PODS Helps Tri Counties Residents Prepare Their Homes for Holiday Guests
Local portable storage provider shares tips for decluttering, creating cozy gathering spaces and organizing holiday decorations
From clearing the guest room to making space around the holiday table, a little preparation can help a home feel more welcoming before the first visitor arrives. This November, PODS® Local is sharing practical tips to help residents throughout Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties make room for holiday gatherings and keep seasonal belongings organized.
Holiday preparations often begin with deciding what needs to stay within reach and what can be moved out of the way. Extra furniture, boxes and off-season gear can take up space needed for overnight guests, family meals and festive decorations.
According to the American Cleaning Institute’s 2025 Fall Cleaning Survey, conducted by Wakefield Research, 34% of hosts admit to hiding clutter in closets or spare rooms before guests arrive. Planning ahead for storage can help keep those spaces available for visitors.
“Getting ready for the holidays often starts with making room for the people you want to welcome,” said Steve Yapp, local owner of PODS Moving & Storage serving the Tri-Counties. “Whether that means turning a spare room back into a guest room or putting extra furniture and seasonal items into storage, a little planning can help families create a comfortable home and spend more time enjoying their guests.”
Five Ways to Get Your Home Ready for the Holidays
1. Start with the spaces guests will use most. Focus first on the entryway, living room, dining area and guest bedroom. Sort items into keep, donate and store categories. Clear walkways and surfaces, and make room for coats, bags and luggage before visitors arrive.
2. Give the guest room a holiday reset. If a spare bedroom has become a home office or storage area, temporarily move boxes, unused equipment and extra furniture into storage. Leave guests a clear bedside surface and space for their belongings, then add fresh linens and an extra blanket.
3. Create a cozy gathering space. Rearrange seating so guests can comfortably talk and move through the room. Store pieces that crowd the space, then add a few welcoming touches such as soft throws, warm lighting and seasonal pillows. Keep kitchen counters open for meal preparation and serving.
4. Make a seasonal swap. Before bringing out holiday décor, pack away summer gear, fall decorations and everyday accessories that compete for space. Portable storage can help keep bulky items out of the way while leaving room for the tree, dining table or additional seating.
5. Plan where decorations will go after the celebrations. Group ornaments, lights and decorative pieces in labeled containers, cushion fragile items and keep an inventory. Set aside a designated place for reusable seasonal décor, including bulky artificial trees and wreaths. If using a PODS container, load items needed first near the door and arrange access before storing the container at a Storage Center.
Storage That Fits Your Holiday Schedule
PODS delivers a portable container directly to the customer’s home, allowing belongings to be packed and loaded on their schedule. Customers can keep the container on-site where permitted or have it transported to a local PODS Storage Center, helping reduce the need for repeated trips to a self-storage facility.
That flexibility can help families reclaim a room before visitors arrive, store extra furniture during holiday gatherings and organize seasonal decorations once the celebrations are over.
For information about local moving and storage options, visit www.mylocalpods.com.
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About Local PODS® Moving & Storage
Steve Yapp is the owner of three Tri-Counties PODS® franchises that serve residents and businesses in Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties. Dedicated to the local community, Yapp’s franchises have donated hundreds of PODS® containers to nonprofit and charitable organizations throughout Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, San Diego and Los Angeles counties since opening their doors in 2005.
A partial list of recipients includes: Boys & Girls Clubs, Food Share of Ventura County, Casa Pacifica, Toys 4 Tots, California Strawberry Festival, Ojai Music Festival, Relay for Life, C.H.P. Holiday Toy Drive, Salvation Army, Santa Maria Good Samaritan, Oxnard Downtown Management District, Boy Scouts of Ventura County, California Visitors Center, Simi Valley Days, the Oxnard Salsa Festival, and Catholic Charities.
PODS® offers moving and storage the way you need it done, with unlimited time, space and control. When PODS® pioneered portable storage in 1998, they introduced the world to a brand new, flexible way to move and store. Now an industry leader, PODS® currently provides residential and commercial services in 46 U.S. states, Canada, Australia, and the UK. To date, the PODS® network has completed more than one million long-distance moves, four million initial deliveries, and has over 220,000 PODS® containers in service. For more information, go to: www.mylocalpods.com
Holiday preparations often begin with deciding what needs to stay within reach and what can be moved out of the way. Extra furniture, boxes and off-season gear can take up space needed for overnight guests, family meals and festive decorations.
According to the American Cleaning Institute’s 2025 Fall Cleaning Survey, conducted by Wakefield Research, 34% of hosts admit to hiding clutter in closets or spare rooms before guests arrive. Planning ahead for storage can help keep those spaces available for visitors.
“Getting ready for the holidays often starts with making room for the people you want to welcome,” said Steve Yapp, local owner of PODS Moving & Storage serving the Tri-Counties. “Whether that means turning a spare room back into a guest room or putting extra furniture and seasonal items into storage, a little planning can help families create a comfortable home and spend more time enjoying their guests.”
Five Ways to Get Your Home Ready for the Holidays
1. Start with the spaces guests will use most. Focus first on the entryway, living room, dining area and guest bedroom. Sort items into keep, donate and store categories. Clear walkways and surfaces, and make room for coats, bags and luggage before visitors arrive.
2. Give the guest room a holiday reset. If a spare bedroom has become a home office or storage area, temporarily move boxes, unused equipment and extra furniture into storage. Leave guests a clear bedside surface and space for their belongings, then add fresh linens and an extra blanket.
3. Create a cozy gathering space. Rearrange seating so guests can comfortably talk and move through the room. Store pieces that crowd the space, then add a few welcoming touches such as soft throws, warm lighting and seasonal pillows. Keep kitchen counters open for meal preparation and serving.
4. Make a seasonal swap. Before bringing out holiday décor, pack away summer gear, fall decorations and everyday accessories that compete for space. Portable storage can help keep bulky items out of the way while leaving room for the tree, dining table or additional seating.
5. Plan where decorations will go after the celebrations. Group ornaments, lights and decorative pieces in labeled containers, cushion fragile items and keep an inventory. Set aside a designated place for reusable seasonal décor, including bulky artificial trees and wreaths. If using a PODS container, load items needed first near the door and arrange access before storing the container at a Storage Center.
Storage That Fits Your Holiday Schedule
PODS delivers a portable container directly to the customer’s home, allowing belongings to be packed and loaded on their schedule. Customers can keep the container on-site where permitted or have it transported to a local PODS Storage Center, helping reduce the need for repeated trips to a self-storage facility.
That flexibility can help families reclaim a room before visitors arrive, store extra furniture during holiday gatherings and organize seasonal decorations once the celebrations are over.
For information about local moving and storage options, visit www.mylocalpods.com.
###
About Local PODS® Moving & Storage
Steve Yapp is the owner of three Tri-Counties PODS® franchises that serve residents and businesses in Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties. Dedicated to the local community, Yapp’s franchises have donated hundreds of PODS® containers to nonprofit and charitable organizations throughout Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, San Diego and Los Angeles counties since opening their doors in 2005.
A partial list of recipients includes: Boys & Girls Clubs, Food Share of Ventura County, Casa Pacifica, Toys 4 Tots, California Strawberry Festival, Ojai Music Festival, Relay for Life, C.H.P. Holiday Toy Drive, Salvation Army, Santa Maria Good Samaritan, Oxnard Downtown Management District, Boy Scouts of Ventura County, California Visitors Center, Simi Valley Days, the Oxnard Salsa Festival, and Catholic Charities.
PODS® offers moving and storage the way you need it done, with unlimited time, space and control. When PODS® pioneered portable storage in 1998, they introduced the world to a brand new, flexible way to move and store. Now an industry leader, PODS® currently provides residential and commercial services in 46 U.S. states, Canada, Australia, and the UK. To date, the PODS® network has completed more than one million long-distance moves, four million initial deliveries, and has over 220,000 PODS® containers in service. For more information, go to: www.mylocalpods.com
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- Issued By
- Consortium Media
- Categories
- Construction · Consumer · Home
- Last Updated
- November 10, 2026