Dining Room Refresh: Simple Holiday Reset

The dining room is the favorite child of fall—it’s where Thanksgiving dinner happens and where we’ll make holiday memories in the weeks to come. After this week, you will be proud of your space and as you gather, you will reap the reward of your hard work and intention to detail.

Alongside the dining room, we’ll take time to declutter and organize the pantry. A well-organized pantry makes holiday cooking easier and more enjoyable, so the effort you put in now will pay off right away.

I like to keep the dining room simple and clutter-free. Some rooms require storage and surfaces, but this isn’t one of them. Streamlining this space not only makes it more peaceful, it also makes it easier to clean and maintain—perfect as we move into the holiday season.

Let’s get started! Check out the FALL HOME RESET post for my detailed steps.

Step 1: Declutter

When it comes to the dining room, less is more. The dining table is a magnet for clutter, so clear it completely and decide what really belongs. I don’t know what it is about a horizontal surface that collects clutter. We recently moved the girl’s art cart to another room, and it has been the best. The dining room needs to be a space of gathering people, not stuff.

Keep this space peaceful to be in and easy to manage. Meals are a time we sit down together, maybe for the first time all day, to connect. Create a restful environment in this room by managing clutter.

If you have extra furniture, like a China cabinet or buffet, consider experimenting with moving it to another spot for the season. There are a lot of furniture legs in the dining room to begin with, so the less furniture legs you have the better. Even if you don’t remove it permanently, simplifying the room can give it new life.

Homework:

• Check your pantry for expired food or items you won’t use and toss them.
  
• Remove all décor and clutter from the dining table and surfaces.
  
• Decide which items or furniture pieces you want to keep in the dining room.
  

Step 2: Organize

This week’s main organizing focus is the pantry. It’s a space that sees daily traffic, so it pays off to create a system that is both functional and realistic.

Grouping like items together is the best place to start. From there, organize by frequency of use—keep dinner staples where you can grab them quickly, and place snacks where kids can access them easily. Remember, your system should work for your life, not against it.

Homework:

• Group pantry items into categories (breakfast, grains, canned goods, snacks, baking supplies).
  
• Give prime shelf space to the foods you use most often.
  
• Use bins or baskets if helpful, but avoid over-organizing.
  

Here is a great post on decluttering and organizing my pantry

Step 3: Clean

Now that things are decluttered and organized, it’s time to deep clean. Use a food-safe cleaner for the pantry shelves, fridge, and dining room table. Cleaning from top to bottom ensures no dust or crumbs are left behind and will create a fresh start for this holiday season.

Homework:

• Wipe down pantry shelves and fridge with warm, food-safe cleaner.
  
• Clean the baseboards and floors in both spaces.
  
• Take your trash can outside, scrub it with hot water and dish soap, rinse, and let it dry.
  
• In the dining room, dust the light fixture, wipe the table and chairs (including legs), and clean windows.
  
• Move furniture to vacuum and mop underneath.
  

Step 4: Decorate

The fun part—making the dining room feel warm and welcoming. With Thanksgiving coming soon and we spend most of our days here. If you aren’t eating at the dining room often, hopefully this will encourage you to gather with your loved ones.

In the Bible you will notice alot of special moments are around food and at a table. There is something special and meaningful about this time. Just like the story of Martha and Mary where they hosted Jesus and his disciples in their home, we want to be hostess’ and create a space that is beautiful, with yummy food, where we can be present.

Decorating the dining room looks like a centerpiece or maybe a cozy candle. Keep décor minimal and easy to manage so it doesn’t block conversation or add visual clutter.

Keep clutter on any other surfaces to a minimum and limit wall art to one big piece on a focal wall.

Homework:

• Choose a simple centerpiece for the dining table (runner, basket, or vase of flowers).
  
• Add a candle to the table or nearby for dinnertime ambiance.
  
• If you have wall space, consider adding one piece of art for a focal point.
  
• Limit extra surface décor to one to three items.
  

Step 5: Finish

To wrap up your refresh, take care of the loose ends. By clearing out donations, rehoming items, and celebrating the new space, you’ll set yourself up to keep it peaceful and clutter-free throughout the holidays.

Remember to manage this space well and prevent clutter from creeping back in. Enjoy the evenings with your family around the table. Your dining room is a place of rest and connection for the ones you love the most. Lots of goodness happens around the table and pray this year you embrace that a little more.

Meals bring us together—sometimes for the first time all day. A decluttered, organized, and clean dining room creates a restful environment where you can slow down, connect, and savor this season with your loved ones.

Homework:

• Take out all trash and recycling.
  
• Drop off donations.
  
• Rehome any furniture or items you removed.
  
• Celebrate your progress—host a brunch, game night, or family dinner to enjoy your refreshed dining room.
• Here is the post to our favorite family games.
  

We’re now halfway through the home reset journey—amazing work! If you missed it, be sure to check out the Kitchen Reset and Living Room Reset posts, or the full Home Reset Guide. Next week, we’ll reset the Master Bedroom together.

Until Next time,

Lisa