7 Easy Ways to Simplify the Holiday Season
Filed under: Family Management, Home Organization, Seasonal Organizing
Preparing and getting through the holidays can be a job in itself. Between the baking, gift-wrapping, holiday get-togethers, visiting with friends and family, and possibly some travel, it can be overwhelming and often tiresome. The holidays are a time for enjoying one another and celebrating the season, no one has time to be stressed out!
Here are my top 7 ways to simplify for the holiday season to help get you through the holiday season:
- Gift bags – With so many great gift bag selections these days you are sure to find the perfect bag for your gift. A present in gift-wrap is a beautiful sight, but if you are crunched for time you can still have a beautiful gift in a lot less time.
- Potlucks – Getting everyone together for the holidays is a tradition for many. Rather then take on all the cooking and baking yourself, as your guests to bring their favorite holiday dish with them. You get to try new things, and most likely will not spend the whole day in the kitchen.
- Gift-wrapping parties – Get together with friends and wrap away. Share paper, share stories, or even share a glass of wine. Who says gift-wrapping is not fun?
- Printed address labels – Whether you create an address label file, or you merge your contact list into one, printing the address (to and from) can save you a lot of time when it comes to card writing. Make it festive with green or red printing.
- Bake in advance – Do you bake during the holidays? Bake in advance and freeze, sugar cookies are an excellent candidate for freezing. You can bake them now, freeze them and then pull them out when you need to ice them. Biting off a little bit of the baking at a time will help you get it all done.
- Make a list – And check it twice. Lists can be a lifesaver. Make a list for the gifts you want to give, and keep track of what have already purchased and stashed away. Also, make a list of the gifts you receive. This will make it much easier when you write thank you notes.
- Shop in advance – Stick to your list (see #6) and keep track of where you stash the gifts away. Getting your shopping done in advance will give you more time to enjoy the holidays as they quickly approach.
The holidays are a time for rejoicing and giving. Keep it simple and enjoy the holiday season.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michelle_Poteet
Originally posted 2010-11-25 12:55:09. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Rejoice! You Can Have a Stress-free Holiday!
Filed under: Family Management, Healthy Habits, Home Organization, Seasonal Organizing
During the hustle and bustle of this hectic time of year, women often feel responsible for making the holidays perfect. This can leave you feeling overwhelmed and pressed for time, stressed out and exhausted.
Still, it’s possible to recapture the meaning of the holiday season and make it truly enjoyable for you and your family. Try these survival strategies and you too can rejoice in a stress-free and meaningful holiday season.
Set Realistic Priorities in Line with Your Family’s Values – the pursuit of the perfect holiday gathering can leave you feeling let down if your celebration doesn’t live up to your expectations. I rec
all a client, a busy mom of three children, who insisted on continuing a long-time tradition of putting up and decorating three Christmas trees each year in her moderately-sized home. I suggested that we ask her family if it was essential to them to have three Christmas trees in their home in order to enjoy their holiday. They unanimously shared that three Christmas trees was their mom’s idea, and that it was much more important to them to enjoy time with their parents than the number of Christmas trees they put up. This is an excellent example of how important it is to keep your goals and expectations realistic.
Don’t Procrastinate – last-minute shopping may save you some money, but the headaches, extra time and stress you’ll experience from fighting the crowds aren’t worth it. The holidays are no time for procrastination! Make lists and accomplish your goals by a certain date so you can relax and truly enjoy the holidays.
Adopt a K.I.S.S. Attitude (Keep It Simple Sweetie) – Meals don’t have to be elaborate to be wonderful. After several years of trying, I finally convinced my mother that we didn’t need fine china and polished silver to have a wonderful holiday together. After she stopped this elaborate tradition, we had more stress-free quality time with her, which was much more important than eating on (and hand-washing) fine china. Suggest that your guests lend a hand and bring a side dish to the festivities. When shipping, choose simple, thoughtful gifts rather than lavish expensive ones.
Keep Greeting Cards & Gifts Organized – Throughout the holiday season, we are purchasing and stockpiling gifts and greeting cards in preparation to give them. How many times have you purchased a greeting card or gift in advance, then when it’s time to give it, you can’t find it? I often set up a gift and greeting card center for my clients. Our Greeting Card Organizer can serve as a home for all your greeting cards during the holidays and throughout the year.
Have a Plan … But Go With the Flow – Holiday traditions evolve over the years. While you may be disappointed if you can’t quite re-enact the exact celebration of yore, learn to go with the flow so you can find happiness in creating new memories with your family.
Stay Healthy – You can’t truly appreciate the holidays if you’re exhausted and worn down wit
h too much food, drink and too little sleep. Be mindful of your physical and mental wellbeing during this hectic time.
Take a Break and BREATHE – Try not to spread yourself too thin. Setting boundaries and learning to say no is never a more important skill to exercise than during the holidays. Remember the true meaning of the season and only attend the holiday activities and family gatherings that you enjoy and set aside some time for yourself each day. You should be as good to yourself as you are to others.
Originally posted 2008-11-10 19:26:57. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
How will you observe “Buy Nothing Day?”
Filed under: Clear the clutter, Healthy Habits, Home Organization, Seasonal Organizing
Here are some eye-opening facts as we approach the busiest buying season of the year.
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The average American wastes 55-minutes per day (roughly 12 weeks per year) looking for misplaced belongings.
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75% of Americans visit malls each week. On average, Americans shop six hours a week.
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Today, many new homes are built with three-car garages the size of an entire house in the 1950s.
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We receive as much mail in a week as our parents received in a month and as much mail in a month as our grandparents received in a lifetime.” (source: USPS)
The Day After Thanksgiving is BUY NOTHING DAY! How will you observe it?
This internationally-recognized holiday is an opportunity to challenge yourself, your family, and your friends to take a day off from shopping. Recent statistics reveal that Americans spend 6 hours per week shopping. Instead of hitting the malls, spend some time – rather than money – doing things that bring you joy and fulfillment. Here are a few tips to get you started:
FOCUS ENERGY ELSEWHERE
Does your “To Do” list have you constantly running, buying, doing, and getting? Try simplifying your life by slowing down to appreciate the good around you. When do you find yourself smiling or happy? Pursue those activities that energize and revitalize you. Starting today, make a few conscious choices to spend your time and energy differently.
AVOID TEMPTATION
Do you find yourself running to multiple stores each week to get all those great sale items? Make a decision to try a few weeks without reading the Sunday sale ads. Make a running list of the items that you absolutely cannot live without, pledge to purchase only items that are on that list. You’ll be amazed at the time and money you save!
BE AWARE OF CLUTTER’S CURSE
When you spend money, you’re bound to accumulate clutter. Clutter takes up time, space, energy, and/or money without providing any tangible benefit. Consider the time and effort it takes to care for your belongings. Could you think of better ways to spend your time?
LOOK DEEPER
Before you buy, think about what’s truly important to you. What brings you joy, satisfaction, and fulfillment? Try to look beyond the initial “thrill of the purchase” and see what provides deeper moments of meaning.
Anything less than a conscious commitment to the important is an unconscious commitment to the unimportant.
~ Stephen R. Covey, Ph.D.
Originally posted 2008-11-25 05:14:35. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
