Minimalist Holiday Decluttering Tips For A Stress-Free Season
Do you ever dream of becoming a minimalist but worried the holidays might be too busy to try something new? Maybe you’re hoping to declutter before the holidays but facing mail piling up on the kitchen counter, magazines collecting on every flat surface, or a home office you try to avoid because your mousepad has gone missing under a mountain of papers? For some of us, any amount of clutter can feel hopeless and overwhelming. If that’s the case for you, we’ve got your back.
Or maybe you live a relatively clutter-free and organized life but still crave a more minimalist vibe—a chance to finally let go—because letting go doesn’t mean that thing doesn’t matter, it means you matter more. So get ready to clean out those junk drawers, unclutter your living spaces and create a home that feels intentional, and maybe one you'd be proud to post on your socials.
We've got simple, realistic strategies inspired by minimalist living to help you not only clear the chaos before the holidays, but also set up easy-to-follow systems that will keep your home feeling calm, organized, and genuinely livable long after the season is over.
What Is A Minimalist Holiday Mindset?
Think of the minimalist holiday mindset as presence over presents. In other words, people who see themselves as minimalists or are striving to live a simpler, less expensive lifestyle see the holidays as a time to zero in on connection, not consumption. Focusing on the holidays as an opportunity for families and friends to create experiences and memories as opposed to excess decorating, overspending, and over-gifting.
Keep in mind, however, that a minimalist holiday mindset means different things to different people. For example, the holiday homes of Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus, founders and co-creators of The Minimalists , will probably look very different from yours, and that's okay—it doesn't mean you're not a minimalist if your home has holiday décor and a Christmas tree with three generations of family ornaments.
Clear Your Home's Daily Hotspots (They Add Up Fast!)
Creating organizational systems, also known as homekeeping systems, goes beyond just tidying up, which can look like tossing things in drawers and closets to give the appearance of a clutter-free home. It's not too soon to start addressing your home’s biggest clutter collection zones since you're also establishing new habits that take time to develop. After decluttering, homekeeping systems are what keeps your home organized. The following systems consist of simple routines or setups that allow your home to run on autopilot, even during the busiest holiday weeks.
- Daily resets. Dedicate five to ten minutes of your morning and evening to identify and address your home’s clutter zones. Return things to where they belong. This might take longer at first while you figure out where things belong or need to go—recycle, trash, another room, for example.
- Clear counters. When each item has a designated spot, clutter doesn't stick around.
- Weekly decluttering touchpoints. Choose the same day each week to quickly address clutter hotspots like the bedroom closet, kitchen counter, bathroom vanity, and entryway.
- Seasonal storage habits. Label holiday decoration bins, edit annually, and keep holiday items easily accessible and stored at the end of the season.
[h2]Take A Room By Room Approach
Decluttering like a minimalist works best when you break the process into manageable parts. Instead of trying to overhaul your entire home at once—which only leads to overwhelm—a room-by-room approach lets you focus on one thing at a time, resulting in instant wins. Each space becomes its own small project with a beginning and an end. By focusing on one room at a time, you create visible progress, build momentum, and avoid the burnout that comes from scattered decluttering.
Quick tips and guidelines to help you declutter the most high-traffic rooms in a home:
- Entryway: Clear surfaces, designate a spot for keys (i.e., a decorative gift box) and shoes (invest in a cheap shoe rack). Remove the mail if it piles up here, and anything else you don't use daily.
- Living Room: Donate or refurbish old throw blankets, trim down décor, and reset flat surfaces to reduce visual clutter.
- Kitchen: Declutter counters, toss expired pantry items, and remove duplicate kitchen tools, but ensure you have the tools you need (like a turkey baster and gravy boat) for holiday cooking.
- Dining Area: Make space for hosting by removing rarely used items, knick knacks, or furniture that crowds the room.
- Bathrooms: Clear the bathroom vanity if possible and streamline toiletries by tossing nearly empty bottles. Don't forget to restock the extra bathroom before holiday guests arrive.
- Primary Bedroom: Store seasonal clothes, keep laundry piles in baskets, and clear nightstands. Your goal is to create a calm retreat from holiday busyness.
- Home Office: Sort paperwork, recycle old mail, shred credit card offers, and reestablish your work zone so it feels functional again.
- Guest Room: Wash and refresh the bedding. Declutter and clean surfaces to create a welcoming space, (including closet space) for visitors.
- Kids' Spaces: Donate outgrown toys, organize art supplies, and make room for incoming gifts. It's a great time to start teaching the kids the 'one in, one out' rule.
Holiday Decoration Storage And Organization Made Simple
A minimalist approach means lightening the holiday decorations load. If you are a fan of Marie Kondo , this means keeping only the holiday memorabilia that sparks joy in your heart. So if you have grandma's Christmas decorations from an earlier era and you love them, don't feel guilty for keeping them.
Minimalist thought leaders also agree that decorating should feel joyful, not stressful. When your home is organized and holiday decorations are downsized to those items you treasure most, you remove the overwhelm that often comes with digging through mismatched bins or untangling last year's Christmas lights.
Quick Tips for storing and organizing holiday decorations :
- Sort before you store. Donate or discard décor you no longer use, don't love, or haven't touched for years.
- Use clear, labeled bins. Make it easy to find garlands, ornaments, lights, and seasonal linens at a glance.
- Create a décor "edit" box. As you decorate, set aside items that don't bring joy or fit your current aesthetic. You may choose to donate these or store them to revisit next season.
- Wrap and protect fragile ornaments. Use a combination of specialized ornament storage bins, zip pouches, and tissue to avoid breakage and visual clutter.
- Keep only what fits comfortably in your storage space. Create a minimalist limit you can live with that will help prevent accumulating excess holiday trinkets.
- Label Christmas lights and cords. Prevent tangles by wrapping each string light separately and storing it with its specific extension cord.
- Use vertical storage. Shelving and stackable bins make décor easy to access and put away. And if you don’t have space at home, you can create these same systems in a storage unit .
- Review holiday décor annually. Each year, re-evaluate what you used, loved, or skipped—and adjust accordingly.
Storing your holiday decorations thoughtfully will simplify setting up and putting away year after year. And remember, the goal isn't to have less just for the sake of it, but to curate your Christmas decorations, keeping those treasured items that bring warmth, meaning, and joy to you, your family, and your home.
Store Your Holiday Decorations With StorQuest
Keep your home organized and your holiday decorations merry, bright, and protected with a climate-controlled storage unit at StorQuest . Our units maintain consistent temperature and humidity, so your ornaments, lights, and treasured keepsakes stay in perfect condition season after season. With StorQuest , you get peace of mind, extra space at home, and a trusted partner that helps you keep the holidays joyful year after year.