The first cool morning of fall always catches me by surprise.
This week, I pulled on my old gray sweater, poured my coffee, and looked around the kitchen. And I had the same thought I have every September.
The holidays will be here before I know it. And this house feels full.
A couple of years ago, I waited too long. I tried to clear everything the week before Thanksgiving. I did the kitchen, the hall closet, and the guest room, all in four days.
By Thanksgiving morning, my back ached, my knees were sore, and I was too tired to enjoy my own family. (I fell asleep in my chair before the pie was served.)
So last year, I did it differently.
I started at the end of September. I did a little at a time, three short sessions a week, all the way through fall. By the time the grandkids came for Christmas, the house felt lighter. And so did I.
It worked so well that I'm starting again this week. And this time, I wrote the whole thing down for you, so we can do it together.
This is my 12-week fall and winter decluttering plan for women over 70. It's slow, it's gentle, and it leaves you with energy for the people you love. Let me walk you through it.
How This Plan Works
Before we get to the weeks, here are the simple rules that make this plan work.
First, you only do three short sessions a week. I do mine on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, right after breakfast. Pick the days that suit you best.
Second, each session lasts 15 to 20 minutes. That's it. When the time is up, you stop, even if you feel like doing more. Stopping while you still feel good is what keeps you going week after week.
Third, sit down whenever you can. Bring a drawer to the kitchen table. Carry a small basket from a shelf to your chair. Most sorting can be done sitting down.
Fourth, heavy or high jobs wait for a helper. No climbing on chairs. No carrying heavy boxes. Keep a list on the refrigerator, and save those jobs for a visit from family or a neighbor.
And fifth, missing a week is fine. Life happens. A cold, a doctor's visit, a busy week with the grandkids. You just pick up where you left off.
This plan is written for someone starting around the end of September. That way, Thanksgiving lands in week 9, and you finish about a week before Christmas. But you can start any week you like. Just follow the order.
If you want a gentler overview first, my guide to decluttering for women over 70 is a good place to begin.
Your 12-Week Plan, One Season at a Time
The plan has five parts. Each one builds on the last, and the easiest, most important jobs come first.
Weeks 1 to 2: Clear the floors and walkways
We start with safety, before anything else.
Fall means earlier sunsets and darker evenings. And the holidays mean more people walking through your home. So the first job is making sure no one trips.
In your first session, walk slowly through the main rooms. Look down as you go. Notice anything on the floor that doesn't belong there. A basket. A stack of magazines. A pair of shoes. A cord. The corner of a rug that curls up.
Then spend your sessions clearing those spots, one room at a time. Start with the path from your bed to the bathroom, since that's the one you walk in the dark. Then do the hallway, then the living room, then the front door.
I found a basket of old newspapers by my chair and two pairs of shoes by the back door that nobody had worn in a year. Those went first.
By the end of week 2, your floors should be clear and your walkways open. It's the most important thing you'll do all season.
For more ideas, see my post on decluttering for safety.
Weeks 3 to 5: The kitchen, one small area at a time
Now we move to the kitchen, since that's where so much of the holiday season happens.
But we don't do the whole kitchen at once. We do it one small area per session. Three weeks gives you nine sessions, which is plenty.
In week 3, start with the counters. Take everything off one section of counter, wipe it down, and put back only what you use every day. Everything else finds a home in a cabinet or leaves the house.
In weeks 4 and 5, do one drawer or one cabinet per session. Bring the drawer to the table if it's light enough. Sit down, sort it, and toss or donate what you don't use.
Some good places to look: the junk drawer, the cabinet with all the plastic containers, the drawer of kitchen gadgets, and the shelf of mugs.
As you go, keep the things you'll need for the holidays. The roasting pan. The big platter. The pie dish. Just let go of the extras you never touch.
If your counters are the hardest part, here's how I cleared my kitchen counters.
Weeks 6 to 7: The bathroom and bedroom
Next come the two rooms you use every single day.
Start with the bathroom in week 6. It's small, so it goes quickly. Go through the medicine cabinet, one shelf per session. Toss empty bottles and old products. Then do the drawers and the space under the sink.
A quick tip: if you find old medicines you no longer need, don't throw them in the trash. Many pharmacies have a drop-off box for them, so ask at yours.
In week 7, move to the bedroom. Clear off your nightstand first, so it holds only what you need at night. Then go through one dresser drawer per session.
This is also a good time to look at your closet. As the weather cools, you'll be reaching for sweaters and warm clothes. If there's something you didn't wear at all last winter, it may be time to let it go.
Keep your sessions short. The bedroom can feel like a lot, but one drawer at a time adds up fast.
Weeks 8 to 9: Go easy for Thanksgiving
This is the part of the plan I love most. Because here, you slow down on purpose.
Week 8 is the week before Thanksgiving. Week 9 is Thanksgiving week. There's cooking to do, family to see, and plenty to keep you busy. So we don't start any new areas.
Instead, you do light upkeep. Wipe the counters. Put things back where they belong. Keep the floors clear, especially with extra people walking around.
And here's one simple rule for these two weeks. As you pull out your holiday dishes and serving pieces, only put back what you actually used.
If the gravy boat and the big platter came out and got used, they go back in the cabinet. But if you pushed aside the same dusty dish three times to reach the one you wanted, maybe it's time to let that one go.
This is decluttering that happens on its own, just by paying attention.
And please, rest these two weeks. The whole point of this plan is to arrive at the holidays with energy left over. Enjoy your family.
Weeks 10 to 12: The spots company will see, plus one helper day
The last three weeks get your home ready for the Christmas season and any holiday visitors.
In week 10, start with the hall closet or the coat closet. Guests will need somewhere to hang their coats. Clear out coats, boots, and umbrellas nobody uses anymore, and make a little room.
In week 11, turn to the guest room or wherever family sleeps when they visit. Clear off the bed if it's become a place to set things down (mine always does). Make a little space in a drawer or on a hook for your guest's things.
Then in week 12, plan one helper day.
By now, you'll probably have a few bags and boxes ready to go, and maybe a heavy item or two on your refrigerator list. Ask a family member, a neighbor, or a friend from church to come by for an hour. They can carry out the heavy things, take bags to the car, or drop off donations.
My grandson came over one Saturday in December and cleared my whole list before lunch. I made him a sandwich and sent him home with cookies. It was a good trade.
If you can't carry heavy bags yourself, here's my post on how to get clutter out of the house when you can't carry heavy bags.
And that's it. Twelve weeks, and your home is ready for the holidays.
If You Fall Behind
I want to say this clearly, because I know how it feels.
If you miss a session, or a whole week, you haven't failed. Just pick up where you left off.
Maybe you catch a cold. Maybe your daughter visits for a few days. Maybe you just feel tired one week and need to rest. That's all part of life, especially at our age.
This plan bends to your energy. Your energy doesn't have to bend to the plan.
If you get two weeks behind, you can skip part of a phase, or simply keep going into January. There's no deadline. The holidays will come either way, and whatever you've cleared by then is a win.
And if you can only manage five minutes on a hard day, that still counts. The 5-minute decluttering rule is a lovely way to keep going when your energy is low.
Even a little is so much better than nothing.
A Lighter Home for the Holidays
Last Thanksgiving felt so different.
I wasn't worn out. I wasn't rushing to hide piles before company came. The floors were clear, the kitchen was easy to cook in, and I actually sat down and enjoyed the meal. (I stayed awake for the pie that time.)
That's the gift of going slow. You spread the work over a whole season, so no single week feels too hard. And you get to the holidays with a calmer home and energy left for the people you love.
So this week, I'm starting again with my floors and walkways. I hope you'll start with me.
You don't have to do it all at once. You just have to start with one small spot, and keep going a little at a time.
To keep your home this way after the holidays, a few small habits that keep your home clutter-free make all the difference.
Which part of your home do you most want to clear before the holidays? I'd love to hear.
Walk Into the Holidays Feeling Ready
A plan is so much easier to follow when it's written down in front of you.
My free Declutter for Self Care Checklist gives you simple, room-by-room jobs you can check off as you go this fall, so you always know what comes next and you can rest easy in between.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I start decluttering before the holidays?
Late September or early October is a great time to start. That gives you about 12 weeks before Christmas, so you can work slowly with short sessions instead of rushing at the last minute. If you're starting later, that's fine too. Just begin with your floors and walkways, then do the kitchen, and work through the rest as time allows.
How long should each decluttering session be for someone over 70?
About 15 to 20 minutes is plenty. Try to do three short sessions a week, and sit down whenever you can. Stop while you still feel good, even if you want to do more. Short, steady sessions are easier on your body and help you keep going all season long.
What should I declutter first?
Start with your floors and walkways. Clear anything you could trip on, especially the path from your bed to the bathroom. After that, move to the kitchen, then the bathroom and bedroom. Save the hall closet and guest room for last, right before holiday visitors arrive.
What if I fall behind on my decluttering plan?
Just pick up where you left off. Missing a session or even a week is completely fine. You can skip part of a phase or keep going into January. There's no deadline. Whatever you manage to clear before the holidays is a win, and even five minutes on a hard day still counts.
How can I declutter if I can't lift or carry heavy things?
Keep a list on your refrigerator of any heavy or high jobs, and save them for a helper day. Ask a family member, neighbor, or friend from church to come by for an hour to carry out bags, move boxes, and drop off donations. You can also use small, half-full bags you can manage yourself, or schedule a free charity pickup from your porch.
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