Getting Organized for School - Planning Dinner

  

Happy Labor Day! Hope your day is enjoyable! For some this is the last hurrah before school starts. For others, school has already been in session for a while.

Whenever school starts for you, reality sets in at the time! Summer is nice - schedules are more flexible, days are longer, vacations break up routines. But if you're a parent of school-aged kids, it's kind of nice to restore some of those routines again when school starts.

One of the biggest items to consider is dinnertime. Studies show that kids who eat dinner with their families several times a week are less likely to get involved in drugs and crime. It's a nice way to catch up with the family and can be the central focus of the day.

But. .. it takes planning, doesn't it? In order to save precious time, I recommend planning menus for the week and shopping just once a week. Each extra trip to the grocery store is a real time-drainer! Meals don't need to be elaborate, just tasty and balanced, to keep everyone functioning at peak energy.

Create an arsenal of quick, easy favorites - enough choices so you and your family don't get bored. If you need some help, check out our Hassle Free Dinners and Three Steps to Planning Dinner.

More on quick dinners:
Dinner in 15 - Citrus Salmon
Dinner in 10 – Lime Dill Chicken
Dinner in 10 – Chicken with Cranberry/Mandarin Sauce

 

5 Tips for Organized Back-to-School Shopping

        
Summertime is a great time to do some back-to-school shopping. Vacations often involve shopping, so why not get some of that school shopping out of the way? But read these tips first to maximize your effort:



1. Take inventory of what you have. If you have children, tackle this job one child at a time. Make a list of all tops, categorizing them separately - short sleeve, long sleeve, t-shirts, dressy, dressy casual, etc. Do the same with bottoms - shorts, capris, jeans, skirts, dress pants, etc.

2. While going through the closet, start a donation pile and a throwaway/rag pile and a giveaway pile for clothing you want to pass on to specific people.

3. Make a list of all the possible outfits, both summer and winter.

4. It will become obvious which articles of clothing have no matches or matching accessories - shoes, socks, jewelry, belts, etc.. Make a shopping list.

5. NOW it's time to shop! If you are shopping for your children, make back-to-school shopping a fun event. If you can, take one child at a time, have lunch together, and make it a special day.

Even though this process takes a while, it is far more productive. You may discover outfits you never considered, you'll clear the closet of unwanted items, and your shopping will be intentional rather than haphazard, which will likely save you money. And you and/or your child will have a list of outfits to wear - especially helpful on those days when choosing an outfit seems overwhelming!

More on family organizing:
Managing Paper, Part 2
Keeping  Things Organized - Family Five Minute Challenge
Creating Routines and Systems

 

Trunk Storage - Prevent Runaway Groceries

   

"You'll never lose a carton of eggs to a runaway can of tomatoes again if you keep a laundry basket in the trunk of your car. It's great for stowing groceries while driving, and for unloading once you're home." Thanks, Redbook, for this great idea!



More on car clutter:
Kill Car Clutter
Clutter in Your Car = Danger
Spring Cleaning the Car

The Very Best Apps and Websites for Holiday Gift List Organization

  
Believe it or not, I'm pretty much finished with my Christmas shopping and wrapping! I'm quite proud of myself and can't remember when I've been so ahead of things! It helps being empty nesters and not being in the middle of getting settled after a move, like we were last year. :)

But if you're still in the throes of Christmas shopping, here's some great advice from Jeana over at CoolMomTech.

"Yes, it's that time to start thinking about ways to organize your gift lists. The holidays will be here before we know it. Luckily, these days. there are really a lot of tech resources out there for managing the holiday shopping process, both to keep track of gifts you want to buy for others, and to keep a list of things you have your eye on (hint, hint).

We've culled through a ton of holiday shopping tech to find some the best mobile apps and online resources to make your holiday shopping just a little easier. And hey, anything that minimizes having to return things after the holidays is holly jolly in my book. -Jeana

ON YOUR SMARTPHONE

iWishfor

This handy app (above) keeps a running list of things you want for yourself and compiles the wants of friends and family. The catch is that you have to invite people to the app in order for them to be able to contribute to your lists. Once you have people in your network, they can easily add whatever they want to make it easier for you to know exactly what they want. There's also a supercool barcode scanner within the app that lets you scan your items directly onto the list. (Free, iOS)

Free Christmas List
Keep track of gifts for Mom, Dad, the cousins, the uncles, the kids and anyone else on your list with this handy app. You can separate lists by person and even keep a running budget of how much you have spent and how much you have left, for each recipient--great for those of us who sometimes go a little nutty on the stockings stuffers. This version is free, but the Pro version is ad-free and adds an option to password protect your list from spying eyes. (Free, Android)

Springpad

More than just a gift organization app, Springpad (a recent sponsor, who we totally love) is more like a personal digital assistant that lets you organize thoughts, lists, images, links, and more into "notebooks." For these purposes, you could have a "Gifts for Me" notebook, "Gifts for Mom," "Cookie Recipe Ideas for the Teachers" and so on--and they can even be made private which is a huge bonus. The visual layout is just pretty to look at and because each spring allows you to link to multiple items, links, media, coupon sites and more, the functionality goes way beyond holiday shopping. It's on the web, too and you can choose to share or not share whatever you wish. In fact, check out our editor Liz's array of awesome notebooks for inspiration!

[Presents for Sophie notebook by AllisonMorris]

ONLINE

Pinterest

We just covered Pinterest's new secret boards and of course, holidays gifts are the perfect reason to take advantage of this new feature. One drawback as opposed to a similar service like Springpad is that you're only limited to three boards that can be kept shrouded in secrecy. But if you're already spending time on the site, this could be a great way to add to whatever you've already collected and find ideas from other boards. Check out the Cool Mom Picks Cool Toys Pinterest Board for some fun inspiration!

WantWorthy

If you're going to be doing some shopping online, it only makes sense that you look for a few items for yourself, right? After all, you'd be doing everyone else a huge favor by picking out exactly what you want. And whatever you want online can be housed in one place with WantWorthy. Using a little "Want" button that you drag onto your browser toolbar, you can instantly create a list of items that are good for any gift-giving occasion at all.

Google Docs

Admittedly Google Spreadsheet is definitely not the sexiest option, but it certainly gets the job done. You can use this simple template to keep track of everyone's gifts and even share with family and friends who you want input from. This could be helpful for group gift options too where everyone can contribute their thoughts on ideas and budget. Since Google Docs is in the cloud, you (and other gifters) can always get to it without anyone needing to have an app or smartphone.

Amazon Wishlist

I'm on Amazon at least once a week and have started taking better advantage of its comprehensive Wishlist feature. With EVERYTHING available through Amazon, it's a perfect way to create lists for yourself and others, plus being able to purchase them directly. You can share these lists and just keep them going year-round, adding to them whenever you come across something that's list-worthy. I love that I can keep the lists and buy from the lists in the same place for the ultimate in convenience."

Jeana was certainly thorough, wasn't she?

More on organizing for shopping:

Organizing Your Online  Shopping
Organize Your Christmas Shopping with New Gifts HD iPad App
An Online Tool to Consolidate Wishlists

Organizing Your Online Shopping

If you do a considerable amount of online shopping, the following article by GeekSugar might help you keep all those orders organized.

"For devout online shoppers, here's an app guaranteed to make you just as excited as a free shipping offer: Slice, a digital tool to keep track of everything you buy online. 

Instead of playing the inevitable game of signature tag with the delivery person or anxiously waiting at your front door, Slice does the work and automatically tracks shipments from multiple stores to let you know when to expect each package. Even better, the app also organizes and saves receipts — that way, if a purchase doesn't work out, refunds are easy.



After tracking and organizing your purchases, Slice works as a budget guide, using graphs to show the amount of money spent online and on what type of goods. The only thing the app can't do in your shopping routine? Pick purchases for you — that'll have to wait until the robots take over."

More on shopping organization:

Organize Your Christmas Shopping with New Gifts HD iPad App

Destressing Christmas, Part 10 - Efficient Shopping and Online Tips

10 Ways to Double Your Time

6 Ways to Prevent Yourself from Bringing Clutter Home

Hope you had a nice weekend. Ours was cold!! We even had snow on Saturday. Not exactly the June weather we were looking for! Here are some thoughts I had about preventing clutter from entering your house:

1. Don't order anything on eBay, Craig's List, infomercials, etc. at night. Wait until the next morning to see if you still love it.

2. Don't be pushed into buying because you have to act in the next ten minutes. The same deal will most likely come along again and again, with the same deadline. 

3. When you are shopping, ask yourself if you love it and if you need it. Just because it's on sale and is a great deal doesn't mean you need to bring it home with you.

4. Don't ever buy a high-ticket item without talking to your spouse, if applicable. I've known more than one person who has bought a car without consulting the spouse!

5. If you have a serious impulse-control problem, put a "want to buy" list on your fridge. Your item must stay at the top of the list for 30 days before buying it. If something comes along that you want more than #1 on your list, replace it with your new love. But it must stay #1 for 30 days before you buy it.

6. Don't do recreational shopping. Shop when you need to, with specific items in mind. When you shop recreationally, you inevitably find something you can't live without that you wouldn't have known existed otherwise. :)

Do you have ways to avoid bringing home clutter? 


More on avoiding clutter:

A Dozen Tips for Staying Clutter-Free in 2011

Beware - Stores Increase Clutter to Promote Impulse Buying

The Psychology Behind Hoarding

 

Destressing Christmas 2011, Part 8 - Give Memories, Not Clutter

   
Here's the final installment of my Destressing Christmas 2011 series. How appropriate for December 1! I hope this month is joyous,  meaningful, and destressed! 

I'm hosting a Christmas party Friday night, which I love! Cleaning, shopping and getting ready today. :) On to our topic for today:

It seems that our country is drowning in clutter! Our kids have so many toys, their rooms are overflowing. We have to rent storage units to hold our excess stuff.

This Christmas and throughout the year, consider giving memories instead of clutter. Give experiences! I've talked about some of these before, but they are worth repeating. :)

One year my parents were visiting us at Christmas when we lived in the DC area. Their gift from us: tickets for them to take our daughters to the Nutcracker at the Kennedy Center.

For one daughter's 16th birthday, we took her and her boyfriend (now husband) to see Stomp! in lieu of having a party. For our other daughter's birthday one year, we went to the play Little Women (one of her favorite books) followed by high tea, reminiscent of our time living in Kenya.

I have a dear friend who has four boys. Each time one graduates from high school, he gets to pick where in the country the family will go for vacation that year.

For my parents' 50th wedding anniversary, all four of us siblings typed out a tribute to them, framed them in gold frames, and presented them on a family vacation.

This year we celebrated their 60th and my brother created a video incorporating interviews he had done with mom and dad as well as photos throughout their lives. It was just a family affair - the four siblings and our children. We siblings each toasted my parents - what a wonderful memory and special time together!

Speaking of my parents, once when our girls stayed with them, my mom walked them around the neighborhood telling them about our neighbors who lived there when I was growing up. It included a trip to Midway Grocery, a tiny little grocery store where I and my siblings would go to buy candy. They still have fond memories of that experience!

When we lived in Kenya, my gift to the guys on our team was a dozen cookies every month for a year. Even though they were material objects, they didn't stay around long enough to create clutter!

When we visited one of our daughters this year, we decided to choose one five-star restaurant rather than several average places to eat. It made a fun and delicious memory!

Considering what your loved one or friend likes is the key. Here are some other ideas:

- If it is expensive, you may be able to team up with others. If Uncle Jim wants to celebrate his 80th birthday by sky diving or going for a hot-air balloon ride, have family members chip in.

- Share the experience. Accompany your friends or family to the event to make a joint memory.

- Give your time. Bring lunch over to auntie's and spend a couple of hours with her. Or babysit for a young mom who needs some time out of the house. 

- One of our daughters is contemplating a ski day as one of her gifts this year, since we are so close to good skiing and she'll be here for Christmas. 

Your gift experiences don't need to cost a lot. The only limit is your creativity!


More on no-clutter gifts:

A Last-Minute Clutterless Gift Idea - BookSwim

Easy Decadent Fudge Recipe

Destressing Christmas, Part 11 - Meaningful Gifts with No Clutter

Planning Your Black Friday and Cyber Monday Shopping

   
Are you gearing up for holiday shopping? If you are a Black Friday shopper, the following links contain Black Friday ads for major retailers, so you can plan your strategy. Kohl's and Target are opening at 12 midnight on Thanksgiving Day, with Walmart opening at 10 pm.

Black Friday Ads

Black Friday 

If however, you would rather shop from your armchair, Cyber Monday may be your preference. 

Of course, the top Cyber Monday retailer is Amazon, whose sales have already started:  

To find more Cyber Monday ads, go to:

Cyber Monday or Dealio.

Happy shopping!

More on shopping:

Destressing Christmas 2011, Part 3 - Smart Gift Giving

10 Ways to Streamline Your Shopping Time

Organize Your Christmas Shopping with New Gifts HD iPad App

           

Destressing Christmas 2011, Part 3 - Smart Gift Giving

       
With the economy being so difficult, we all may need to get very creative in the gift-giving department this year. I hope the following re-post helps. 

My brother loves the crowds and the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping. I don’t know many others who do, though! I am stressed if I have to elbow my way through a store or not be able to find what I want because I waited too late. If you are smart, you can make holiday gift-giving less stressful. Here are a few ideas:

- Make a master list of gifts you need to buy or make, along with a budget for the amount you want to spend. Stick to your budget and don't buy impulsively. Don't compete with family and friends - spend what you can afford.

- Set a deadline for finishing your shopping in order to avoid crowds, the last-minute rush, and poor selection. Remember those gifts for teachers, religious teachers, extra-curricular instructors, and stocking stuffers. Buy the same gift for several people on your list, if appropriate. Take advantage of the sales after Christmas to shop for next year's list.

- Plan your shopping trips. What stores might have most of your gifts? What is the most efficient route to the stores on your list? A little planning avoids backtracking, saving time and gas.

- Consider gift certificates that can be sent to the recipients via email or U.S. mail. Or shop online and have your purchases sent directly to the recipients. You don’t have to wrap either of these gifts!

- If you're into making your own Christmas gifts, mass produce a gift and give it to as many people on your list as possible. To reduce stress, choose a gift that doesn't have to be made at the last minute. Create deadlines for each stage of production, if applicable, so you’re finished in plenty of time.

- As you buy or make gifts, wrap them so you don't have a massive pile to do at one time. Use TV time or other mindless time to wrap. How efficient - you're doubling your time!

- Your children will be bombarded with commercial after commercial during the holiday season, and they may want it all! Have a conversation with them about realistic expectations, so they won't be disappointed. Make gift suggestions to relatives who are shopping for your children.

If you want to get away from expensive or excessive gifts, consider alternative ideas:

- Instead of exchanging gifts, experience an event together: a day trip, a service project, a holiday event, etc.

- Take the money you would have spent on gifts for each other and donate it to a cause or your favorite charity or a needy family. My parents live in Oklahoma and the year of the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City, they asked us to donate to The Salvation Army in their names, as that organization was so instrumental in helping during the aftermath.

- Consider drawing names or doing a "nice" white elephant game with a dollar limit on the gift.

- Give gift certificates of your time or service: babysitting, cleaning, meal preparation, handyman work, running errands, etc.

- Consider a “buy nothing” Christmas. This site gives scores of ideas from people who want to leave no footprint on the earth. Last year we gave home-grown herbs from our garden to some of our family and friends.

- With some friends or family, you may want to call a moratorium on gifts, especially when you get to the point of not needing anything. If it’s the thought that counts, try writing your thoughts down and giving them a note or letter expressing your gratitude for their friendship or love.

The holidays can be a stressful time. With a little planning, you can reduce the stress of holiday shopping and enjoy blessing your friends and family - without straining your budget or your temper! 

What are your creative gift-giving ideas?

More on destressing Christmas:

Destressing Christmas 2011, Part 1 - Thinking Through Your Expectations

Destressing Christmas 2011, Part 2 - Thinking Through the Needs of Your Family and Friends

Organize Your Life in Three Weeks
     

Getting Organized for School 2011 - Destressing School Shopping

     
I'm taking our three foster daughters shopping today. School starts on the 24th, and the all-important "first-day-of-school outfits" must be bought!

School shopping can be extremely stressful - financially, emotionally and physically. Here are some tips I've learned along the way to reduce that stress:

1. Help your child (if age appropriate) go through his/her clothes and remove any that don't fit or that are otherwise not working.

2. Make a list of each retained clothing item, in categories: short-sleeve tops, shorts, jeans, etc.

3. Make a list of possible outfit matches, especially if you have girls. If you have boys, you should be very thankful clothing is much less complicated for them! Matches may present themselves that you or your child hadn't thought about before. (Keep this list to ease the stress of planning what to wear each day.)

4. Make a list of what is missing: a cute skirt with no top to match, for example. Don't forget socks and underwear. 

5. Determine what store(s) might have most of what is on your list. 

6. Determine a budget of what you will spend for back-to-school shopping for each child. Explain to your child that that amount is what they have to spend, so they will have to choose carefully. 

This removes emotional stress. It is now up to your child to make the hard decisions, not you. This can work starting from late elementary school and upwards. We started in middle school with our own girls, but could have started earlier.

7. Finally, with list in hand, go shopping! If your child is impulsive, gently remind him/her about the priorities on the list. 

All this preparation will hopefully reduce your physical stress - you know what you need and where you can get it. Endless and aimless wandering from store to store will not be a part of your life! 

8. Determine a monthly clothes budget for each child. Our foster daughters get $60 per month to spend on clothes, $10 of which can be spent on non-clothes items. We gave our own daughters $75 per month back in the day - this included shoes, coats, underwear, everything. Determine what works for you. 

Even though it seems like a big chunk of money going out each month, it's much less stressful than huge chunks going out randomly. And it reduces the stress in your child - he/she knows there is a certain amount of money each month for clothes. Hopefully, this will remove the "gimme, gimme, gimme" attitude that comes with not knowing when there will be money again for new clothes.

I feel that giving our girls a clothes budget is one of the best decisions we made as parents. It taught our daughters how to use money wisely, to comparison shop rather than buy the first thing they saw, and look for bargains. If they wanted to buy an expensive item, it was fine, but there was a cost to it. When there is an endless supply of mom and dad's money (or so they think), these lessons are not learned.

A clothes budget took the stress out of shopping for me. I wasn't the one having to make the choices, they were. If my girls bought impulsively or expensively, that was their choice. Over time they learned how to manage their money, to wait, to plan. When they went off to college, we felt they were prepared to manage their money well. 

More on shopping/clothes:

10 Ways to Streamline Your Shopping Time

Christmas in July

Get Oranized Month 2009 - Organizing Your Clothes Closet

Beware - Stores Increase Clutter to Promote Impulse Buying

        
I don't know about you, but I don't like to shop in crowded and cluttered stores. But apparently, sales go up when this is the case because people are more likely to buy on impulse. And this, then, increases our clutter! The following article explains this strategy being adopted by stores:

"Piling products onto shelves and stacking goods in the middle of aisles might not seem the best way to attract customers into your store. 

But after spending years trying to cut down on clutter during the recession, some U.S. shops are making their stores look more confusing and messy to improve sales.

Stores such as Wal-Mart, Old Navy and Best Buy are looking at crowding shelf space, including ‘fast lanes’ with impulse items and adding more products down aisles.

Wal-Mart: The chain is among the stores that spent years cutting down stock, but is now making shelves look more confusing and cluttered to improve sales

Variety store chain Dollar General is raising the height of its standard shelves to more than 6ft and J.C. Penney is turning walls into jewellery and accessory displays.

Old Navy is lining lanes with food and drink and Best Buy is putting in larger products like bicycles to take up space created by thinner modern technology. Wal-Mart remodelled stores two years ago by reducing ‘end cap’ displays, shortening shelves and cutting down stock by nine per cent to avoid overwhelming shoppers.

But despite high customer satisfaction scores, shoppers were buying less products, so Wal-Mart remodelled its stores to put more stock on show.

Gone: The days of bulky electronic equipment at Best Buy are over, so it is putting in larger products like bicycles to take up space created by thinner technology

‘Historically, the more a store is packed, the more people think of it as value,’ shopping behaviour expert Paco Underhill told the New York Times.

‘Just as when you walk into a store and there are fewer things on the floor, you tend to think they’re expensive.’

Retailers are realising that as traffic shifts online, the best way to increase revenue in stores is by selling more products at their existing stores.

Electronics retailer Best Buy has been faced with ‘bowling alleys’ of space because their products have either shrunk or gone digital from CD to mp3.

Changing times: Retailers say that as traffic shifts online, the best way to increase revenue in stores is by selling more products at their existing stores

Clothes retailer Old Navy has added ‘fast lanes’ to around 100 stores to maximize sales per sq ft for shoppers to pick up drinks, toys and other impulse buys.

A spokesman for Dollar General said raising shelves from 62in to 78in has improved sales per sq ft from $165 in 2007 to more than $200 last year.

But Family Dollar stores have been taking items out of the middle of aisles, hanging them or stocking them on shelves instead, reported the New York Times

'Most of our customers, regardless of their walk of life, want a pleasant experience,’ said Mtu Pugh, format and space management vice president for the discount chain."

More on impulse buying:

Six Ways to Save Money on Food by Planning Ahead

When a Bargain is Not a Bargain

If It Ain't Broke ...

 

More Clutter-Free Ideas for Christmas

    
Our winter blizzard is in full swing here in northeast Ohio. We have at least 12 inches of snow, although it's hard to tell how much with the blowing and drifting. The storm doesn't end until Wednesday morning at 7 am. 

Thankfully, I have all my Christmas shopping done except for a couple of online gifts. If you still need some non-clutter ideas for Christmas gifts, the Savannah Morning News ran the following article on how to have a green Christmas:

"The director of the Office of Sustainability at Georgia Southern University suggests the notion of being environmentally conscious can be extended into 'green' giving at Christmas.

Lissa Leege says you just try to buy from companies that protect the environment, consider a product's waste output, and give experiences or items that can be reused or recycled.

Her top 10 gift ideas include:
1) Give experiences instead of "stuff" - concert tickets, a week of making dinner, a coupon booklet for backrubs - anything that reduces waste and clutter.

2) Consider "green" technology - a wireless reading device, such as a Kindle, or the new Sony Elm or a smart phone made from recycled plastic.

3) A canvas bag of personalized environmentally friendly items such as a travel mug, a reusable water bottle and an organic pillow case.

4) Couples can give their homes a 'green' treat - an inexpensive low flow showerhead; lights with automatic shut-off; a new, programmable thermostat; a scanner to cut back on clutter and manage bills/files electronically.

5) Give gifts built to last - sturdy wooden toys rather than cheap plastic that will break on Christmas morning.

6) Consider organic or recycled cotton clothing to avoid the intensive pesticides required for conventional cotton production.

7) Buy locally made products as much as possible to avoid transportation costs and emissions.

8) Plant a tree together.

9) Even fashion can be "green" - solar powered watches, earth-friendly lines of shoes, bags and other accessories.

10) Make a donation in his/her name to a favorite nonprofit organization."

More on having a green Christmas:

Reduce Christmas Stress by Organizing Now, Part 8 - Give Memories, Not Clutter

Turn Holiday Clutter into Classroom Treasure

Repurposing Your Christmas Cards into a Year-Round Memory

     

 

Organizing Your Christmas Spending

        
It's so easy to overspend at Christmas! Here's a method I use to avoid that problem.

First, I determine those for whom I'll purchase several gifts. I start with a single sheet of paper. I write each person's name on a different section of the paper, leaving enough room below the name to list expenditures. 

When I purchase something for one of the people on my  list, I write down the amount, and the item and/or the store where I purchased it. Not only does it help me keep track of expenditures, but the items purchased so I can make sure I've put everything on my list. 

Some people recommend keeping a notebook from year to year to track gifts and expenditures. Frankly, my life isn't that complicated. And I like being able to fold up my paper and slip it into my wallet, so it's with me all the time.

You can also list on your paper others for whom you need to shop, and your budget for each person. Everything is on one sheet of paper and you're more likely to live in reality when you write it down.

You can also track your purchases on your phone and eliminate the piece of paper.

More on shopping:

Organize Your Christmas Shopping with New Gifts HD iPad App

Reduce Christmas Stress by Organizing Now, Part 3 - Smart Gift Giving

10 Ways to Streamline Your Shopping Time

 

Organize Your Black Friday Shopping Now

       
Want to plan your Black Friday shopping strategy? Here are some sites that list the ads for your favorite stores:

The Black Friday

 Black Friday Ads 

Black Friday

More on shopping:

Organize Your Christmas Shopping with New Gifts HD iPad App

10 Ways to Streamline Your Shopping Time

Destressing Christmas, Part 10 - Efficient Shopping and Online Tips

 

Reduce Christmas Stress by Organizing Now, Part 3 - Smart Gift Giving

    
We've had a wonderful weekend with my family, including our two daughters! We celebrated my father's 80th birthday, my parents' 60th wedding anniversary, and the life of a dear cousin who passed. Laughter, tears, memories, slide shows, toasts, hugs, teasing, and new memories made. Special times.

Now on to Christmas!

My brother loves the crowds and the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping. I don’t know many others who do, though! I am stressed if I have to elbow my way through a store or not be able to find what I want because I waited too late. If you are smart, you can make holiday gift-giving less stressful. Here are a few ideas:

- Make a master list of gifts you need to buy or make along with a budget for the amount you want to spend. Stick to your budget and don't buy impulsively. Don't compete with family and friends - spend what you can afford.

- Set a deadline for finishing your shopping in order to avoid crowds, the last-minute rush, and poor selection. Remember those gifts for teachers, religious teachers, extra-curricular instructors, and stocking stuffers. Buy the same gift for several people on your list, if appropriate. Take advantage of the sales after Christmas to shop for next year's list.

- Plan your shopping trips. What stores might have most of your gifts? What is the most efficient route to the stores on your list? A little planning avoids backtracking, saving time and gas.

- Consider gift certificates that can be sent to the recipients via email or U.S. mail. Or shop online and have your purchases sent directly to the recipients. You don’t have to wrap either of these gifts!

- If you're into making your own Christmas gifts, mass produce a gift and give it to as many people on your list as possible. To reduce stress, choose a gift that doesn't have to be made at the last minute. Create deadlines for each stage of production, if applicable, so you’re finished in plenty of time.

- As you buy or make gifts, wrap them so you don't have a massive pile to do at one time. Use TV time or other mindless time to wrap. How efficient - you're doubling your time!

- Your children will be bombarded with commercial after commercial during the holiday season, and they may want it all! Have a conversation with them about realistic expectations, so they won't be disappointed. Make gift suggestions to relatives who are shopping for your children.

If you want to get away from expensive or excessive gifts, consider alternative ideas:

- Instead of exchanging gifts, experience an event together: a day trip, a service project, a holiday event, etc.

- Take the money you would have spent on gifts for each other and donate it to a cause or your favorite charity or a needy family. My parents live in Oklahoma and the year of the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City, they asked us to donate to The Salvation Army in their names, as that organization was so instrumental in helping during the aftermath.

- Consider drawing names or doing a "nice" white elephant game with a dollar limit on the gift.

- Give gift certificates of your time or service: babysitting, cleaning, meal preparation, handyman work, running errands, etc.

- Consider a “buy nothing” Christmas. This site gives scores of ideas from people who want to leave no footprint on the earth. Last year we gave home-grown herbs from our garden to some of our family and friends.

- With some friends or family, you may want to call a moratorium on gifts, especially when you get to the point of not needing anything. If it’s the thought that counts, try writing your thoughts down and giving them a note or letter expressing your gratitude for their friendship or love.

The holidays can be a stressful time. With a little planning, you can reduce the stress of holiday shopping and enjoy blessing your friends and family - without straining your budget or your temper!

What are your creative gift-giving ideas?


More on destressing Christmas:
Reduce Christmas Stress by Organizing Now, Part 1 - Expectations
Reduce Christmas Stress by Organizing Now, Part 2 - Thinking Through the Needs of Your Family and Friends
Three Steps to Decluttering

Organize Your Christmas Shopping with New Gifts HD iPad App

      
Want to organize your Christmas shopping? Here's a review by AppScout of the new Gifts HD, a new iPad app.

"We know it may seem a little early to start thinking about your holiday shopping, but after the Halloween decorations have moved to the clearance aisle and the Christmas decorations have replaced them, early shoppers will start to formulate lists in their heads. Luckily, there's a new iPad app that can help you this year. Released on October 7 from Macspots, Gifts HD is a new iPad app created to help you track, budget, and compare prices for your holiday shopping. 

One of the app's most outstanding features is its ability to shop within the app while comparing products. You simply tap on a gift item that you have on our shopping list, and the app will launch a built-in browser and open Google Shopper to show you where you can find the product at its lowest cost. You can add an unlimited amount of people to your list, and assign multiple gifts and budgets for each person. 

It also features a multi-user function so that multiple members in your family can use the app with an individualized password-protected login. That way, you won't be able to see what's on the rest of your family member's lists. 

Gifts HD keeps a summary report which shows: the total amount spent per person, gifts purchased, gifts left to wrap, and the estimated budget and cost per person. It also has a built-in To-Do list and calculator. If you don't want to take your iPad shopping, you can send an e-mail summary of your gifts and your To-Do list to your phone or whoever else you want to share your lists with. 

The app costs $4.99 in the Apple App Store, and requires iOS 3.2 or later."

When to Find Organizing/Decorating Items on Sale

     
Everyone's watching their pennies these days, but don't let that stop you from reorganizing or redecorating! Here's a list of when different items go on sale (not just organizing/decorating items), so you can plan your strategy! Thanks to Happy Hacker BBS II for this list:

JANUARY: Christmas decorations (up to 90% off in some cases); Linens; Bikes; Outdoor gear; Furniture; Winter coats (up to 75% off in some cases); CDs and DVDs; Cookware; Swimwear; Toys.

FEBRUARY: Winter clothes; Houses and Condos; Humidifiers; Small Consumer Electronics; MP3s and digital cameras; Treadmills.

MARCH: Video games; China; Computers.

APRIL: Electronics.

MAY: Towels; Athletic apparel; Cordless phones; Small appliances; Mother's Day materials.

JUNE: Tools; Father's Day materials; Computers; Swimwear.

JULY:  School supplies; Computers; Furniture; Swimwear.

AUGUST: Pool toys; Sandals; Patio furniture; Air conditioners; Camping equipment; Dehumidifiers.

SEPTEMBER: Summer clothes; Inflatable pools; Gas grills; Shrubs, trees, perennials.

OCTOBER: Lawn mowers.

NOVEMBER: Baby products; Toys; Halloween items.

DECEMBER: Christmas items (after Christmas Day); Wedding dresses; Cars.

Isn't this great information?



More on saving money:

Reorganize and Decorate with Little Cash or Carbon Footprint

When a Bargain is Not a Bargain

Swap Parties - Decluttering, Saving Money

Three Steps to Decluttering

Reorganize and Decorate with Little Cash or Carbon Footprint

        
Happy Labor Day! Hope you have a great day!

Feeling an urge to reorganize and/or redecorate, but can't afford much? Use what you have! Shop in your own home, garage, and attic. Repurpose pieces of furniture for new uses. Determine the look you want, rearrange furniture, bring in furniture from other rooms - a whole new look!

Paint is inexpensive and transformative. Paint walls, trim, furniture, appliances, even floors for a fun change. By painting several mismatched pieces of furniture, you've created a cohesive look. 

We have repurposed a no-longer-used entertainment center into storage for games and puzzles. A dresser holds fabric. Another one houses crafts. I've turned duvet covers, sheets, dust ruffles, and rugs into window treatments. We've turned bedroom storage into office storage. There's no limit to your creativity!

By shopping in your own home, you've saved money and haven't expanded your carbon footprint. And hopefully, you're using items you love.


How have you repurposed items in your home?

More on repurposing:

Don't Make the #1 Organizing Mistake

Expert Organizing and Design Tips for Your Foyer

Three Steps to Decluttering

If It Ain't Broke ...

     
The first day of school! The high school eliminated busing for all students to save money. Ugh! So we have to drive them. But our one middle school student is still riding the bus, but it didn't pick her up! Just drove on by. Other than that and a spilled glass of grape juice (luckily on no one's first-day-of-school outfit!), things went pretty smoothly this morning.  On to our topic for today ...
 
Many times we keep trying new products, even though we're happy with what we're using. Some personality types want to try all that's out there, just in case there might be something better.

If you're happy with your briefcase, make-up, deodorant, car, etc., don't spend hours and dollars searching out and testing out new products. If while living your life you get a chance to try out something new, knock yourself out! 

But looking for new toys or even necessities when what you have works well can gobble up your precious time. Not to mention the clutter it can create!


More on shopping:

When a Bargain is Not a Bargain

10 Ways to Streamline Your Shopping Time

Time Management for the Single Mom

 

Organizing Back to School Shopping

     
Can you believe it's almost time for school?! Here's a blog I've done before to help reduce the stress of getting ready for school. We used these tips for our own daughters and some of them for our foster daughters. Hope you enjoy them:


If we took our cues from the stores, we would think summer is over, even though it seems like it just began! After the 4th of July, all summer clothes are on sale and winter clothes will soon be on the racks, even though we are sweltering! Great time to beef up your summer wardrobe, if need be.

If you need to shop for back-to-school clothes or if you have children who need to do so, here are a few tips:

1. Take inventory of what you have. If you have children, tackle this job one child at a time. Make a list of all tops, categorizing them separately - short sleeve, long sleeve, t-shirts, dressy, dressy casual, etc. Do the same with bottoms - shorts, capris, jeans, skirts, dress pants, etc.

2. While going through the closet, start a donation pile and a throwaway/rag pile and a giveaway pile for clothing you want to pass on to specific people.

3. Make a list of all the possible outfits, both summer and winter.

4. It will become obvious which articles of clothing have no matches or matching accessories - shoes, socks, jewelry, belts, etc.. Make a shopping list.

5. NOW it's time to shop! If you are shopping for your children, make back-to-school shopping a fun event. If you can, take one child at a time, have lunch together, and make it a special day.
 
Even though this process takes a while, it is far more productive. You may discover outfits you never considered, you'll clear the closet of unwanted items, and your shopping will be intentional rather than haphazard, which will likely save you money. And you and/or your child will have a list of outfits to wear - especially helpful on those days when choosing an outfit seems overwhelming!

Similar topics:
Organizing Your Child's Room   
Get Oranized Month 2009 - Organizing Your Clothes Closet
Get Organized for School - Clothing Inventory
Getting Organized for School - Learning Style