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Professional organizers recommend nine pre-holiday projects, from sorting coats and winter gear to checking dishes, pantry supplies and guest spaces. The advice is practical guidance, not a report of a new policy or study; no deadlines or measured outcomes are provided.
A holiday-preparation guide outlines nine organizing projects for households expecting visitors, including clearing coat storage, checking kitchen supplies and making guest rooms usable. Professional organizers C. Lee Cawley and Linda Thibodeau say tackling these tasks ahead of gatherings can help make room for guests, meals and seasonal supplies.
The suggestions cover both everyday storage and spaces used more heavily during the holidays. Cawley recommends clearing the coat closet before visitors arrive with winter outerwear: remove items household members no longer use and add hangers for guests. Thibodeau advises checking children’s and adults’ coats, boots and mittens for items that no longer fit or are no longer needed. She says usable unwanted winter gear may be suitable for donation centers or local coat drives.
In the kitchen, Cawley recommends inspecting plates and mugs for chips or cracks, locating and labeling serving pieces, and washing items that have been stored since the previous year. Households should check whether they have enough dishes, glassware and cutlery for their largest gathering. Thibodeau also suggests reviewing the fridge and pantry, checking dates and clearing space for holiday groceries and leftovers. She says unopened, unexpired food that has gone unused may be donated to a local food pantry.
The remaining projects focus on gifts and overnight guests. Thibodeau recommends sorting wrapping paper, ribbons and gift bags, keeping usable supplies together and discarding damaged or crumpled items. For guest preparation, the organizers suggest checking sheet sets and towels, clearing bedroom surfaces and desk space, and making room in the guest closet and drawers. Cawley also recommends setting out a luggage rack and preparing the guest bathroom with clear counter space and spare essentials.
Nine projects for holiday-ready spaces
Professional organizers recommend practical ways to prepare for visitors, meals and seasonal supplies. Start with the spaces your household will use soonest.
Clear coats and winter gear
Make room for visitors and identify usable items your household no longer needs.
Remove unused items and add hangers for guests.
Check coats, boots and mittens for fit and use; ask local coat drives about donation requirements.
Prepare the kitchen
Check what you have before hosting and make space for holiday food.
Inspect and count
Check plates and mugs for damage, find serving pieces, wash stored items and count dishes, glassware and cutlery.
Review fridge and pantry
Check dates and clear room for groceries and leftovers. Unopened, unexpired food may suit a local food pantry.
Sort seasonal supplies
Keep useful gift-wrap materials together so they are ready when needed.
- Gather wrapping paper, ribbons and gift bags.
- Keep usable supplies together; discard damaged or crumpled items.
Make space for overnight guests
Prepare linens and clear places for visitors’ belongings.
- Check sheet sets and towels.
- Clear bedroom surfaces and desk space.
- Make room in closets and drawers; set out a luggage rack.
- Clear counter space.
- Prepare spare essentials.
Making Room for Holiday Guests
The advice addresses a common practical pressure of holiday hosting: household spaces often need to serve more people than usual. Clearing a coat closet, guest-room storage and bathroom counters can give visitors places to put their belongings, while checking kitchen supplies may help hosts spot missing or damaged items before a meal.
Some of the suggested clear-outs may also direct usable goods to local organizations. Thibodeau points to coat drives and donation centers for winter gear, food pantries for eligible unopened food, and dog shelters for towels and sheets without filling. These are recommendations rather than guarantees that every organization can accept every item; people should check local donation requirements.
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Nine Tasks Across the Home
The list groups the work into nine areas: the coat closet, winter gear, dishware, gift-wrapping supplies, the fridge and pantry, linens, the guest room, the guest-room closet and the guest bathroom. The projects range from checking what a household already owns to creating dedicated space for visitors.
The article attributes the recommendations to C. Lee Cawley, a certified professional organizer and owner of Simplify You, and Linda Thibodeau, a professional organizer and co-owner of Curated Spaces. It does not give a date for the advice, identify a particular holiday season, or report research findings on the impact of organizing.
Donation Rules and Household Needs
The recommendations are general organizing guidance, not a checklist tailored to a particular home, guest count or holiday. The material does not say how much time each project takes or establish that completing all nine is necessary for hosting.
Donation acceptance varies by organization, and the advice does not provide specific local rules, collection dates or contact details. It also does not specify a publication date or state when readers should begin. Households will need to adapt the sequence to their own schedules and check with donation recipients before dropping off items.
Start With the Most Used Spaces
Readers can use the list as a planning guide and begin with areas likely to be needed soonest, such as the coat closet, kitchen storage or guest room. Checking supplies early may leave time to replace broken dishware, buy missing wrapping materials or make room for groceries.
Before donating food, clothing or linens, check that items meet the receiving organization’s requirements. The article does not announce a follow-up event or further reporting; the next steps depend on each household’s plans and the timing of its gatherings.
Source: rss
Key Questions
What are the nine recommended pre-holiday projects?
The list covers the coat closet, winter gear, dishware, gift-wrap supplies, fridge and pantry, linens, guest room, guest-room closet and guest bathroom.
What should I check in the kitchen before hosting?
Inspect plates and mugs for chips or cracks, locate serving pieces, wash items stored since last year, and check that you have enough dishes, glasses and cutlery for your gathering. Review food dates and make space for groceries and leftovers.
Can unwanted food and linens be donated?
Thibodeau says unopened, unexpired food may be donated to a local food pantry, and towels or sheets without filling may be useful to dog shelters. Acceptance rules vary, so check with the organization first.
How can I make a guest room more practical?
Clear surfaces and desk space, remove household overflow from the closet, leave some drawer space and consider providing matching hangers and a luggage rack.
Source: goodhousekeeping.com
