There are so many preparations that have to be made in the home with the upcoming holidays. There is baking to be done, rooms to decorate, parties and get-togethers to plan, presents to buy…all of it can quickly start to feel very overwhelming.
Several years ago I designed a “Holiday Planner,” which was a great way to lay out everything that needed to be done. It helped me to prioritize, plan and prepare. It also enabled me to schedule when I would get it all done.
Without a plan, you often find yourself trying to accomplish things last minute or you find yourself doing too many things at one time. But with careful planning, you can make the holidays a lot less stressful.
So for the next few blogs I am going to walk you through designing your own “Holiday Planner.” Along the way, feel free to customize it to fit your personal needs.
Now, I do wish that I had thought of starting up this blog series earlier. With it already being the second week of November, we are technically a little behind. So you can try and play catch up, tweak your planner to accommodate for the missed time or save this information for next year.
Keep in mind that the great thing about this binder is that you won’t have to create a new one each year. You might add things or make changes but the bulk of the work will be done, making each year’s holiday planning so much easier.
The first thing you want to do is purchase a 3-ring binder. Spruce it up. Select a fun color (or go with traditional colors like red and green). Some home office stores even offer a great selection of decorative binders.
Be creative with your binder and make it personal. It could become a tradition that you pass down to your children.
Next, you will want to write down a list of everything that needs to be done. In the beginning of this blog I provided some examples but there may be more. However, I have a very strong suggestion. After you have written your list, put it away—at the very least for a few hours but maybe even a day. Then go back to it and cross off anything that you know cannot or should not be done.
Let’s face it, some years you can’t do everything you want to. It may be that you have a newborn, you just moved or you are caring for someone who is sick. Be realistic about what you want to accomplish.
Once you have your completed list, write down next to that item when you want to get it done by. Here is an example:
Purchasing of presents – December 1st
Baking – December 16th
Decorate the House – November 30
You get the picture. This helps you to see what needs to be done first. This is where the prioritizing comes in.
We will talk more about your “Holiday Planner” in my next blog…
Read the rest of this 5 part series:
Creating a Holiday Planner – Part 2
Creating a Holiday Planner – Part 3
Creating a Holiday Planner – Part 4
Creating a Holiday Planner – Part 5
Related Articles:
Stress-Free Preparations for the Holidays
When Someone’s Best Isn’t Good Enough
The Importance of Taking Care of Your Home
Keeping Drafts Out of Your Home
Photo by a_glitch in stock.xchng