Get Organized Week

By Cynthia Townley Ewer
Editor, OrganizedChristmas.com
Author, Houseworks: Cut the Clutter, Speed Your Cleaning and Calm the Chaos

Welcome to Get Organized Week!

The first week of the Countdown is a time for planning and calendars and lists, for setting our values and our course. As we break down holiday preparations into small, simple steps, we'll sketch out the outline of the holiday season to come.

This week, we begin to build a Christmas planner or notebook, assess the state of the house, and enjoy the Halloween festivities. Ready? Let's get organized for a stress-free Christmas season!

To Do This Week:

  • Make the promise! Spend 15 minutes each day this week to get organized for Christmas.
  • Get comfortable for holiday planning--create a Christmas holiday planning center
  • Set up your Christmas planner in a notebook or three-ring binder.
  • If you're using a clear pocket binder, print the cover and spine pages. Insert in pockets of your clear-view binder
  • Add blank lined pages for any notes and records.
  • Make or designate a holiday planning calendar. For your Christmas holiday planner, print the Countdown plan calendar. Want more flexible calendar forms?
  • Add monthly planning calendars as needed.
  • Begin at the beginning: review your family's holiday values. Print and record your findings on the holiday values page.
  • Gift-buying looms! Start a master gift list. Print the master gift list form and use it to record purchases and home-made gift items.
  • Begin a Christmas card list. Locate addresses, and consider making a computerized Christmas card address list for maximum time savings. Or, print a Christmas card list for your Christmas planner notebook.
  • Print a home spruce-up worksheet and complete the holiday home spruce-up exercise. Plan and schedule any pre-holiday home improvement projects.
  • Will your family travel this holiday season? Make travel plans and reservations this week.
  • Will you host houseguests this year? Make arrangements for any overnight guests.
  • Make an appointment for family photo sessions for holiday giving or photo Christmas cards.
  • Schedule carpet cleaning now! As the holidays approach, business picks up. Call now for your choice of appointment times.

To Print This Week:

To Read This Week:

To Buy This Week:

  • Christmas cards or supplies for Christmas letters
  • Holiday stamps