2014 Holiday Survival Tip - "Google" It

-
December 1 is the first day that Christmas becomes a topic in our home. Now readers, I realize some of you may have already hung your Christmas lights on the outside your homes. You may have your Christmas tree up and decorated. You may even have your Christmas shopping done, wrapped, and hidden.

Don't think us late starters are nonchalant about this entire Christmas event. Personally, I have learned organization is my friend during these 24 frantic days preceding the Christmas day.

My husband and I have planning meetings about Christmas. After years of juggling the holiday demands of three children, we still plan holidays.We take out the folder from last year and write a plan.

Originally I was going to share my Christmas checklists with you.  Until I started researching for this blog.  You see I found this website http://christmas.organizedhome.com/  You may want to take a look at some of the great ideas on it. I thought that I was an original with my planning ideas, but It seems someone else has managed to design multiple articles and printable downloads to help you through this busy season. It also includes ideas for organizing for next year.

There are several downloads I thought were great. I am going to  replace my old list with Cynthis Ewer's premade lists in my Christmas organization folder this year. Check out the links below and see if any of them suit your style of organization:

The Christmas Countdown Binder
http://christmas.organizedhome.com/printable/christmas-countdown You have all the elements to begin to create an annual Christmas binder or file to help make Christmas easier.

 The 'Beta Testing Site of Download Sheets"
http://christmas.organizedhome.com/printable/christmas-planner/beta-test-fillable-forms  This link provides actual sheets you can download and print.  If you are lucky enough to own Adobe, you can type directly on the sheet and print.

I looked through several of the sheets. The cleaning checklist is blank leaving room for details. I particularly like this feature. Deep cleaning for the holidays should be done early (one cleaning checklist) and a second checklist for "pick up and maintaining the cleaning." The blank documents for cleaning helps you personalize your cleaning plan.

The best download of all and the most important one is this preseason planner sheet:
http://christmas.organizedhome.com/sites/christmas.organizedhome.com/files/image/pdf_fillable/christmas_planner_pre_season_values_worksheet_fillable.pdf
This sheet is great. Print it for yourself. Fill it out for yourself. Remember you may think you can plan a fail safe Holiday Seaso, but it is still about the interactions and feelings of family and friends. These are based on individual emotions. No matter how great  of a planner you may be, you can't control this aspect of the holiday.

Also, you must make a checklist to take care of yourself.
Next week's blog addresses "Pampering for Sanity."





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Women's History Month: Inspiring Women

-
Image
When we talk about Women's History Month we think of Pocahontas and Sacajawea who helped the explorers of this country.  We think of Abigail Adams and Dolly Madison who were on the forefront of the beginning of this country.  We don't want to forget the great suffragists who worked for and won the right to vote for U.S. women.  
We are reminded of  "Rosie the Riveter" and all the brave women of America who took over the "men's positions" in the factories.  The production numbers of these women are still noteworthy to this day. We honor the women who took those brave first steps to serve and continue to serve in the military. The first scientists, teachers, humanitarians, politicians, the list continues as we look for role models to inspire and encourage us.  
Is there a scientist, teacher, or humanitarian who inspired you ?  Share these women with my followers, audience, and me. Share your thoughts about the inspirational women in your life. Who are the w…
Read more

December 2016 Book Review: Maeve's Times

-
Image
Warning to all writers who scribe thoughts on bits and scraps of paper and throw them in a box to rewrite later.  Those bits and scraps may be published posthumously.  Maeve Binchy's husband, Gordon Snell, found her "to do later" box. He built a biography of her life with her thoughts, articles, and ramblings.

Maeve's Times is dated and referenced making it easy to follow. Thank you Mr. Snell for sharing insights into her professional and personal life. Her spirit lives on with her words.

 This author captured my attention with Copper Beeches. Maeve Binchy wrote about what she saw, lived, and felt. Her stories reflected both Irish country and city life. Each book made me feel better about people. She wrote about hard times and working through them. She wrote about love and love lost. Her book Minding Frankie demonstrates a community pulling together to help a neighbor. Any of her titles are a "goodread."


Read more

Be Strategic: Write A Holiday Memory

-
Image
The momentum of the holidays propels us into a frenzy of cooking, shopping, wrapping, decorating, entertaining, cleaning, and overindulging. Writing becomes an after thought in the midst of multiple "to do" lists.

BREATH. Schedule a break, whittle some time for your writing. Utilize these small chunks of time to "Write A Memory."  Exercise your creativity with the keyboard or a paper and a writing instrument to describe a "who, what, where, or how" about the Holiday Season. Find a quiet place and expound on the following events of the season or better still, scribe about something you experienced that day or during the season "to be jolly."

Cookie Exchange: Do you participate in this activity? Why or Why not? If you did, what was your choice of cookie? Who participates your exchange? Decorating the Outside of Your House: Who does it? How do you prepare for it? Describe the feelings and emotions of the participants of this outdoor activity.Gift wr…
Read more