The holidays bring a lot of joy—and a lot of cooking and entertaining! I actually do this a few weeks before we start decorating. Having a clutter-free kitchen and dining room will make holiday meal prep and gatherings so much smoother. In this part of the series, we’ll focus on preparing these two high-traffic areas to make your holiday hosting easier and more enjoyable.

1. Clear Out Cabinets and Pantry

Start by decluttering your cabinets and pantry to make space for all the holiday ingredients and supplies.

• Sort through ingredients: Check expiration dates and get rid of expired spices, sauces, and canned goods. Donate any non-perishables that you won’t use. Knowing what you have on hand will help so much with the Holiday cooking and baking. 
• Group holiday essentials: Create dedicated areas for holiday-specific items like baking ingredients, spices or serving platters. This will make it easier to grab what you need when it’s time to cook.
• Minimize cookware: Clear out unused or redundant cookware to make room for the pots, pans, and dishes you’ll actually need for holiday cooking. Keep your go-to items accessible.
• Declutter: Go through dish towels, if they are old and ratty, just use them as rags or throw them out. I go through our storage containers and any that don’t have lids or bottoms, we get rid of(really where do they go?). Anything that you haven’t used yet, just get rid of, either sell it, donate it or throw it out. 

By organizing cabinets and pantry, you’ll have a clear view of your supplies, making meal prep faster and stress-free.

2. Organize Countertops for a Clean, Functional Space

Kitchen counters often become a catch-all, which can make cooking feel chaotic. Decluttering and organizing your countertops will create a more efficient workspace.

• Limit countertop appliances: Only keep appliances you use regularly, like the coffee maker or toaster, on the countertop. We keep our blender and toaster on the counter, the two small appliances we use just about every day. Store others away to free up space.
• Clear and organize prep areas: Keep counters clear for holiday meal prep. Use containers to organize smaller items, like utensils or spices, so they’re handy without crowding the space.
• Create a baking zone: If you’ll be doing a lot of holiday baking, designate a small section of your counter for baking essentials. Keep flour, sugar, and baking tools nearby to make baking sessions smoother. During our baking season we will keep the mixer on the counter, because it’s used just about every day.

A clean, organized countertop keeps your kitchen functional and makes cooking a more enjoyable experience.

3. Declutter the Dining Room for Festive Gatherings

Your dining room is the center of holiday meals and celebrations, so let’s create a clutter-free space that’s ready for guests. 

• Clear the table: Remove any everyday items or clutter from the dining table to make room for holiday decorations and place settings.
• Organize serving items: Go through serving dishes, platters, and utensils. Keep the essentials and consider storing away any non-seasonal items to create space for holiday dining.
• Create a simple decor plan: Avoid overwhelming the space with decorations. A few statement pieces, like a festive centerpiece or holiday-themed table runner, can bring the holiday spirit without creating clutter.
• Declutter: Our dining room also serves as a homeschool area, so we had to declutter the homeschool things from this year and rearrange some things. In fact I really like how it’s looking decluttering, so it’s making me rethink how we will do it after the Holidays. 

By decluttering the dining room, you’ll have a beautiful and functional space where family and friends can gather comfortably.

Final Thoughts

Preparing your kitchen and dining room for the holidays with a little decluttering will go a long way toward making your celebrations stress-free. By creating space for cooking, organizing your dining area and clearing out unneeded items, you’ll make room for holiday joy—and lots of good food!

I have a saying, “When in doubt, throw it out”. 

The less clutter around, the better we will feel and so will our family. 

Stay tuned for Part 3, where we’ll focus on getting the guest room, bathroom and kids’ play area holiday-ready, making space for guests and new holiday treasures.

Love and Support,