5 Helpful tips on how to stay organized during the holidays
Write everything down. Make shopping list, to do list, mailing list, decorations list, meal list. Getting it out of your head really does help.
Delegate tasks to others and allow them to do it their way. Examples are household chores, grocery shopping, trips to the post office.
Simplify and reduce to save time. Bag gifts instead of wrapping them. Put up minimal decorations. Reduce your gift exchange list and your charitable donation list.
I read about a study from Gretchen Rubin’s book Happier at Home that indicated, “interrupting a pleasant experience with something less pleasant can intensify a person’s overall pleasure.” Let’s use this while organizing. While doing something you enjoy, pause that activity to perform an organizing task.
Here are 3 examples:
While watching a favorite tv show, podcast, or YouTuber, pause and organize the surface of your desk.
While baking cookies, pause and organize your pantry.
While chatting with your BBF, pause and organize your dresser.
https://helpfulorganizer.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/talking-on-phone.jpeg183275Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®https://helpfulorganizer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/15-Years-LOGO.jpgJanine Cavanaugh, CPO®2022-08-01 01:08:242022-08-11 18:40:15Feel happy while Organizing
Arriving on time to your first appointment or commitment for the day is a great way to reduce stress. It also helps kick-start an organized, productive day. Here are a few tips to help make this a reality.
Plan your outfit the night before and place your clothes, shoes and accessories in a designated spot.
Make your lunch the night before and have it ready to go.
Have a physical or mental check list of what you need to bring with you the next day.
Establish a morning routine for getting ready and eating breakfast. Time this routine so you know how long it takes. Allow yourself a bit of wiggle room.
Figure out how much time is required to leave home, travel, park and arrive on time. Give yourself the time required and extra minutes for potential delays.
Be confident that you can handle any last minute mishaps.
https://helpfulorganizer.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/alarmclock.png512512Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®https://helpfulorganizer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/15-Years-LOGO.jpgJanine Cavanaugh, CPO®2019-01-01 01:22:342019-01-02 16:53:34Arriving On Time
How often do you go through your pocketbook and get rid of all that can be tossed? Do you wait until you find yourself sifting through a crumpled mess of old receipts and candy wrappers? Do you hold off until your arm gets sore from hefting all that loose change that’s fallen to the bottom of your bag? Or, do you simply switch your wallet and cell phone to a different pocketbook when the mess gets too cumbersome to deal with?
What about the kid’s backpacks? How often do you sort through those? What about the fridge, medicine cabinet, or pantry? What about your closet, dresser, or nightstand? I’m not going to mention mail, files, coupons, recipes, or other paper. That’s a whole new topic.
Taking time to sort through and get rid of stuff helps us stay organized. By editing the contents of our pocketbooks (and all those other areas mentioned or not mentioned) we perform an important step in the organizing process, the discard and remove step. By removing what is not wanted, needed, or used, we’re able to spend less time searching for stuff. We’re also able to easily notice when something needs to be replaced, mended, or renewed.
One important factor to consider is the frequency in which we edit. If it takes a week for those receipts to become a crumpled mess, then weekly edits need to take place. If not the mess becomes very frustrating. To help reduce our stress with a disorganized, overstuffed pocketbook (or other area) timely edits are necessary. What would you consider timely? Once a week? Every other week? Once a month?
Whatever time frame you use, consistency in editing is another important factor. Creating the habit of going through your pocketbook every week (or whatever time frame you use) helps you stay organized. It also helps reduce your stress and frustration, and helps your ability to find what you want when you need it. Worthwhile benefits. Wouldn’t you agree?
My family is large, and I send over 100 greeting cards a year. If we include the Christmas cards I send each year, the number is close to 200. That’s a lot of greeting cards to organize, and a lot of time spent sending cards. I know, but I like doing it. It allows me to keep in touch, and let my siblings and extended family know I’m thinking of them.
Here is how I’ve streamlined the process. First of all, to keep the greeting cards organized, I have them in a container that allows me to store two rows of cards vertically. The container has no lid, and has a designated spot in my closet in my office. The cards are sorted into categories based on type of occasion, event, or holiday, for example anniversary, birthday, Christmas. Each category is labeled, and stored alphabetically. For example, the anniversary cards are in front of the birthday cards which are in front of the Christmas cards. All this helps me easily flip through the cards to find the one I’ll send.
Second of all, to keep track of what to send when, I have all the special occasions listed on a calendar that I update every year in January. Once my calendar is all set I follow theses steps. At the end of each the month, I pull together all the cards that I want to send in the next month. I address and sign the cards, with my husbands help, so they are ready to go when the time comes. I hold the addressed card in an outgoing mail slot on my desk. At the beginning of each week I pick out the cards that need to be mailed, and put them in my weekly tickler file. I then mail them at the appropriate time. I know this is a detailed process, but it is what helps me remember each and every card and occasion. Maybe this is a process you can use and adapt for yourself.
Here are a few additional guidelines that I follow:
I don’t allow myself to accumulate more cards than the container will hold.
I always search my container of cards before I allow myself to buy new ones.
There is no miscellaneous category in my card container.
I buy 60 postage stamps at once to save time.
I print up several sheets of return address labels at once.
I’ve also tried Send Out Cards, an on line greeting card service. They actual mail the card for you, and email you reminders when it’s time to send.
Arriving on time to your first appointment or commitment for the day is a great way to reduce stress. It also helps kick-start an organized, productive day. Here are a few tips to help make this a reality.
My family is large, and I send over 100 greeting cards a year. If we include the Christmas cards I send each year, the number is close to 200. That’s a lot of greeting cards to organize, and a lot of time spent sending cards. I know, but I like doing it. It allows me to keep in touch, and let my siblings and extended family know I’m thinking of them.
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