Organizing Checklist for December

This month I have edited what I wrote this time last year. It is a busy time for all of us and having a master checklist as well as more detailed to do lists will help keep you organized. This checklist is more detailed and longer than most monthly posts because of the importance of this time of the year.

• Children and adults should take time to donate any items that are no longer useful. Many families will be forced to shop at thrift stores for holiday gifts and donating toys and clothing can be a blessing you will never see. 
• Finish that Christmas newsletter and get those cards in the mail. Purchase "Forever" stamps rather than Christmas stamps. They can be used even when postage goes up. Better yet, try sending an email message saving time and money and not adding clutter to the receivers. 
• Most online stores have sales and purchases will have free shipping now . Be sure they will be delivered in time.  
• Keep all receipts in one special place for easy access if needed later on. 
• Purge the refrigerator and freezer of as much as you can to make room for holiday items. Make a grocery list of what you will need for your holiday events or feast. Keep the list, recipes and menu close at hand. 
• Begin decorating as soon as convenient. The best time is when you have help. Make the most of what you already have. Basic wreaths that can have the bows and decorative items changed with the seasons never need storage. Adding holiday bows or greenery to other permanent accessories in your home (such as candles, lamps, plants, etc.) are a festive touch that can be tossed afterwards. Avoid purchasing items specific to any holiday as they require storage space the remainder of the year.  
• Wrap packages as soon as you have them. If you decide to set aside a specific time, be sure you don't forget where they are hidden. (I have done that more than once!) Keep wrapping papers to a minimum. One or two plain colors and assorted colorful bows are best. Children can decorate brown paper or white papers with colorful markers, stamps, etc.
• Begin traditions with your family if you have not already begun them. For young children, simple activities such as baking cookies or decorating packages are best. Older children can help with community or church events. The family can purchase gifts for an "Angel Tree", read the Christmas story together, watch a favorite Christmas movie, etc. Keep it simple.
• Make a detailed schedule of what needs to be done before the big event. Work backwards in hourly increments on the big day and daily for a few days before. 
• Take pictures of family and friends and the decorations you chose as a keepsake and reminder for next year. 
• Be flexible on the big day and welcome any help offered. Don't sweat the small stuff and keep the mood light and happy.
• Avoid the after Christmas sale unless you absolutely need the items. Avoid the long lines, parking problems and traffic jams. Items that need to be returned can usually wait for a few days. 
• Keep a journal of what worked and what didn't, the gifts you gave and any changes you would make in the future. Keep a list of clutter free gifts you can give next year. (A list can be found in my book on pages 103-105.) Keep the collection of all the lists, ideas, recipes, pictures, evaluations, etc. related to the holiday in a manilla folder or create a folder for them on your computer. 
• As you take down the decorations, consider purging what you can. Eliminate as much permanent storage as possible. Try to maintain only those things with special significance or that cannot be replaced. Donate or pass on the others. 
• Set a family goal to make the holidays even more meaningful next year. Adopt a charity, volunteer in the community, participate in your church holiday program, etc. Write down your decision and make plans for it next year.

 

Organizing Tips for November

Ready or not, the winter holidays are coming quickly.

• If you send holiday cards, buy, address and get them ready to mail. Consider creating an attractive e-mail card wherever possible and save the environment, time and money. You can even include pictures, etc. If the recipients love paper cards, they can print it.
• If you choose to send a holiday newsletter, remember to keep it short and sweet. The shorter, the sweeter. No bragging is allowed; keep it newsy with love and appreciation for the input the recipients have had in your lives.
• Have packages for mailing out of town ready to send. Some overseas deadlines occur in November.
• Now is the best time for online shopping. Almost all stores are offering free shipping and the selection is better now than later.
• Send out “save the date” or invitations for holiday gatherings. The earlier the better as this is a busy time of year for everyone.
• Maintain a current inventory of food supplies. Check the pantry often to be sure you do not get caught short as grocery store shelves get depleted quickly. I have already purchased my frozen pumpkin pies and Pillsbury All Ready Pie Crust. (Please don’t cringe; my family doesn’t know the difference!)
• Create a holiday folder on paper or on the computer. Include your calendars, schedules, gifts, menus, decorations, invitations and invitees, etc. I even make notes of how much food I prepared and how much was left over. This makes planning the next year so much easier.
• Avoid shopping on Black Friday unless you absolutely must go and be sure to stick to your “needs” list. Going into the stores with their displays of special pricing, etc. is an emotional trap waiting for your hard earned cash. And all that stuff you don’t really need will clutter your house. If you love the adventure, you will only buy what you need, and you don’t mind crowds, go for it and send me your stories!

 

Organizing Tips for October

Fall is officially here. In some parts of our country the weather may not show it, but it is time to get moving towards the holidays.
• Remove the remaining summer decorative items and toss those that are faded or in disrepair. Pull out the fall decorations and donate those that are no longer useful or you no longer like.
• Inventory your linens and purge what you haven’t used in years. If some hold sentimental value, see if someone in your family can use them and give them the honor they deserve.
• Look over your dinnerware and remove pieces that cannot be used because of chips or other damage. As with your linens, move on pieces that are simply taking up space.
• If you send holiday cards and are very selective in what you prefer, purchase them now while the selection is good. You can find good sales on them later on, but the selection will not be as favorable.
• Inventory your spices, extracts and specialty kitchen gadgets before the holiday rush. Remove those that have expired or no longer useful and make a list of what you will need for holiday cooking. Be careful not to purchase items that you will not have room to store the rest of the year.
• Continue sorting summer clothing and other hot weather items. Donate or sell those you no longer want or need.
• Begin the purge of toys that children have outgrown so there is room for new items that arrive during the holidays.
• Remove old magazines and catalogues. Resist the urge to replace them with holiday issues. The temptation is great, I know.
• Clean the windows, inside and out. Most of the summer grasses have shed their pollen, the weather is good for outdoor work and the busyness of November and December will make the task more inconvenient. For a review of Windex Outdoor, check out the posting for August 17, 2010 on my special tips blog. http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=7640181261458137999&postID=3051892184347792985

Organizing Tips for September

With Labor Day we usually see the pool closings, the end of family vacations, less daylight after work and goodbye to summer fun. Begin the fall and holiday season with some good organizing strategies.

• Coordinate fall activities on your calendar. Consider state fairs, apple and pumpkin picking, fall festivals, new community classes, etc. Send out “Save the Date” for any holiday activities you are hosting.
• Clean out the old sunscreens, summer make up and lotions.
• Purchase cold and flu preventatives, remedies and medications now. They will be harder fot find with the onset of flu season.
• Cull the magazines, save only needed articles and recycle the remainder. If you must purchase holiday magazines, be selective and recycle after reading.
• Donate summer gadgets you did not use this year. If you ever need them again, you can get them at that time. Don’t let them take up valuable storage and work spaces.
• Begin kitchen organizing and planning for the holidays. Uncover holiday baking items so you do not purchase duplicates this fall. Make a list of items and supplies you may need.
• If you plan to make holiday gifts, plan and start now or you may not have them ready in time.
• Your best choice for 2011 calendars and planners will be available beginning this month. If you are particular in style, theme, or colors, keep your eyes open for good selections.
• Take advantage of paper, office and stationery sales of items left over from the Back to School supplies. These will often be found in the clearance isles and bins.

 

Organizing Tips for August

This month brings us the back-to-school events, the end of summer sales and final trips to the beach and other vacation destinations. Planning for fall activities is a good idea, too.

There are two areas that benefit from organizing in August: school or office supplies and clothing closets.

Most stores have added inventory of school supplies for the little ones as well as teens and college bound students. You can also find a better selection of some items for your home office. Clean out items that are no longer useful or in disrepair. Make a list and try to find those things you need while there are good choices. For children, check the supply list created by the specific school or teacher.

Many states have a weekend of freedom from sales tax to help with school supplies. In Virginia, this is August 6-8, 2010. Many stores will identify covered items for you. There is a link for those items at the end of this post. Use Google to see if your state also participates.

Think ahead in purchasing children’s clothing. My oldest child grew 3” the first two months of his 9th grade year. The clothes I purchased early in August to get the best selection were too small in October. (This was before baggie pants were acceptable.)

If you plan on having a yard sale in the fall, begin planning now. Start gathering items that you need to move on, clean and price them. Young children have probably outgrown last year’s school attire. Take an inventory to see what you can sell or donate now. As colder weather and winter approach, you may need to take another look at heavier clothing to see what can be eliminated.

Go to Craig’s list or Ebay to determine a reasonable price for selling your items. In fact, you may want to put some of the items up for sale there now so they won’t take up storage space in your home. If you want to join with others in a sale, pick a date now that is good for everyone.

Update the family calendar with upcoming school and fall events. Create a file, folder or notebook for keeping the details.

Link for items included in the Virginia Tax Free Holiday:

http://www.tax.virginia.gov/Documents/Sales%20Tax%20Holiday%20for%20Clothing%20and%20School%20Supplies%20-%20Lists%20of%20Exempt%20Items.pdf

 

Organizing Checklist for July

Avoiding overheating becomes a concern in the hot summer months and good organizing strategies can help keep you cooler.


• Deal with clutter. Cleaning around it adds to housekeeping time and energy.

• Remove as many stored items as you can from the floor. Bags and boxes that sit on the floor or against walls for months or years can harbor mold and mildew, especially in hot, humid summer months.

• Make the most of local fresh vegetables and fruits. Process them as soon as you purchase or pick them to maximize flavor and nutrition.

• Change the filter on the a/c unit. Spring and summer pollen can accumulate quickly as doors and windows are opened more often.

• Clean around the refrigerator and other major appliances to keep them running cooler. Try not to store items around or over them that would block proper ventilation for their motors.

• Run the dryer late in the day or evening if it is located in the house. Better yet, use clothes lines if you have them for larger or heavier items.

• Schedule outside activities or workouts early in the day or after sundown. Better yet, begin an indoor routine. Malls open early for walkers.

• Begin or continue indoor hobbies during scorching temperatures: scrapbooking, reading, computer programs, sewing, etc.

• Set a goal to clean/organize one drawer a day, one closet a week, one room a month, etc. Put it on your calendar.

• Keep notes and records of vacation tips you learned from experience this year.

• Keep a happy attitude. Remember we were looking forward to July last January.

Organizing Checklist for June

School will be over for the summer; the children or grandchildren will be around and now is the time to prepare for the summer months ahead.


An avalanche of school papers may be arriving for you to handle this month. My best advice is to let the child decide which to keep. Keepsake boxes or binders can be used for these. My daughter has those special papers for the year inexpensively spiral bound by a local printing company.

This is the beginning of hurricane season. If you live in an area affected by hurricaines, high winds or rising waters, you should review the list of necessary emergency items and secure those now.

Outdoor furniture can become havens for insects. Check over each piece every time you use them.

Consider using a leaf blower to clean debris from patios, decks, porches and outdoor furniture. It is fast and effective.

Keep outdoor umbrellas closed when not in use. It will extend their usefulness and prevent damage during high winds or thunderstorms. I have personal experience with this one.

Evaluate your outdoor art and keep it to a minimum. Too much is clutter. Colorful flowers are the best accent to the outdoors.

If you are gardening throughout the summer, consider replacing gardening chemicals with safer and more environmentally friendly choices.

If you will be travelling with kids while school is out this summer, create a permanent travel kit with activities for them. If it is only used for travel, the items will appear to be almost new to them.

For your travelling convenience, create a permanent supply box or bag with items you always need. Some of these may be duplicates of items you use everyday at home.

A permanent travel checklist that you keep on your computer or in a convenient notebook is a great strategy to prevent forgetting items you always need. I keep one just for quilt retreats, my favorite travel experience!