CHRISTMAS CHECK LIST

Your Holiday Schedule!
So much to do and so little time to do it! Don’t worry it will all get done! First things first you need to make your list! Yes another list. If your hosting Christmas Eve or Christmas Day your going to have to get in your shopping, prepping, cooking and cleaning. No problem.

Friday: Start your list. What you need to do, and what day it needs to be done.
Saturday/Sunday: Make your shopping list and check it twice. You won’t have time to run out for anything at the last moment.
Saturday:

• Clean the refrigerator out.
• Go grocery shopping.
• Go to the Liquor store.
• Anything you can clean, chop, cut or slice do so before you even put it away. Like the celery for the stuffing, or the lettuce for salad. Clean it and chop it and put it in baggies as soon as you get home from the grocery store. This will save you a lot of time this week when its time to prep food.

Sunday:

• Start cleaning. Concentrate on areas that your guest will be in. This is mostly going to be your living areas. Close the bedroom doors if you can’t get to them. Put a little extra effort into the powder room and the dining room. Be sure your kitchen is clean and sparkling. No one wants to walk into a dirty kitchen and then eat food from there!
• If you have any last minute wrapping to do, get it done today.
• Anything you can prep and make now do so. Many things can be done ahead of time. If you have any questions be sure to ask me or Robyn.
• Set your table. Get it all set up and throw a sheet over it.
• Figure out all your serving dishes and serving spoons now. I’ve said before, have a “go to table”. Place all your serving dishes there. Also put your coffee cups, creamer, sugar, to go containers, etc. Anything you may need or use that day put on or under this table. This way you (or your MIL) won’t be rummaging through cabinets looking for the gravy boat.

Monday:

• Do any last minute cleaning today. If your hosting today, be sure you have fresh guest towels out and plenty of toilet paper in the bathroom. Give everything a quick once over.
• Delegate. Give everyone something to do. Take out the garbage, set up chairs, unload the dishwasher, sweep the floor, whatever needs doing. Make a list of what you need done and put someones name next to it. Let the family know that you expect these chores done by a certain time and specify that time! I usually send my husband out of the house on mindless errands like getting bread or ice. He tends to either get in the way or get on my nerves. So he is better off out of the house!

Friday:

• If your hosting don’t wait till the last minute to start things. First thing you should do is give the house a quick clean up.
• Take a shower
• Start heating up foods you’ve already prepared.
• Get your “bar” together. Put out glasses, ice, and wine. Put out your appetizers. Give yourself a glance in the mirror, apply some lipstick, put on a smile and greet your guests!
• See how easy that was! All you need is a plan of attack. Make your list and stick to it. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Relax and don’t forget to enjoy the holiday! You deserve it!

TIS THE SEASON TO BE ORGANIZED

Organization is the one thing that will get us through the season smiling and singing! As long as we stay on schedule we will get it all done in a timely manner!
With today being the first weeks of December, we really need to plan out our month. Sit down with a calendar and figure out what needs doing week by week first. Then you can break each week up into daily tasks.

Example:
1st week of December: Clean house, and decorate.
Monday: Clean and move furniture or box up non seasonal things to make room for decorations
Tues: Bring up decorations and begin to decorate all but the tree
Wed: Get tree and decorate
Thursday: Clean
Fri: Make list of anything needed like new wreath, extra lights, etc and make a trip to the store.
The key to these lists are we aren’t doing it all in one day. If we try and do it all in one day we will fall behind in our normal routines. If we fall behind in our routines the house will fall apart and we will have to play catch up. Do a bit at a time.
Each week have a specific plan and stick to it. Don’t try to decorate and make cookies and shop and wrap all in one week. Your house will be a wreck, the laundry will be a mountain, and you will be exhausted and worthless to your family. Break it down into enjoyable and doable tasks. Don’t try and do it all in one day, the rest of your chores still need to be done. Keep your list small. If you break it up into a task each day, the rest of the house will survive, you’ll have the time to still make dinner, the children will still be happy and you won’t become overwhelmed.
Try and keep your tasks all the same for the week. If your baking cookies, reserve the second week of December for baking. Know that you will have to take the time to prepare your recipe list. Search your pantry for needed ingredients, make a shopping list, go shopping and ultimately begin to bake. Remember to have storage containers and a place to store the cookies.
Save another week for shopping and wrapping and checking your lists twice! If your making gifts, set aside time this week to do it. Schedule it in.
Don’t forget to save a day each week for your cleaning. Don’t begin your holiday tasks until your daily chores are done. You will enjoy doing it much more if you don’t have 3 loads of laundry hanging over your head. Stay organized, stay on tasks, and don’t be lazy this month. We really don’t have time to lose as Christmas is now only 24 days away! Will you be ready in 3 weeks?