It is so important to keep the focus on what really matters; family, friends and being together to celebrate this fantastic season. Being organized will help to alleviate much of the stress that has been known to creep in around the holidays. During the next few weeks, I'll be blogging about different areas of our homes and lives and give you tips for getting those areas organized.
Your Home
With an increase in shopping, more items naturally arrive in our homes. Between decorations, gifts, baking, etc. it can get down right overwhelming. Now is a great time to look around your home for items that you have that no longer work, either physically or spatially. Do you have a replacement on your list to Santa? If so, consider donating the item or passing it on to a local charity. Year-end is a great time to not only think of others in need, but rack up those charitable deductions for Uncle Sam.
- Donate or toss old bakeware, blankets and clothing that could be used elsewhere.
- Stock up on storage containers for items that are out of season. Don't forget to use that label maker to mark the bins for easy access next year! Color coding works well too. Use orange bins for Halloween items, green or red for Christmas, etc.
- Sort through papers on your desk or other work area (don't forget the junk drawer!) and gather receipts in a manilla envelope for tax time. Don't forget to label the envelope with the tax year for easy reference. Trash or shred other papers that you deem unimportant.
- Be realistic when it comes to your Christmas lists. Do you have a home for the items that you're requesting? Remember, on December 26th, if you don't have a home the gift can lose it's fun if it becomes clutter.
- Encourage your children to get in on the fun. Are they asking for new action figures? Books? Games? Sorting through current toys and tossing or donating will easily make room for new. This is also a great opportunity to teach your children a valuable lesson on charity and organization!
Enjoy the start of this glorious season!
