How to Get Your Christmas Organized in 5 Easy Steps

If you go into the Christmas season feeling like you are about lose your mind, I’ve got a few helpful hints to keep things organized in just five easy steps.

1. Start early. Early to mid-November {or earlier} is best. But, make your list of Christmas gifts that you desire to give. Have three separate lists: Family Christmas List, Friend Christmas List, and possibly Co-Worker Christmas List. Use a great printable to help you get organized. If you like to send out Christmas cards, order them early so you can work on a few at a time and send them the first week of December. Decide how many parties and things you must attend.
2. Budget. Figure out what you will spend. Going into this season without a budget will cause you to overspend. Talk with you friends and/or family. Find out if there are ways to give things that can work within everyone’s budget. In our family, the adults don’t give each other gifts, we just buy for the little kids. It’s actually more fun, but it’s also just easier on everyone since we all agreed to do it that way. Find a solution that works within your budget.
3. Organize. If you host company on Christmas day, have multiple parties to attend during the holiday season, or just stress out at the thought of all the activities, sit down with your calendar and write things on it. Take it one day at a time. I find that looking at the season all at once is a bit overwhelming, so taking one day at a time helps to keep focused on what that day needs. It’s fine to look a week ahead to plan for grocery purchases or other things, but to keep stress away just take it as slow as you can.
4. Keep it simple and be creative. Purchase gifts that are simple. For example, I make all the grandparents photo books each year of the grandkids – everyone gets the same thing and they all love it. Maybe make or give simple gift cards. Purchase on Amazon and have it shipped directly to the family member and you can even have it gift wrapped. Perhaps some don’t really need anything or know what they want, so donating money to their favorite charity in their name would be a wonderful gift to them. Find gifts that don’t cause clutter or give an experience {i.e., tickets to a concert, hot air balloon ride, theme park tickets} that they will cherish for a lifetime.
5. Relax. Now that you’ve gotten everything organized for the Holiday Season, relax.