10 Tips for Reducing Stress and Staying Organized During the Holidays
Posted on November 16, 2012
- Make delegating easy. Before people come over for Thanksgiving dinner, write down a list of tasks that people can do. That way, when they ask what they can help with, you can just refer them to the list.
- Stock up on wine and liquor well in advance, as to avoid long holiday lines and irregular holiday hours at the liquor store.
- Stock up on baking/cooking essentials (butter, sugar, baking soda, flour, salt, vegetable stock) to cut down on last-minute trips to the grocery store.
- Share cooking duties by encouraging a potluck style Thanksgiving dinner.
- Make room for new gifts and purchases in advance, whether that means purging closets or reorganizing drawers.
- Schedule a cleaning service to help with post-party messes (or to get your house sparkling before out of town guests arrive).
- Stock up on easy appetizers – crackers, cheese, dips – to alleviate stress during gatherings and to accommodate last-minute gatherings.
- Make a list of people who you plan to buy presents for, and set a budget for each person.
- Shop online. Not only can you avoid long lines (and traffic and parking), but you also can have gifts wrapped and sent directly to the recipient.
- Set a deadline to have all of your holiday gifts purchased, wrapped and sent.
