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A Good Housekeeping report published 13 November recommends 13 categories to review before holiday hosting, including expired food, worn linens, unused seasonal decor and extra kitchenware. The suggestions come from professional organizers; they are advice, not a formal requirement, and the report does not provide research showing that every household should discard the same items.
Good Housekeeping has published a November decluttering guide in which professional organizers recommend reviewing 13 kinds of household belongings before the holiday season, from expired pantry food and old condiments to unused decorations and worn kitchen textiles. The advice is intended to free up storage and hosting space, though what should be thrown away, donated or kept depends on an item’s condition and the household’s needs.
The list covers practical items that can take up space before winter and holiday gatherings. Organizer Bergman recommends sorting winter accessories such as gloves, scarves, boots and heavy socks, repairing usable pieces and letting go of those that are uncomfortable or unwanted. The report also suggests checking dingy linens and clearing expired pantry goods before seasonal baking and entertaining.
Other recommendations focus on rooms and belongings that may become more noticeable during holiday visits: items accumulating in a guest room, toys and games that children no longer use, and family china that sits unused. The guide suggests reviewing fall decorations after Thanksgiving, deciding which holiday outfits are likely to be worn, and removing expired or long-open condiments from the refrigerator. It also includes festive makeup that goes unused, Christmas decorations left in storage after decorating, sentimental letters or photographs tied to chapters of life a person has moved on from, and extra or worn kitchenware.
The report does not say every item in these categories should automatically go in the trash. Some may be repaired, donated, passed to relatives or returned to their proper room. Food and personal-care products should be assessed for safety and condition, while sentimental belongings call for individual judgment.
Making Room Before Holiday Hosting
The advice addresses a practical seasonal pressure: holiday meals, guests and incoming gifts can compete for limited cupboard, refrigerator, closet and storage space. Sorting pantry and refrigerator contents can make room for ingredients and leftovers, while reviewing kitchen tools and guest-room clutter may make hosting arrangements easier.
The guide also frames decluttering as a chance to decide what will actually be used, rather than keeping belongings solely because they might be useful someday. Its recommendations are expert opinions quoted by the publication, not a universal checklist. Readers can adapt them to their space, budget, accessibility needs and family circumstances.
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The Guide’s 13 Categories
The Good Housekeeping report attributes its suggestions to professional organizers, including Bergman, Matt Paxton, Olivia Parks of Nola Organizers, Allison Flanders of ORG NYC, Allison Flinn of Reclaim, and Hoepner. Their recommendations span seasonal clothing, food storage, guest spaces, children’s belongings, decor and kitchen supplies.
Paxton suggests aiming to let go of about 25% to 50% of existing toys when a household expects children to receive new ones during the holidays. That figure is his recommendation in the article, not a measured standard for families. He also advises giving relatives the option to take unused family china before donating it. The source presents these as organizing strategies rather than rules.
““The goal should be to let go of about 25% to 50% of their existing toys to make space for the items coming in December.””
— Matt Paxton, author of “Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff” and host of “Filthy Fortunes,” as quoted by Good Housekeeping
What to Keep, Donate or Discard
The article does not provide a standardized test for deciding when an item is too worn, unsafe or no longer useful, and it does not establish that November is the best time for every household to declutter. Its suggestions depend on personal circumstances. The report also does not specify a publication year in the supplied material.
Some categories require care rather than a simple discard decision: usable belongings may be donated or offered to relatives, and items with sentimental value may warrant keeping. For expired food and cosmetics, the guide gives general prompts but does not detail product-specific safety guidance.
A Room-by-Room November Review
The guide’s practical next step is to work through the relevant categories before holiday hosting: check food storage, sort seasonal clothing, clear surfaces and guest space, then review decorations and kitchen equipment. After putting up winter decor, organizers suggest setting aside the decorations that did not get used and deciding whether to store or donate them.
There is no announced follow-up or formal deadline. Readers can use the list selectively, making decisions based on condition, actual use and available space rather than treating the recommendations as instructions to discard all items in a category.
Key Questions
What does the November decluttering guide recommend reviewing?
It lists 13 categories, including worn linens, winter accessories, expired pantry food, guest-room clutter, toys, unused china, fall and holiday decorations, condiments, festive makeup, sentimental keepsakes and extra kitchenware.
Does the report say to throw away everything on the list?
No. Some items may be repaired, donated, offered to relatives or put away in a more suitable place. The guide presents organizers’ suggestions, not a rule that every household should discard every item mentioned.
Where does the 25% to 50% toy figure come from?
It is a recommendation from Matt Paxton, quoted in the Good Housekeeping report, for families expecting new toys during the holidays. The source does not describe it as a research finding or a requirement.
Why does the guide focus on food storage and kitchen items?
Organizers say clearing expired pantry goods, old condiments and unused kitchenware can free space for holiday ingredients, meals and leftovers. The article does not give a specific food-safety checklist.
Source: goodhousekeeping.com
