Declutter Before the Holidays: What to Keep, Donate, or Haul Away
The short version: block off two weekends before Thanksgiving. Work one room at a time and sort everything into three piles: keep, donate, and haul. Drop off donations the same week, and get the haul pile out of the house before family shows up.
In-laws in the guest room, a turkey that needs fridge space, and a stack of new gifts on the way. The holidays fill a house up fast. If your garage or spare room is already packed in early November, you're about to run out of places to put things.
For Amber and me, the holidays mean faith, family, and a crowded table. You shouldn't spend them tripping over a treadmill you stopped using in 2023. So let's clear some room.
Start Before Thanksgiving Week
Two reasons to start now. First, guests need space: a bed, a closet, a spot in the garage for their car. Second, the City of Lubbock's trash crews take holidays too. The Solid Waste department observes Thanksgiving Thursday and Friday, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day, and carts may not get picked up on City holidays. You can check the schedule on the City's residential trash page.
Finish the big purge in the first half of November, and you won't be staring at an overflowing trash can while the pie cools.
Pro tip from GRIT: Put your two declutter weekends on the calendar today, the same way you'd book a dentist appointment. If you need us to haul the big stuff, book that pickup for the Monday after your second weekend so the pile doesn't move back in.
Set Up Three Piles: Keep, Donate, Haul
Grab three bins, three tarps, or three corners of the garage. Every item you touch goes into one of them. No "I'll decide later" pile allowed (well, one small one, see the tip below).
Keep
You used it this year, it works, and you'd buy it again if it broke. Holiday decorations count, as long as they actually go up every year.
Donate
It works, it's clean, and someone else would use it. Think kids' clothes they've outgrown, the extra coffee maker, or the bread machine from a wedding registry. Call the donation center before you load up. Each one sets its own rules, and some turn away mattresses, car seats, or furniture with stains or tears.
Haul
It's broken, stained, missing parts, or nobody would take it for free. Be honest with yourself here. That futon with the bent frame is not getting a second life.
Pro tip from GRIT: Allow yourself one "maybe" box per room. Tape it shut and write the date on it. If you haven't opened it by spring, donate it without looking inside.
A Room-by-Room Holiday Declutter Plan
Do the rooms your guests will see first. The garage goes last because it's the biggest job, and because it's where you'll stage the donate and haul piles anyway.
Weekend 1: Guest Room and Closets
Clear the bed, clear the floor, and empty at least half of one closet so guests can hang a few things. Pull out old linens, pillows that have gone flat, and coats nobody has worn since the last Texas Tech game you went to in the cold.
Weekend 1: Kitchen and Pantry
Holiday cooking needs counter space and fridge space. Toss expired spices and pantry items. Pick your favorite slow cooker and let the other two go. Clean out the fridge and the garage freezer a week before Thanksgiving so the turkey and the leftovers have a home.
Weekend 2: Living Room
Make room for the tree and whatever shows up under it. If you have kids, try one-in, one-out with toys before Christmas: for every new toy coming in, one old toy goes to the donate pile. Pull broken lamps, worn-out rugs, and the extra side table into the haul pile.
Weekend 2: The Garage
This is the big one. Clear enough floor for at least one car, and give your holiday decorations a shelf where you can actually reach them. Old exercise equipment, broken lawn furniture, and boxes you haven't opened since your last move usually make up most of the haul pile.
Leftover paint, pool chemicals, and pesticides need special handling. The City takes household hazardous waste by appointment only at its Southside location. Call 806-775-2495 or see the City's household hazardous waste page. We generally can't take those in a regular junk load either.
Pro tip from GRIT: Label your decoration bins by room ("living room tree," "front porch lights") and stack them in the order you'll put things up. Future you will be very grateful on December 1st.
If the garage is more than a weekend's work, our garage and storage cleanout service can sort, haul, and organize it with you.
What to Do With the Haul Pile in Lubbock
You've got options, depending on how big the pile is and whether you have a truck.
- Regular bagged trash: it goes in your City cart or alley dumpster. The lid has to close, and the City won't pick up bags left beside carts.
- Big items like furniture and mattresses: they don't go in the cart or dumpster. City residents can haul them to a Citizen Convenience Station themselves. We broke down the rules in our guide to Lubbock bulk trash pickup.
- Anything you don't want to lift: call us. Our crew carries everything out from wherever it is, whether that's the garage, the upstairs bedroom, or the backyard, and hauls it off in one trip.
On a junk removal job this September, we got the whole pile onto one trailer in a single trip. Text a few photos to (325) 207-8409 and we'll give you a free quote for junk removal in Lubbock.
Pro tip from GRIT: Once the clutter is gone, the dust shows up. If you want the house guest-ready, we also offer cleaning services, so one call can cover both.
Your Holiday Declutter Checklist
- Early November: pick your two declutter weekends and book any junk pickup.
- Weekend 1: guest room, closets, kitchen, and pantry.
- Weekend 2: living room and garage.
- That same week: drop off donations before they migrate back inside.
- Before Thanksgiving week: get the haul pile gone and check the City's holiday trash schedule.
- Mid-December: one-in, one-out for toys and gifts.
Holiday Decluttering FAQ
How long does it take to declutter a house before the holidays?
Plan on two weekends for most homes if you work one room at a time and make quick keep, donate, or haul decisions. A packed garage can take a full weekend on its own.
What should I get rid of first?
Start with the rooms guests will use: the guest room, the kitchen, and the living room. Broken items and things you haven't touched in a year are the easiest first cuts.
Can I put old furniture out with my trash in Lubbock?
No. The City of Lubbock says large items that keep the lid from closing, like mattresses and furniture, go to a Citizen Convenience Station, and bags left beside carts aren't picked up. See the City's bulky items page, or hire a junk removal company to haul it.
Will GRIT pick up just a few items?
Yes. We pick up single items like couches, mattresses, and appliances, and we also do full garage and house cleanouts. Text photos to (325) 207-8409 for a free quote.
Paul Rosas is a co-founder of GRIT Property Solutions in Lubbock. He grew up in Snyder, graduated from Texas Tech, and has helped Lubbock families with local and long-distance moves, packing, and junk removal. More about Paul.