TL;DR
Get baking supplies delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Good Housekeeping’s pre-holiday organizing report recommends nine practical projects, from sorting winter gear and checking dishes to preparing guest rooms and bathrooms. The advice comes from professional organizers; it is guidance, not a report of a new policy or measured outcome.
Good Housekeeping has outlined nine pre-holiday organizing projects, drawing on advice from professional organizers C. Lee Cawley and Linda Thibodeau. The list focuses on making room for guests and holiday supplies by sorting coats and linens, checking kitchen items and food, and preparing bedrooms and bathrooms.
The recommendations start with entry and winter storage. Cawley advises emptying the coat closet, donating coats, shoes and bags no longer used, and setting aside hangers for visitors. Thibodeau also recommends checking children’s and adults’ winter gear for items that no longer fit or are no longer worn. The report says usable unwanted coats may be appropriate for donation centers or local coat drives.
Several projects address holiday hosting and food storage. Cawley suggests inspecting mugs and plates for chips or cracks, locating and labeling serving pieces, washing items that have been stored since the previous year, and checking whether there are enough dishes, glasses and cutlery for the largest planned gathering. Thibodeau recommends reviewing the refrigerator and pantry, checking dates, discarding expired food and making space for shopping and leftovers. She says unopened, unexpired food that will not be used may be donated to a local food pantry.
The remaining tasks cover wrapping supplies and guest spaces. Thibodeau suggests sorting gift paper, ribbons and bags, keeping usable supplies and removing damaged or crumpled items. She also recommends checking guest linens for matching sheet sets and usable towels; the report says animal shelters may accept old sheets and towels that do not contain filling. For overnight visitors, Cawley and Thibodeau advise clearing bedroom surfaces and desk space, making room in the guest closet and drawers, and providing matching hangers and a luggage rack. In the bathroom, Cawley recommends clearing counter space and stocking spare toiletries and personal-care supplies.
Make Room for Holiday Guests
The list addresses practical pressure points that can become more difficult to handle when visitors arrive: limited closet space, missing serving pieces, crowded food storage and unprepared guest rooms. Doing these tasks ahead of time can give hosts a clearer view of what they already have and what they may need to buy or borrow.
The advice also identifies ways to redirect usable items. Coats, unopened food and some linens may be suitable for donation, depending on the receiving organization’s requirements. Those suggestions are presented as organizers’ recommendations, not as guarantees that every center or shelter will accept every item.
Products Worth Considering
Vitamix Ascent X2 SmartPrep Kitchen System, Black
De'Longhi Classic Signature Espresso Machine with Adjustable Milk Frother
Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 16-Inch Stainless Steel Roasting Pan with Rack
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
The Nine Tasks at a Glance
The source report groups its advice around spaces likely to see extra use during holiday gatherings: the coat closet, winter gear, kitchenware, gift wrap, refrigerator and pantry, linen closet, guest room, guest closet and guest bathroom. The sequence moves from sorting household items to setting up rooms for visitors.
The guidance comes from C. Lee Cawley, a certified professional organizer and owner of Simplify You, and Linda Thibodeau, a professional organizer and co-owner of Curated Spaces. Good Housekeeping’s report presents their suggestions as a planning checklist. It does not provide survey results, cost estimates or evidence that completing the projects produces a particular outcome.
Donation Rules Vary by Location
The supplied report does not state when it was published, identify the holiday season by year, or give a deadline for completing the projects. It also does not verify current acceptance rules at local coat drives, food pantries or animal shelters. Readers should check with each organization before dropping off items, particularly food and linens. The article offers general organizing guidance, not a required checklist or a guarantee that a given item will be accepted.
Check Supplies Before Guests Arrive
The next step for readers is to match the checklist to their own plans: confirm how many people are coming, identify which rooms and dishes will be needed, and then sort or clean the relevant items. After checking pantry and refrigerator dates, hosts can make a shopping list for any missing supplies and contact donation organizations about their current rules.
The source does not announce a follow-up event or reporting milestone. The practical timing in the advice is before holiday gatherings, so organizers can address storage and guest-room needs before visitors arrive.
Key Questions
What are the nine pre-holiday organizing projects?
The report recommends decluttering the coat closet, sorting winter gear, inspecting and washing dishware, organizing gift wrap, taking inventory of the refrigerator and pantry, sorting linens, preparing the guest room, clearing the guest-room closet and stocking the guest bathroom.
What should hosts check in their dishware?
C. Lee Cawley recommends checking mugs and plates for chips or cracks, locating serving pieces, washing items stored since the prior year and confirming there are enough dishes, glassware and cutlery for the planned gathering.
Can unwanted food and linens be donated?
The source says unopened, unexpired food may be donated to a local food pantry and that animal shelters may use old sheets and towels without filling. Acceptance rules differ, so check with the organization before donating.
How can a guest room be made more useful?
The organizers advise clearing surfaces and desk space, making room in the closet and drawers, and providing hangers and a luggage rack so visitors have space for their belongings.
Source: goodhousekeeping.com
