If you want to know how to declutter before Christmas without losing a whole weekend, the answer is a plan with a deadline. Gifts, groceries, guests and decorations are all about to come through your front door, and every one of them needs space you probably don’t have right now. Clearing out a little each day for two weeks makes room for the holidays before they arrive, instead of shoving everything into a closet on December 23rd.
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This pre Christmas declutter plan works room by room in the order that matters: toys before new gifts arrive, the kitchen before baking starts, the guest room before anyone sleeps in it, then the entryway and your decor storage. Each block takes 20 to 45 minutes a day, and at the end you’ll find a printable-style declutter before the holidays checklist to keep you on track.
How to Declutter Before Christmas: What You’ll Learn
- Why decluttering before Christmas makes the whole season easier
- The supplies to gather before Day 1
- A 2-week pre-Christmas declutter plan, room by room
- A quick declutter before the holidays checklist
- Common mistakes and answers to the top holiday decluttering questions
Why Declutter Before Christmas?
December adds stuff faster than any other month. The average household brings in new toys, kitchen gadgets, clothes, cards, packaging and a few boxes of decorations, all within about three weeks. If your shelves, closets and counters are already full, that extra volume lands on the floor, the dining table and the guest bed. Decluttering first gives every new thing somewhere to go.
Timing matters for a second reason: donating in early December means your gently used coats, toys and housewares reach local families while they still need them for the season. And a clear house is simply faster to clean. Once the clutter is gone, our holiday cleaning checklist takes a fraction of the time.
What You’ll Need
Set up a small decluttering station near the front door before you start, so items leave the house as soon as you decide on them:
- Three bags or bins labeled Donate, Trash and Relocate (things that live in another room)
- A box for sell or give-to-a-friend items, with a sticky note for the name
- A roll of trash bags and a recycling bag for paper and boxes
- Painter’s tape and a marker for labeling bins and shelves
- Clear lidded bins (about 12 to 18 quarts) for anything you keep but store
- A timer, because a 25-minute block is easier to start than an open-ended clean
The 2-Week Pre Christmas Declutter Plan
Start about 14 days before your first guests or your first big holiday event. If you host on December 24th, Day 1 is December 10th. Each block is short on purpose. Finish the day’s task, take the bags to the car or the curb, and stop. Momentum beats marathons.
Days 1 to 3: Toys and Kids’ Rooms (Before Gifts Arrive)
Toys come first because new gifts land on Christmas morning and need an empty shelf waiting for them. Pull every toy into one spot, then sort in this order: broken or missing pieces to the trash, outgrown toys to donate, and duplicates (the third set of crayons, the second toy kitchen) to donate or pass on. A simple rule that works for most families is to clear one bin for every bin of gifts you expect.
- Day 1: Toss broken toys, dried markers, puzzles with missing pieces and party favors
- Day 2: Let older kids choose 5 to 10 toys to donate; younger kids can help sort into piles
- Day 3: Rotate half the remaining toys into a closet bin and leave one empty shelf for new gifts
Short on play space? Our toy organization ideas for small spaces show how to fit everything into baskets, under-bed bins and wall shelves.
Days 4 to 6: The Kitchen (Before Baking Starts)
Holiday baking needs clear counters, an organized pantry and room in the fridge for make-ahead dishes. Spend these three days making space where you’ll use it most.
- Day 4: Clear the counters down to daily-use items only, and check baking staples (flour, sugar, spices, baking powder) for expiration dates
- Day 5: Empty the fridge and freezer of old leftovers and freezer-burned food to free up shelf space for holiday dishes
- Day 6: Declutter cabinets: extra mugs, warped baking sheets, lidless containers and gadgets you didn’t touch last December
Once the space is clear, follow our holiday baking kitchen prep guide to set up a baking station with your mixer, sheet pans and cooling racks in one zone.
Days 7 and 8: The Guest Room
The guest room is often the house’s overflow closet, which means it’s the room most likely to be buried when guests arrive. On Day 7, take everything off the bed, dresser and floor and return it to where it belongs or put it in your donate bag. On Day 8, empty one dresser drawer and half the closet rail for guests, clear the nightstand except for a lamp and a tissue box, and check that you have a clean set of sheets and two towels per guest.
For the finishing touches, like a phone charger, a luggage spot and a small welcome basket, see our guest room prep for the holidays.
Days 9 and 10: The Entryway
Your entry will see more coats, boots, shopping bags and deliveries than usual in December. Give it room to absorb all of that.
- Day 9: Pull out off-season items such as flip-flops, sun hats and beach bags, and donate coats and boots that no longer fit
- Day 10: Leave two or three empty hooks for guests, add a boot tray, and set up a single spot for packages and outgoing mail
Days 11 and 12: Decor Storage
Before a single ornament goes up, open every holiday bin. Toss tangled lights that don’t work, broken ornaments and decor you skipped last year, and donate anything that no longer fits your style. Fewer bins means faster decorating now and faster packing in January. Store the empty bins where you can grab them on take-down day, and set aside the gift wrap and ribbon you’ll actually use. Our gift wrap storage ideas keep rolls, bags and tape in one easy-to-reach spot.
Decorating with less is part of the plan. A few of our Christmas organization ideas, like a dedicated decor zone and an ornament box with dividers, help the house feel festive instead of crowded.
Days 13 and 14: Living Room and Final Reset
On Day 13, clear the living room surfaces where decorations and the tree will go: coffee table, mantel, side tables and the corner for the tree. Move magazines, chargers and remotes into a basket. On Day 14, drop off every donation bag, recycle the boxes and do a 15-minute walk-through of each room to catch anything that drifted back.
Declutter Before the Holidays Checklist
Use this short list as your quick-check before guests arrive:
- Broken, outgrown and duplicate toys donated or tossed
- One empty shelf or bin waiting for new gifts
- Kitchen counters cleared and baking staples checked
- Fridge and freezer cleared of old food
- Guest room bed, nightstand, one drawer and half the closet empty
- Entry hooks and floor clear, with a spot for packages
- Holiday decor bins sorted, broken lights and ornaments gone
- Living room surfaces cleared for decorations
- Donation bags dropped off and recycling taken out
Want to keep the momentum into the new year? Our 30-day decluttering checklist picks up right where this plan ends.
Holiday Decluttering Mistakes to Avoid
Starting too close to Christmas
Decluttering on December 22nd turns into hiding clutter in closets. Starting two weeks early leaves time for donation drop-offs and a calm final week.
Shopping for storage first
Buying bins before you declutter usually means buying too many. Sort first, then measure what you’re keeping and buy only the containers you need.
Decluttering kids’ toys without them
Clearing a child’s room in secret can backfire. Let kids make some of the choices, and frame it as making room for new gifts and helping other families.
Letting donation bags sit in the car
A donation bag in the trunk is still clutter. Schedule the drop-off on the same day you finish each room block.
Trying to declutter every room at once
Pulling everything out of every room at the same time leaves the whole house in chaos. Finish one room before you open the next.
Related guides
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Save to PinterestGood to know: Donating and reusing is one of the simplest ways to cut holiday waste. The EPA’s reduce, reuse and recycle guide has ideas for what to do with items you no longer need.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should you start decluttering before Christmas?
Start about two weeks before your first guests or holiday event. That gives you time to work one room at a time in short daily sessions and still drop off donations before the last busy week of December.
What should I declutter first before Christmas?
Start with toys and kids’ rooms, because new gifts need space on Christmas morning. Then move to the kitchen before holiday baking, the guest room, the entryway and finally your holiday decor storage.
How do I declutter toys before Christmas without upsetting my kids?
Involve them. Ask older kids to pick a set number of toys to donate to other children, and let younger kids sort with you. Rotate some toys into storage instead of donating everything, and keep one shelf empty for new gifts.
How long does a pre-Christmas declutter take?
Most homes can finish in 14 days with 20 to 45 minutes a day. Larger homes or very full storage areas may need a few extra sessions, so start early if your decor bins or kids’ rooms are packed.
Where can I donate items before the holidays?
Local thrift stores, shelters, churches, schools and toy drives all welcome gently used items in December. Call ahead for toys and coats, since many drives only accept new or like-new items in good condition.
Learning how to declutter before Christmas isn’t about a perfect house. It’s about making room for the people, food and traditions that matter. Pick your Day 1, start with the toys, and by the time the gifts and guests arrive, your home will be ready for them.