TL;DR
A Veranda report published in November 2026 recommends clearing 12 categories of household items before holiday hosting, focusing on guest-facing spaces rather than a whole-home purge. Organizing and design experts say the aim is to make room for guests and seasonal supplies while keeping meaningful possessions.
Veranda has published a list of 12 household categories that organizing and design experts recommend reviewing before holiday hosting picks up, including unused coats, excess decorations and worn linens. The advice focuses on a few high-use, guest-facing areas rather than a full-home purge, with the aim of making room for visitors, food and seasonal supplies.
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The report advises readers to start with spaces guests are likely to use: the entry, living room, dining room, kitchen, powder room and guest bedroom. Kerrie Kelly, CEO and creative director of Kerrie Kelly Studio and chair of the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s 2026 board, suggests spending 20 or 30 minutes per space deciding what to donate, discard or relocate.
The 12 categories in the report are excess decorative accessories; old magazines and books; coats and boots nobody wears; worn winter accessories; unusable gift-wrap supplies; worn-out towels and sheets; items accumulating in the guest room; damaged or mismatched food-storage containers; old candles and overpowering home fragrances; expired or unwanted pantry items; unused kitchen equipment; and decorations that are no longer wanted. The article’s excerpt lists the first nine categories and begins its discussion of candles and fragrances; the remaining categories are drawn from its stated list of 12, not from details in the supplied excerpt.
Advice from the experts is practical rather than prescriptive: check what is usable before buying more, keep supplies together, and donate suitable items where possible. The report recommends contacting animal shelters before offering old linens, and checking donation centers, coat drives and shelters for other gently used goods.
Making Guest Spaces Work
The recommendations address a familiar seasonal pressure: holiday visitors and supplies compete for space in entry closets, kitchens and spare rooms. Clearing a small number of items from those areas may make it easier to store guests’ coats, prepare food or set up a usable bedroom, without turning the task into a major home project.
The report also connects decluttering with local reuse and donation needs. Ann Lightfoot, cofounder of DDH Home Organizing & Move Management, says coat drives and shelters seek gently used items during the colder months. Whether a specific organization accepts a particular item varies, so the article advises checking before dropping anything off.
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A Focused Pre-Holiday Edit
The report frames the work as a short, timely edit before the busy holiday period, when homes may take in guests, gifts, food and decorations. It does not recommend clearing every room or removing possessions simply because they are old or do not match. Instead, the advice is to prioritize daily function and the spaces visitors will encounter.
Kelly cautions against removing meaningful objects such as family china, inherited linens and collected ornaments just to reduce visual clutter. She says those pieces can contribute to a home’s character. Amelia Meena, owner of Appleshine, Organization + Design, similarly advises doing what is manageable in one or two sessions and not worrying about unfinished areas.
“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
What the Advice Does Not Establish
The recommendations are expert guidance reported by Veranda, not a formal standard or evidence that every household needs to remove all 12 categories. The supplied article excerpt does not include the full explanations for the final items on its list, so their specific rationale and any associated expert comments cannot be confirmed from that material.
The report also does not provide data measuring whether a pre-holiday decluttering session reduces stress or improves hosting. Donation acceptance depends on each organization, and the article does not identify specific local groups or collection schedules. Readers should confirm item requirements directly before donating.
A Short Room-by-Room Review
The report’s practical next step is to choose a few priority spaces and set aside 20 to 30 minutes for each. Check the entry closet, guest room and kitchen first if those are likely to see the most use; then sort items into what should be kept, relocated, discarded or offered for donation.
Before shopping for wrapping supplies or storage containers, take inventory of what is already on hand. For donations, contact local coat drives, shelters or animal organizations to check what they accept. The report gives no specific event date or follow-up milestone; its advice is intended for readers to apply before holiday hosting begins.
Key Questions
What does the report recommend clearing before the holidays?
Its list covers 12 household categories, including excess decor, old reading material, unused coats and boots, worn winter accessories, unusable gift wrap, worn linens, guest-room clutter, damaged food containers, old candles and overpowering fragrances, along with additional categories named in the report’s list.
Does the advice call for decluttering the whole house?
No. The experts recommend focusing on guest-facing and frequently used spaces rather than attempting a whole-home purge. Meena advises doing what is manageable in one or two sessions.
Which rooms should readers prioritize?
Kelly names the entry, living room, dining room, kitchen, powder room and guest bedroom as spaces guests may experience. The best starting point depends on how a household expects to host.
Can old towels and sheets be donated?
The report says animal shelters may welcome some linens, but advises readers to call ahead. Acceptance policies and the condition of items required can vary by organization.
Should meaningful decorations or inherited items be discarded?
Not simply because they are old or do not match. Kelly says family china, inherited linens and collected ornaments can give a holiday home character; the goal is to reduce clutter without removing meaningful possessions.
Source: veranda.com
