Are we really here? Did we fast-forward thru 2018 and it’s HOLIDAY TIME?! It’s crazy to think how close we are to Thanksgiving, Christmas and even New Year’s! Technically, once it’s officially the “most wonderful time of the year,” it can all pass by in a blur. Can we really find “doable” holiday organization tips for us busy (tired) moms? YES!

And I have whimsical wintery dreams for you and me: in those dreams, we are organized, not stressed and truly stopping to enjoy what this holiday season has to offer. I hope my (very) simple and easy to follow holiday organization tips will help you, whether you’re a busy mom like me, or just want to organize a little before family stops by for a visit, to have the best holiday yet!

Try any or all of these simple Holiday Organization tips as you go through the last few weeks of the year. To make it even more fun, go ahead and play Christmas music (no one needs to know you were “Rockin’ around the Christmas tree” with the vacuum!)

Holiday Decluttering

1. Declutter in 10 minute breaks.
   • To borrow an idea from one of my favorite organization gurus, the Flylady, set a timer and GO! Have a bag for trash and a box for what needs to be donated. Take the box to Goodwill or a Salvation Army nearby and spread the Christmas cheer!
2. Declutter one room at a time.
   • If you know you’ll be entertaining soon, start with the main room that your guests will see. Set the timer and move out that clutter!
3. Declutter till it’s “good enough.”
   • If you’re a perfectionist like me, it can be hard to declutter because you have to make decisions about stuff … and once we stress over the first few decisions, we get frustrated and just give up. If you pick one room and do 10 minutes at a time, you’ll make a difference in how the room looks and how you feel because YOU DID IT! And don’t shuffle things around. Throw the trash, donate what you can and find a place for everything else.

I know that’s easier said than done, but we can try!

Holiday Decorating

Once you declutter, you’ll see the potential in each room! Bring in simple candles, fall colored bouquets, fill vases with pinecones or ornaments, etc. See? Simple! And you can get many of these items at a local dollar store! (No joke, my daughter and I recently found a Christmas unicorn that you can display on your front lawn … with twinkling lights!)

Here are a few of my favorite Christmas decor pieces! Click on the photos for more info! (You’ll go straight to Amazon thru my affiliate link. I get a small commission at no extra cost to YOU!)

Holiday Decisions

1. Decide your meal plan.

   • I’m working on this to try to save money and avoid last minute scrambling on an already busy schedule. And this is one of my favorite meal planning resources:
     • • eMeals is a super easy to use meal planning app (and it’s Dave Ramsey approved!)  They even have this Good Housekeeping deal to save you up to $200 a month!!! And you can try it for FREE! (Click on the image below for my referral link — I get a small commission at no extra cost to YOU!) 

     
     

2. Decide your budget.

   • The FREE Every Dollar app can help you with that!

3. Decide where you’ll spend each special day (and avoid family scuffles … or flat out fights!)

   • This is the perfect time for the “this year it’s your family, next year it’s mine” conversation.

As you can see, I kept my tips short & sweet because busy moms ain’t got time for more than that! I hope the tips help! And if you have any favorite holiday organization tips to share, please do in the comments below!

Laughing thru life,

Coppelia