Sunday, November 30, 2014

Christmas Countdown to an Organized Christmas - Day 2 - Make a Christmas Planner

Article and Photo Courtesy of Organized Christmas

Today in the Christmas Countdown, we introduce the tool of choice for organized holidays: a Christmas planner.

Whether you're new to the concept, or have been using one for years, your Christmas planner is about to become your new best friend in the days and weeks to come.

Your planner will be home to lists, notes, ideas, recipes, decor inspiration, receipts, menus, inventories and journal pages. It's your personal record of the planning, deciding and doing that goes into creating the Christmas of your dreams.

To Do Today

Get organized and start your Christmas planner

1.  Get a 3 ring binde.

2.  Print a cover and spine for your binder. You’ll want to keep your Christmas planner to yourself, however! It will contain information not for the prying eyes of eager family members. If Christmas curiosity reaches a fever pitch in your household, consider the Hide-In-Plain-Sight method for your planner's cover. Label a binder "Manuals and Warranties" and slide it into the bookcase between college textbooks and old phone directories, or title your computer's Christmas planner section, "PTA Meeting Notes” to keep Christmas secrets until the big day.

3.  Print your dividers at Dividers 1 (Christmas Countdown, House and Holiday Planner) and Dividers 2 (Holiday Grand Plan Planner). Every family’s needs are different but here are some examples: 
  • Calendars
  • Gift Lists
  • Christmas Cards
  • Budget
  • Meals and Menus
  • Entertaining
  • Recipes
  • Décor
  • Traditions
  • Thanksgiving
  • Advent
  • New Years’
  • Year-Round Holidays
  • Birthdays
  • Rudolph Club
  • Sale Flyers
  • Craft Projects
  • Christmas Baking
  • Cookie Collection
  • Recipes Tried and True
  • Recipes to Try
  • In the Freezer
  • Cleaning Calendar
  • Inspiration and Faith
  • Poems and Stories
  • Music and Carols
  • Movies and Books
  • Web Sites
  • Décor Room-by-Room
  • Ornaments
  • Collections
  • Storage
  • Christmas Past
4.  Get a supply stash. Dividers, lists and forms are only the beginning of a well-seasoned Christmas planner notebook. Add these supplies to the list; they’ll make it easier to use your Christmas planning tool:

  • Lined paper for notes and lists
  • Free printable forms from OrganizedChristmas.Com
  • Clear plastic page protectors
  • Pocket pages
  • Large manila envelopes
  • Post-It brand notes and flags
  • Zipper pencil case
  • Pencils, markers and highlighter
  • Three-hole punch
  • Planner Tip: Make it portable
5.  Make your planner portable. Be sure to take your Christmas planner with you. Gift lists, shopping lists, clothing size records, wardrobe inventories, decor ideas and pantry planners should be at your fingertips ... anywhere!

6.  Give a Christmas Planner as a gift. Since you're making one for yourself, go ahead and make another one as a gift.