Have you started your holiday planning? Have you been thinking about the holidays and thought you need to get a plan going? Or do you say what plan, why would I need a plan?
Most of the holiday stress occurs in the last three weeks because most events happen during that timeframe. There are parties, cookie exchanges, religious events, concerts, open houses and work potlucks. If you wait until just before the holiday to get it all done…no wonder you are stressed.
The solution to stressing less for the holidays is to have a plan so you can enjoy the process along the way. In fact, I am a proponent of whenever you have to do something more than once; it saves time and stress if you organize it with a project plan. Let’s face it the holidays are a project.
Having an eight week timeframe for planning the holidays is ideal. But it is still doable in the six weeks remaining before the holiday. Here is an outline of tasks to accomplish week by week for the next six weeks to take the stress out of the holidays.
- 6 weeks: develop gift list, set up gift-wrapping center shop/wrap ½ of gift list, develop card list, address envelopes/create holiday letter/copy
- 5 weeks: shop/wrap ½ of gift list, finalize baking/menu list, buy stamps gather return labels
- 4 weeks: decorate outdoors, write holiday cards, buy baking supplies
- 3 weeks: decorate indoors, mail gifts/cards
- 2 weeks: attend/host parties, buy grocery staples, bake/cook ahead, begin cleaning/finalize holiday menu
- 1 week: finish baking/cleaning, buy perishable groceries
So put these tasks in your calendar and you’ll be on the road to feeling prepared and calm this holiday season.
For more holiday tips I will be address some of the tasks over the next several weeks.
If you would like to receive a copy of the Clutter Busting Coach’s Eight Week Holiday Plan contact me.
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