Christmas Organization 101

By now it should be pretty obvious that I’m a perfectionist & I love organization. Have I mentioned that? If you want a seemingly smooth month of December here is my approach. Maybe I should have posted this December 1. Shit. Guess I’m not that organized.

In the last few weeks of November print out a calendar of the month of December (easily done in Microsoft word). Grab some different color markers and mark everyone’s schedules. On top of that add the holiday parties and family gatherings. Next make a list of what you need to get accomplished in December (cleaning, baking, etc.) and schedule those in. Look at New Years – got plans? Schedule that. Need childcare? Make some phone calls and get that set up ahead of time.

Next up create a master Christmas spreadsheet (or list if not technically inclined). This spreadsheet has list of people you are buying gifts for, what the gift is, and how much it costs. Also includes if the gift has been purchased or not. This keeps a running tab of money you have spent on Christmas and what you still have to put out. Include EVERYONE – paperboy, boss, children’s teacher, list them all! Now look at that list and determine when you will be seeing the person to give the gift – Add it to the calendar. Does it have to be shipped? Mark that on your calendar for early in the month – maybe you can add it to the Christmas card?

Christmas cards are in the spreadsheet of course. List all the friends & family and their addresses – make notes of new spouses or children's names. If an address has changed email or call them to ask early in the month – Add that to the calendar! 

This spreadsheet also has all names & address of friends & family members you are sending cards to. It fills a second sheet that you can mail merge and create labels from. Also the best thing ever created for mass amounts of cards is a self-address stamp- worth every penny. I keep this spreadsheet and just update it yearly – so much easier to look back on what you have given the previous year to not duplicate.

I also try to meal plan 10 days at a time to avoid too many trips to the grocery store this time of year and that makes it much easier to always know what needs to be thawed or roasted, and you can plan meals with the leftovers – might save a little on groceries that can go towards Christmas. And by all means if you have children buy a ton of AA and AAA batteries as people love to give kids gifts, but forget to include the batteries!

So this is how I stay on track. My calendar also includes holiday crafts & movies for the kids to keep them busy and not stir-crazy, helping to keep my house clean and my sanity in-check. Luckily this year I’ve also kept up on exercise (thanks warm weather!), and haven’t yet wanted to lock myself in my closet. I do however put a little baileys in my coffee every morning!