In order to stay sane and organized during this busy time of year, you may need to make a few changes in order to cut down on stress and increase the enjoyment level. A busy speaking schedule has prompted me to make some of these changes myself but in the end, I think they will go a long way in helping me be less stressed and feel more organized.
Simplifying:
- Amazon Prime. This is a service by Amazon.com and costs us $80/year. We get free shipping – usually within two days as well as instant streaming video. Well worth it considering this year I’m doing about 98% of my shopping online.
- Holiday Sweet Treats. I’m only baking two family favorites this year. If guests ask what they can bring, I’m suggesting they bring cookies or a dessert so well have plenty of variety.
- Decorating. Instead of decorating throughout my whole house this year, I paid extra attention to our fireplace mantle, my dining room centerpiece, one tree, and some outside lights and planters. Sometimes less really is more.
New traditions:
- Because our family is growing and we’ll have additional guests here for Christmas this year, we’ve decided to draw names for the stockings. We plan on using a website like www.elfster.com or www.sneakysanta.com to handle the details of the drawing.
- To create some intrigue this year, I’m asking each guest to give me one meal idea ahead of time. I will then draw one out of a hat and that will become our Christmas Day dinner. We might be eating pizza, tacos, Chinese or steak. Who knows?!?
Planning ahead:
- Be healthy. If you’re sick or run down, you’ll dread the holidays. Be mindful of how much rest you’re getting as well as how much water you’re drinking and sweets you’re eating.
- Plan some down time. I am looking forward to my Annual Pajama Day in a few weeks as it provides me a day to press “pause” before the festivities kick in.
After New Year’s:
- Take photos of things you want to repeat next year. I’ll be taking pics of my mantle, outside lights, and some centerpieces so next year’s decorating is a snap.
- After Christmas is over, sort and purge ALL of your storage boxes and bins before putting anything back into storage. If you have items that are broken or décor that is out-of-date, it’s time to let go of these things. And whenever possible, use clear storage containers with labels.
