5 Simple Ways To Declutter Before the Holidays

Lightening the physical load in your home, before the holidays, is a MUST! This transition to the holidays can feel heavy for many reasons. The physical load (stuff) surrounding you is only adding to an invisible mental load that’s weighing you down + making life day to day more challenging than it needs to be.

In these 5 Simple Ways to Declutter Before the Holidays, I’ll show you how to scan your home quickly, focus on certain hot spots + help you streamline your home in a way that’s simple, without the typical overwhelm you think of when it comes to decluttering. Nope, not here! Let’s get to it so we can all enjoy our holidays!

DECLUTTER FOCUS #1: Bulky packaging, grocery bags, paper bags, etc.

✔️Why it works:

〰️ All of these items are in the category of “reoccurring clutter”, which means it happens from living daily life + must be checked in on frequently or it will make daily routines/task WAY harder than they need to be in your home.

✔️How to do it:

〰️ Start by scanning your pantry + cabinets for bulky packing making it hard to see what you actually have to consume (examples: boxes of tea, snack boxes, cereal boxes, sparkling water boxes, etc.) / decant anything you’d like to make it easier to see what you have + keep it fresher longer.

〰️ Next scan for grocery bags + paper bags to recycle. Check locally (I take any plastic bags I end up with to our local Target). Keep a few of those large paper bags to cut + turn inside out for gift wrapping!

〰️ Recycle as much as you can + then consider reusable bags in lieu if plastics moving forward to cut out out this clutter culprit in your home! Yes please!

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DECLUTTER FOCUS #2: Expired goods + foods not being eaten from your kitchen / pantry.

✔️Why it works:

〰️ Seasonally we must check in on our food stock, as we might want to eat differently or bake certain recipes because of the time of year we’re in, or we’ve left behind some foods that we’ve forgotten about. This step will help streamline + simplify your meal prep + navigating what you have in your kitchen with more ease by assessing what you have!

✔️How to do it:

〰️ Scan your fridge + freezer for old, expired food items. Clean out + recycle what you can.

〰️ Scan your pantry for old items or items that no one is eating. PRO-TIP: If you’re unsure if something will be eaten, pull it out from your pantry + put it out on the kitchen counter in a basket + see what disappears in the next few days. If no one touches it, giveaway or toss it.

〰️ Don’t forget about your local food bank during this process. Non-expired goods you aren’t eating / are unopened can be taken there. Check locally for specific needs!

〰️ Have a notepad handy + write down anything you need to restock + most importantly, pay attention to items you DON’T need to buy again + save your money!

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DECLUTTER FOCUS #3: Scan your horizontal surfaces to declutter.

✔️Why it works:

〰️ Everything that’s out on tables, furniture + counter tops is begging for your attention - simplifying + removing a lot of what’s out will instantly elevate your space + create more visual calm throughout your home, leaving you feeling less drained.

✔️How to do it:

*For each zone you’re going to 1) put away things that belong somewhere else 2) donate items no longer needed or in use 3) tuck things away in a useful/intentional spot that don’t need to be out 4) aim to have out as *little* as possible!

〰️ First do a quick countertop scan through your home, or even in just one spot that’s a common clutter culprit (ahhhemmm I’m looking 👀 at you kitchen counters!!)

〰️ Now let’s do a quick scan on the tops of furniture - think credenzas, tv stands, night stands, etc. / get rid of trash, extra nicknacks you no longer love + simplify the entire surface / wipe off dust if you must 🤪

〰️ Lastly, scan table tops, like the kitchen table or your desk if you missed that spot. Edit like it’s your job. Stay as minimal as possible! Only keep it out if it’s an absolute have to!! Recycle, toss + shred or file papers as needed.

*With less out, you’ll be more encouraged to keep it that way + feel better in your spaces.

*A lot of clutter in these zones can be curbed simply by making small, quick decisions all week to put things away or remove them if they’re no longer needed. You’ve got this!

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DECLUTTER FOCUS #4: Scan for outgrown + no longer used items.

✔️Why it works:

〰️ This is another category that should be quick decisions. The jacket is outgrown. The book is no longer read. We don’t play with these toys. The game is broken. This throw pillow is no longer my aesthetic taste. The shoes are too small. If you run across something you’re unsure about, move on. Circle back on it in a month. We are focusing on the obviously items that need to go right now to create more space in your home + breathing room.

✔️How to do it:

〰️ You can scan each room one at a time, or pick + choose where you want to put your efforts. For me right now, I’m looking in clothing closets, toy areas + books, as it pertains to my kids. For me, I’m looking at some clothing items, accessories + home decor items to quickly edit.

〰️ As you scan the area you’re focusing on, have a box or bag ready for the obviously “no” items to drop in. If it belongs to someone else, bring them into the conversation on why it’s leaving. “You’ve outgrown these pants. We can replace them. Do you want something similar or different to these as we look around”? Keep the process transparent + nonjudgmental for best results!

〰️ If the controversial “toys” are being looked at, read on for my advice: Talk with your kids about the items you “never see them use or play with” + then ask some questions. Would they rather part with these + bring in something new to play with? Would you rather have more space to do your favorite hobby? If there’s a few items you’re all unsure about if they’re being played with, move them out for 1 month into a more obviously location (or just a more limited toy rotation to see if that helps engagement). If the items are never played with, donate them! Easy!

DECLUTTER FOCUS #5: Text + email unsubscribing.

✔️Why it works:

〰️In a short amount of time, you can greatly reduce the digital clutter on your phone + in your inbox, bogging down your time + causing visual fatigue every day! As marketing messages ramp up, this is the PERFECT time to check in on this category of clutter.

✔️How to do it:

〰️ Put a timer on for 5-10 minutes + focus on your phone for text message decluttering. Unsubscribe for any text message alerts you no longer want to receive. While you’re there, spend a minute to delete unwanted text message threads so it’s down to your most recent conversations that you actually need/care about!

〰️ Put a timer on for 5-10 minutes + focus on your email inbox exclusively. Since marketing emails are in full force right now, instead of just deleting emails from companies you no longer want to hear from, unsubscribe from it first, then delete it. In just a matter of days, you will notice A LOT LESS traveling into your inbox, plus LESS time spent during your days deleting things you don’t even want!

PRO-TIP: In gmail, you can simply put your arrow cursor over the email you want to unsubscribe to (without even opening the email) + an ‘unsubscribe button’ will appear. So quick!

Well friend, you did it! You’re on your way to a much lighter + joyful holiday season! Wishing you all the good things as we wind the year down. And remember, you deserve peace + simplicity all year round.

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WHAT TO DO NEXT:

〰️ Download my free declutter guide to get you taking quick + easy decluttering action in your own home (linked in profile).

〰️ Click the follow button for @fuzzyhipposhop to follow along for more decluttering tips + basics to get you unstuck in your home on instagram!

〰️ Make sure you go watch all the 5 Simple Ways to Declutter Before the Holidays in my instagram feed below (all reels take only about a minute to watch)!

Thanks for following along as we lighten the load of home before the holidays + get unstuck in our own home! I’ve got you!

Watch all the short videos on Instagram below.

5 Simple Ways to Declutter Before the Holidays:

Part 1: Bulky packaging + grocery bags, paper bags

Part 2: Expired foods + items not being eaten

Part 3: Horizontal surfaces scan.

Part 4: Outgrown + no longer used items scan

Part 5: Text + email unsubscribing

See the full instagram highlight with all mini reels HERE.

3 Reasons Why You Need To Declutter During the Holidays

Yes, I said the D word (declutter)! It’s probably the last things you want to be doing right now, as you prepare for the holidays coming full speed ahead for you. By the end of this blog post, I want you to feel fully confident that short bursts of decluttering are absolutely critical to helping you navigate this holiday season, free up your time, save you money and allow you to enjoy the season even more than before.

So let’s dive into the 3 Reasons Why You Need To Declutter During the Holidays.

1. Things have changed this year + so has your home.

Let’s be honest, in the last year while some things have stayed the same, but a lot has changed. I want you to lean into this as you pull out your holiday decor. I’ve found over the years that holiday decor tends to overwhelm and overstimulate both myself and my kids, so I’ve become very picky about what comes out for the holidays. As you pull out each item to decorate for the holidays, decide which items deserve to stay and which ones should move on to another home. Broken, beyond repair items need to head to recycling or trash depending on the material.

Also consider if your aesthetic taste has changed. This is normal by the way! Focus on quality, timeless pieces that feel valuable and special to you and your family. Selecting less of a higher quality that will last a long time will save you money long term. If you decide to replace or bring in anything new, make sure something else is headed out to donations. Aim for less. Be honest about how much space you have to store decorations and you’ll reduce what you’ll have to store and manage the rest of the year while it’s are not in use.

2. Decluttering right now will save you money.

Hear me out. If you haven’t heard me shout this from the rooftops enough yet, the purpose of decluttering is to make your life easier, and a large part of this is knowing exactly what you have in your home so you don’t overbuy or impulse buy things that you don’t need. Now I have your attention!

Here’s a few examples of how this can play out for you right now:

• Decluttering with your kids and what all they own right now (and fits) will help everyone clarify what they have and what they need during this season - perfect information to gather right before a gift giving/receiving season!

• Decluttering in your kitchen will help you remove items you don’t need to prepare large family meals and streamline your efforts in your kitchen. Your kitchen will function more easily, leaving you less likely to waste food since you can see and access everything you have, saving you money weekly!

• Decluttering your clothing alerts you to items in your closet you love, want to wear and helps you become more creative/resourceful with what you already have. It’s exciting to rediscover old gems in your closet you have forgotten about and move them into a location that reminds you to wear them and gets you excited to enjoy them during this cooler season. Having clarity on what’s in your wardrobe will help you not impulse buy, even when those enticing good deals strike because you’ll know exactly what to avoid and what to look for (if there’s any wardrobe holes you’re wanting to fill).

3. Save time and energy.

Here’s the basics on this one…the less you have in your home, the less you have to manage. Fact. The holidays tend to feel like everything is ‘extra’ and ‘more’. And with all of this ‘extra’ and ‘more’ comes more things that take over your home and your bulldoze your time and peace. To help you achieve LESS during the holidays, consider these tips to help you declutter in small bursts to regain more time and breathing room.

• Every few days (or once a week), put a timer on for 10-15 minutes + pick one area in your home that feels chaotic/cluttered + do a quick declutter burst.

• Relocate items that need to go back in a different room. Remove items you no longer use or love or items that are in poor shape/beyond repair

• Attack one small zone that is in a high traffic area that you utilize daily. Do a fast 10 minute declutter burst on this area, like a high use kitchen drawer, a kitchen counter, the kitchen table, the drop zone you go in + out of before/after school, a part of the pantry, the fridge, a small hall closet. Editing these spots will transform your everyday immediately by removing physical obstacles (extra stuff) that make your daily tasks harder than they need to be.

Taking short bursts of time to simplify the spaces in your home, however small, especially during the holidays, will reward with more time, less energy spent on “stuff management” and more clarity on what you have in your home (and what you might need moving forward). Everyone in the home will benefit from decluttering during the holidays, long after this holiday season has passed and long into the new year.

Wishing you all the most peaceful + healthiest of Holidays!

Thanks for being here + I’ll see you soon in the next post.

Other holiday + seasonal blog posts you might enjoy: 

No Clutter Holiday Gift Ideas for Kids + Adults

Decluttering While You Prepare for the Holidays

5 Ways To Lighten Your Holiday Load

Giving, Gifting  + Navigating Unwanted Gifts

Decluttering While You Prepare For The Holidays

I’m all about helping you (and myself) simplify the holidays. It’s a time that can often make you feel overrun by things to do and overrun by STUFF! It’s a time of giving and often receiving items that you don’t necessarily need or want. You need to have a plan for your home as you move into the holiday season to get control of what’s coming in, as well as what’s staying. Here’s 3 tips to help you declutter while you prepare for the holidays with ease.

1. Declutter as you decorate.

Of course, if decorating for the holidays is not your jam, you can feel free to skip this section. No sweat!

As you start pulling things out to shift your home to feel ready for the holiday season, I want you to take an objective look at each item you pull out.

Here’s some questions to ask yourself about each item:

• Is the item in good shape?

• Do I still like the item, is it still my taste?

• Do I feel excited to pull this item out + see it in my home for potentially months on end?

• Will this add more joy + not stress to my home while it’s out?

• Is it worth the space it takes up to both store before the holidays + the space it takes up in my home while it is out during the holidays?

• Do I still have the space to store this item when it’s not in use?

Now with these in mind, edit as you decorate for the holidays. Donate items locally in good shape that someone could joyfully use in their own home. You can also offer them to friends and family or put a free bin down at your curb (not on a trash day)! Also, aim to not bring in anything new to your holiday decor unless it is a 1 to 1 swap.

2. Declutter your outerwear.

Think jackets, coats, sweaters, gloves, scarves, boots and cold weather accessories. Most of us deal with some sort of seasonal weather change. Even if it’s not a big change (like my sister who lives in Miami), this is still a good time to check in on light jackets, raincoats, rain boots, etc.

What to ask yourself about your outerwear:

• Does it fit properly?

• Am I comfortable in it?

• Do I look forward to wearing it?

• How practical is it to wear + do I actually wear it?

• Does the piece pair well with the season of life I’m in?

• Does it need to be set aside for repair or alterations?

For items that are in good shape that you’d like to part with, consider local groups who have people in need of these essentials/basics for the temperature changes. I drive by a church close to my home that puts out a coat rack during the colder months where you can drop off a coat or pick one up if you’re in need. I LOVE this idea. ‘Coats for Kids’ might be in your area (another great one). You can find more donation resources and ideas here:

Donate Decluttered Goods + Donate / Recycle / Sell / Toss

3. Declutter the extras.

I know this sounds vague but I’m going to get this clarified and dialed in for you quickly. I am talking about all the things making your home and life feel heavy, especially around the holidays. They need to go.

Here’s some examples things you can remove now:

• Outgrown toys, books + clothing.

• Extra decor around your home that you no longer enjoy (look room by room - think art, pillows, blankets, knick knacks, items given to you don’t use or like)

• Items covering your fridge (edit to as minimal items as possible).

• Things that you’re holding onto that have a negative memory or association with them.

• Countertop clutter (items that need to be relocated, tossed, recycled, or simply put away).

• Emails cluttering up your inbox (take a few minutes to unsubscribe from marketing emails from people/places/business you no longer want to hear from).

Aside from these tangible and digital areas to declutter in your home, it’s important to address old ideas, thought patterns or traditions that don’t suit your current season of life (this is a mental decluttering strategy - remove thinking causing stress/overwhelm unnecessarily, create helpful/healthy routines that will bring joy and value to your home, life and the people around you). I really like the approach on this post on decluttering your mind and keeping it that way by Simple Home | Simple Life blog.

Decluttering before and during the holidays will help everyone in the home clarify what’s most important, gain clarity on what all is actually in the home, and have clear direction on any needs/wants to communicate with others around you who want to gift something to you. Be sure to ask and listen to others on their needs as well so you aren’t adding clutter to someone else’s holiday. I hope you’ll find these decluttering tips helpful as you prepare for the holidays and move into this new season.

If you’d like MORE HELP decluttering and resetting your home, here’s a few great places to start.

No B.S. Guide To Decluttering Parents + Kids Guide To Decluttering

Free Declutter Guide Learn the basics of Decluttering Organizing Basics

Shop all Declutter + Organize Guides/Products