“There are still loads of things to do, but too little time!” Take babysteps, prioritise and get the family involved.

Get your home ready:

• Clear the hotspots. Pick up after yourself and put things away immediately after you are done with them.
• Get someone in to do your springcleaning if you have not done it yet.
• Decide whether to declutter before Christmas or in the lull period between Christmas and New Year to make space for the new. Get the children involved. Keep the length of time per session age appropriate. Let them fill a bag or a box with unwanted toys. Take the unwanted toys to orphanages, after school clubs or charities with your kids and make them proud of helping others.
• Clear the paper piles.

Create space for your guests.

• Make the room comfortable and relaxing.
• Clear part of the cupboard and leave some hangers.
• Make up the beds and put out towels. If you have a pool, ask your guests to provide their own swimming towels.
• Prepare a pamper basket with sun screen, soap, bubble bath, a new packed toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, cotton wool, antacid and head ache tablets.
• Provide water and glasses.
• Leave some glossy magazines on the bed side table and some nibbles.

Time To Decorate

• Keep it simple and use your favorite things.
• Buy a real christmas tree that your can reuse year after year and bring the smell of nature into your home.
• Dig out and declutter your Christmas decorations. Tatty and broken decorations must go!
• Get the family involved to help with the decorating of the house and tree.
• Fill your home with holiday music.
• Decide on the table decorations for the special days. Buy or make them early in the month.

Are You Traveling This Season?

• Put the departure and arrival dates on your Calendar
• Organise transport. Service car / Purchase Plane or Train tickets.
• Organise pet care
• Make a packing list of items to take
• Give the neighbours your destination details and where you can be contacted.
• Contact your security company. Supply them with the new contact details.

Plan your Holiday Menu

• Fix your family favorites; do not experiment on them!
• Look at your recipes and prepare your shopping list. Stick to the list and do not overbuy food. Resist all the tempting offers.
• Buy your chrismas cake and biscuits or make a memory of smells, by baking them yourself with the children or in the company of a friend.
• You will still have to do some purchases of fresh produce. Plan this for a day or two before the big rush.

Guests, Family and you

• During a visit remember to get yourself ready in the morning for a day of fun, and don’t forget your 15minute tidy up routine at the end of the day. Delegate tasks.
• Involve everyone in the preparation, enjoy your company and not be worn out from cleaning half the night and then having to get up and cook.
• Pour yourself a glass of champagne and have a great time, take time to relax and free yourself from pressure.

For some special help and advise, go to www.FlyLady.net and download her free Holiday Journal. Which has shopping and to do lists ready for your use.

Wishing you a wonderful Season, Making memories and being at peace!

Heidi Meyer

Professional Organiser

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