Take a moment and just add one of these organizing tips to your routines. These are just small things that you can do to get things underway and ease a little stress for the upcoming Holiday celebrations.

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Organize Your Wrapping Supplies

Get all of the supplies that you will need to wrap your gifts all together in one place. Some definite necessities would include wrapping paper, ribbons, scissors, tape, and name tags. Try the Gift Wrap Organizer by Jokari to hold everything and keep it in one place so that it is easily accessible. Have a couple of these organizers and group your supplies by theme. One may contain birthday supplies while another holds the supplies that Santa may need just in case he forgets something and yet there could be one for the kids to have for their special presents.

Take Small Steps

If the thought of getting everything done is a little overwhelming then break it all done into small workable parts.

Break down your greeting card list into 4-5 parts. Only sign and address one group per week prior to when you want to have then all mailed. If you are pressed for time, take a portion with you to soccer practice, lunch time at work, or any other place that you find yourself waiting. Wrap presents and you buy them or try a wrapping session once a week.

Decorate one room at a time or one box at a time.

Break down your gift buying into groups and get each group done by a certain date. Those gifts that you may need first make sure that they are in the beginning group.

Coordinate and organize your crafts so that you work on portions of them every week and have them done before you need them.

Hire Some Help

Some of you chores can be done by someone else. Spoil yourself a little this season by having someone else do some of your tasks or chores for you. Hire a carpet cleaning company to do the major scrubbing of your carpets and upholstrey. Ask the local teenager that is looking to make a little extra money to help out with the yard work, wrap your presents, or even help out with party preparations. I am sure that there is a long list of jobs awaiting you, but don’t let that stress you out and go recruit help.

Use Your Freezer

Take a look at your recipes and find parts or completed items that can be frozen. Use top quality freezer containers or the This is a great product along with the other items that has to offer. Remember that most cookies can be frozen, thawed and enjoyed. You can freeze cut up any onions, green peppers and grated cheeses. Cook and dice up your chicken and brown the ground beef then freeze until you need them. Having just the smallest amount of prep work done helps out in the end.

Keep a Calendar

Have a copy of your calendar with you at all times. If you are a busy person then you may already be equipped with this organizational necessity. Note on your calendar when you want to have your small steps completed, all of the events that you will be attending, and everything in between. If any one invites you to an event then you are ready to inform them of any plans that you may already have or just to write it down. Remember to put it on your master calendar at home so that your family is informed.

Stay Mobile

Allow yourself to keep most things organized in a small bag or so that you can grab and go when you are taking the kids to their practices. Small crafts, master lists, and greeting cards are all things that you can work on while you are waiting. This also helps out with a major organizing tip of keeping it simple.

Keep It Simple

If you do not use any other organizing tip listed here just use this one. Keep your focus in mind that I mentioned on the Christmas planning page and just keep things simple. With everything else going on and making things by the masses, simplicity is the best way to stay on track. Simple recipes, simple party plans, simple projects, and so on.

Make up a Holiday Central

Have a place to keep all of your information and small projects together. Have your address book, greeting cards, pen, stamps, and return address labels together. Keep a gift idea list and a list for gifts that you have bought and for whom they are for. Have a list of recipes and crafts that you will need to make and make sure that the instructions and list of supplies are included. Keep track of all projects that are in progress. Have a copy of your calendar with all of the events you wish to attend. Also have your wish list ready to include some new things that you would like to try this season. You may want to add recipes, events, or decoration ideas. You may want to include envelopes for receipts from your shopping trips and a way to keep track of your budget. One last thing that you may want to keep in your Holiday Central is a small journal. Write in this journal information that worked well this season, things that need help and things that you would like to do or next year. A great way to keep most of this information organized is to have most of it in a three ring binder so that is can be available for mobility.
I have a few ideas for making a “Holiday Central”. You may want to just keep all of your Holiday information in a large storage container so that you can just keep in a central location during this season and stow it away for the rest of the year. Much of the information will be use year after year and your leftover cards and ideas are reay for you to access next year. If your household is anything like mine then you should have a basic family center. Much of the information get rotated in and out along with the seasons. A great piece of furniture to have for this would depend on your needs. Use just an elegant or an entire Good Luck!