Tools and Tips for Keeping the Holidays Organized

It's November 1st. You've walked into your favorite
store to buy half-priced Halloween candy and what do
you see? Christmas decorations! "Oh, no!" you think to
yourself. "That can only mean one thing..."
The HOLIDAYS are coming!
Don't stress-you're going to start early and be more
organized this year...Here are some tools and tips for
staying on top of the busy and sometimes stressful
holiday season.
TOOL #1: Lists
Why keep lists? Whether they are written on paper or
typed onto your computer, a list allows you to do a
sort of 'brain dump' of everything you need to recall
at a moment's notice. There are so many different
things to remember when it comes to holiday time: Your
husband's shirt size, the spices you need for this
year's stuffing, what store has gift wrap on sale, etc.
Unless you have an incredible memory, keeping lists
will help get you through some of the stress of the
holiday season.
Some examples of list topics you may need during the
holidays are:

food shopping list
lists of dishes to prepare when entertaining
gift list
invitation lists

TOOL #2: Calendar
This may be the most important organizing tool you use
this season. Why use a calendar? A calendar is a tool
that helps you plan what you need to accomplish in a
day, a week, or a month. And boy, is there a lot to
accomplish during the holidays! As opposed to just
making to-do lists, sometimes seeing time in visual
blocks on paper (or electronically) helps one to manage
their time more efficiently...
Examples of activities to be scheduled during the
holidays are:

food shopping
gift shopping
cooking
wrapping gifts
trips to the post office
holiday parties (whether hosted by you or someone else)

Become a 'Master of Time Management.'
How will you know how much time to put aside for each
task? Work backwards from the day or time that a task
needs to be done by. Estimate how many hours/days it
would take to complete the task. Schedule the time and
and mark your calendar accordingly.
For example:
Task:
Cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving (to be ready by
Thursday at 5pm)
Steps:

Purchase turkey at least one week before Thanksgiving
(enter task in calendar for the week before
Thanksgiving)
Defrost turkey 2-3 days before Thanksgiving depending
upon size (calculate defrosting time and enter task in
calendar to be started on Monday or Tuesday before
Thanksgiving)
Cook turkey. This can take 3-6 hours depending upon
size (calculate cooking time and write on your calendar
for Thursday what time the bird needs to be in the oven
by in order to finish cooking by 5pm)
A schedule is a guideline and should be flexible. Try
to schedule tasks to be completed ahead of deadline.
This allows for any problems or emergencies that may
arise.
TOOL #3: Quality Storage Containers
Dishes
Are your holiday dishes in a box in the attic? A great
product for protecting and storing your holiday (or any
type of) dishes are China Keepers. They are padded/
quilted, made of either cotton or vinyl and come in
different shapes and sizes depending upon your storage
needs.
*Lillian Vernon Online sells them in six different
patterns including one set decorated for the Christmas
season (http://www.lillianvernon.com/).
Holiday Decorations
Some people decorate their homes only in the winter and
some people choose to decorate for every holiday in the
year. Whichever person you claim to be, it is important
to keep your decorations from being ruined due to
improper storage and care. A few options are:

large plastic bins with ornament dividers
ziploc bags for small items such as ornament hangers
and anything small enough to get lost in a big box
small plastic bins for lights, candles, and the ziploc
bags of smaller items
wreath boxes specially designed for wreath storage (
found at http://www.organizes-it.com/)

*Label everything so you can find it easily next year.
Leftover Food
Wrapping leftovers in tinfoil might be a quick way to
get them from frying pan to fridge but you'll be
spending a great deal of time figuring out what's
inside of them. Use food containers such as those made
by Rubbermaid or Tupperware or 'disposable' containers
such as ones made by Glad and Ziploc. They're found in
most supermarkets. They stack well and if you want to
give out leftovers to your guests, they're not very
expensive to replace.
Tips for staying organized throughout the holiday
season:

Wrap gifts and write holiday cards as early in the
season as possible. I don't know anyone (including
postal employees) that want to be in the post office
around the time of December 25th...
Shop early in the season, at off-peak hours or online
if at all possible
When storing ornaments, group them by theme. This will
make it easier to find exactly which ones you want.
After the holiday, sort through ornaments, wall/door
hangings, linens, etc. and purge anything that you do
not need, want, or is beyond repair.

Above all, remain calm. If you stay organized, the
holidays will be less stressful and you will enjoy
yourself even more. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
About The Author
Stacey Agin Murray, professional organizer and owner of
Organized Artistry, LLC, transforms 'mess' into
'masterpiece' with patience, organizing know-how, and a
sense of humor. For more articles and to get your FREE
e-list of 'Top Ten Tips for Organized Living' visit
http://www.organizedartistry.com/;
stacey@organizedartistry.com