear. Donate unwanted clothing to your local thrift store or if you have a Buy Nothing group in your area post it in the group and help a neighbor out.

Winter Clothing

This is specifically referring to heavy jackets, hats, and other clothes that would be considered winter-specific. It’s time to get rid of coats and boots your kids have outgrown.

And make sure gloves and mittens are matched up – nothing like grabbing a pair of gloves on your way out the door only to discover they are both lefties.

Old Books

Get rid of any books that you don’t plan on reading or don’t want to hang on to. If your local thrift store doesn’t take books reach out to nursing homes or school art departments to see if they can use them.

The Car

With holiday travel coming up, take this time to get rid of all the junk taking up space in your car. The hatch area tends to be a catch-all and you’d be surprised how much stuff can accumulate there.

Do you really need to be hauling around summer sports gear over the colder months? Probably not. I store seasonal sports items in plastic tubs with lids in the garage. It helps to keep like items together and makes it easier to locate everything when you need it.

Paper Clutter

This is one area that can get out of control fast. Sort through your papers and get rid of old receipts, cards, and anything else you won’t be needing. If the documents have sensitive information you’ll want to shred them before throwing away.

Dishes and Serving Plates

Do you have more dishes or serving plates than you need? I’m guilty of this one. Pull all your serving pieces out, set aside your favorites and get rid of the excess.

Your Calendar

The holidays can be a busy and stressful time for most people. Make an effort to reduce your commitments so you can enjoy the season. You’ll never regret spending extra time with your family and friends during the holidays.

Old Candles

Are there any candles that are near the end of their life? Throw out any old candles you don’t plan on finishing or ones you don’t like the smell of.

Seasonal Gear

Are you hanging on to unused camping supplies, hiking gear, or sports equipment? If your interests have changed and you’re not going to use them, it’s time to let it go.

Gift Wrapping Supplies

Many of us have more gift wrapping supplies than we could use in ten years. Check with local schools, nursing homes and women’s shelters to see if they can use your extras.

Anyone else guilty of buying fresh wrapping supplies every.single.year? Only to find dozens of half-used rolls of paper and partially used packages of bows and tags? Just me?

To keep this from happening, use a wrap organizer to contain wrapping supplies in a single place. As a bonus you can tell at a glance if you need to replenish supplies.

Linens

Take time to go through your bed sheets, pillowcases, blankets and other linens in your home. Get rid of the ones that have seen better days. Consider donating your mismatched linens to your local animal shelter.

Guest Bedroom

Before your guests arrive to a cluttered space, take the time to clear out the closet, dresser and nightstand. Get rid of any nonessentials. This will help make the room more inviting for guests.

Guest Bathroom Sink

Just like the bedroom it’s nice to clear out a space in the guest bathroom vanity to make room for your guest’s toiletries and other items they need to store. Take stock of the towels and make sure they are in good shape.

Unused Planners and Organizing Supplies

Are you a planner or a collector? Either way you may have accumulated more organizing and planning supplies than you can use. Try to narrow down to what you truly enjoy and will use.

Old Electronics

Have old or unused electronics? Go ahead and declutter these, too! You may even be able to sell them and get some extra Christmas money.

If you don’t want to hassle with selling them, check your local recycling center to see if they accept electronics. You may have to pay a small fee to recycle but it’s totally worth it to finally get rid of that old TV.

Makeup

Your make-up collection may have grown over the year. Especially if you wear a little specialty makeup around the holidays.

Take a few minutes to go through it and get rid of expired makeup or makeup you didn’t end up using. Check out this handy guide for the lifespan of various makeup items.

If you’re not sure where you should focus your decluttering efforts, hopefully these suggestions will give you a little guidance. Pick a few (or all) areas and you’ll have your home ready for the Christmas holiday season in no time.

**Save Things to Declutter Before Christmas for Later**