The only real blind person at Christmas-time
is he who has not Christmas in his heart.
~Helen Keller
If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home better organized, or would like to know how to personally SIMPLIFY your Seasonal demands, and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie. Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.
It is Christmas in the heart
that puts Christmas in the air.
~ W.T. Ellis
If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home better organized, or would like to know how to personally SIMPLIFY your Seasonal demands, and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie. Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.
Would you like to be able to Simplify the Seasonal Portraits? Schedule the Christmas portraits and Address the Christmas card envelopes early. Early, as in, the first week of December. It is ok if you “cheat” and have photo cards made which come with envelopes so that you don’t have to buy actual Christmas cards -- in that case, just make a list of card recipients. You can go one step further and make labels if you're super savvy. (Note: If you are planning to write a Christmas Letter, or using specialty photo cards, keep that in mind for addressing envelopes. You will not need card shaped envelopes. You will need letter sized envelopes. Wallet-sized photos will still fit nicely into letter sized envelopes.) And write that Christmas letter now!
If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home better organized, or would like to know how to personally SIMPLIFY your Seasonal demands, and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie. Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.
Veni. Vidi. Visa.
We came.
We saw.
We did a little shopping.
How do you get all the gifts wrapped and keep it simple? Set up a gift wrap central if you have the space(and for some of these ideas, they will work in just about any space). Whether it is your dining table, spare bedroom, rolling cart, closet, under bed box, folding camp table, Big Orange 5 Gal bucket- get all of your wrap, bags, tissue, ribbons and bows into one space. This will make it easier to wrap gifts quickly, say --- during nap time or Sesame Street? My personal choice is thick under the bed type bins that house my gift wrap and ribbons. I am able to balance them across adjacent dining chairs as I carefully wrap all the gifts upon my dining table. I keep extra supplies (like scissors and scotch tape) in the gift wrap bin year round.
After gifts are wrapped you will need a place to stash them. Those needing hand delivery (like teacher gifts) can go into a box/bin in the car – if you have chocolates in there and it is going to be some time before they are delivered, you may need to find a cool dry storage place out of the way in the air conditioning – linen closet or laundry room… or maybe just in the corner BEHIND the tree. Just keep those “gifts on the go” separate from all of the other under the tree gifts… just don’t forget where you have hidden them. If you are likely to forget where you stashed them, make a note in your agenda/planner/PDA.
What’s a good way to keep nosy present peekers from spying on their gifts? Don’t tag them.
#1 Choose one wrap for each person. For example, all of Little Tommy’s gifts are in Silver themed paper and all of Little Sara’s gifts are in Red themed paper. I use this method for separating “gifts to go” and “gifts that stay” also. No gift left behind!!!
#2 Choose one tag type or each person and leave the tag blank. For example, all of little Tommy’s gift tags are Snowmen and all of Little Sara’s gift tags are Santa.
Make a note of what wrap or tag theme you are using for each person in a special private spot (like your planner) if you have a tendency to have memory lapses (like I do!). It’s not as much fun to peek at someone else’s gifts as it is to spy your own.
If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home better organized, or would like to know how to personally SIMPLIFY your Seasonal demands, and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie. Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.
Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.
~Oren Arnold
If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home better organized, or would like to know how to personally SIMPLIFY your Seasonal demands, and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie. Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.
Now let’s talk about Christmas shopping!!!!!!!! Could shopping possibly be a part of a Simplified Season? You betcha!!! And who doesn’t love shopping? I don’t mean the “sharpen your elbows, Black Friday, 3am” kind of shopping. Although if anyone can turn shopping into a contact sport those ladies sure can! Were you out in that crowd this weekend?
My favorite thing about Christmas shopping is finding that PERFECT gift. The gift that you know that the receiver will open and love.
FIRST - Make a list of everyone for whom you will need to buy gifts. Include family, friends, neighbors, clients, your child's favorite playmate, service people (school teachers, nursery workers, babysitters, hair dresser, the staff members at an office you frequent regularly, postal worker, barista, whoever!). Even if the gift is "just" a plate of cookies, jot the person down. Great! So, my stress free friend, just by making the list of recipients, you may even get some gift ideas. Hooray for you! With just a little advanced planning, you are well on your way to a stress free Christmas Celebration.
SECOND-Think about that list of people you just made. Do you have to buy gifts for people whom you hardly know? Whether it is a brother-in-law or a boss, this can be a daunting task. What are their hobbies, and favorite sports teams? How do they spend their time?
There are several sites which offer GIFT FINDERS to help you narrow down a personality, generate ideas for a gift, even purchase the gift.
Are you a parent or a grandparent (or an aunt) looking for toys for the tot in your life? Try the search features on www.target.com or www.toysrus.com for age appropriate toy ideas.
Still no luck finding the gift you seek? Get a gift card. Make it personal. Think about the recipient's tastes on this one. For example, if the recipient is a luddite, a gift card for an electronic or computer store is probably not the best idea; however a restaurant gift card for that uncle who enjoys fine dining - a gift card to you aunt’s favorite boutique - some movie passes for the college student – a Netflix subscription and a box of microwave popcorn for the new parents - and a bookstore gift card for the reader whose favorite author will be releasing a book past your holiday celebration deadline – all great ideas. Simple pairings make them personal by adding on some simple and inexpensive “tags” - a bag coffee candy (or bag of Starbucks truffles) with a Starbucks card, a bookmark with a book store card, a box of movie candy with the movie card. Now you’re thinking outside of the gift card envelope!!
One more shot… and it’s a good one!
Think about giving “clutter free” gifts. Instead of just giving one more generic bath set -- know the giftee. Find out if they have a favorite brand or scent and go with that. Novel concept? You betcha! Have I stepped on any toes yet? Probably. Sorry, we’re simplifying!!!
Experiential gifts are also a great way to keep the clutter at bay. For a child: Seasonal Zoo, Water Park, or Theme Park passes really go a long way. Whether it’s a date for your spouse, or a special day out with your favorite kiddo, even a round of mini golf or a night of pizza and ice cream are a great gift to give. They cost little, other than time. They don’t add to the clutter in your home. They help you create happy memories with someone you love and WANT to spend time with.
As a family, we love to be generous and give to others, especially during the holidays. We try to Simplify our Season by only purchasing a few gifts for our child. There are things that we would rather spend DOING with him than GIFTING (plastic toys) to him. We usually choose a small gift and a large gift. I also use this time to set up traditions. He gets an ornament every year and Christmas/winter themed pajamas. Those are more things that I want him to have than things he would choose, so I do not consider them gifts. We have Christmas pictures taken. We usually chose a charity to give to - adopting an angel from the angel tree or filling a shoe box for Samaritan’s Purse.
I have a friend who gives their children each three gifts as a reminder of the three gifts of the magi.
When you are shopping, keep in mind that you are going to stay the course and have a Simplified Season. Keep you list updated and keep it handy while you shop. That’s right! Take it with you. You’re making a list and checking it twice here! That’s how it is going to stay simplified.
One final note on shopping. Let’s not forget about on-line shopping to save time and gas money. This is especially great if you can find FREE SHIPPING options. Some sites (like Wal-Mart) will even let you ship to the store nearest you for free. Happy Cyber Monday, my friends!
If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home better organized, or would like to know how to personally SIMPLIFY your Seasonal demands, and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie. Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.
Count your blessings.
Name them one by one.
Happy Thanksgiving!
What are you thankful for this year?
If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home better organized, or would like to know how to personally SIMPLIFY your Seasonal demands, and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie. Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.
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