TL;DR
A Veranda report published ahead of the 2026 holiday season recommends clearing 12 categories of household clutter, including unused coats, worn linens, excess decor and old food containers. The experts advise focusing on guest-facing and everyday spaces rather than attempting a whole-home purge.
Veranda has published a holiday decluttering checklist based on advice from professional organizers and designers, naming 12 categories of household items to sort before guests, food, gifts and seasonal decorations arrive. The recommendations focus on practical spaces such as entryways, kitchens and guest rooms, rather than a full-home cleanout.
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The list includes excess decorative accessories, old magazines and books, coats and boots no one wears, and worn winter accessories such as gloves, hats and scarves. It also calls out unused gift-wrap supplies, worn-out towels and sheets, and belongings that have accumulated in a guest room.
The remaining categories are damaged or mismatched food-storage containers, old candles and overly strong home fragrances, along with other household items identified in the report’s checklist. The supplied source excerpt cuts off during the section about candles and fragrances and does not include the full descriptions or all 12 list entries, so those missing details cannot be independently specified here.
The experts recommend checking what is actually used before buying more or discarding things. For example, Laura Kinsella, founder of Urban OrgaNYze, advises taking inventory of wrapping paper and gift bags, recycling scraps too small to use, and storing what remains together. For linens, Ann Lightfoot of DDH Home Organizing & Move Management suggests keeping enough clean sets for guests and checking with animal shelters about whether they accept retired towels or sheets.
Make Guest Spaces Easier to Use
The advice is aimed at easing pressure during a season when guests, gifts, food and decorations can crowd storage and shared spaces. Clearing an entry closet can make room for visitors’ coats; sorting food containers can make cooking and storing leftovers less cumbersome; and removing accumulated items from a spare room can make it more usable for overnight guests.
The report also links decluttering to local donation needs. Lightfoot says coat drives and shelters seek gently used items during the colder months. That does not mean every unwanted item is suitable for donation: the report advises checking whether organizations accept specific goods, including old linens.
The designers’ guidance is not to remove belongings solely because they are old or do not match. Kerrie Kelly, CEO and creative director of Kerrie Kelly Studio, says meaningful belongings such as inherited linens and collected ornaments can contribute to a home’s character. The stated aim is to make room for seasonal use without stripping away personal items.
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A Short, Focused Seasonal Sort
The source report frames the task as a limited pre-holiday edit, not a whole-house purge. Amelia Meena, owner of Appleshine, Organization + Design, recommends one or two decluttering sessions before the holiday rush and says people should do what they can rather than worry about unfinished areas.
Kelly suggests concentrating on spaces visitors are likely to use, including the entry, living room, dining room, kitchen, powder room and guest bedroom. Her suggested approach is to spend 20 or 30 minutes per space and decide what to donate, discard or relocate. That time estimate is her recommendation, not a measured guarantee of how long the work will take.
The report’s practical rationale is that household clutter can become harder to address once seasonal purchases, wrapping materials, leftovers and guests’ belongings begin to accumulate. The advice is based on comments from organizers and designers; it is not a formal study comparing household outcomes.
“I like to think of it as making room for the experience rather than simply getting rid of things.”
— Kerrie Kelly, CEO and creative director of Kerrie Kelly Studio
The Full Checklist Is Not Available
The supplied source material does not include the complete article: it ends partway through the discussion of old candles and home fragrances. Although the headline promises 12 categories, the available excerpt does not provide all 12 entries or their full explanations. This article therefore does not fill in the missing items by inference.
The source also does not give a publication date beyond its reference to the 2026 holiday season, nor does it report measured results from following the advice. Donation acceptance varies by organization, and the excerpt does not identify specific local programs or confirm which items they will take.
Sort the Spaces You Use
The report offers a set of recommendations rather than a scheduled event or policy change, so no formal next milestone is identified. Readers can apply the advice by choosing one high-use or guest-facing area, checking what is functional and used, and setting aside suitable items for donation, recycling or disposal.
Before donating linens, clothing or other household goods, contact the intended organization to confirm its needs and acceptance rules. For items kept for guests or seasonal use, the experts’ guidance is to make practical room while retaining belongings with personal meaning.
Key Questions
What is the report about?
Veranda published recommendations from organizers and designers on 12 categories of household items to sort before the holiday season. The provided source excerpt does not contain all 12 entries.
Which areas should people prioritize?
Kerrie Kelly recommends focusing on spaces guests are likely to use: the entry, living room, dining room, kitchen, powder room and guest bedroom.
Does the advice call for a whole-house purge?
No. Amelia Meena recommends a limited effort before the holiday rush, while Kelly suggests short sessions in selected rooms. The report says to make space for seasonal use, not to discard belongings indiscriminately.
Can old towels and sheets be donated?
Ann Lightfoot says animal shelters may welcome them, but advises readers to call shelters first. The source does not confirm that every shelter accepts used linens.
Source: veranda.com
