Do you find it hard to realize that Christmas is so close at hand? Even though it’s just November and we haven’t even had Thanksgiving yet, I’m getting a head start on Christmas preparations so that I can enjoy the holiday season without undue anxiety. The week leading up to Christmas is traditionally one of the most hectic times of the year. It could appear as though you have an endless list of things to do, what with all the parties you need to go to, the cookies you need to bake, and the movies you need to watch. The holidays can be stressful, but they don’t have to be if you take the time to plan and organize things in advance.
Establish a Specific Location for the Gifts
Every year, our family enjoys laughing at the same inside joke. Whose present is it that will not be received? It truly does work every time. My grandmother misplaced a hoodie that she had embroidered with my initials one year, and we haven’t been able to locate it since then. A year ago, my Aunt was unable to locate the Carhart Overalls that belonged to our young nephews, but she recently did so. And my grandfather ALWAYS manages to leave the Christmas present he bought for my husband in the garage. Is this a challenge that your family also faces?
When you have a lot of parcels and gifts arriving at once, like you do over the holidays, it’s not unusual for one of them to get misplaced. This year, in order to prevent anyone from losing their gifts, make sure you have a specific location in which to store them before you put them beneath the tree! You could store smaller gifts in a storage tote or on a free shelf in a closet, depending on which option is more convenient for you. I always put the more diminutive presents in the closet in the entrance hall. The important thing is to keep as much as you can under control and in a single location.
Consult an annual Christmas calendar.
Due to the fact that my parents are no longer together, the holidays are always a whirlwind for me. Because my parents are divorced and I have a set of in-laws, this means that I have to attend three Christmas parties, buy gifts for three families, and create a budget for three families. In addition, there are Christmas parties at work, Christmas parties with friends and extended family, Christmas events at church, and I still need to find time to make Christmas memorable for my husband and our son.
It would be an understatement to say that it is overwhelming! Therefore, in order to have an orderly Christmas and attempt to get rid of as much stress as is humanly feasible, I utilize a Christmas planner. It has helped me maintain my sanity despite the hectic nature of the holiday season.
If, like me, you believe that having a Christmas Planner would help reduce the anxiety caused by the holidays and allow you to have a more structured Christmas, then you should get one.
Set a Budget
Establishing a financial plan for the holiday season is of the utmost importance! The tension that has built up over the years as a result of going over our holiday spending limit and running up credit card debt by purchasing an excessive number of Christmas presents is beyond my ability to adequately describe. It is so simple to accomplish since, of course, you want to give thoughtful presents to the people you care about. But is it truly worthwhile to put oneself in financial strain?
Create a spending plan and don’t deviate from it if you want to keep your head above water financially this year. In our family, I aim to spend no more than twenty dollars on members of our extended family and fifty dollars on members of our immediate family, such as our parents and siblings.
You can make a Christmas budget with the help of simply a standard sheet of paper, or you can use the one that is included in our Christmas Planner. Make a list of the people for whom you need to buy gifts and the total amount that you are willing to spend, and then go shopping for presents that fall within that price range! When you are making your Christmas budget, it is important to remember to include a few additional dollars to account for taxes and shipping costs.
Make Your Decorations More Orderly
Making sure that your Christmas decorations are neat and tidy is one of the simplest steps you can take toward having a well-organized Christmas. When you are aware of the locations of all of your decorative items, it will be lot simpler for you to design your home. In addition, if each of your Christmas decorations has its own specific location, putting everything away after the holiday will be a breeze! Tote boxes are an excellent choice for storing and arranging Christmas decorations because of their spacious interiors. In addition, during the holiday season, you may get totes in either red or green, which will help you color coat your decorations.
Green tote boxes are where we store our Christmas tree and decorations each year. Did you know that you can purchase tote boxes at stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot that are big enough to accommodate your Christmas tree? The fact that we now have one has completely shifted the dynamic for us! It makes it simple to store the tree and ensures that it will always remain in pristine condition. No longer will you have to deal with the frustration of a cardboard box falling apart. They even produce huge bags specifically for Christmas trees, in case a tote won’t do the trick for you.
Labeling your boxes is another step that you should take. It can be as easy as writing on the box with a Sharpie or printing out your own labels if you want to accomplish this.
BEGIN RIGHT AWAY
Last, but most certainly not least! Beginning as early as you possibly can is the most helpful step you can take toward having a well-organized Christmas celebration. It is never too early to start thinking about Christmas presents or getting things ready for the holiday. I make an effort to get started on my Christmas shopping as early as July, when stores typically have their winter clearance products marked down to extremely low prices. Items from Nike that are currently on sale at stores such as JCPenney are available for prices that are lower than what you can purchase them for over the holiday season, and these products make excellent presents for the men in your life.
Additionally, now is the time to begin organizing and cleaning your space! You definitely don’t want to be in a situation where you have to declutter your kids’ toys in order to make place for new ones in December, when your favorite Hallmark movie is on. If you are aware that you will soon have to find space in your home for new items, you should get started on decluttering as soon as possible.
You can get money from the sale of your children’s toys and put it toward the purchase of new ones. You may also sell that treadmill you never use so you’ll have more room in your house. When you are getting ready for a Christmas party, it will be a lot easier to clean if you have decluttered your home first. Make things simpler for yourself and get started right away!
This Christmas will be the best Christmas you’ve ever had, and you’ll finally be able to unwind and enjoy yourself because you’ll be so well prepared for it.
