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Thanksgiving has come and gone, so the holiday season is
in full swing. My family and I celebrate Christmas, the birth of Jesus. I
know the reason for the season, and I try to keep it front and center in
my mind. I have to admit, though, I get caught up in the
decorating and shopping of it all.
The holidays can bring about stress because we get bogged
down doing the things that we feel we have to do or the things that we
have always done. When we do this, we end up with no time to do the
things that we really want to do.
And, what about the stress of seeking that "Perfect
Christmas". Oh, you know the one, where everyone gets
along...everyone loves their gifts...everyone is appropriately
appreciative. Stop with those expectations right now and start to
work on having an enjoyable Christmas.
In this edition of Living Orderly, Living Well, I have
given you some tips that will hopefully take some of the stress out of
your holidays and put the JOY back in.
Jill
Visit us at www.livingorderly.com to learn about the "Holiday Services" we
offer. Let us take some of the stress out of your holidays and bring
the JOY back in!
Keep It Together
- Make a
holiday binder to keep all of your gift ideas, receipts, meal
plans, recipes, and more. Get a three ring binder, paper,
plastic page protectors, tabbed dividers and a pencil
holder. You may also want to include a calendar page for
the month of December. Use the paper for your lists and notes.
Store your receipts, recipe cards, ideas from magazines, and
pictures in the plastic page protectors. Put a calculator and
pens in the pencil holder. Now you have a place for all of
your holiday plans.
Decorate With Ease
- Take
pictures of your Christmas decorations inside and outside, so you
can use them as a guide for decorating each year. Make sure to
keep your pictures up to date as you use different decorating
ideas. Make copies to keep in your safe deposit box to go
with your home inventory for insurance purposes.
Plan, Plan, Plan
- Get
your calendar out and pencil in all of the holiday and
nonholiday events. Be selective, so that you will have time to
do the things you want to do. Go ahead and schedule time on
your calendar for addressing cards, decorating the house, decorating
the tree, shopping, meal planning, and cooking. Try to set a
date like the middle of December to have the things
that can be done early completed, so the rest of the month can be
for enjoying the season.
It's Okay To Say No
- Give
yourself permission to say no to some of the family
traditions. Just because something has been done for
as long as you have known doesn't mean you have to
continue it. Talk to your family about the family traditions
and which ones to keep and which to let go. You may want
to start your own family traditions instead.
Oldies, But Goodies For Someone Else
- As
you go through your decorations, get rid of any that you no
longer enjoy or use. Also, if you bring in new
decorations make sure you get rid of some of your old
ones. Donate them right away so that someone else can enjoy
them during the holidays. If there are some that have sentimental
value, then take pictures of them and donate. If you have
children that are starting out on their own, they may gladly take
your hand me downs.
Make Room For The New
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Make room for the new things
that will be coming in. Go through your child's toys and get rid of any
broken toys or ones that have missing parts. Donate any toys that
are still good, but that your child has outgrown or doesn't play
with anymore. Get your child involved in donating the toys, so they
can learn the joy of giving. Do the same with clothing.
Don't Bust Your Budget
- Create a
budget and stick with it. Make a list of the gifts
you need to buy and make sure you always have the
list with you. Include entertaining,
decorations, and food in your budget. Resist the impulse items,
especially the stocking stuffers that you tend to pick up here and
there. (I'm talking to myself on this one.) Once you have finished
your shopping, stay out of the stores.
Be Prepared
- Buy extra
gifts to have on hand for those last minute gifts or those people
you forgot to put on your gift list. If you don't use them, you can
use them throughout the year for hostess, birthday or thank you
gifts.
Plan Your Trip
- Make a
packing list to reduce the amount of stress when you get ready to
travel. Allison Carter with The Professional Organizer,
suggests making a master list, then add categories according to the
trips you take during the year. (beach trip, winter travel, business
trips, trip to Grandmas) Pack your list with you, so that you
can return with everything you took. Keep the packing list in
your suitcase, so it is always handy.
- If you are
flying to your destination, ship your packages ahead of time. You
can't fly with them already wrapped, but you can ship them wrapped.
- Check out
the TSA website for the updated details on airline travel. www.tsa.gov.
It's A Wrap
- Make
sure you have all of the wrapping supplies that you will need.
(wrapping paper, tissue paper, gift bags, gift tags, ribbon, bows,
tape, pens, scissors)
- Create
a gift wrapping center or area that is accessible to everyone in the
family. Include all of the
essentials that you need to wrap presents. Visit our website
for some different ideas on keeping your gift wrapping
supplies together. (www.livingorderly.com)
- Wrap
your gifts as you purchase them or make them.
- Have
a gift wrapping party with your girlfriends. Swap your
leftover wrapping paper from last year with others, so that
what is old to you is new to someone else.
- Sit
at a table to wrap presents. Your back will thank you
later.
For more
tips and information be sure to visit us at www.livingorderly.com.
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