Growing up, the holiday season seemed to be relaxed and it felt like it lasted a long time. That is how I remember it anyway. Now, everything seems rushed and more stressful. I don’t think it has to be that way. True, our lifestyles have changed over the years and the way we live and work is quite different from “back in the day”, but I feel like the holiday season is the one time of the year when we should slow down and reflect on what is most important. One way to ensure that happens is to be organized during the holiday season. It helps make the season run smoothly and makes it a lot less chaotic. Today, I am going to share 5 ways to stay organized during the holidays so you can leave the stress behind and enjoy the season.
5 Ways To Stay Organized During The Holidays
Start Budgeting Now
Money is one of the main stressors around the holidays. People are buying gifts, baking is happening all the time, guests are visiting, travel may be involved, and meals are being planned for many people. START BUDGETING NOW! If you can be diligent about setting up a budget before the holidays, it is going to make the entire season less stressful. Organize a budget for everything before the holidays hit. Sit down and write down the biggest costs for you during the holidays. This can include things like gifts, food, guests, travel, etc. Write it all down. Then, set a budget for each item. Put a limit on what you spend on each item.
There are ways to save money on everything on your list that will help you stick to the budget you set. I have included money-saving budgeting tips inside my post “quick budgeting tips that will save you thousands”. Planning a budget and sticking to it is so smart any time of year but if you really want to enjoy the holiday season, it is of utmost importance now. Don’t put it off. The sooner you do it, the better off your holiday season will be.
Make a Gift List – Check It Twice and Shop Early
Gifts are a huge part of the holiday season. It can also be the thing that can cost the most during the season. Again, that “cost” can lead to stress. There are many ways to simplify gift-giving around the holidays. One way is to make a gift list and check it twice. This is one organization tip around the holidays that will save you a lot of money as well. Make a list of the people you buy a gift for. If you buy smaller gifts for people like coworkers, neighbors, the mail person, etc. add those to the list. If you buy a gift for the dog, that gets added to the list. Every person (and furry friend) that you buy a gift for goes on this list.
Once you have the list of names down, put a gift total amount next to each name. What are you budgeting to spend on each gift? Put that number next to each name.
Once you have a budget set for each person, start brainstorming some gift ideas for each one. As you write down gift ideas, keep the budget you set in mind. Don’t go over that. Another added thing you can do in the gift department that will help you stay organized during the holidays is to shop early. If you can get in the habit of looking for gifts all year round, that is even better. Stores and websites host all kinds of sales and discounts before the holidays start so shop early and get some of the gifts out of the way. That way, you aren’t scrambling last minute and paying the full retail price, and regretting it all after the holidays are over.
BUDGET TIP: If you shop early enough, break up the gift budget according to your paychecks. Set aside money from each paycheck that will go towards gifts. This works best if you start EARLY in the season. It breaks it up into smaller chunks so it is not such a huge hit to your budget all at once.
Holiday Schedule – Get The Calendar
Not only are our regular schedules hectic around the holidays with kids in sports, activities, band, work schedules, etc. but there are also holiday-related activities that we want to enjoy. Create a calendar that is just for the holiday season. Print off a calendar for the months of October, November, and December. What Halloween events are you planning on attending? Add that to the calendar. Do the kids have a Halloween parade at school? Add that to the schedule. What kinds of things do you want to do during the fall months (pumpkin patch, apple orchard, etc.)? Add those to the calendar. Is there a Thanksgiving 5K you want to run? Add that to the calendar.
Once it gets closer to Christmas, the calendar will really start filling up so be diligent about adding all the things you have to do AND scheduling the things you want to enjoy as well.
Plan Your Cooking Schedule and Menus NOW
The holidays are full of food. From tailgating and Halloween to Thanksgiving and the New Year. Food is a big part of the holiday season so one of the ways to stay organized during the holiday season is to sit down and plan menus and food early. This planning session should include all the baking you need to do, the office potlucks, the dinners you are hosting, the wine and snacks you are providing for gift exchanges, food to take to parties, school treats you are making for the kids, etc. All food-related “menus” should be thought out early so you can plan accordingly and you aren’t scrambling last minute. This will also tell you what foods you need to buy so you can pay attention to sales at the grocery store and save some money in the long run.
Decorate Early
One of the 5 ways to stay organized during the holidays is to decorate early! Decorating for the holidays should be fun. It shouldn’t be stressful. It is also something that shouldn’t take up weeks and weeks of your holiday season. Schedule a day or afternoon (in your holiday calendar we talked about earlier) to turn on your favorite holiday music and/or movie, drink some hot cocoa and get the entire family involved in the process. Do this early in the season so that you can enjoy it throughout the entire season. Don’t let decorating interfere with all the other things you have going on.
Organization Tip While You Decorate: As you bring decorations out, have an empty box next to you. If you pull something out from your decorations that you don’t love or know you won’t put out, put it in the empty box. Organize and purge as you decorate. Don’t store things you aren’t using or loving. Put those items in a donation box and drop them off at your donation site the next time you are in your car. This will ensure you aren’t hoarding decorations and it will leave your house decorated with only the things you love.
I hope these 5 tips for staying organized during the holidays are helpful. The holidays are supposed to be an amazing time of year that shouldn’t be filled with stress and chaos. Plan ahead, start early and make lists to ensure this holiday season is the best one yet.
I would love to hear from you. What are some things you do during the holiday season that help you stay organized?
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