Can you believe the holidays are just around the corner? It’s crazy how quickly this year has passed. With everything that happened this year, many of us are anticipating the joy and celebration of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Some of us might get stressed about the holiday season, but one way to prevent the stress from piling up is to start getting organized now so that you can soak up the festive season ahead.

WAYS TO ORGANIZE FOR THE HOLIDAYS:

1.       Create Lists. Writing a list helps to organize your thoughts and prioritize items based on importance or deadlines. It is also a beneficial way to not forget something. (This is my favorite way to plan anything) Make a list of what you need to do, who you need to buy for, gifts you need to shop for, meals you want to have, groceries to buy, things to pack if you are traveling, etc.

2.       Create a Budget. Decide how much you can or want to spend for Thanksgiving and Christmas, set that money aside and do your best to stick within those boundaries to help reduce stress.

3.       Write Holiday Cards. I choose not to send out holiday cards to help reduce stress, but if this is something you enjoy doing then go ahead and make a list of who you would like to send a card to and verify their address. Maybe even go ahead and write them, address, them, and add it to your list to mail on a certain day so that it is out of the way. You could even send a virtual card.

4.       Start Buying Food You Can Store. If you already know what meals and dishes you will need to prepare this holiday season go ahead and buy items you will need when they are on sale. Of course, make sure they are items that will stay fresh until needed. This will help to spread out the spending.

5.       Buy Gifts As You See Them. If you are out shopping and are inspired for a gift idea for a person on your list, go ahead and buy it then. This will help you to get some shopping out of the way, keep you from forgetting your idea, and prevent it from being out of stock later. This is also another way to spread out the costs of the holidays.

6.       Start Wrapping Early. When you buy a gift, go ahead and wrap it and store it away or place it under the tree. It is one more thing to be able to cross off your to-do list and prevent any sneaky kids from finding out what they will be getting :).