Christmas has a funny way of sneaking up on us. One minute you’re enjoying the cooler months, and the next you’re wondering where on earth you’re going to put the Christmas presents, who’s bringing the potato salad and why the house suddenly looks like it belongs to a family of 47. And let’s be honest, December is busy enough without trying to find space for new toys, squeezing extra chairs around the dining table and discovering that the spare room has become a permanent storage facility. The good news? You don’t need to spend an entire weekend emptying every cupboard in the house. A couple of little declutter sessions between now and December can make a surprising difference, especially when you tackle the areas that tend to get out of hand during the festive season. Here are 12 things worth sorting out before the Christmas chaos begins.
1. The kids’ toys nobody plays with anymore
If your kids have ever announced they’re bored while sitting in the middle of a mountain of toys, you’ll understand this one. Go through toys, games and puzzles together and set aside anything they’ve outgrown, no longer use or have completely forgotten exists. Broken toys and puzzles missing half their pieces can go too. If items are still in good condition, consider donating them to a local charity or passing them on to another family. Getting this done before Christmas means there’s room for the new things coming into the house, rather than simply adding another layer to the existing toy mountain.
2. The kitchen cupboards
Christmas usually means more cooking, more visitors and considerably more food than your fridge was designed to handle. Start with the pantry. Check use-by dates, get rid of stale food and group similar items together so you can actually see what you have. Then tackle the cupboards. Do you really need six mismatched plastic containers with no matching lids? What about the novelty mugs nobody uses or the kitchen gadget you bought for one recipe three years ago? Clearing a little space now makes Christmas cooking much less frustrating.
3. The fridge and freezer
Before you start buying ingredients for Christmas lunch, take a look at what’s already hiding in there. That mystery container at the back of the fridge? It’s time to investigate. Check dates, discard anything that’s no longer safe to eat and wipe up any spills. Do the same with the freezer. You might discover you’ve already got enough frozen vegetables to feed a small army. You’ll have a much better idea of what you need to buy, and you’ll free up valuable space for Christmas food.
4. The wardrobe full of clothes you never wear
You know those clothes you keep because you might wear them one day? Now’s a good time to ask yourself whether that day is actually coming. Sort through clothes that no longer fit, are damaged beyond repair or simply aren’t your style anymore. Do the same with shoes, bags and accessories. Donate wearable items where appropriate, and put anything you’re keeping back neatly. You don’t need a perfect, colour-coded wardrobe. Just enough space to find what you want without an avalanche landing on your head.
5. Bathroom cupboards and drawers
Bathrooms have a habit of collecting half-used products, old makeup, empty bottles and toiletries bought with the best intentions. Check expiry dates and product instructions, dispose of anything you shouldn’t keep and clear out products nobody uses. Wipe the drawers and shelves while they’re empty, then put everyday essentials somewhere easy to reach. It’s a small job that can make the bathroom feel considerably less cluttered, particularly when guests are visiting.
6. The linen cupboard
Take a look at your towels, sheets and spare bedding. If you’re holding onto threadbare towels, fitted sheets that no longer fit any mattress or bedding that’s been sitting untouched for years, consider whether it’s time to let them go. Keep enough clean linen for your household and any guests you’re expecting.
And here’s a handy tip: put complete sheet sets together so you’re not digging through the cupboard on Christmas Eve looking for a matching pillowcase.
7. The entryway and shoe pile
Between school bags, work bags, shoes, hats and whatever everyone has dropped on the way through the door, the entryway can become a bit of a disaster zone. Sort through shoes that no longer fit, return misplaced items to their proper homes and remove anything that doesn’t need to live near the front door. Create a simple spot for everyday shoes and bags. When family and friends start arriving for Christmas, you’ll be glad you can actually open the door without tripping over a collection of thongs and sneakers.
8. The spare room that’s become a dumping ground
Every household seems to have one room where things go when nobody knows what else to do with them. Maybe it’s the spare bedroom. Maybe it’s the study. Maybe it’s a corner of the garage. Whatever the location, give it a little attention now, especially if you’re expecting overnight guests. You don’t need to create a picture-perfect guest room. Clear a usable bed, make space for a bag and ensure there’s somewhere to put a few belongings. Your guests will appreciate it, and you’ll appreciate not having to perform a frantic last-minute rescue mission.
9. Paperwork, school notes and random bits of paper
Old shopping receipts, takeaway menus, expired coupons, school newsletters and instruction manuals can quietly take over drawers and kitchen benches. Recycle what you no longer need, shred sensitive documents appropriately and file important paperwork somewhere you can find it. Keep current school information and anything you need for the end of the year easy to access. December already comes with enough things to remember. Finding a permission slip buried under six months of takeaway menus shouldn’t be one of them.
10. Cleaning products and supplies
Get rid of empty packaging, organise your cleaning cloths and brushes, and check product labels and expiry guidance where applicable. Store cleaning products safely, particularly if children or pets can access the area. You might discover you already have everything you need, which saves you buying another bottle of something that will sit under the sink until next Christmas. Just remember never to mix cleaning products, as some combinations can release dangerous gases.
11. The decorations and wrapping supplies
Before buying this year’s Christmas decorations, pull out what you already own. Check fairy lights for damage, discard broken decorations that can’t be repaired and sort through wrapping paper, gift bags, ribbons and cards. Keep usable supplies together so you know what you have before heading to the shops. There’s no need to buy another roll of wrapping paper if you’ve already got three hiding behind the vacuum cleaner. And if your family has outgrown certain decorations, consider passing them on to someone who’ll enjoy them.
12. The living room surfaces and everyday clutter
This is the space where everyone tends to gather, especially during the holidays. Look at your coffee table, entertainment unit, bookshelves and other surfaces that collect everyday odds and ends. Put away things that belong elsewhere, recycle old magazines and find a home for the little items that seem to multiply overnight. You don’t have to remove every personal touch. Family photos, favourite books and the occasional pile of children’s artwork are part of what makes a house feel like home. The goal is simply to make the space easier to use, clean and enjoy when everyone is together.
How to declutter before Christmas without overwhelming yourself
Here’s the secret: don’t try to do all 12 jobs in one weekend. Pick one area each week between now and December. Set a timer for 15 or 20 minutes, work on that area and stop when the timer goes off if that’s all you have time for. Keep a donation box somewhere convenient, and deal with it regularly rather than letting it become another permanent fixture in the hallway. Get the kids involved where you can, and remember that decluttering doesn’t mean throwing away everything you own. It’s about making room for the things you actually use and enjoy. And please don’t pull every cupboard apart at once. There is nothing worse than starting an ambitious decluttering project on Saturday morning and discovering at 5 pm that your entire house is now messier than when you started.
Give Your Unwanted Items a Second Life
As you’re working your way through the house, remember that one person’s clutter might be exactly what someone else is looking for. If you’ve got clothes, toys, books or homewares in good condition that your family no longer needs, consider donating them to a local op shop rather than sending everything to landfill.
If you’re looking for somewhere to donate around Brisbane, OpShop.org’s Brisbane directory is a handy place to start. You can browse op shops across the city and find options that suit your area. Just check with your chosen store before dropping anything off, as donation guidelines and accepted items can vary.
A little preparation goes a long way
Christmas doesn’t need to be perfect to be wonderful. You don’t need a spotless house, matching storage containers or a pantry worthy of a home organisation show. But having a little more space, fewer things to clean around and a better idea of where everything belongs can make the lead-up to Christmas feel much more manageable.
Although, if the thought of adding decluttering and a big pre-Christmas clean to your already-full calendar makes you want to hide in the pantry, we get it. At The Naturally Clean Co, we know how busy life can get, particularly towards the end of the year. Our home cleaning services can help take some of the cleaning off your hands, leaving you with more time to organise the things that matter most to your family. Start small, tackle one area at a time and give yourself permission to enjoy the lead-up to Christmas, too. Because the best part of Christmas isn’t a perfectly organised linen cupboard. It’s having the time to enjoy the people sitting around your table.
A little decluttering now can mean less mess to deal with later, more room for the Christmas goodies and a few pre-loved treasures finding a new home. And remember, you don’t have to get the whole house sorted in one go. Start with one drawer, one cupboard or that pile you’ve been moving from one room to another for months. We all know the one!
Happy decluttering, and here’s to a less chaotic lead-up to Christmas.
check out our blog for more Christmas articles.
