How to Declutter Your Little Rock Home Before the Holidays
How to Declutter Your Little Rock Home Before the Holidays
The best time to declutter before the holidays is the first two weeks of November — early enough to clear space before Thanksgiving on November 26, and before décor, gifts and houseguests arrive. If you live in west Little Rock, a short-term storage unit at Chenal-Kanis Storage on Kanis Road gives you a place to park the overflow so your home is ready to host.
Below is a simple, week-by-week plan, plus what to keep, donate, toss or store.
Why declutter before the holidays?
Decluttering now saves you stress later. The holiday season brings more of everything: more boxes, more guests, more cooking and more gifts coming through the door.
- Room for guests. A guest room that doubles as a home gym or storage room needs to be cleared before family arrives.
- Room for décor. Trees, wreaths and inflatables need floor and closet space.
- Room for new gifts. Clearing out what you no longer use now keeps December's new items from piling up.
- A calmer kitchen. Hosting a holiday meal is easier with clear counters and an organized pantry.
A 4-week holiday decluttering plan
Work one zone per week so the job never takes over a whole weekend.
- Week 1 — Entryway and living room. These are the first rooms guests see. Clear shoes, coats and mail from the entry. Remove extra furniture, side tables or bulky chairs that crowd the space.
- Week 2 — Kitchen and dining room. Toss expired pantry items. Box up small appliances you rarely use. Make room in the cabinets for serving platters and holiday baking supplies.
- Week 3 — Guest room and closets. Turn the guest room back into a guest room. Move exercise equipment, out-of-season clothes and stacked boxes out of the way.
- Week 4 — Garage and attic. Pull out holiday décor and put back anything you won't use this year. Clear a path so your car fits in the garage again.
Sort everything into four piles
As you go room by room, give every item one of four labels:
Pile
What goes in it
Next step
Keep
Items you use weekly
Return to an organized spot
Donate
Clothes, toys and housewares in good shape
Drop off before the holiday rush
Toss
Broken, expired or worn-out items
Trash or recycle this week
Store
Things you want but don't need until spring
Move to a storage unit
The "store" pile is where most homes get stuck. Patio furniture, summer gear, sports equipment, baby items and keepsakes are worth keeping — they just don't need to live in your guest room through January.
What to put in storage for the season
These items free up the most space in a typical Chenal Valley or west Little Rock home:
- Patio furniture, grills and pool gear
- Lawn equipment and garden tools
- Bikes, kayaks and sports equipment
- Extra furniture moved out to make room for guests or a tree
- Out-of-season clothing and bedding
- Holiday décor you rotate year to year
- Wrapped gifts you need to hide until the big day
Protect your holiday décor with climate control
Arkansas weather swings between humid stretches and cold snaps, and that is hard on delicate items. Climate-controlled storage helps protect:
- Glass ornaments and heirloom decorations
- Candles, which can warp in heat
- Artificial trees and fabric décor, which can pick up mildew in humidity
- Photos, keepsakes and holiday linens
Chenal-Kanis Storage offers climate-controlled units with interior access, so you can load and unload décor without carrying boxes through the weather.
Choosing the right unit size
Most holiday decluttering projects fit in a small or medium unit:
Unit size
Fits about
5' x 5'
Holiday décor bins, an artificial tree, seasonal clothing
5' x 10'
The above plus patio furniture or a small dresser
10' x 10'
Furniture from one room, bikes, lawn equipment
10' x 15' to 10' x 20'
Contents of a garage or several rooms during a remodel before guests arrive
Not sure what you need? Use the size guide on our location page or ask our team.
Need room for a guest's car or RV?
If family is driving in for the holidays, driveway space disappears fast. Chenal-Kanis Storage also offers outdoor parking spaces for vehicles, so you can store a boat, trailer or extra car and keep the driveway open for visitors.
Holiday storage at Chenal-Kanis Storage
Chenal-Kanis Storage is located at 17400 Kanis Road, Little Rock, AR 72223, convenient to Chenal Valley and the rest of west Little Rock. Customers rate us 4.9 stars across 29 reviews, often mentioning our clean facility, strong security and friendly, fast service.
- Unit sizes from 5' x 5' to 10' x 35'
- Climate-controlled units with interior access
- Drive-up units for easy loading
- Electronic door locks and keypad gate entry
- Outdoor vehicle parking
- Gate access until 10:00 PM; office open until 5:00 PM
Start decluttering today
A clear home makes the holidays easier to enjoy. Pick one room this week, sort it into four piles and move your "store" pile out of the house.
Reserve a storage unit at Chenal-Kanis Storage online, or call us at [CONFIRM: phone] to find the right size for your holiday plans.
FAQ
When should I start decluttering for the holidays? Start in early November. That leaves about four weeks to work through one zone per week before Thanksgiving on November 26.
What size storage unit do I need for holiday décor? A 5' x 5' unit holds most décor bins and an artificial tree. Choose a 5' x 10' or 10' x 10' if you're also storing patio furniture or extra furniture.
Should I store holiday decorations in a climate-controlled unit? Yes, for delicate items. Climate control helps protect glass ornaments, candles, fabric décor and keepsakes from Arkansas heat and humidity.
Can I rent a storage unit for just the holiday season? [CONFIRM: month-to-month rental terms] Many customers rent for a few months to clear space for guests, then move items back in spring.
Where is Chenal-Kanis Storage located? Chenal-Kanis Storage is at 17400 Kanis Road, Little Rock, AR 72223, in west Little Rock.
What are the access hours? The gate is open until 10:00 PM and the office until 5:00 PM. [CONFIRM: opening times and days]
