It will be of no surprise to hear that if you want to have less stress in this run up to Christmas you will have to get as organised as possible. Easy to write, not so easy to actually do when regular life still continues around us. There’s a plethora of advice out there on HOW to plan and ready yourself for the upcoming “Big Day”.  What I've done in this post is picked out my 3 top tips that I feel can have the most impact. Here we go:-

 

1)  LIST MAKING is an essential part of getting organised. Dependent upon how your Christmas is looking then you may have a list (Or lists) for presents, food shopping, cards, decorating, making, events and so on. By breaking down the workload it can make it so much more manageable. Try to prioritise your “To Do’s” and estimate a time for each one. By reviewing that you can see how realistic it will be to fit it all in.

 

Lastly, if you are feeling overwhelmed then why not try out a “NOT TO Do List” – establish the things that don’t really need to happen. This can be a really effective way get clear on what’s important and offer you that extra bit of wiggle room and breathing space.

 

2)      Would a MINI DECLUTTER be handy? If you have children then it can be well worth your time having a sort through of toys, books and crafts etc. It’s kind of reversing the 1 IN 1 OUT rule – you’re moving stuff out in preparation for the arrival of Santa and his sack! Even if you don't have kids it can be very satisfying to have a small clear out, especially if you'll be using certain areas more frequently for visitors.

 

3)      Enlist others to HELP.  You don’t have to do this all alone. Asking and explaining can sometimes feel more hassle than it’s worth but, frequently, that is not the case. There’s been many a time I’ve bellowed “Right, it’s quicker if I just do it myself”. For me this usually happens in the heat of the moment and I then begrudgingly plough on with another job that I don’t have time for. I now try and catch myself when this is about to spill out!  A preferable solution is to delegate in advance. Be specific as to what you want assistance with.  And remember, others often want to offer that extra pair of hands but they don’t want to step on anyone’s toes or have little idea of what’s required.

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To finish up, none of the above need to be overly onerous. If you are not a natural list maker then just give it a go and see what happens. If you're seeking a feel good boost then schedule in a little declutter and If you're really stretched for time then no. 3 is absolutely for you.

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Let me know your top tips for for this "getting ready" phase.

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Day 4 we'll delve into some of the emotions and feelings we encounter at this time of year.

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