As the holidays approach, you might find yourself wishing for more hours in the day. Implement a few of these addSpace To Your Life! organizing tactics into your holiday routine and you might be able to squeeze a few more hours into December for some YOU time.

1. Save time and energy by purchasing gifts in bulk for: coworkers, hostess gifts, last minute gift exchanges and helpers like your postman and gardener.

2. Create a gift theme each year and buy these items in bulk: i.e. candles, holiday cd’s, infused olive oils, photo frames, photo albums etc…

3. Stock up for all 3 holidays during one shopping trip
a. Things are usually less expensive before the holidays – take advantage of sales and smaller lines
b. Stock your pantry now with enough snacks, cookies, wine, soft drinks, spur of the moment hor’deurves to carry you through to the New Year’s celebration.

4. Buy gift cards based on the recipient’s hobby
a. Give experiences instead of gifts: massage, pedicure, theatre tickets, kayak tour, etc

5. Coordinate this year’s holiday outfit in advance before the shopping rush begins.
a. Start with a basic black dress and create three distinctive looks with different accessories for each celebration. Red or blue scarf for Christmas/Hanukah, rhinestones for formal affair, metallic shoes for New Years.

6. Create a Holiday Binder 3 ring with divider pages, plastic drop in pockets
a. Holiday cards list
b. Travel plans and itineraries
c. Gift Lists carry through each year so you can remember what you bought last year
d. Favorite recipes with ingredient shopping lists
e. Magazine clippings with gift ideas
f. Pocket for gift Receipts and online purchases
g. As you discover time saving tips, add them to your binder so you can remember next year

7. Stock your car and purse with extra snacks for longer than expected shopping excursions
a. This helps you avoid fast foods, which saves you time, money and unwanted calories.

8. Set up a gift packaging/ mail center
a. Create a space to hold all gifts, wrapping paper, cards, stamps, packing materials etc.

b. Store gifts in plastic opaque tubs, wrap and label them as they are purchased

9. Buy postage stamps and learn how to print shipping labels online. Skip the line at the Post Office and ship online.

10. Order gifts online for out of town friends and family. Have gifts shipped directly to the recipient to save wrapping and shipping time.

a. Many online retailers offer free shipping in the weeks prior to Thanksgiving as an incentive to shop in advance.

11. Stock up on plastic containers, plastic wrap, baggies and cookie tins in advance for leftovers food from parties.

12. Plan a cookie exchange with friends; each person makes 4-6 dozen cookies per recipe and everyone swaps. This is a great way to spend time with your friends during the holidays and also check a “To Do” off your list!

13. Make double recipes of entrees before the holiday mayhem begins or at least every time you actually cook during the rush during the holidays. You will appreciate a home-cooked meal that can simply be thawed and reheated when you arrive home late.

14. Create a “First Out” Bin – Include your holiday organizing binder, wrapping paper/ ribbon, holiday cards, cookie tins, holiday CD’s and your favorite decoration to help you get into the holiday sprit before you pull everything else out.

15. Organize Your Holiday décor and supplies in advance – buy colorful plastic containers before the holidays so when you pack up after, you can store items into color-coded bins that can be easily identified each year. Plastic also protects items better than cardboard; no glue, less bugs.

a. Store in holiday items in color-coded plastic containers, Blue: Hanukah,
b. Green or Red: Christmas, Orange: Halloween, Pink: Easter

16. Don’t repack your ornaments into their manufacturer boxes. Instead, fill a plastic tub half full with Styrofoam peanuts, place fragile ornaments within and swish around to distribute them evenly inside the tub. Once positioned, add more ornaments and peanuts until filled. This method saves space and energy while repacking. It also ensures that your ornaments will be stored safely between holidays.

17. When storing holiday decor in a tight space, always group items together by holiday. Make sure to reload the attic with Halloween in front, followed by Thanksgiving and then Hanukah/ Christmas in the back.

If you are feeling overwhelmed by all of the tasks on your holiday list, lighten up with these tips from Kathi on NBC 7/39 News.

Consider not mailing holiday cards (saves trees) or at least doing it a bit differently this year. Professional Organizer, Kathi Burns provides tips to keep your stress levels down during this holiday season.

Greeting cards needed for charity

If you are still holding onto all of the holiday cards you received this year (or for the past ten years ~ you know who you are), now is the time to let them go for a good cause. Send them to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children. They will put them to good use and recycle them into new cards that you and others can purchase next year.

The children participate in Read the rest of this entry »

Holiday Cards – Consider not sending holiday cards at all this year. There is not a law that says you have to send holiday cards every year ~ year in and year out… Read the rest of this entry »