A Little Organization Can Go a Long Way Towards A More Peaceful Holiday Season!

As we talked about last week, organizing & planning ahead for the Holidays (like Thanksgiving) can improve the quality of time you spend with your family & friends this year. Having a clean, clutter free home can make a big difference in how well your holidays affairs are executed, but organization goes well beyond the physical items in your home, particularly this time of year!

Just as crucial to a saner and more fulfilling holiday season is having your time optimized & organized. Time is at a premium, and as we get saddled with gift & food shopping for holiday events and attending parties, for example, a little planning and organizing of your time will free you up. Not only can you make more efficient use of your time, but you can spend it on the most important parts of the holiday-with the people you care about.

As Cynthia Ewer mentions, making lists are the best places to start for planning your holiday time:

“People who don’t map out stuff ahead of time are typically the ones who find the holidays stressful,” says Ewer, editor of OrganizedChristmas.com. The best way to get a handle on things? Create checklists—one for gifts (what to buy for whom), one for the holiday meal (the menu, the groceries you’ll need), and one for household prep (what needs to be done before guests arrive). “Make sure the very first item on each list is the budget,” advises Ewer. “How much can you realistically afford to spend on gifts, food and getting your home holiday-ready?” With checklists in hand, you can get down to business.

Ewer also offers these time saving suggestions to better organize & effectively use your time during the holidays:

  • Shop at the right time. The most peaceful days at the mall are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, when foot traffic is just 12% of weekly traffic…fewer crowds means you can get in and out headache-free.
  • Get e-newsletters. Starting right now, go to the websites of any food companies whose products you can use in your holiday meal and sign up for their e-newsletter. “You’ll be automatically alerted to any special offers, promotions, coupons and rebates,” says Susan Samtur, author of Super Shop Like the Coupon Queen. (Tip: Set up a separate email account so you don’t clog your regular email.)
  • Prep for guests. Every time you make a meal for your husband and kids in the weeks before Christmas, double the recipe
    and freeze half, says Alison Daniel, a mom of two in Folsom, California. “That way, when guests visit you can serve a home-cooked meal in minutes.”
  • Use the 30-minute rule. Sure, you want your home to look great for guests, but don’t fall prey to holiday house fever. “That’s when you try to do too much in too little time,” explains Ewer. “Cross off anything on your household prep list that will take more than a half-hour to do. The goal is to spiff up the house a little, not turn it into a showroom.”

Certainly, you don’t have to do it all this Holiday, but make sure you don’t give yourself any undue stress & make the most of the limited time you have this Holiday season!

For more tips, view the rest of the time saving article here…and if you’re running out of time this holiday season, give us a call & we can help lighten your organizational load so you can make the most of your time!