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| Photo courtesy of Organized Christmas |
Since I am putting up this post at the end of the first week, obviously my plan to post daily went awry. I did manage to follow the Countdown, I just didn't manage to post about it. On to better plans for next week!
Week One of the Organized Home's Christmas Countdown is Get Organized Week. You can read all about it here and here is a quick summary of how my week went:
Day 1 - Get Organized
The Countdown really crept up on me this year. The "Let's Get Ready" message popped into my e-mail and I knew it was crunch time. However, I took a deep breath and resolved to make the promise (Step One) and decide to follow the Countdown (Step Two) via the daily e-mail messages, Designating a Christmas holiday planning center in my home (Step Three) was a little more slapdash as in it's, uh, kinda sorta over there (points vaguely in the direction of the office). I'm working on that one. Printing the Countdown Calendar and Get Organized Week Checklist was easy - I actually had the checklist already in my planner (the Christmas Planner, not to be confused with the other planner that is currently ruling my life) from last year.
Day 2 - Make a Christmas Planner
Done! Actually, already done is a better way to put that since I use the same binder year after year. I just add new planning pages. Planner cover and divider pages are in place - I'm ready to plan.
Day 3 - Set Up a Holiday Calendar
I'm working on it. So far I have my days off work, Vic's days off work, Sophia's arrival and departure, key shopping dates, holiday events and activities, and miscellaneous deadlines. It is a work in progress as no doubt things will crop up that have to be squeezed in. The goal this year is to have the holidays less chaotic than last year. Pretty easily done since I'm working now and can say, "Sorry, we can't make it, have to work!".
Day 4 - Values Check
Less chaos = less stress = more fun. Oh, and stick to the budget. Nothing stresses Vic out more than to find out I have gone overbudget....again. I am vowing this year to stick to the budget.
Day 5 - Master Gift List
Again, a work in progress. Deadline for family Amazon.com wishlists is November 29; after that, online shopping will commence, packages will arrive, and wrapping will begin.
Day 6 - Christmas Cards
I have my Christmas Card List, just have to work a little more on pruning. With Social Media as the preferred option for many people, our mailbox has been less and less full as the years go by. I guess it's time to bite the bullet and cut some people off the list. I hate to do it, I love sending cards but it seems like not as many people are as interested in receiving one and reciprocating.
Day 7 - that's today! - Home Spruce Up
This one will not be a major chore as we've already decided to downsize this year. "Sorry....have to work" definitely comes into play here. We don't plan to do any entertaining at home ("Sorry....") and we've decided to pare down the decorations and just focus more on the limited time that we have to spend together. It will be a game-playing, DVD-watching, book-reading kind of holiday, together.
I hope you are joining me, or will join me (sorry I'm starting you off a week late but you can catch up) but even if you are not, I know you will find something useful here - these printables are amazing.
I went from sending 75+ cards to less than 50 last year. People just don't send and I frankly was tired of the time & effort to not receive cards. Even some cousins of mine got the cut because they never acknowledge the holidays.
ReplyDeleteSounds like your Christmas is going to be a good one. I haven't even started thinking about it yet, although it's not our turn to host this year, so not so much to consider. I'm going to enjoy reading this series :)
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