There are so many holiday traditions that I love doing, but some of them can become stressful (or just not available) if I push them to the last minute. I want to be present with my family during the holidays so we can make memories and just soak up the season together.
To have a simpler holiday season, there's some prep work put in the months before. Here are 5 things I do in October and early November to have a more organized and stress-free holiday season.
How to Have a Stress-Free Holiday:
1. Schedule Family Photos & Order Holiday Cards
We typically schedule our family photos for the first week in October. This usually means I get the pictures back by the end of October and can order my holiday cards. Even without our final picture ready, I can design and pick out our cards, update any mailing addresses and start ordering labels. Sending and receiving holiday cards is one of my favorite traditions, but if I leave it to the last minute, it can add stress to the busy season.
2. Purchase Cute Wrapping Paper
I like having coordinating wrapping paper. Sometimes I have different wrapping for each kid, or I just have 2-3 prints that all coordinate together. I also like to get some special wrapping paper for presents from "the big guy" and hide that away. Cute, quality wrapping paper can sell out quickly so I always check this off my list in October. My favorite wrapping paper is from Merry Market.
3. Order Matching Holiday Pajamas
With a family of 6 in all sizes, it's hard to find matching pajamas last minute - all of the cutest ones are usually sold out. Most stores release their holiday prints in early October, so it's a great time to guarantee you'll get all the sizes you need.
4. Plan Our Family Experience
One of our kids' major gifts for Christmas is an experience that the whole family gets to do together during the season. Sometimes we stay in a hotel downtown for a night, other years we've gone to a play or a special holiday event like going on the Polar Express. We like to get this booked and on the calendar for the season before tickets get sold out.
5. Organize Gifts
I haven't always been an organized gift giver, but in the past few years, I've created a great system that works for me. If you're a collector of gifts and a deal shopper like I am, follow these tips.
All year long, I keep a note on my phone of wishlists for each family member. When their birthdays and Christmas roll around, I can see if it's something they still want or need. Doing this gives me a foundation instead of just coming up with gift ideas on the fly.
I start my holiday shopping as early as August so it helps with budgeting. By keeping a list of what each child wants or needs, I can buy something as soon as it goes on sale during pre-holiday promotions.
When I grab those gifts from the store or they come in the mail, I inventory them on a list on my phone. I also have a bin set up for each kid, so as I buy something, it goes into their secret bin that I have hidden away from little eyes. I pull from this bin to start wrapping once Thanksgiving rolls around because I try to have all my shopping done by then!
What do you do to make a stress-free holiday season? I'd love to see your ideas!
Jen is the founder of Reset Your Nest, a Professional Home Organizing Business in Utah (servicing Salt Lake City, Park City, Ogden, Alpine, Highland, Mapleton, and St. George). She loves creating order and systems out of chaos and is known for bringing a beautiful aesthetic as well as easy to maintain function to any space. She shares her tips and tricks on Instagram @reset_your_nest.
