Ready for Christmas? Enjoy an Organized Holiday This Year

1. Keep a stack of directions TO your place for people who need to know how to get to your home or office. This prevents you from having to write them out every time you are asked. Type the directions and save them on your computer. This way you can email, fax, or mail them the directions. Make copies and keep them accessible. It is also helpful to keep directions FROM your place for future visits you need to make.

2. Rather than add to someone else's clutter with a gift you are not sure they would like, give 'consumable' items for Christmas such as: special coffees or teas, cookies, or gift certificates.

3. Keep a Christmas idea file. Keep a folder and insert recipes, magazine clippings, gift ideas, and other ideas you might like to use for the holiday.

4. A COUNTDOWN is super effective for any event such as weddings, holidays, and parties. Start by creating a master to-do list of everything that needs to be done for your special event. Then, transfer a couple of to-dos onto each day preceding your event. Cross off items when finished!

5. AVOID shopping during busy times like the weekend and after-work. Shop online, by catalog, or in an area with several stores-in order to consolidate your shopping trips. Ask for gift-wrapping!

6. Spend your time on what you LOVE to do. If you love socializing, why waste your time cooking? Order from your favorite restaurant. If you hate decorating, hire an interior decorator or an art student. Exchange tasks with friends.

7. Pack your decorations away with care. Do not throw everything in a box. Take time to pack fragile items carefully. Store your decorations and lights in proper containers. Inventory what you have with a list and a list for what you need next year. LABEL all of your boxes!

Rebekah Slatkin is a professional organizer dedicated to getting people organized through hands-on decluttering sessions, teleconferencing, coaching, and her website http://www.best-organizing-products-superstore.com Visit http://www.best-organizing-products-superstore.com and subscribe to Organewz, her ezine dedicated to organized living and get organizing tips- free.

Latest News


Financial Post

Early Sales May Not Mean Strong Holidays, Group Says (Update1)
Bloomberg - Dec 1, 2008
1 (Bloomberg) -- A post-Thanksgiving bump may not be enough to rescue what might be the worst holiday season for US retailers in six years. ...
Holidays still a boon for Alaska retailers Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Black Friday Results: Holidays off to a Good Start Marketnews.ca
Shoppers Search Out Black Friday Deals KLAS-TV
Las Cruces Sun-News - Youngstown Vindicator
all 1,143 news articles

Animoto brings the holidays to video
CNET News, CA - 6 hours ago
According to the company, the new holiday feature will use a snowscape to set the scene for the greeting and with the help of its new text feature, ...
Animoto Announces Animoto Holiday Greetings; Video Creation Site ... MarketWatch
all 9 news articles

Extra Cash for the Holidays or Anytime With the Launch of Diamonds ...
MarketWatch - 8 hours ago
Extra cash just in time for the holidays or anytime has never been so easy, with the online system put in place by the subsidiary of Gold & Diamond Source ...

ReliaTech Rings in Holidays With Deals for Its Bay Area Customers
MarketWatch - 7 hours ago
This holiday season marks the accomplishment of several goals at ReliaTech. "We are especially gratified to have had such a successful year, as ReliaTech's ...

HispanicBusiness.com

E-tailers expect 8% bump for holidays
Atlanta Journal Constitution,  USA - Dec 1, 2008
By Bob Keefe If there’s any good news for retailers this holiday season, it may be online. While retailers brace for declines in sales at traditional ...
Video: Online Retailers See Monday As Black Friday AssociatedPress
Online spending forecasted to be flat through Holidays Global Surf News
Cyber Sales Mark 2nd Launch Pad for Holidays istockAnalyst.com (press release)
MarketWatch - Salt Lake Tribune
all 1,461 news articles

BBC News

Holiday firms prepare for package tour slump by slashing summer ...
guardian.co.uk, UK - 29 minutes ago
Chief executive Manny Fontenla-Novoa said deep industry-wide cuts in the number of holidays offered in Britain, combined with the collapse into ...
Thomas Cook confident consumers will still go on holiday Telegraph.co.uk
Travel Firm Hot Prospects Sky News
Thomas Cook reports profits rise The Press Association
The Associated Press
all 138 news articles

Just in time for holidays, top chefs release tomes
San Francisco Chronicle,  USA - 1 hour ago
With people returning to the kitchen to save money, these recipe and reference books make ideal gifts for the holiday season. ...

Hero Astronauts Offer Out-Of-This-World Club for the Holidays
MarketWatch - 4 hours ago
Unlike other 'flavor-of-the-month' services, the Astronaut Autograph Club makes for the perfect gift that will be long-treasured after the holidays and for ...

Cellular South Welcomes HTC Touch Diamond in Time for the Holidays
MarketWatch - 3 hours ago
RIDGELAND, Miss., Dec 02, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Cellular South, a leader in wireless solutions and innovation, today announced the availability of ...

AMA Phoenix Invites Valley Residents to Celebrate the Holidays at ...
MarketWatch - 4 hours ago
-- Good music -- Piping hot hors d'oeuvres -- Fine wine from around the globe. There will be a wine-tasting of three- to-four specially selected varieties. ...

Resources