PREPARING FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Can you believe the holidays are just around the corner? It’s crazy how quickly this year has passed. Many of us are anticipating the joy and celebration of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Some of us might get stressed about the holiday season, but one way to prevent the stress from piling up is to start getting organized now so that you can enjoy the festive season ahead.
WAYS TO ORGANIZE FOR THE HOLIDAYS:
1. Create Lists. Writing a list helps to organize your thoughts and prioritize items based on importance or deadlines. It is also a beneficial way to not forget something. Make a list of what you need to do, who you need to buy for, gifts you need to shop for, meals you want to have, groceries to buy, events to add to your calendar, and things to pack if you are traveling, etc.
Now, how realistic is your list (keeping in mind daily commitments, stage of life you’re in, etc.)? What can you cut from the list and still have the kind of holiday season you want to have? What can you move around or change now to set yourself up to have the time and energy you need to do the things you want to do?
2. Create a Budget. Decide how much you can or want to spend for Thanksgiving and Christmas, set that money aside and do your best to stick within those boundaries to help reduce stress. Think about how much money you’re willing to set aside for each person you want to buy for. If the budget is an issue, take steps now to avoid uncomfortable situations during the holidays. Talk to extended family about skipping gifts, or giving gifts only to the children, or drawing names and setting a cap on the amount.
3. Write Holiday Cards. If this is something you enjoy doing, then go ahead and make a list of who you would like to send a card to and verify their address. Maybe even go ahead and write them, address them, and add it to your list to mail on a certain day so that it is out of the way. You could even send a virtual card.
4. Start Buying Food You Can Store. If you already know what meals and dishes you will need to prepare this holiday season, go ahead, and buy items you will need when they are on sale. Of course, make sure they are items that will stay fresh until needed.
5. Buy Gifts as You See Them. If you are out shopping and are inspired for a gift idea for a person on your list, go ahead and buy it. This will help you to get some shopping out of the way, keep you from forgetting your idea, and prevent it from being out of stock later.
6. Start Wrapping Early. When you buy a gift, go ahead and wrap it and store it away. It is one more thing to be able to cross off your to-do list and prevent any sneaky kids from finding out what they will be getting.
7. Make personal time and self-care a priority, even during the holiday season. Include some time for self-care - schedule your holiday-time appointments (hair? nails? massage? brunch with a beloved friend?) now.
Leave some white space on your calendar. Filling up every second of the holiday season with events and activity and go-go-go might result in happy memories . . . or it might result in exhaustion and emotional meltdowns.
Focus on what’s most meaningful and carve out time to relax and rest so you can enjoy the holiday time!
8. Start decluttering. Cluttered space contributes to anxiety and to a lack of focus. On the other hand, a clean, clutter-free space helps lead to a more relaxed and peaceful frame of mind. In addition to the pleasure that comes from having a peaceful, decluttered home, getting rid of the “extra” stuff will also make space for the new stuff that invariably comes at the holidays.
Starting now you can:
Clean out refrigerator and pantry well before it’s time to do holiday cooking; non-perishables that you won’t use could be donated to a food pantry.
Declutter kids’ rooms and find things to discard or donate. This might be a new holiday tradition of choosing gently used toys to donate to a shelter. Get the kids involved. This will also free up space for new things they may receive during the holidays.
Declutter and refresh bathrooms or guest room that might be used by guests during holiday parties.
Declutter master bedroom and make it a refuge for you during the busy holiday season.
Clean out coat closet and make space for guest coats. (Can you donate any coats that have been outgrown or replaced to a shelter?)
Clean out a closet or space for gifts, wrapping paper, etc., as you buy them. If you have the space for it, you could even set up a gift-wrapping station where you have everything you need at hand to wrap gifts.
A meaningful holiday is what’s important. Start planning ways you will make the holidays memorable and more meaningful. One secret to a joyful, lower-stress holiday season might be giving a little thought now so we can plan to manage expectations. If there is something we’ve always historically done, but we decide not to do it, we can start to let others know we are going to do things a little differently. It’s better to talk about it now than to drop a bomb and not meet expectations.
We understand that life transitions can be an emotional and stressful process! EZ Declutter Solutions is here to provide support and guidance every step of the way! We manage all the details, so you won’t have to!
Visit our website: https://www.ezdecluttersolutions.com for a free Consultation or call 812-350-0029!
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