In another week or so, the Christmas sales begin in earnest. Let’s take a little time to get organized this week so we can take advantage of them.
#1 Make gift shopping list
I will admit that I get a little excited when I see things on sale–sometimes to the point that I buy things I don’t need. Before we start our search for deals, let’s make a list of exactly what we need for gifts. Use the planner links from The Christmas Plan Challenge or grab this AMAZING free planner from HEDUA.
What gifts do you need for:
immediate family
extended family
homeschool friends / groups / teachers
church friends / groups / teachers
mail carriers / hair dresser / other service providers
charity
#2 Make clothing & other shopping list
Now we’re ready to make a list of clothing needed for the holidays, but don’t limit yourself to that. This is the time of year to buy any type of clothing. Many stores have summer clothes on sale as well, so shop now for next year.
This is also a great time to purchase other items you know you will need in the coming year. Is your computer nearing the end of its life? Buy one now on sale, so you’re prepared.
Are there any non-perishables you need for holiday baking and cooking? Add them to the list and avoid the long lines.
#3 Research flyers & sites
Is your mailbox full of catalogs? If you don’t have any gift needs that can be met by a particular catalog, recycle it right away so you’re not tempted. Do the same with sales flyers that come with the newspaper if you get it. If you do find something you need on sale, add the particular sale price information (and any coupons) to your planner so you can compare.
I’m not one to shop the stores on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, but I love to shop online. When it comes to clothing for myself (I purchase most of my clothing this time of year), I usually order only from stores that have a physical location nearby. It makes returns much less of a hassle. Check out your favorite websites for deals and check out bfads.net. This website does a great job of sharing the best deals. I also love to check Amazon’s Lightning deals at this time of year. I already scored a great deal on a Christmas gift for my college student!
I highly recommend you start your online shopping with Ebates. Doing so can earn you significant cash back. Just set up an account and click on the store of your choice. Shop as usual and get money back!
#4 Add sale dates to calendar
Once you know where you want to shop and for what, it’s time to add the days and times to your calendar. I like to set reminders on my iPhone for lightning deals.
The great news is the window for getting good deals has expanded greatly. Last year, for example, the online sales started the week of Thanksgiving. This year, you can already get great discounts. Gone are the days when you had to sit by the computer on Thanksgiving night waiting for the clock to read midnight. Happy shopping!
Are you a Black Friday shopper at the stores or online?
Don’t worry. We aren’t going to start decorating this week (unless you really want to!). Instead, we’re going to get our Christmas decorating organized. You know those years when you went to decorate the tree and none of the lights worked or you had plans to make something you saw on Pinterest and then…well, you know what happened. This year it won’t with a few simple steps you can take now.
#1 Get out decorations and sort
The first step is a tough one, I’ll admit. Get out your Christmas decorations and sort them according to what room they’ll go in. You’ll put them in labeled bags and boxes, but first get rid of anything you haven’t used in at least two years that isn’t sentimental. If everything is sentimental (you know who you are), put items you aren’t sure about releasing in a box marked “Declutter Christmas 2015.” If you don’t miss it by next year’s decorating season, bless someone else with it. You may want to take pictures of these items to keep, rather than the items themselves.
This is also the time to recycle decorations that are broken or that need updating.
#2 Research ideas
Would you like to freshen up your decorations this year? Check out Pinterest for ideas. You’ll find everything from elaborate displays that would require Martha Stewart to employ dozens of artisans to simple ways of using what you already own. Let the kids help you as their opinion matters the most, doesn’t it? I’ve pinned some great ideas for you to check out on the Organized Homeschool board.
#3 Shop for pre-made decorations and craft supplies
Yes, the stores are stocked with everything you need for Christmas decorations. Would you have been better off buying everything at the end of the season last year? Maybe. You can save money, but the stores were also packed with people with the same idea. If you shop now, you’ll have a great selection and you won’t have to fight the crowds. If you choose to wait to shop until post-season, block off time for this on your calendar now.
If you want to make some Christmas decorations with the kids (if you’re like me, there’s a part of you that doesn’t want to, but you’ll be glad later that you did), now is the time to gather what you need. I get really frustrated when the supplies I need are sold out. Don’t let this happen to you! The good news is that many of these supplies are on sale now. Check the paper or your favorite store’s website or app for coupons.
#4 Make homemade decorations
If you’d rather wait until after Thanksgiving to make Christmas crafts, please do. I just know that I have a tendency to think I’m too busy to make them and put off the whole process until next year. Whenever you make them, remember that glue washes off (usually), but memories last. Enjoy yourself and you’ll be ready whenever you choose to decorate.
Speaking of that, when do you normally decorate for Christmas? Leave me a comment below.
Is it still too early for you to think about Christmas? I understand. But every year that I’ve delayed thinking about Christmas until after Thanksgiving has been disappointing. This week, we will begin the process of planning for Christmas, so come December, the holiday will be even more enjoyable.
#1 Discuss last Christmas
What did you and your family especially love about last year’s celebration? Was there anything that you wanted to do, but didn’t? Discuss this now and take notes.
#2 Set up planner
Last year, I used a Christmas planner for the first time and it made life easier. There are great free Christmas printables like this set to get you started. I’ve pinned others to the Organized Homeschool board. Christmas is a big project when you think about it and it requires one place to keep all your information.
If you prefer a digital solution, you could plan Christmas on Pinterest, making liberal use of secret boards or in Evernote.
Now is the time to add all of the events your family wants to attend to the calendar: the church Christmas program, the extended family Christmas party, the live Nativity scene, the medieval Christmas feast, the neighborhood caroling event, the toy drive, and the lights display. Even if you aren’t sure you will attend, I recommend adding the dates to your calendar, including any deadlines.
While you’re at it, add any associated to-do’s to your planner or incorporate them into your task management system.
#4 Plan ideas for making it meaningful
Christmas is a time for celebrating the birth of our Savior and for making memories. What could you do to enhance your worship of Christ during Advent? Celebrate Jesus, an Advent study, is one idea. Last year, I took these free printable Advent Scriptures, put them in decorated, numbered take-out boxes along with a fun family activity. It was such a relief not to try to come up with candy or small gifts for all the kids each day and we made wonderful memories. This holiday bucket list and this Advent list can give you some ideas. Be sure to check the Organized Homeschool board for even more choices.
I love Thanksgiving, don’t you? What I don’t love is not being able to find my tablecloth and napkins and trying to thaw an overpriced turkey in record time. This week we’ll get organized for Thanksgiving so we can have a relaxed holiday.
#1 Discuss last year
What did your family love about last year’s holiday? What was a disappointment? You may be surprised by your children’s answers to these questions. You may also want to ask if your celebration made them more aware of God’s goodness as we want gratitude to be a prominent feature of the day.
#2 Plan the meal
Plan time-savers. Several years ago, I determined that I really didn’t like getting up super early to bake a turkey. So I made it the day before and it made Thanksgiving a joy. My husband slices the turkey (we make two when we host extended family) and we store it in turkey broth to keep it moist for the next day. Look for ways to make the day of Thanksgiving less stressful if you’re cooking.
Plan the meal itself. If your family does Thanksgiving pot-luck style, now is a great time to decide who will bring what. I like to make more than I think I’ll need because we absolutely love Thanksgiving leftovers. If you don’t have your holiday recipes organized, now is also a good time to find them. Fortunately, I’ve posted my mom’s stuffing recipe on the blog, so it’s easy to find!
Plan the decor and table settings. If you are hosting Thanksgiving and you already have the decorations and tableware you need, just make sure you know where they are! If not, look at some of the great ideas I’ve pinned on Pinterest. We have a large enough group, that I use paper for Thanksgiving and I found some fabulous paper goods at Hobby Lobby. I have also purchased my Thanksgiving decorations there for 50% off.
#3 Research gratitude ideas
This is the perfect time to plan a Thanksgiving unit study. Blessed Beyond a Doubt has put together a list of unit studies that you should definitely check out. Our homeschool co-op reenacted the first Thanksgiving one year, complete with a feast with our friends. If you’ve never done this, I highly recommend it!
It isn’t too early to buy non-perishable items for your Thanksgiving meal. Whenever you buy, plan to hit the sales. If you need linens, paper goods, or materials for your Thanksgiving unit studies, buy them now. You’ll be very thankful you did!
I’ll admit it. I’ve missed opportunities to give to charities like Samaritan’s Purse because I wasn’t organized. This week, we will make sure this doesn’t happen again! With the holidays approaching, charities and ministries are counting on our gifts of time and money. Here’s how to get started:
#1 Discuss options and pray
The number of charities and ministries vying for my family’s time and money is frankly overwhelming. I need to consult with my husband and children about where God is calling us to give. Of course, we don’t want to be so planned that we can’t respond to the Holy Spirit’s prompting. But neither do we want to be wondering what to do about every need.
You may have discussed your budget for charitable giving during the Organize Your Finances Challenge. If not, this is the time to talk about how much money the Lord is calling you to give, aside from your tithe. Of course, that amount can change, but at least you will know approximate limits. You will also need to talk about your schedule and whether you can commit to one-time or ongoing service.
Make a list of charities you already give to or have the opportunity to give to. Pray about them and come to agreement about how you will invest the time and money God has blessed your family with. One thing you may want to consider is the personal connections God has used to introduce you to ministries. For example, we often give to missionaries we know personally because they know the needs of the people they’re working with and ensure the money gets to the people. That isn’t to say we don’t give to organizations where there is no personal connection, but our loyalty is to those we know.
#2 Research
Once you have selected charities you would like to get involved with or to continue supporting, find out where the greatest needs are or where your family is uniquely suited to be of assistance. Many ministries have specific requests during the holidays, for example. Others may have days set aside for volunteers. Last year, we helped pack meals for Feed My Starving Children and I was so thrilled that:
My children were allowed to help
Our family learned what a blessing it is to have food to eat and to have an education
We discovered how much fun it can be to volunteer
I’m thankful that our good friend found out about this ministry and has been the liaison between our homeschooling group and the church sponsoring the ministry. We learned when they most need our help so we can volunteer again this week.
#3 Use your calendar and reminders
Add any deadlines or dates you find to your calendar for the upcoming months. I’ve had our meal packing day on the calendar for weeks so I wouldn’t plan anything else for that time. If, for example, you learn that your shoe boxes for Samaritan’s Purse are due in early November, set up a reminder at least a week ahead to take the kids shopping for items to fill them.
#4 Organize
Many of the charities we support (including our church) want us to buy gifts for needy children. If I don’t plan for this and keep them in order, I can end up spending too much money or getting confused about why I bought what I bought. I love to shop for these gifts online during Black Friday week. I find fabulous deals on toys my kids are too old for or already have. I buy them to use for charity gifts. I keep them organized before I wrap them with the mGifts app. You can also use a Christmas gift list like this one.
If you make gifts for charities or ministries, set up a gift making station. If possible, make an assembly line and let your kids get in on the action.
If you or your children are donating money to a charity, you may want to create a giving jar so the giving is tangible for kids. Or prepare a giving jar like this one with ideas for serving others. It’s definitely not too early to get started!
Last week, we organized our blog or business. This week we organize something that almost all homeschoolers have: a hobby. Whether you’re a crafter, a musician, or just a reader, this challenge is for you! If your hobby involves making gifts, this week is the perfect time to work on them as the holidays approach.
#1 Identify your priorities
If you didn’t read last week’s post or see the 1 Thing To-Do List I created, you may wish to read them so you can apply one-thing thinking to your hobbies. I’m a scrapbooker and it’s easy to become overwhelmed by all the photos and photo projects I’d like to complete. But I chose one thing to focus on and it’s my son’s school years scrapbook. I hoped to complete it by his graduation, but didn’t. Now my plan is to give him the book as a Christmas gift.
Choose one project or priority to focus on that would have the biggest impact. Hint: Christmas can be a great motivator!
#2 Declutter
If you’re a hobbyist and you’re reading this series, chances are good that you’ve accumulated too much. The clutter leads to paralysis. Every pile of materials leads you to think of something else you could be doing. I just read the book Chaos to Clutter Free and loved it. It’s really motivated me! I think it will motivate you, too.
As a scrapbooker, I went through all my paper and got rid of everything I didn’t love. It was amazing how much I still had left, but decluttering made me more excited about my hobby. I also got to bless a scrapbooking friend with what I didn’t need.
For now, spend some time throwing or giving away materials that you aren’t using. These are some thoughts that help me release hobby materials:
By the time I am ready to use this, I will have other projects I’ll want to do.
By the time I am ready to use this, it will no longer be timely or usable.
If I decide later that I really want to use this, I can purchase it again.
#3 Organize
Once you’ve decluttered, organize your supplies in a way that makes sense for your specific hobby. Put like items together before purchasing organizing supplies.
I organized my scrapbooking supplies into page kits in an over-sized three-ring binder. That turned out to be perfect for my son’s school years album. I pulled out any page kits that I thought would work for the album and it made my scrapbooking so fast and enjoyable.
Consider organizing supplies by project, so you have everything you need for your top priority project accessible to you. Spend time looking for organizing ideas for your particular hobby. I will pin some ideas to the Organized Homeschool board on Pinterest.
#4 Time block
Once you have your supplies organized, you will want to make time to work on it. I have spoken to dozens of women who love to scrapbook like I do, but tell me that they haven’t done it in ages. The problem is that their hobby isn’t put on the schedule.
I wrote about how I make time for scrapbooking every week. I have the added benefit of accountability because I have a friend who loves to scrap and is disappointed if I don’t keep my appointment with her. I had to do more time blocking to work on my son’s album and my friend’s 12-hour crop was the perfect opportuntiy. I had to resist all the other options that vied for that time, but I’m glad I did. I’m still not done with the album, so will time block to make sure it’s completed by Christmas.
Put a time on the calendar when you will commit to working on your priority project and don’t let anything but emergencies interfere with that time.
I’d love to know what hobby you want to organize this week!
I’m a Christian psychologist turned homeschooling mother of six. My life can be a little crazy, so I look for sanity-saving ideas to use and share. I hope you’ll read my About page to learn more.
