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A Good Housekeeping report recommends clearing 13 categories of household items in November, from expired pantry goods to unused holiday decorations. The advice comes from professional organizers and is intended to free space before holiday hosting and incoming gifts; it is guidance, not a universal rule about what to discard.
Good Housekeeping has published a November decluttering checklist featuring 13 categories that professional organizers recommend sorting before holiday hosting, including worn linens, expired pantry goods, unused winter accessories and surplus kitchenware. The guidance is meant to help households make room for seasonal supplies, guests and new items, but decisions about sentimental or potentially useful belongings remain personal.
The list covers everyday household items and seasonal belongings: dingy linens; winter accessories people avoid wearing; expired pantry products; items stored in a guest room; children’s toys and games; unused family china; worn fall decorations; holiday outfits unlikely to be worn; old condiments; festive makeup; Christmas decorations left unused after decorating; letters and photos tied to past chapters; and extra or worn-out kitchen items.
Organizers cited by the report suggest practical reasons for tackling the categories in November. Allison Flanders, founder of ORG NYC, said clearing old jars can free up refrigerator and freezer space for holiday food and leftovers. For the pantry, organizer Shira Bergman said a clear-out can make room for seasonal staples such as baking supplies and canned goods.
Other recommendations involve reuse or passing items on rather than simply throwing them away. Bergman advised repairing winter accessories when possible. Matt Paxton, author of Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff, suggested donating toys children no longer use and offering unwanted family china to relatives before donating it. Allison Flinn, founder of Reclaim, said people can donate Christmas decorations they chose not to use after decorating.
Making Room Before Holiday Hosting
The checklist focuses on space and readiness at a time when kitchens, guest rooms and closets may see heavier use. Clearing expired food can reduce the chance of relying on past-prime ingredients, while sorting guest-room clutter can make the space more usable for visitors. Removing worn towels, unused gadgets and surplus mugs may also make kitchen preparation easier.
The suggestions also address the items likely to accumulate during the season, including gifts and new decorations. Paxton proposed letting go of about 25% to 50% of children’s existing toys to create room for toys arriving in December. That figure is his recommendation in the report, not a measured requirement or a target suited to every household.
The advice does not mean every item should go in the trash. Repairable accessories may be mended; usable toys, china and decorations may be donated or offered to family. The central point is to make deliberate choices about what is still used, rather than discard items solely because November has arrived.
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A Seasonal Organizing Checklist
The recommendations appeared in a Good Housekeeping home-organizing report focused on a pre-holiday reset. The article draws on comments from professional organizers, including Bergman, Paxton, Olivia Parks of Nola Organizers, Flanders, Allison Flinn of Reclaim and organizer Hoepner. The supplied source does not give Hoepner’s first name.
Several suggestions are tied to specific points in the holiday calendar. Parks recommends sorting fall decorations that have wilted or lost their scent as Thanksgiving approaches, while Flinn suggests reviewing Christmas decorations after putting up the items a household plans to display. The report also encourages sorting holiday clothing before events begin, rather than waiting until the closet is needed.
““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 Discovery’s Filthy Fortunes, as quoted by Good Housekeeping
Personal Choices, Not Fixed Rules
The source presents organizer recommendations, not tested rules. It does not establish that every household should discard a set share of toys or remove belongings that have not been used for a year. The usefulness of an item depends on a household’s needs, storage, finances and personal attachments.
The report also does not provide a complete food-safety guide for deciding whether pantry or refrigerated products are safe. Readers should check product labels and relevant food-safety guidance rather than rely on appearance alone. The source does not say how many readers followed the advice or measure whether the suggested clear-outs improve holiday hosting.
Sort, Repair, Donate or Discard
The next steps are household decisions: review the listed categories, set aside items that need repair, and identify usable belongings that can be offered to family or donated. For food, check dates and storage information before discarding items; do not use products that are spoiled or unsafe. Once seasonal decorations are put up, the report suggests reviewing what remained unused and considering whether to keep it.
No follow-up study or official deadline is included in the source. The checklist is framed as a practical November routine, so readers can apply it selectively before guests arrive and holiday supplies take up more room.
Key Questions
What are the 13 categories in the November checklist?
They are dingy linens, unwanted winter accessories, expired pantry items, guest-room clutter, children’s toys and games, unused family china, worn fall decor, unworn holiday outfits, old condiments, festive makeup, unused Christmas decorations, letters or photos tied to past chapters, and extra kitchenware.
Does the report say to throw everything away?
No. The recommendations include repairing what can be fixed and donating or offering usable items to others. The article uses “toss” broadly for clearing belongings, but it does not say every item belongs in the trash.
How many children’s toys does Matt Paxton suggest removing?
Paxton suggests letting go of about 25% to 50% of existing toys when a household expects new toys in December. This is his recommendation as quoted in the report, not a general requirement.
Why clear the pantry and refrigerator before the holidays?
The organizers say clearing expired pantry goods and old condiments can make room for seasonal ingredients, holiday food and leftovers. For food-safety decisions, check labels and storage guidance; the report is not a detailed safety manual.
Source: goodhousekeeping.com
