HolidayPreparation

Preparing for the Holidays

Organizing solutions for your work, home and life!

If you haven't already, soon you'll start to notice the decorations going up, the commercials
become more intense and the catalogs will start coming.

enjoyable.
enjoyable.

season more enjoyable.

PREPARING THE HOUSE

You don't have to remodel your kitchen to be better prepared for the season. Do take the
time to go through your draws and cabinets to make sure you have the items you need to
make holiday meal prep a breeze.

Go for a good old fashioned cleaning: Don't confuse cleaning with being organized.
Sometimes we can do both together, but it's best to focus on one, then the other. Get
your elbow grease out and pick a room to start in. If there is too much clutter in the
way, begin sorting through and finding a home for your things.

Once you're done, clean

away.

Weeding out the piles: Don't wait till the day before family arrives to clean up. Set
time aside each weekend and begin tackling the clutter in each room. Sort through
your items. Find a place for the things that you need to keep and donate or throw
away those that you don't.

Before the doorbell rings: Check your bedding before guests arrive for sleep-overs.
Air out the mattresses, spruce up the towels and fluff up the pillows. Take a nap in the
guest room to be sure it's a comfortable. Where are the gathering places in your home?
Rearrange your furniture if necessary to make it more comfortable for guests to graze
and chat.

Kitchen clean up: Head to the kitchen, open the cabinets. If things don't seem to be
where they should be, take everything out. Sort them into groups as you go, putting
things together that are used together. Check expiration dates on any food items.
Consider if you have actually used each appliance within the past 2 years. Before you
put things back, be certain that it will be put to use. Organize them into stations:
Baking, Meat Prep, etc. When you're putting things away, think about where you will
be when you need them.

Deck the Halls: Most of us have not seen the decorations since we dragged them down
in January. Dig them out, dust them off, check to see if the lights still work. If you feel
confident you can get another season out of them, great. Wait till the after holiday sales
to stock up on decorations for the next year. Need to buy new ones? Go now before the
shopping season really picks up and prices go up with it. Check the clearance sales for
left over items to take advantage of savings.

WHAT'S COOKING?

Don't you love the question of what's for dinner? Well make it easier around the holidays.

Stock up the pantry: Take the time to pick up those staple items that you know you'll
need. If you've got company on the way, make sure you have enough plates, cups, etc.
to avoid having to run out at the last minute.

Create a meal plan: Spend a little time to plan out a few quick meals and snacks that you
can put together quickly in case company drops by. List out your favorites and the
ingredients you'll need to make them. Check your pantry and make a shopping trip for
the things you don't have. Now you're ready to throw together a meal on short notice!

Do a test run: If you're trying new recipes for the holidays, consider doing a trial run
and invite a few friends over to taste test. Don't wait to the last minute to find out that
you don't have what you need for dinner.

MAKING YOUR LISTS

The best time to start your holiday shopping (in my opinion) is long before sleigh bells start
ringing. I always try taking note of the things that family members express an interest in
throughout the year. It helps me when I'm putting my shopping list together to pick out
thoughtful gifts that they'll actually like.

Shop Strategically: Don't you dare leave your house without a budget and a list for
who you're going to shop for and how much you're willing to spend on them. It sounds
cold, but your wallet will appreciate it in January. Stick to the plan. Avoid last minute
shopping. Figure out which stores you're most likely to find your list items before you
get to the mall. Take advantage of coupons, early bird specials and (one of my personal
favorites) the Internet. Special Note If you're shopping on the Internet, group your purchases
and confirm that the on-line deals aren't offset by the shipping charges.

If you're not sure, ask: We've all received that one gift that just didn't make sense. The
color was wrong, the item didn't fit, or it suited the giver much better than you.
Usually, someone's afraid to ask the questions "What can I get you?'. My solution is
either a gift card to their favorite store or I simply ask them for a list of gift ideas that
they really want. If you're the potential recipient, you could make things easy by giving
your loved ones a gift wish list. There are some great online tools that allow you to do
this easily, like www.wishlist.com or try the Wish List link on www.amazon.com

Be easy on yourself and your wallet this holiday season, start planning now to get
a jump on the crowds and beat the crush.