Getting Organized for the Holidays 1 week before Christmas

The LAST week before Christmas

by www.candybarwrap.com

WHEW..... this is the last week before Christmas. You will be finished with everything that can be done before the big day. Leaving you the week OF Christmas to relax and enjoy family & friends!

Toward the end of this week... shop for the perishable ingredients for your Holiday meal.

Some items MAY have to wait until 2 or 3 days before but milk, eggs, most fresh produce, herbs, cream, etc. will last just fine in the fridge (just check expiration dates) . Also remember to pick up groceries for Christmas breakfast & any special meal you may have on Christmas Eve.

This is also the LAST week to go over your lists & make sure everyone & everything is taken care of. Gifts should all be wrapped & under the tree ... House is clean and organized ... all baked goods done, decorations up... I think That's everything! This week, touch up cleaning & VOILA.... You are ready for Christmas day a WHOLE WEEK EARLY!!! Now just plan on picking up family guests at the airport & you can enjoy this time of year!

Go get your Hair cut ... get a facial ... get your nails done ... spend a little time on YOU! You deserve it!

Hope you enjoyed this series & will use these tips. No more FRANTIC holiday season!!!

Getting Organized for the Holidays week 7 "Decorating"

Second week in December ... Organizing for the Holidays

by www.candybarwrap.com

Decorating Week. This can be done the second week of December OR the week after Thanksgiving.

Have a Tree decorating party or just have a great family night. String the popcorn & cranberries, turn on the Christmas music, light the fireplace & get the whole family "in the Christmas mood"


See these great Holiday Decorating tips: Budget Decorating
set out the Holiday candles



If this is the second week of December... Wrap all your gifts (because you should be DONE with shopping) & get the ones you need SHIPPED OUT in the mail by this week!

Pick up any last minute non-perishables for your Holiday dinner & have them all ready.

Getting Organized for the Holidays week 6 "Holiday Baking & more"

FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER: Organizing for the Holidays
by www.candybarwrap.com

Wow.... this should be about the first week of December! Christmas is coming fast!
By now, you should have everything listed. Decorations, Menus, gifts.

Your cards should be ready to send this week. So FIRST... Pop them in the mail.
Then if you want to add Custom Candy bars for your guests or party... get those ordered. Custom Candle Centerpiece should be ordered this week too.

Now... this week will be the Baking & cooking week.


For Holiday Baking recipes: Go to Taste Of Home . These are the BEST recipes!!!

Bake all your cookies, Ziploc them & put in the freezer. Also look at your dinner menu & see if you have anything you can cook this week & freeze. Pies, desserts or side dishes.

Getting Organized for the Holidays week 5 "Holiday Dinner Planning"

Week 5 of Organizing for the Holidays by www.candybarwrap.com

About 1 week before Thanksgiving... Turkeys & all the fixings go on heavy duty sales. Then Ham, Baking ingredients & other holiday food items start in the weeks after.

So... In your notebook... Write down your menu & ingredients you will need to purchase.
*** also write down any baked good & ingredients you will need for "baking week".
See some holiday recipes & tips here


This week.... get your New Christmas Stockings ordered for your decorations.

Then Starting the week before Thanksgiving, watch the sales & start buying the non perishable & frozen items.

Keep an eye out at the Dollar store (if you have one) & start picking up napkins, holiday ware and decorations. These items sell fast at the Dollar stores & are not replenished.

Getting Organized for the Holidays week 4 "Party Planning"

Part 4 of our Organizing for the Holidays ...

Holiday Party Planning

by www.candybarwrap.com

Are you planning a Holiday Party this year? Well this week you will NEED that notebook!

First:
* determine the type of party (formal, casual, cocktail, etc.)
* decide if you want drinks, finger foods, buffet, full meal, or other
* decide how many guests you would like to invite
* set a date, time, and place for your party
* determine a date by when guests must RSVP
* make a shopping list -- including small items like napkins and candles
* make lists of tasks that can be done in advance and those for party day.

BUDGET:
* decorations, including flowers, plants, custom holiday candles and favors
* food and beverages
* other services (caterer, etc.)
* invitations and postage
* entertainment (music, DJ, etc.)
* tables, chairs, and other equipment rentals
* other miscellaneous expenses

This week start calling around for prices & pick up any non perishable items that are on sale.... keep all of this in your notebook because a few weeks before the party:

* put together your guest list and gather addresses and phone numbers
* get invitations
* purchase decorations, paper goods, and other supplies
* contract for any services (caterer, entertainment, etc.)
* plan your menu and purchase non-perishable foods and drinks
* contact any friends or family you want to help with the party
* address and mail your invitations
* pick out the music
* contract for any equipment rental (chairs, tables, etc.)

THEN a week BEFORE your Party: Everything should be purchased including perishables, house decorated, Holiday outfit picked out & cleaned and any last minute purchases. Also check with any contracted services that you have hired.

Get Organized for the Holidays week 3 "Cards & Gifts"

Part 3 of Organizing for the Holidays... Week #3

by www.candybarwrap.com

Now is a good time to start planning your budget for Holiday Gifts and getting Christmas cards ready to send.

Having this done early will REALLY keep you calm later on.

First... get your notebook ready & list all the people you will need to buy gifts for & another list for Card recipients.

Next to the "gift names".... add in a dollar amount to spend on each person. Then when you see things on sale NOW.... "buy as you go" & cross them off on the list when that person is finished. BUT STAY IN BUDGET! & Please use cash... Christmas gifts will end up costing a fortune in the end if you use credit cards & only make payments. Grandma's $10 gift will end up costing $20.

Save that Christmas bonus for all the things you need at the last minute.

NOW Christmas cards.... I am already seeing Holiday Cards in the stores. I buy the packs from the dollar store. If you get them now... write a personal note in each one, add any photos, address & stamp them THIS week. Save them to send out closer to Christmas.

Join us tomorrow for the 4th week of "Organizing for the Holidays"

Get Organized for the Holidays Week 2 "Deep Clean"

Part 2 of our "Get Organized for the Holidays" by http://www.candybarwrap.com/

Now that you have everything De-cluttered ( see yesterday's post)... it's time to do the deep cleaning.

So ... WEEK 2: Deep clean.

Corners, cobwebs & under the furniture.
AGAIN.... choose 1 room per day during this week.

Take out the vacuum & using the extended hand tool... start around the ceilings & down corners of the walls. Then go around the corners & edges of the floors. Remember the window sills & stairway step corners too.

Then using the extension tubes with the "fuzzy" attachment.... hit the top of doorways, picture frames & the top of curtain rods. Then pull the cushions on the furniture & give them a good vacuuming.

Move out all the furniture, sweep out any items that rolled under there & vacuum. Then the rest of the floor can get a good vacuuming.

If you have hardwood, tiles or linolium... mop or scrub with hot soapy water or hardwood cleaner. If you use a cleaner that has oils in it for hardwood floors... a little trick: to shine it up, put on clean socks on you & the kids & get them to "shine with their feet". (we have races lol )

As for the Kitchen... this should also be the week that you clean out the refrigerator & clean the cabinets (at least the outsides) Remember to get the oven cleaned too. Self cleaning ovens can be set during 1 of the nights during this week.

Also this week is a good time to "do windows in each of the rooms".

If you have Guests staying in a guest room.... make up the beds & hang fresheners in the closets & CLOSE the door so the kids don't go in & mess it all up again.

Come back tomorrow for "week 3".