If you find yourself more stressed than cheerful during the holidays, you’re not alone. Christmas and New Year celebrations come with a lot of expectations. Invitations are likely piled on from friends, family, and business associates. If you know you will have a lot on your plate this year, what is the trick to making yourself happier and less stressed? My recommendation is to get organized before the holidays even start. Here are a few of my favourite holiday organizing tips.

1. Make a Gift Checklist Early

Create a gift list on a spreadsheet or paper. Write down the recipient, gift ideas, and the budget for everyone on your list. Come back to the list regularly and cross things off or revise if you change your mind. But be careful if you have snoopers in the house – make sure you hide the list well!

2. Create a Holiday Organizing Planner

Creating a Holiday Planner is one of my favourite holiday organizing tips. Use a binder or notebook and keep track of Christmas card lists, decorations you need to replace, and holiday menu items. Write down what went well (and what flopped) and refer to it every year. If you had a particularly great tablescape or well-decorated Christmas tree, include a picture so you’ll remember.

3. Do What You Can Early

To avoid last-minute stress, accomplish as much as you can as early in the season as possible. If you’re a baker, bake a few weeks earlier and freeze your treasures. Buy the items you know you’ll need, like ribbon, Christmas crackers, or any non-perishables, before the stores run out and crowds are in full force.

4. Evaluate Holiday Items and Storage

Before it’s time to decorate, pull out what you have and assess your holiday items. Discard the broken bits and keep what you love. In addition to decluttering, now is a great time to figure out how to improve your storage. Are your tree decorations a lumpy mess? Check out our video on how to store Christmas decorations. You can also place small decorations in fruit packing trays and wrap tree lights around cardboard strips. Alternatively, there are a variety of great options from local stores. Also, label, label label! We all know how agonizing it can be to search for something. Label one box “Unpack this box first” so you know what you need right away (for example, an Advent Calendar that begins December 1st).

5. Simplify

Decide what you truly need to achieve this season. If you don’t love cooking, go out for brunch with your friends instead of hosting a party. If you don’t love shopping, choose to give cash or gift cards. (Bonus: if you have a teenager in the house, they’ll likely appreciate this more anyway.)

Think about how you can make this season easier on yourself. Remember also that the gift of service is sometimes the best gift of all. Many charitable organizations will be grateful for you and your family’s volunteer time over the holidays.

Holidays should be a time to sit back and enjoy, not fret. Contact the Out of Chaos team if you need some help getting your home in order before the festive season. We’d be delighted to help.