Post-Christmas Clean-Up Made Simple – Easily Restore Calm at Home With Our Expert Checklist

As soon as the festive period is over, the Christmas decor that once inspired awe can feel a little oppressive, getting in the way and holding you back from starting the New Year fresh.

That’s why a clear, step-by-step post-Christmas clean-up checklist is essential. By tackling the mess strategically – from clearing surfaces to storing decor properly – you can restore order quickly and efficiently, without letting clutter linger for days.

Here's how our experts advise you to tackle the tasks easily, and the top cleaning tips they swear by to restore order without burning out.

Post-Christmas Clean-up Checklist

Immediate Fixes

The earlier you start, the quicker you will be able to restore peace to your home.

1. Clean as you go on Christmas Day

Of course, most of Christmas Day should be spent relaxing and being present with friends and family. However, that doesn't mean you can't do a few small tasks to clean as you go and prevent clutter before it starts.

• Use drop zones: Keep on top of festive mess by organizing your entryway with designated drop zones. Declutter your hallway closet so there are hooks free for extra coats, and position a couple of baskets within easy reach for guests to drop hats, scarves, and shoes into. Do the same for gifts, too.
• Group gifts: Avoid a pile-up of presents by giving each family member their own labeled box, basket, or bag to place theirs into as they’re opened. Not only does this keep things neat, but it’s also a useful tactic for preventing Christmas fall-outs, mainly among children (we’d hope) – so there is no doubting what belongs to whom! These large drawstring Christmas sacks from Amazon are perfect for use year on year.
• Whisk away gift-wrap: Cleaning and organization expert Michelle Hansen, founder of Practical Perfection, points out, 'There is nothing more overwhelming than a family room littered with paper, bows, and tags. Not only that, but it becomes far too easy to lose or even accidentally throw away small parts, important packaging, sentimental cards, and the like. Clearing wrap paraphernalia as you go is the best way to prevent this.' Keep a strong trash bag from Walmart handy to make this easier without disturbing the day.
• Clear dishes immediately: Professional organizer Camilla Frederico, founder of The Personal Helpers, suggests, ‘If you're expecting a large gathering, consider using high-quality disposable plates and cutlery for certain meals, especially if your dishwasher capacity is limited. You could think about cooking in disposable aluminum pans (like these from Target), too.'
• Create a leftovers plan: Get leftovers off the sides and into the fridge or freezer as soon as you can, ideally within two hours of cooking. Not just for the benefit of clutter-free countertops, but to ensure they don’t spoil. To create a non-toxic home, we suggest lining up some glass food containers from Amazon on your counters for easy portioning. They are freezer and oven-safe, and don't affect the taste of your food.
• Clean spills as they happen: Whether it’s removing red wine, getting rid of chocolate stains, or cleaning spilled candle wax, deal with accidents straight away. The longer you leave them, the more likely stains will set, and they’re much harder to get out. A Tide To-Go pen, from Target, is handy for small spills.
• Get everyone involved: Camilla reminds us, 'You may be the host, but tidying up doesn’t have to fall entirely on your shoulders – it’s your Christmas day to enjoy as well. Don't hesitate to delegate tasks to family members. Whether it's packing away gifts, taking out the trash, or stacking the dishwasher, many hands make light work!’

2. Find Homes For Gifts Quickly

Hopefully, you have paid attention to some of the things to get rid of in December and have made some space in your storage ideas for the gifts you received over the holiday, says Laura Price, professional organizer and founder of The Home Organisation. After all, in the days after Christmas, it is prudent to integrate your gifts into your home to get rid of surface clutter.

She says, ‘In the post-Christmas haze, it’s easy to turn a blind eye to presents littering your surfaces. But at some point, you need to integrate them. Start by removing any excess packaging before adding your presents to existing categories.

‘If you’re struggling for room, it might be time for an edit of your belongings. See if you can donate, sell, or recycle anything, especially if you’ve just got a newer or better version of it at Christmas.’

3. Air Out Your Home

Finally, air out your home, says Forrest Webber, cleaning expert and owner of Bear Brothers Cleaning.

He explains, 'After all the cooking, candle-burning, and possibly slightly over-toasted marshmallows, your home could probably use a good air-out. Open the windows, even if it's just for a few minutes, using shock ventilation. If it's too cold, try simmering lemon slices and cinnamon sticks on the stove to remove odors, or use an air purifier to clean the air.' We love the Shark NeverChange Air Purifier MAX, from Best Buy, for its long-life filter and efficiency in spaces up to 1,400 square feet.

If you do want to make a house smell nice without candles, our simmer pot recipes for fall and winter are perfect for the cold month of January and beyond.

4. Have a Quick Clean

Immediately following Christmas, find some time for a quick spruce up of surfaces. We’re not saying you need to spend Christmas with your rubber gloves on, far from it, but a quick whizz around with the vacuum cleaner and a flick of an anti-bac wipe is a fast fix for ensuring your home feels fresh. Add it to your pre-guest cleaning checklist, along with clearing countertops, cleaning the bathroom, and emptying trash cans.

What to Declutter Post-Christmas

With a few days' rest under your belt, you can start with decluttering methods, beginning the process of reclaiming your home. Focus on holiday-specific categories, rather than decluttering a whole house, to avoid decluttering when you feel overwhelmed.

1. Christmas Decor

They may only come out once a year, but it’s amazing how much storage space we dedicate to holiday decorations. It’s all too easy to just pile everything back into boxes, rather than assessing which items bring us that festive feeling – and which don’t.

Once the holidays are over, we recommend reviewing all your holiday decor and supplies – this includes the items you used, didn’t use, and have newly acquired this season.

'Ask yourself if you’re ready to let go of some items; maybe they no longer fit well in your home, maybe you have a few redundancies, or broken items. Remove the items you no longer require so you’re only storing items you truly need for next year,’ advises professional organizer Shannon Krause, founder of Tidy Nest.

Check your garage for any boxes of holiday decor that didn’t make their way into the house at all – if you didn’t miss any of it, the whole lot can go.

2. Clear Cards

Just like any sentimental item, it can be tempting to hold onto Christmas cards. While they’re lovely to look at, they rarely serve a purpose once the season ends, so we recommend recycling them. Or most of them, at least.

‘If you’re holding onto them for practical reasons, such as saving a new address, do it asap. Then, unless there’s anything about a card that makes it so special it needs to go into a memory box, let it go – it has done its job, which was to convey a meaningful message,' says Kate Ibbotson, APDO member and founder of A Tidy Mind.

3. Tackle Unwanted Gifts

Not every gift is a good one, no matter the giver's intentions. That doesn't mean they have to sit and collect dust.

Quietly donate or regift what you can, and consider repurposing the rest. Keep clothing for crafts, cleaning, or DIY, and use boxes for home organization. You can even use unwanted perfumes and bath bombs to fragrance your home.

4. Clear the Fridge

Don't let leftovers sit for longer than three days in the fridge. Laura Price says, 'Reset and declutter your fridge and pantry after Christmas by using up as many leftovers as you can, throwing away food that’s gone bad, cleaning shelves, and regrouping items into categories.' Freeze anything you know you will use again later.

Then, give those shelves a good wipe-down, using an anti-bacterial cleaning spray, such as the bestselling Lysol Pro Kitchen Spray Cleaner and Degreaser available at Amazon.

5. Duplicate Items

Elizabeth Lulu Miranda, professional organizer and founder of Mercury Organizing, says, ‘Out with the old, in with the new,' she shares. 'Take a look around your home and identify items that you no longer need. Maybe some old toys, clothes, or gadgets could find a new home. Decluttering not only makes your home look neater but also gives you a sense of accomplishment.'

You can try the 5-second decluttering rule to focus your gut instinct on whether or not to keep something. Otherwise, it may be easier to focus on items to declutter in under an hour, if you're struggling to get started, and then decide whether to donate or sell decluttered items to free up space for the new year.

6. Empty the Entryway

With all the coming and going of friends and family over the holidays, it's no surprise that your entryway is probably in need of a quick straightening up.

As Diana Ciechorska, general manager at Park Slope Cleaning, says, 'Putting away extra coats, shoes, and holiday decor can instantly reduce visual clutter in an entryway. Use a quick-spray disinfectant to keep things fresh and sanitary as you organize.'

7. Check Over Your Closet

Decluttering and organizing clothes so they’re neat, tidy, and well-ordered is one of the best things you can do for your well-being. And with a New Year imminent, now’s the perfect time to tackle the task head-on. Go through each item and ask yourself whether you’ve worn it since last Christmas. If the answer is no, get rid.

‘By successfully editing your wardrobe, you’re left only with what you need and want – donate the rest to families in need,' urges Shannon Krause. 'Going forward, consider exercising the ‘one-in, one-out’ method, or having a donation box positioned by your front door. You’ll feel great about supporting those in need, and you’re setting yourself up with good decluttering habits for the year ahead.'

Packing and Storage

With the non-essentials decluttered, you can finally turn your attention to clearing your home of Christmas.

Before throwing everything into your storage ideas haphazardly, however, it is worth investing in some sturdy organizers to protect your decor and save space, and work out the most efficient way to take down Christmas decor to make decorating next year easier.

1. Invest in Quality Organizers

Before you get started taking down your Christmas decor, it helps to have all the kit you need to clear your home of Christmas to hand first. Having boxes, padding, tape, and labels to hand will make finding your decor in one piece next year far simpler.

Also, a common home organizing mistake we make throughout the year, picking up storage containers without measuring your decorations first, is a great way to waste money and time, says Lauren Saltman, professional organizer and founder of Living. Simplified.

‘Wreaths come in various sizes, as do proper storage bins. Make sure you measure before buying! The same goes for ornament storage – there are bins of various sizes that can hold as few as 48 ornaments and up to 128. Especially if your storage is limited, don't succumb to buying a container that won't fit in your dedicated storage space.’

Then, use a label maker, such as the Brother P-Touch Handy Label Maker available at Amazon, to identify what’s in each box. This simple step will save you precious time next year when searching for the tree lights or your favorite ornaments in your festive storage solutions.

2. Create a Routine

• Start with the decorations you put up last: When organizing your Christmas decorations for storage, it helps to work backward to how you put them up, says Ashley Murphy, co-founder and CEO of NEAT method. ‘Start by corralling all tabletop decor in one location, like a dining room table. From there, you can properly wrap and pad anything breakable and puzzle it into a bin together nicely as a complete category. Packing them first means they will be the last thing you get out next year, making decorating for Christmas more logical. Next, remove ornaments from your tree in reverse order of how they were placed. Spool any garlands to prevent tangling and pad breakables using an ornament storage box [available at Amazon].'
• Divide tasks by room: If you want to make post-Christmas cleaning less overwhelming but keep your decor logically organized, consider working by room and label storage with a label maker from Walmart accordingly.
• Delegate tasks: Cleaning up Christmas doesn't have to be done on your own – it is far more efficient to work as a team with your family or housemates, says Brenda Scott, professional organizer and founder of Tidy My Space. ‘You can give another family member the box of decorations for the tree while you take down items around the house without getting in each other's way.'
• Wait for good weather for outdoor decor: Although procrastinating when it comes to storing your outdoor Christmas decor until you have good weather may not sound efficient, waiting for a dry, sunny day will prevent you from having to hand-dry each item, says Brenda. ‘They should be dry, free from ice, snow, or rain, before storing away,’ she says. 

3. Avoid Decor Storage Mistakes

Avoiding some common storage mistakes can help to protect your decor from damage so it is pristine for display again next year:

• Storing items on top of faux foliage: It wouldn't be the holidays without some Christmas wreaths and Christmas garlands hung around your home, so it is important to store them away safely to prevent crushing them for next year, says Ashley Murphy, 'You don’t want to leave faux garlands or wreaths out to collect dust but you also want to be careful they don’t get bent out of shape. Carefully bag wreaths and garlands individually and place them flat on a shelf without stacking or squishing. If shelves are limited, you can stack them using hard-wreath storage cases, like these from Amazon.’ 
• Storing fragile items in tissue paper: Amelie Saint-Jacques, a professional organizer and founder of Amelie Organizes, says this is the last thing we should be doing. ‘Storing small, fragile things in too many layers of tissue paper will work against you because you risk forgetting some of them or accidentally throwing them out because you think it's just paper,’ she warns. ‘For storing decorations, I love a hard-sided bin with dividers like this from Amazon, though a fabric-covered cardboard box, also from Amazon, will do as well. This again helps keep decorations safe from dust and breakage, while keeping them together and easily visible and accessible.’ 
• Bundling lights into balls: Christmas lights are often a focal point of our decorating schemes at Christmas, but storing them and unraveling them each year is, quite frankly, one of the worst bits of decorating for the holidays. Use a kitchen roll tube or a hanger and wind the lights around. It’s a simple but very effective trick for keeping lights knot-free.
• Leaving batteries inside decorations: Whether you are dealing with individual strands of indoor Christmas lights or novelty holiday sets that move, batteries should always be removed before storing decorations away for the year. Store them separately in a ziplock baggie.
• Putting a tree away with decorations on it: Jennifer Derry, interior design expert and chief merchandising officer at Balsam Hill, says this time-saving hack is one of the worst mistakes you can make. ‘Correctly storing your artificial Christmas tree and decorations is essential to keep them in great condition for years to come. Many decorations, especially those made of glass, can be incredibly delicate, so this method runs the risk of damaging decorations as they are squashed together and between branches as the tree is wrapped in plastic wrap. This method can also cause damage when storing a Christmas tree, as branches may be crushed in on themselves rather than being folded back into place.'

Cleaning and Resetting

When your home finally looks as it did pre-December, you can turn to our cleaning library for the best tricks to deep clean your home, setting it up for a good start to the new year.

1. Spread Tasks Out

It can be easy to say ‘I’ll do it tomorrow’ during the Christmas break, until all the days start to blend into one. Before you know it, it will be the day before work and school starts, and everything will still be a mess.

Trying something like the different day, different room housekeeping schedule can help you restore your home to normalcy without piling the stress on one day.

Alternatively, if you don’t want to sacrifice your daytime relaxation, Ashley Kidder, cleaning expert at Dashing Maids, says, ‘Put the house to bed with a closing shift routine. At the end of the day, before you crawl into bed, tidy up the home. This will look different for everyone, but it should not take more than five to 15 minutes and will make all the difference in your mood when you wake up the next day.'

Splitting chores with a partner or motivating your family to clean is also a must during the holidays to stave off stress.

2. Start With the Kitchen

Knowing the first thing to clean in a kitchen is a big help when blitzing a kitchen after Christmas cooking, says Diana Ciechorska: 'Divide your kitchen into zones, such as countertops, stovetop, sink, and appliances, and focus on one area at a time for efficient cleaning. Prioritize wiping down countertops, cleaning the stovetop, scrubbing the sink, and cleaning appliances inside and out.

'Use suitable cleaning products such as antibacterials and degreasers, such as the non-toxic Attitude Kitchen Cleaner Spray from Amazon, and the right tools for each task for maximum efficiency.’

3. Don't Forget Laundry

Of all the tasks over Christmas, doing laundry is probably one of the easiest but potentially most loathed. Be it stripping guest beds or refreshing well-worn aprons and Christmas jumpers, avoid letting linens pile up.

Elizabeth Sheilds, professional cleaner and operations manager at Super Cleaning Service Louisville says, ‘Nobody’s impressed with a mountain of laundry, be it on your couch or bed. It instantly makes the whole room feel messy. Grab all the stray clothes, even the socks hiding under the coffee table, and toss them into a hamper or basket.’

Running just one cycle every other day can help work through the mess so you are not left with an overwhelming task in January. A laundry organizer, such as the 90-liter Tota Trio Joseph Joseph one from Amazon, will cut down the difficulty further.

4. Tackle High-Touch Spots

Winter is the perfect month for germs to spread. After a flow of guests and a few lazier days, make it a point to tackle target hygiene and disinfect high-touch zones such as handles, light switches, remote controls, and regularly used surfaces. Opt for a non-toxic disinfectant, such as the Attitude toy and surface cleaner, from Amazon.

It is also a good idea to clean upholstery. I like to use a steam cleaner, such as the Bissell Little Green Steam Cleaner from Amazon, to disinfect fabric and remove stains.

Disposing of Real Trees

While it is simple to wrestle your tree into your general trash for collection, there are plenty of ways to get rid of a real Christmas tree that are often easier and much more environmentally friendly, too.

Generally speaking, there are four options:

1. Local schemes: Your local sanitation service will often collect Christmas trees, usually after New Year's, and failing that, there are usually drop-offs for used trees organized by the city or county, and often the place where you bought your tree will take it back afterwards for recycling.
2. Give it to wildlife: Recycling a Christmas tree in your yard is the easiest way to dispose of a Christmas tree while also supporting your wildlife garden. Start by reusing your Christmas tree to help feed birds in winter. Sean McMenemy, garden wildlife expert and director of Ark Wildlife, says, 'All you need to do is cut the branches back to six inches from the trunk and hang treats such as fat balls or bird feeders from the stems. From peanut garlands to bird food-covered pine cones and juicy berries, it’ll make for a stunning garden centerpiece.'
3. Donate to wildlife sanctuaries: Get in touch with any local zoos or animal sanctuaries to inquire about donating your Christmas tree for the animal habitats. Big cats like lions and tigers will get endless enjoyment and fun from the trees.
4. Replant a potted tree in your yard: If you have a potted Christmas tree, then replanting it in your yard can make a wonderful evergreen addition that you can use as an outdoor Christmas decoration for years to come. A tree that has been kept inside for fewer than 12 days will often take better when moved outside than a tree that has been kept indoors throughout the season.

What to Shop

Need a little more help with packing all your decor away? We have brought together all the best Christmas decoration storage tricks to help you pack all your essentials safely into storage, even in small homes.