5 Easy Kitchen Prep Tips Chefs and Pro Organizers Always use to get Ready for the Holidays with Less Stress, Including 'Leftover Zones'

The kitchen is the heart of most homes, and whether you're cooking, hosting, or relaxing with loved ones this holiday season, having this social space prepped like a pro now will ease stress on the big day.

So, who better to turn to for expert advice than chefs and professional organizers?

Here, they share their five top tips on getting organized for Christmas, from reviewing and reorganizing to decluttering and cleaning.

5 kitchen prep tricks experts use to get ready for the holidays

1. Review what you have

Ben Soreff, professional organizer at House to Home Organizing, advises beginning with a review of your kitchen ideas and pantry organization ideas.

He says, 'Everything in your kitchen belongs in a category. The first step is to review everything. We want items we don't use often to be stored in "kitchen run-off" areas like the garage, basement, or even the pantry.

'When reviewing, think about how often you use an item to determine the best place for it to live in your space. We want items to go in easily, but also come out easily.'

This is crucial when it comes to practical holiday hosting tips to stave off stress, and making hosting for the holidays an effortless breeze, rather than a cause for concern.

In particular, using drawer organizers, such as the great value Vtopmart Drawer Organizers Set available at Amazon, will make it easy to grab exactly what you need for hosting when you need it, like flatware, plates, and utensils.

This kitchen item review is something that Tracy McCubbin, CEO and founder of dClutterfly, also does, paying particular attention to any pantry items still hanging around from the holiday season last year.

'Ahead of the holidays, I always do an inventory of any pantry items I have left over from last year, that are still good – and trust me, they are,' she says, 'like fancy jam that came in a gift basket that you can pour over brie cheese and bake for an easy and delicious appetizer.

'What about the tinned fish you bought during the tinned fish craze? Another easy appetizer when guests pop by. How about that champagne that you bought and never drank? As long as it’s been stored properly, it’s good this year.

'Pop the cork and enjoy. Kitchen hack: if you don’t drink a lot of champagne, skip the flutes and invest in a set of beautiful coupe glasses. You can use them for both champagne and cocktails.'

For this, we recommend the Waterfall Coupe Glasses, available in a pack of four at Anthropologie.

2. Declutter what you don't or won't need

Next, focus on decluttering the pantry, cleaning the refrigerator, and cleaning the freezer.

Di Ter Avest, professional organizer and founder of Diisorganized, says, 'I pull everything out of my pantry, toss the expired stuff, and donate what we won’t use. This way, I know exactly what I already have before making those big holiday grocery runs.

'Plus, it gives me space for all the specialty ingredients that only come out this time of year – like canned pumpkin, extra spices, or those fancy crackers. A clean pantry makes me feel calmer and more in control before the chaos begins.'

Then, turn your attention to your fridge and freezer.

'I treat the fridge and freezer like VIPs before the holidays,' continues Di. 'I give both a full reset – cleaning shelves, tossing old condiments,' which are among the things to get rid of in your fridge right now for Christmas, 'and organizing what stays so I can actually see it.'

Using plastic bins, such as the Mainstays Organization Bins available at Walmart, will make organizing a refrigerator easy.

'I also try to use up as much as I can in the weeks before, so I’ve got plenty of room for holiday groceries, prep work, and leftovers,' adds Di. This will also help to eliminate food waste.

3. Deep clean the oven

Another important kitchen prep step, says Kyle Taylor, the founder and creator of HE COOKS, is cleaning the oven.

'Burnt residue creates smoke when you're roasting at high heat,' he warns. 'I use Bar Keepers Friend, available at Amazon, for stubborn spots.'

Additionally, says Nancy Mock, recipe developer and food writer at Hungry Enough to Eat Six, 'I go inside the appliances too: to clean the shelves in the fridge, get the crumbs out of the toaster oven, and wipe out the floor of the oven.'

4. Reorganize your bakeware collection

You should also, say Joanne and Adam Gallagher, recipe creators and founders of Inspired Taste, take the time to reorganize the ways you store baking dishes and store bakeware.

'Over the year, baking sheets and pans get stacked haphazardly,' they explain. 'Taking a few minutes to nest them by size and shape saves me so much stress once the baking marathon begins.'

If yours are looking a little worse for wear, the NutriChef 8-Piece Nonstick Stackable Bakeware Set available at Amazon is stylish, easy to store, and will look striking among your tablescaping ideas.

5. Create a leftover zone

Finally, Di recommends creating a leftover zone. 'It's one of my favorite tricks – especially when hosting – to set up a designated leftover zone,' she says.

'Before guests even arrive, clear one shelf in the fridge and set out a stash of food containers, labels, and even a few reusable bags,' such as the Ziploc Quart Food Storage Bags available at Amazon, which are some of the things people who love hosting always have in their homes.

'That way, when dinner’s over, everyone can easily pack up their share to take home. Not only does this make cleanup faster, but it prevents being stuck with all the leftovers, because let’s be honest – nobody needs four trays of stuffing in their fridge. Guests love it!'

What to shop

All prices were correct at the time of publication.

Meet our experts

Ben Soreff

House to Home Organizing focuses on creating systems tailored to their individual clients' needs, with a goal of making their home as productive and peaceful as possible.

Di Ter Avest

After becoming a wife and a mother, Di quickly learned the importance of organization and regular decluttering. Since, she has helped hundreds of clients rethink their relationship with clutter, including how to successfully prep a kitchen space for busy holiday hosting.

Tracy McCubbin

Tracy has been professionally decluttering and organizing since 2006, after founding dClutterfly 20 years ago, armed with the motto, 'Don’t put it down, put it away.'

Kyle Taylor

Kyle is the founder and creator of HE COOKS®, a modern culinary brand and storytelling platform sharing recipes, travel films, and thoughtful writing on food culture and more.

Adam and Joanne Gallagher

Adam and Joanne specialize in providing quick and easy recipes for home cooks worldwide, with amazing recipes made with simple ingredients and cookware, and accessible tools and tricks.

Nancy Mock

Nancy is a recipe developer and food writer, with more than eight years of professional experience, contributing her expertise to brands like Taste of Home, Simply Recipes, Mashed, Foodie, Reader's Digest, and Birds & Blooms. She founded her own recipe website 10 years ago, Hungry Enough to Eat Six, where she shares her writing, photography, and New England-inspired comfort food and baking.

When the holidays get a little closer, this four-week decluttering method will banish chaotic clutter ahead of time.