#Holiday stress will really start to #snowball after Thanksgiving. Why not get some of your baking out of the way now? There are plenty of #recipes you can make ahead of time and pull out of the freezer to enjoy at a later date, Parade says. Homemade cookies and confections such as peppermint bark, peanut brittle, sugar cookies, gingerbread, fudge and (everyone’s favorite) peanut butter blossoms can be baked weeks in advance. Freeze them and thaw them out a few hours before giving them as a gift in a festive tin or plating them for the holiday feast. You’ll have more time to relax and enjoy the celebration! #HolidayTips
Tag: holiday
Take Stock of Your Home Early in the Season
Take stock of your home early in the #holiday season, the Seattle Times says. Start with holiday #decorations by weeding out anything you don’t use and #donating those things before you have the chance to store them for another season. “It’s also a good time to go through and #donate clothes, coats, toys and books,” the story says; services such as ClothingDonations.org make it easy to get those items to homes that want them while contributing to a good cause. Finally, guest-proof your house by making sure there’s adequate seating, that all surfaces are clear of clutter, and plenty of fresh towels and linens are available. #HolidayTips
Start Your Holiday Shopping Early
If you haven’t already begun your #holiday shopping, this week is a good time to start. Consult the internet for early-bird specials from your favorite retailers, and check the social media for gift ideas. Make a budget and a list of the people you plan to buy for, and jot down a few ideas for each. You’re less likely to overspend if you have the elements of a plan in mind and #shop strategically. If you see a great deal, grab it — that price (and the stock) may not last, so get it while you can. And allow plenty of time for delivery of your holiday orders to avoid costly last-minute shipping fees and get everything under the tree on time. #HollidayTips
Make Lists to Better Manage the Holidays
Many large retailers started staging #holiday displays and promotions well before #Halloween was over. And while #Christmas, #Hannukah and the other #winter holidays may seem like they’re a long way off, now is the time to start planning. It’s never too early to make lists: Who’s on your gift list? Who gets a card? Who’s hosting which celebration? Get these things decided now, and you’ll have a lot less stress when the big celebrations roll around. You can also make a list of the spaces you want to #declutter before guests arrive, says Rooms Need Love; since a lot of people and stuff will be coming in, make space by #donating what you don’t need. #HolidayTips
The Ultimate No-Clutter November
With #Halloween in the rearview and temperatures dropping fast, it’s on to November and the #holidays. ’Tis the season that you’ll see more #stuff than ever, as you give and get gifts, bake up platters of cookies, prepare your home for guests, get the good China out and put up the decorations.
But November can also be a month of measured austerity. The Great American Smokeout happens mid-month every year, and No-Shave November encourages cancer prevention and awareness. But there’s an unofficial cause you can take up in the effort to lead a calmer, more stress-free life: #No-Clutter November.
You can start with décor items that don’t get used, Organize Your Stuff Now says. As you #decorate for the fall and winter #holidays, take a good look at the stuff that doesn’t make the cut. You don’t need to save that stuff for next year — you aren’t using it, so get rid of it now. When you pack the decorations away again in January, they will take a lot less space.
Chances are you’ll be spending more time in the kitchen, too, making cookies, a dish to pass or hosting a full feast yourself. As you prepare, have a box handy and throw any shabby kitchen towels, hot pads and oven mitts in it. Do the same as you go through your drawers and cabinets; there are probably utensils that you haven’t used in years.
It’s also a great time to assess your cold-weather #clothing, much of which you’ll be getting out for the first time in November. “We recommend people #declutter their collection of hats, scarves and gloves,” professional organizer Diane Quintana told Homes & Gardens. “Look at these items critically. If they are in good condition but [you don’t] want to use them anymore, release them so someone else can benefit from them.”
To attack No-Cutter November aggressively, First for Women suggests, eliminate one item on Nov. 1, two on Nov. 2 and so on. You’ll eventually have a pile of 465 items that you don’t want or use, and you can #trash, give away or #donate them to ClothingDonations.org by arranging a #free #donation #pickup. By the end of the month, your home will be #decluttered and #streamlined — and you’ll be ready to meet the holidays head-on.