Your Holiday Prep List: 5 Things to do Now
The Holiday Prep List you will wish you had completed this December. For years I allowed the season to consume me, missing the joy and excitement it could have offered. Furthermore, I want to be proactive and intentional with what I do have. You can have peace, joy, and stillness this season. Here is your holiday prep list: 5 things to do now!
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My Ultimate Christmas Planner is coming soon! This planner has over 24 pages of organization and even a timeline of when to get what done, so you will know with confidence that you are on track! Be on the lookout for that!
1. Declutter
The Christmas season brings a lot of clutter into our already packed to the max homes. Firstly, you should do a House Refresh and declutter. A clean home clears my head and fills my heart. Before the crazy gets here, schedule a few days to dive into your home, donate as much as you can, and give the baseboards a good wipe.
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2. Plan
If you want to save time and money, plan your Holiday season now. Firstly, figure out the parties that you are responsible for and start planning them. Secondly, If you haven’t already started a gift list, do this as well. This step alone could save you your sanity this season. Knowing in advance makes you efficient and creative.
I like to plan all year long, but during the Holiday season:
- Plan Parties and gatherings ahead of the season
- Make a gift list for immediate family, but also friends, neighbors, and teachers.
- Choose a decorating theme & shop for decor on purpose. Call me a party pooper, but I don’t want to manage anything I don’t need to.
- Baking list and recipients
- Wrapping paper and tags
- Lastly, a Christmas budget & Spending log to give to Mr. Dave Ramsey.
If you take the time and effort to decorate, bake, gift, and prepare with a plan, you will have a great holiday season. Also, This is the paper planner I’m using for 2025. It is the ultimate project planner for life.
3. Decor
Take inventory of your decor, choose a theme and color scheme, and pencil in all the spaces you decorate. My Ultimate Christmas planner will have a space that walks you through planning your decor, step-by-step, but be intentional about what you put where. Consider decorating in phases as well, so you don’t get burnt out and enjoy the process.
To simplify Christmas decorating to make the biggest impact, I begin with the Christmas tree first. From there I sketch out the mantle and then any other focal areas in each room. Focusing on the first wall you see when you enter a room makes the biggest impact.
Another way to decorate is to use your five senses:
- Sight: Your focal point decor. Less is more and bigger is always better.
- Smell: What scents do you have in the space. You could always grab my favorite SCENT MAKER
- Touch: Use textures to create a soft and cozy vibe. Fuzzy blankets and pretty pillows.
- Sound: Create a playlist to have on your google home device or light a candle or fire.
- Taste: Lastly, don’t forget the baking and drinks that make Christmas time what it is. The hot chocolate on a random Saturday or a breakfast casserole to close a Monday afternoon. Make room to slow down a bit and have special tradition treats on hand. Indeed, I see you Little Debbie Tree cakes.
4. Fill Your Cup
Tis the season for giving and doing and loving. I also don’t want to find you in the closet eating chocolate bars you bought for the teachers. Now is the time to fill your cup. Certainly, take a yes day- even better, schedule a yes day with a friend. I did not say shopping day, I said yes day. On the other hand, this day is for you!
As the Holiday season moves along, make sure that WEEKLY you are resting and slowing down to enjoy the season yourself. I schedule it on my planner, so it actually happens. It’s tough to slow down when we have so much to do and so little time, but the investment is worth it.
5. Say No.
Let’s say it together: N-O. Every time we say no, it’s so we can say yes. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. I am not the scholar of discipline over here talking down to you. If you only knew my weakness in this area, but I have to remind myself that no one thrives when I say yes to everything.
Sit down and reflect on what you want to do this season. What are the memories you cannot miss out on and who is it that needs to have your time. Everything else is probably a no. I’m learning to say, “I would love it” or “That sounds like fun, but our schedules are so full right now”
For example, we fear of missing out. Fomo is not your friend and will steal your joy and time, leaving you unsatisfied and empty. Fix your eyes on Jesus and celebrating the birth of the Savior. Give back this holiday season and be present with the ones you love the most. Do that and this holiday season will be your favorite.
Until Next time,
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