These are the 7 places to declutter before Christmas for a peaceful festive period

With all the magic that Christmas brings, there also comes a lot more 'stuff' with it, and dare we say, clutter. A cluttered home feels overwhelming to say the least, which is why taking the time to declutter before Christmas is a sure way to enjoy a more peaceful festive season.

Aside from the Christmas decor, there's also gifts to make space for (those that we both give and receive). And if you're hosting family, all the more reason to get on top of everything now and welcome guests with a calm and orderly home. Plus, taking the time to declutter before Christmas means that you can head into 2025 with a fresh slate.

So with now being the perfect time to pick up some new decluttering tips, we've spoken to the professionals and asked which areas of the home we should be focusing on before the big day. Their tips cover 7 essential places to start decluttering now in order to gain both physical space and mental clarity this Christmas.

There are a variety of different approaches you can take when it comes to pre-Christmas decluttering. Whether you want a slower sustainable approach or a speedy 10-minute tidy, you'll finish with a more zen space at the end. Here are the top 7 areas in the home to declutter before Christmas.

1. Living room

We spend a lot of time in the living room at Christmas, whether it's settling down to enjoy a film with a festive drink, or gathering round to open up presents on Christmas morning. Given that it's often the biggest room in the house as well, the experts recommend starting here for the big declutter before Christmas.

'Tidy away or recycle any old magazines and newspapers - as well as any DVDs and books,' Ingrid Jansen and Lesley Spellman from The Declutter Hub advise. Create space so there’s room for everyone to sit down, a place for drinks and plates to be placed.'

Sue Spencer, APDO Member and Owner of A Life More Organised adds: 'If you are entertaining I also recommend taking out any fragile or sentimental items - accidents happen when things are busy with excitable children so it’s better to plan ahead to avoid any upset.'

You'll want to really maximise your living room storage ideas during the festive period, as the less out on display, the better. Once everything is tidy and organised, you can then learn how to arrange furniture at Christmas to make hosting in the living room a treat.

2. Utility room

The utility room can often get neglected in the pre-Christmas house prep, but experts warn this is a big mistake. Although guests are unlikely to be spending any time in there, this space is sort of like the engine room of the home. It keeps things ticking over smoothly and stops them from descending into chaos.

'The laundry still needs to be done, the recycling still needs to be sorted, and the rubbish still needs a home,' Ingrid and Lesley say. 'Start small and attempt a cupboard-by-cupboard sort out. Throw away items you no longer need, only buy products when needed rather than stocking up, and make sure you have enough bins and recycling bags.'

Utility room storage ideas often come in handy for housing things like extra loo roll, fresh towels, and toiletries for any guests that are staying over. Having a good declutter of what's already in there will make things a lot easier when it comes to storing these additional items.

Laundry tends to add up over Christmas as well, so make sure you leave a designated area for drying clothes.

3. Spare room

If you have a guest bedroom or even a home office that doubles up as a spot to host, you'll want to ensure it's clutter-free before friends and family arrive. Now, this isn't to say that your home should look like a showroom to host people, but you want there to be space in the wardrobe and drawers for your guests to place their things.

A spare room can become a dumping ground for miscellaneous pieces of furniture and old clothes, so having a good clear-out will make it feel like a hotel-esque guest suite that you'll be proud to host in.

'If family or friends are staying over, plan a deep clean, and a ruthless declutter. Clutter attracts clutter and it all attracts dust. Nobody expects luxury hotel standards but a clean, well-aired and tidy room is always conducive to a comfortable night's sleep,' says Mimi Bogelund, professional organiser and founder of The Organised Home & Life.

'Start by opening the windows and stripping the beds and remove any big items so you have plenty of space to work in,' Mimi advises.

'Sort anything that doesn’t belong in that room into groups: laundry, clean clothing, Christmas-related items etc., and move to their usual places. Then, put away everything that belongs in the room. If something hasn’t got a home, temporarily place it with something similar and tackle that area to declutter in the new year.'

4. Hallway

A hallway is the first area that guests see when they enter your home over the holidays, and first impressions count! You'll want great hallway storage ideas in order to keep it tidy when greeting guests, and so that there's room for their shoes, coats and bags.

'At Christmas time, we are much more likely to invite people to our home and to have impromptu visitors. Even if they don’t stay for long and you’re chatting in the doorway, a tidy hallway feels welcoming. And let’s face it, none of us enjoy revealing a chaotic pile of coats, shoes and bags,' says Mimi.

'Discard or donate anything outgrown, anything superseded by a new version or rarely used, leaving you with the most used and essential items. Focus per person, involving everyone in your home. If you need to tackle this shared area when family isn’t around, don’t get rid of anything without their permission. Just use a bin bag and ask them to look through.'

'If you’ve got bags or boxes that are destined to be donated but are lingering in the spare room, the hallway or cupboards, either take action and deliver them to your charity shop,' Mimi adds.

5. Wardrobes

Whether you have new clothes on your Christmas list or not, wardrobes are a good spot to declutter before the festive period commences. The bottom of a wardrobe can become a dumping ground for unused clothes, shoes and other random things that don't have a proper home. And although the doors can be closed on the mess, it still causes mental clutter.

If you want to start the New Year with a clear mind (and home), focus on wardrobes and other cupboards that have become overridden with excess clutter. Learning how to organise a wardrobe will not only make it much more pleasant to open, but it will make getting dressed for Christmas day much more enjoyable.

6. Childrens rooms

If you have children, you'll be well aware of the amount of toys that Father Christmas, and loved ones, will grace your home with. While this is overwhelmingly exciting for kids, it's less fun for grown-ups trying to tame the amount of plastic taking over playrooms, living rooms, or even kids' bedrooms.

At a time when your children are being gifted with the latest toys that are more in line with their current age, it's the perfect chance to declutter and donate their less-loved games.

'Out with anything broken, with missing parts or worn out,' Mimi instructs. 'Donate duplicates, those that have been outgrown or aren’t shown any love from the owners.'

7. Kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of the home, and where the magic happens over Christmas, with decadent meals cooking and simmering pots of mulled wine ready for sipping. There will be a lot going on in a kitchen over Christmas, so ensuring your kitchen cupboards are organised and easy to navigate will make life a lot easier.

You'll want to make sure that you know where your biggest pots, pans and serving dishes are so that they're easy to grab - especially as these are pieces of cookware you aren't likely to use often. But if you're hosting, you're also likely to have an abundance of roast ingredients, chocolate and alcohol to make room for in your fridge and cupboards.

'Christmas is all about the food. Well-loved dishes and special treats we don’t eat the rest of the year have to be accommodated alongside everything else. If kitchen space is overloaded, things get forgotten or lost. I’ve found mince pies in February and extra special chocolates well past their best date,' says Mimi.

'A kitchen declutter needs an hour or two of your time and pays off mega quickly. So, get everything out in categories and check best-before dates. If it’s soon, leave those bits to one side to use up in the next few weeks. Otherwise if out of date, recycle or throw away. Group and store like with like so you don’t shop duplicates and can easily find everything,'

'If possible clear a whole shelf for Christmas-specific foods,' ends Mimi.

FAQs

What is four weeks of preparation before Christmas?

'Even though there are less than four weeks until Christmas, there is still plenty of time to get your home in order,' decluttering experts Ingrid and Lesley say. 'Think of your energy levels, how much time you have and what other tasks might come your way and then allocate a short burst of time every day or so to do some decluttering and organising.'

To make the most of the time between now and Christmas, make a master to do list of everything you want to get it done. Prioritise the biggest jobs, such as cleaning the oven and cleaning the fridge, on days where you have the most time. Then, keep chipping away at the smaller jobs daily.

'You will need to stay on top of your resets - a reset is a combination of tidying and cleaning that includes a list of non-negotiables,' Ingrid and Lesley say. 'This might be putting on one load of laundry a day, wiping down work surfaces, unloading the dishwasher, sweeping the floor.'

How do I declutter my house for Christmas?

To declutter before Christmas, start with the room that is going to be the most used over the festive period. For most of us, this tends to be the living room, so start going through the room's contents and removing anything that is no longer loved or used.

'Move out any personal paperwork and items that you don’t want your guests to see,' recommends Sue Spencer, APDO Member and Owner of A Life More Organised. 'Discard anything you don’t need and file important papers. Remember that Christmas is all about seeing friends and families and having fun - if your home is clutter-free you’ll be more likely to relax yourself and take part in the celebrations.'

Tackle the rest of the house room by room, making sure to tick off the kitchen, the hallway, any guest bedrooms and bathrooms, and the utility room. Dedicating the time to decluttering before Christmas might not be the most exciting festive plan, but it's one that you'll thank yourself for when your home feels relaxed and organised over the holidays.