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Good Housekeeping published a seasonal checklist of 10 categories to review before Halloween, including costumes, fall decorations, winter clothing, pantry items and freezer food. The suggestions come from editors’ organizing routines; they are practical advice, not a formal study or a requirement to discard items.
Good Housekeeping has published a 10-item pre-Halloween decluttering checklist, urging readers to review seasonal decor, costumes, clothing, footwear and household supplies before colder weather and holiday hosting. The recommendations from the magazine’s home and lifestyle editors focus on making room for items people expect to use, while suggesting donation or disposal options for belongings they no longer need.
The list covers throw blankets, burned-down candles and fall decorations, as well as outgrown Halloween costumes. Home Design Director Monique Valeris says she checks blankets for condition and tests whether her heated blanket still works. Assistant lifestyle editor Laura Millar says she found fall and winter candles with little wax remaining while sorting storage. The report suggests donating usable blankets and decorations to charities, animal shelters, thrift stores or community organizations, depending on local needs.
For clothing and footwear, the editors recommend trying on winter shoes, boots and jackets before deciding what to keep. Shoes with deteriorated soles or cushioning should be discarded, the report says, while gently worn pairs may be donated. It also advises reviewing summer clothes before storing them and passing along costumes children have outgrown. A local coat drive or charity may accept wearable jackets.
The remaining categories are expired pantry goods, makeup and freezer food. The article advises checking pantry items and spices for expiration, and checking makeup for damage or expiration, including any period-after-opening label. Millar says seasonal freezer checks can make space for new food ahead of Thanksgiving. The recommendations are based on editors’ experience, rather than research measuring how much space households can save.
A Seasonal Reset Before Hosting
The checklist offers a practical way to prepare for colder weather and holiday gatherings without treating decluttering as a reason to replace everything. Reviewing what is usable can help households identify gaps before shopping, clear space for coats and winter clothing, and avoid keeping food or beauty products past their useful life.
Donation is presented as one option for items still in good condition, including costumes, blankets and coats. That advice depends on what local charities and community groups can accept. Readers should check an organization’s current donation rules before dropping items off, and dispose of damaged goods or expired products appropriately.
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Editors’ Advice for the Season
The source is a Good Housekeeping service article by Alyssa Gautieri, who leads the publication’s gift guide strategy. Its recommendations reflect the editors’ personal routines and suggestions for the period before Halloween and the broader winter holiday season.
The timing connects several different tasks: Halloween decorations and costumes are in use now, while winter clothes, pantry supplies and freezer space may become more relevant as temperatures fall and holiday meals approach. The article does not provide a single deadline; it encourages readers to sort items before the season advances and donation opportunities pass.
“Every fall, I like to take stock of my collection to confirm that they’re all still in good condition.”
— Monique Valeris, Good Housekeeping home design director
Donation Options Vary Locally
The supplied report does not give a publication date, identify specific donation programs or confirm which organizations currently accept each item. Donation availability and condition requirements vary, so readers should contact local charities, shelters, schools or coat drives before bringing items in.
The checklist is editorial guidance, not a product-safety assessment or a formal decluttering study. It does not specify how to dispose of every expired pantry, makeup or freezer item, nor does it offer a universal test for whether an item remains usable. Readers must make those decisions based on product labels, condition and local disposal guidance.
Check Items and Local Drives
Readers can work through the 10 categories at their own pace: check condition and fit, set aside usable items for donation, and separate damaged or expired goods for appropriate disposal. Before donating, verify what a local organization accepts and whether it has seasonal collection dates. The report identifies no follow-up announcement or scheduled milestone; its next step for readers is a household review before Halloween and the winter holidays.
Key Questions
What does Good Housekeeping recommend decluttering before Halloween?
The list names throw blankets, burned-down candles, fall decorations, outgrown costumes, winter shoes and boots, summer clothes, expired pantry items, makeup, freezer food and winter jackets.
Which items may be donated?
The report suggests donating usable blankets, decorations, costumes, gently worn shoes, summer clothing and jackets. Check with local organizations first, since acceptance rules differ.
What should be discarded rather than donated?
The article says to discard shoes with deteriorated soles or cushioning and to remove damaged, broken or expired makeup. It also recommends clearing burned-down candles and expired pantry goods; it does not give detailed disposal instructions for every product.
Does the checklist come from a study?
No study is cited in the supplied report. The recommendations are editorial advice based on the contributors’ personal organizing routines.
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