diff --git a/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp b/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp
index c9ed69a80c..2cf6644c3e 100644
--- a/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp
+++ b/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp
@@ -914,6 +914,16 @@ void Scheduler::trim_freelist() {
   }
   this->scheduler_item_pool_head_ = nullptr;
   this->scheduler_item_pool_size_ = 0;
+
+  // The vectors that back items_/to_add_/defer_queue_ also retain their boot-peak
+  // capacity (std::vector grows by doubling). Swap each with a same-content copy to
+  // reclaim the slack -- the new vector is sized exactly to its current contents.
+  std::vector<SchedulerItem *>(this->items_).swap(this->items_);
+  std::vector<SchedulerItem *>(this->to_add_).swap(this->to_add_);
+#ifndef ESPHOME_THREAD_SINGLE
+  std::vector<SchedulerItem *>(this->defer_queue_).swap(this->defer_queue_);
+#endif
+
 #ifdef ESPHOME_DEBUG_SCHEDULER
   ESP_LOGD(TAG, "Freelist trimmed (%zu items freed)", freed);
 #else
diff --git a/esphome/core/scheduler.h b/esphome/core/scheduler.h
index da15279ae9..7cdb29aae0 100644
--- a/esphome/core/scheduler.h
+++ b/esphome/core/scheduler.h
@@ -132,11 +132,10 @@ class Scheduler {
   // @return Timestamp of the last item that ran, or `now` unchanged if none ran.
   uint32_t call(uint32_t now);
 
-  // Free every SchedulerItem currently sitting in the recycle freelist. Items in
-  // items_/to_add_/defer_queue_ are untouched. Intended to claim the post-boot
-  // peak: boot churn (component setup, first sensor reads, retries) inflates the
-  // freelist beyond what steady-state needs, and without a one-shot trim that
-  // peak would be retained forever.
+  // Reclaim memory held by the post-boot peak. Frees every SchedulerItem in the
+  // recycle freelist and shrinks items_/to_add_/defer_queue_ vector capacity to
+  // their current sizes (std::vector grows by doubling and otherwise retains the
+  // peak). Live items in those vectors are preserved.
   void trim_freelist();
 
   // Move items from to_add_ into the main heap.