ORGANIZING THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS

How not to lose your mind and keep it all together....

We all want to have the perfect holiday  but then we realize it is not possible to have "perfect" but we can have something close! The biggest obstacle is that we are ill prepared, we say we are but we really aren't. 
We need to know that we must have help from time to time to get it all done. I hope this helps....

One of the first organizational tips I give is to WRITE IT ALL DOWN 
Write down the following:
Gifts-1. Start with a list of who you are shopping for and what your gift ideas are along with the budget.
          2. Once the items are purchased, write down what you bought and for whom, where you are stashing it. (this includes the stocking stuffers)
For your shopping list, keep it handy, in your phone or in your wallet and update as necessary. 

TIMELINE: This lays out your game plan for getting it all done!!!
Start with December 1st and go to where you need it to end. Write out with targeted dates all things Christmas, the shopping, the baking, the mailing, the wrapping, the delivering, and the celebrating.  This was a game changer for me!!! I didn't try to "fit' things in, I could see on paper what fit and what didn't. There weren't really any surprises for me either! As I always say, be REALISTIC!! Leave room for enjoying the holiday.

Decorating -
needs to be written down as well.
1. As you take the decorations out this year, make it easy to put them away by jotting down what was in each box or bin. You can write with a sharpie on the outside or take a post it note and tape it to the outside of the container what was in that particular space.  HUGE timesaver!!
2. Make note of any items that need replaced, like the lights! If you can get through the season with what you have you can write yourself a note on the calendar for next year reminding you. This is really helpful so you can have the item ahead of time and it won't hold up next year's decorating. 

Hope this helps bring some organization to the busiest time of the year for you and yours. 

Fondly,
Darlene Illig