It's Not About The Perfect Food!
For many, many years I ran around preparing for Christmas and other holidays so that everything would be picture perfect. Whether I was hosting the event, or attending it at someone else’s house, I would feel the entire weight of the event on my shoulders.
De-Clutter Before the Holidays
It’s a great idea to make room for all of the new stuff that you know will be coming in during the holidays. Here are a few simple tips to accomplish that:
10 Tips to Simplify the Holidays
SHOPPING:
- Shop online. – So simple – enough said.
- Condense your shopping. – Don’t waste time rushing from store to store. Pick a shopping destination, or two, and buy as many gifts as you can from your list there.
Recycle Your Christmas Tree
Are you ready to get that big old Christmas tree out of your house? I thought so.
Dealing with Unwanted Gifts
As much as you don’t want to admit it, many of you probably received gifts you do not want. It’s probably just as likely that you would feel guilty if you didn’t keep those gifts because you don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.
Christmas is over - what now?
Now that all of the hustle and bustle of Christmas has passed, take the time to prepare for next year’s Christmas by:
Holiday Time Management Tips
- Make a list. – Create lists for who you need to shop for, what you will buy them, where you will buy it, etc.
- Plan your days. – Schedule time for everything you need to do to enjoy the holidays. When will you shop, clean, cook, etc.
- Allow extra time. – Always allow more time for tasks than you think it will take. This goes a long way in reducing stress.
- Prepare in advance. – Prepare cookies, snacks, meals, gifts, etc as far in advance as possible.
- Say goodbye to perfectionism. – The season is a time to enjoy family and friends. Nothing has to be perfect. Not the food, the gift, the wine, the outfit, etc.
A Gift Doesn't Have to be Stuff
Don’t be sucked in by the great holiday sales you see this year. Sales can be a great thing, but not if they cause you to buy something you (or your family and friends) don’t need. Why not give gifts this year that won’t add clutter to your family and friends home or office? Think of some creative ways you can celebrate the season together instead.
Yikes, it's December 1st!
Once December rolls around, the stress and frenzy of the upcoming holidays begins to bubble up within us. As hard as we try to fight it, we usually end up succumbing to it eventually.
Are You Ready for Black Friday?
If you’re like most of us, you’re spending the day today with family and friends if you’re lucky. Everyone has eaten more than their stomach could bear and now they’re kicked back with their feet up, and their shoes off, relaxing. Well tomorrow will be a completely different story if you plan to start or finish your Christmas shopping on Black Friday. Here are a few tips to get you through it.
Christmas Gifts
I had a fantastic Christmas, and hope that you did too. Before things get back to normal, it’s important to find a spot for all of the things you want to return or exchange to land. Many times things that are meant to be returned are lost within our other stuff and by the time we find them, it’s too late to return them.
The Gift of Giving
Christmas is just around the corner and everyone is already hussling and bussling to get just the right thing for those people on their Christmas list. It’s difficult to figure out what to buy someone for Christmas that has everything. My suggestion is not to get them a physical gift since it will really become a burden to them, rather than a gift.
Simplify the holidays
It’s not too early to begin preparing for the holidays. As a matter of fact, it’s a fantastic idea to get started now before the stress and rush of the holidays is upon us. Here are a few things you can do in advance to get a head start on things:
About the Author
Sue Anderson, CPO®, Owner of Simplified Living Solutions, is an expert in the professional organizing field, specializing in paper management (aka paper piles) and messy, unproductive desks, offices, home offices and filing systems.
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