Maintenance:
- dusting
- floors
- tidying
- erasing footprints
- cleaning bathrooms
- cleaning kitchen
- touch up where we see it is needed
- give your plants some TLC.
Divide and Conquer
Divide your home into 3 sections. Freshen the non-public areas this week.
Declutter:
Declutter Thanksgiving decorations as you put them away.
Declutter Christmas decorations as you put them up.
Calendar
- Make a calendar for the month of December that includes the last few days of November.
- Mark Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
- Mark all holiday activities.
- Mark days that cards and packages must be mailed to assure delivery by Christmas.
- Mark days for baking.
- Mark days for shopping.
- Mark on the calendar the day a project (if you are making one or some) must be done. Count back the number of days it will take to make it and mark it. Mark benchmarks for how much should be done. Be realistic on the time it will take – add a cushion.
Activities
Begin thinking about a menu.
Buy stamps, cards, and wrapping supplies.
Sign, address, and send holiday cards.
Spend a few hours shopping on weekdays or after work, when stores are calmer than they are on weekends.
Write out gift lists, write down clothing sizes, and organize addresses, preferably on a computer or a PDA to help with neatness and efficiency. Carry them with you for easy reference. If the store offers free shipping, you will be ready.
When shopping on the internet don’t forget to Google the store name followed by the word coupons for any discounts available.