Create Your Holiday Game Plan: Tips for Organizing and Simplifying Your Festive Season.

Believe it or not, we are already in full on holiday mode. While it's a time of joy and celebration, it can also add to your already busy schedule. The key to a smooth and enjoyable holiday experience is planning. At All Ways Organized, we've gathered some invaluable tips to help you stay organized and stress-free this festive season.

1. Plan Ahead for Events: Use a single calendar to track all your family members’ activities. By jotting down everything, you can avoid over-committing and ensure a well-balanced schedule.

2. Perfect Your Holiday Menus: Start planning your holiday menus now, especially if you’re trying out new recipes. Give yourself ample time to experiment with new ideas before your guests arrive. Opt for recipes that can be prepared in advance or frozen for convenience.

3. Stay on Top of Greetings: Update your holiday greeting list and determine the number of cards you'll need. Consider creating photo cards early. After purchasing your cards, address a few at a time so they’re ready to send when the time comes.

4. Organize Gift Wrapping Supplies: Take inventory of your gift wrapping supplies and keep a list handy. Buy items when they are on sale and store them together in one container. This makes accessing and storing your supplies much easier throughout the year. Don't forget that these items are often deeply discounted once the holiday passes, this can be an opportunity to save for next year.

5. Plan Your Gifts: Prepare your gift list in advance, keeping your budget in mind. This allows you to take advantage of sales and special offers, ensuring thoughtful and affordable presents. I always look online to see if any coupons are available for items on the list. Online apps like Rakuten.com, Honey.com, camelcamelcamel.com, and Retailmenot.com all offer ways to save, just be sure you understand their information sharing and privacy policies before you join.

6. Combine Tasks: Consider combining outdoor lighting tasks with your fall cleanup. Getting lights onto trees before unexpected snowstorms is much easier, saving you time and effort.

7. Shop Smart: Save time by shopping online or by phone to avoid long hours at the mall. However, be mindful of shipping and return policies before placing your order. Delegate shopping tasks to family members when possible to free up your time.

8. Document Your Holiday Decor: While your decorations are on display is a great time to take photos of each room and create an inventory of your decor. This is especially helpful for items of significant value, whether monetary or sentimental. It can be very helpful for your family and heirs to know the provenance of your holiday decorations when you are no longer here to tell them.

9. Organize Holiday Decorations for Next Year: While this tip is for when the holidays are concluded, it is one of the best tips I can offer. When storing holiday decorations, sort them into containers by room by room, and label each box with the name of the room and the items stored in each box. Use plastic recipe card holders with index cards for easy label changes as you add or remove items.

10. Be Present: The best gift you can give is the gift of your presence. Put the devices away, talk a walk, read a story to the children from an actual book, play games, enjoy catching up with your family members, get our in nature to do an activity you can all enjoy together. Time is precious and it is a fabulous gift. Enjoy your holidays!

By following these steps and planning ahead, you can enjoy a stress-free and joyful holiday season with your loved ones. Happy holidays!

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