Get organised for Christmas, because guess what? It is only weeks away now!
So this is the time to start moving things along, so the day runs as smoothly as possible. Christmas is a wonderful time to spend with your family but many mums cannot escape the three O’s that often follow Christmas overwhelmed, over exhausted, over budget.
In fact, for many, Christmas leaves us feeling completely over it before ‘it’ has even begun. One of the best ways to beat the Christmas panic and remain organised for all things festive is by planning ahead.
Start now with these tips to improve Christmas and remain organised for the upcoming celebration.
Preparing for Christmas
Keep motivated and on the right track this December by pairing up with a buddy to plan the various Christmas activities and events. A buddy system works because it will keep you inspired. Furthermore, an extra pair of eyes can ensure you have not missed anything along the way.
Another great tip for preparing for Christmas is to create a Christmas file. What does one put in a Christmas file? Anything Christmas of course this may include catalogues for toy ideas for the kids, addresses of relatives for Christmas cards, budgeting spreadsheets and, as mentioned below, the ever-important To-Do-Lists.
Make sure you prepare the house for Christmas by organising the guest room and travel arrangements for family and friends. Many people will use the spare room as storage during the year. It is a good idea to clear out this clutter now before the in-laws arrive.
Click here to DOWNLOAD our FREE Pre-Christmas Cleaning Checklist!
Start looking for Christmas presents now. This can be a little tricky if your kids are constantly changing their minds about what they love and what they want but you can get excellent deals on toys, books, arts and crafts and other items for the kids that they will love now”¦.or in a few months’ time.
Check out our Holiday Gift Tracking Sheet.
Make a December To-Do List
A To-Do List is a great way to remain organised during this hectic month. Many people will have several to-do-lists or even spreadsheets of different gifts, meal ideas and travel plans for the Christmas season. Others will make weekly To-Do-Lists to split up the different tasks around Christmas. What does one include on a Christmas To-Do List? How about these for starters:
Click here to download the December-to-do list!
- Buy and post all Christmas cards
- Confirm all travel arrangements for relatives
- Make a list (and check it twice) of all Christmas gifts
- Put up Christmas decorations
- Plan Christmas meal requirements (You might also like our Once a Month Meal Cooking Free Meal Plans)
- Consider cooking and freezing some meals in advance
- Purchase a few small gifts, such as cookies or chocolates, for unexpected visitors who come bearing gifts
Family Planning for Christmas
Christmas is often filled with social engagements for the entire family. Make sure everyone is involved in the planning and is well aware of the various Christmas parties and events during the holiday. This will ensure that no one is caught off guard with a party.
Furthermore, do not try to take on everything.
Allocate jobs to your family members, even if this means that you will not be in total control. Perhaps Dad can be in charge of putting up the Christmas lights and decorating the tree while the kids can do some of the household cleaning and gift wrapping.
When you’re organised, you don’t get stressed out with all the Christmas hustle and bustle. Want some printables? Check our FREE DOWNLOADABLE lists here!
