Celebrating the Holidays Organized: A Mini Guide to Help you Minimize the Chaos

Well, it’s the most wonderful time of the year as the song goes but you and I know it can be the most chaotic time of the year! This is your opportunity to live this holiday season organized. This guide has a few of my favorite things. (cue the music on this one!) Just think how much better you will be for starting out early.  In order to do this, I am highlighting five popular parts of the holidays:  Planning, Hosting/Traveling, Shopping, Decorating and everyone’s favorite, taking down the decorations.

(In this guide you will see links to products that I make a small affiliate amount for, this is not being charged or added to what you purchase. I am just being up front with you) The products with links are what I think you might like from what I have used. They may even be on sale!

First and foremost, you will need a planner. It can be on your phone, your desk or the wall. Getting the dates in your mind helps set the tone for what the next couple of months will look like. Fill in the dates for now as best that you know and add new dates as they come up as soon as they come up. This is so helpful in preventing scheduling conflicts. The planner is going to be your personal organizer in helping keep you on task so that distraction does not take over. The planner will be referred to in this guide as P.

If you celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas, this will have some overlap.

SHOPPING

As soon as you can, it is a good idea to start with a budget for holiday shopping and one for holiday entertaining( the meal). A budget is very important in these difficult financial moments. Your budget may collect into a savings account to keep this money allocated to the holidays.

Track your spending. Each time you purchase for the holidays, write it down in your planner or add it to your phone. It adds up faster than you realize! 

Christmas Gift Tracker is a great way to organize ideas on gift giving, the budget and the items you purchased for everyone on your list. I would add that you should also track whether this item needs to mailed, it is something to add to your planner. I personally add where I’ve hidden the item in my home. You might think this is strange but I have had that “look” on Christmas morning when I have forgotten to wrap something. Have you? This is one that I like.

This year, you are going to wrap as you go because you have your tracking book to help you. I encourage you to set up a wrapping area devoted to wrapping.

Two items that will help you:

1. Gift wrap organizer that will have all that you need in one place! This saves you time from running around the house trying to find scissors and tape. This is my favorite one, mostly because it fits under the bed so I can easily hide it.
   • This is basically a suitcase for your gift wrap station. It holds 18- 24 standard size rolls of paper up to 40” long, jumbo rolls may limit the amount it can hold. It has extra pocket so that you can store ribbon, bows, tags and gift bags. I keep tissue paper on top of the wrapping paper as well. This has made my wrapping so much easier which is why I say you can wrap as you go.

2. The over the door double sided gift wrap organizer may be a better option for you.
   • It seems to hold a lot, I have not used this type but I realize it might be easier than getting down on the floor. I would make sure you have a table or bed nearby to do the wrapping on.

DECORATING

This is completely up to you. I would say that decorations enhance the experience! For me, Christmas decorating takes a full weekend because I’ve always loved to do it!! You will need to factor in time to do this (add to your planner). Indoor or outdoor? 

For Thanksgiving, some festive pillows and a centerpiece with a tablecloth or runner are a simple way to go.

For Christmas, the choice to decorate outside with lights and other cute items depends on how much time you have. What type of decorating will you do inside? A Christmas tree or the full regalia of the holiday village, greenery and lights?

HOSTING/TRAVELING

Whether it’s a gathering of 4 or 24, there is still much to do. If you are only hosting the meal, there is less to do but still more than what you do for a nightly dinner.

1. Decide the menu from beginning to end (include beverages and snacks and other food if the guests are staying).
2. Shop.
3. Prepare ahead the food that can be such as desserts. You want to save time on the day of for being with your guests. 
4. Make sure you have a way to send your guests home with leftovers. Everyone loves leftovers from Thanksgiving or Christmas. It’s good to have some containers on hand for them to take home and you don’t have to ask for them back. Here is one that I like for this, They have a variety of sizes in this 8 pc set.
5. Overnight guests will need you to have the room ready for them to sleep in. I like to make a little welcome basket with some snacks and leave it on the dresser. This is also a good place to utilize hotel shampoo, conditioner and soap. Make sure you have had the time to clean the room and put clean bedding on the bed for your guests in advance of their arrival. 

Now, if you are traveling for the holiday, do you have an itinerary? This is a good use  for the planner.

When will you leave? Fly or drive?

Does the car need any service before you hit the road? These are all things that should be planned and taken care of a couple of weeks in advance.

Do you need luggage? Cool Life has this awesome set. I only have one piece but this 3 piece set looks amazing! For just under $100 you get all 3 pieces and they are all within FAA regulations. 

Will you be brining anything as a gift for the host?

Do you have someone to watch your home or pet while you are away? Holidays are busy times for people to travel so don’t wait to the last minute for these plans. 

UN-DECORATING

The holidays are over and the task of taking down the decorations is left. When do you plan to take them down?  

Here are a few suggestions to allow this task to be an organizing tool for the next holiday season:

1. Make note of anything that needs to be replaced for next year. Add it to your 2025 calendar (November). This has been so helpful for our family.
2. As you take down the Christmas tree ornaments, let’s get them in a container that will keep them safe. The Premium Ornament Christmas Storage Container holds 128 ornaments in a tear proof fabric box. I really love this container! There are other ones for your wreath and Christmas tree too.           

3.  Take a moment and reflect on the holiday season. Savor the moment.

 Hope you find this holiday guide helps you have a more organized holiday season. I guess you can probably tell that the most important thing is the planner. It’s all about the planner, digital or paper. Be diligent in your planning and then you will have less stress so can prepare in a more orderly way