By Diane Ferraro
The holiday season is considered one of the happiest times of the year, but there seems to be so much to do before we can enjoy the happiness! It’s very easy to feel overwhelmed and stressed out, but there are some things you can do to feel more in control and stay on track.
Take Notes
It all starts with a plan. Write down all the things you need to get accomplished before Christmas. Be as detailed as you like at this point; you can make decisions about what things you may want to cut back on or eliminate entirely later on. Once you have your list made, go over it carefully. There may be some things on it that no longer make sense for you or your family. If this is the case, don’t be shy about changing or removing them. Your goal is to focus on the things that are really important to you during this time.
When you have updated your “To Do” list, you can start to get organized for the holidays. Putting things on a calendar or your daily schedule is a good way to make sure that you don’t miss anything, and you can spread out your holiday preparations so that you don’t leave a lot of tasks to the last minute.
Don’t wait ‘til the last minute
Your Christmas cards need to be mailed out in the weeks leading up to the holiday, so you should focus your attention on them first. Either pull out your list from last year or go through your address book to find contact information for people you would like to send cards to. If the list is too overwhelming to deal with at once, divide it into sections and make a plan for tackling it a bit at a time.
Once the cards have been addressed and mailed, you can tackle your holiday shopping. Before you head out to the stores, make a list of who you are buying a gift for and have a price range in mind. This will help you focus your efforts so that you don’t end up looking at items that priced higher than what you wanted to spend.
Get things done early
If you decide to do all your shopping in one trip, plan to get out early before the stores get too busy. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to patiently for your turn, even though other people may not have that attitude.
Be sure to schedule some time for holiday baking and decorating when you are organizing your time. Don’t be shy about getting the whole family involved in this part of the preparation. Choose some child-friendly recipes that you can make together and let your children help you decorate your tree.
Ultimately, the secret to managing the holiday rush is to get organized by scheduling everything you need to do to get ready and getting help from your family members when you can. If you keep these tips in mind, the Holiday Season will be more relaxing and enjoyable for everyone.
Author Information
Diane Ferraro is a writer on a variety of topics. Currently, she writes for a company that sells corporate Christmas cards. In addition to blogging, she likes to scrapbook and travel as much as possible.
Photo Credit: Mieke de Leeuw
end of post idea for home improvement
view and analyze home improvement ideas at our LetsRenovate center
Helpful article? Leave us a quick comment below.
And please give this article a rating and/or share it within your social networks.
