If you are looking to regain your sanity this year, or you are feed up with the stress of the holiday season it might be time you evaluated how you prepare for this time of year.
Holiday times can be a stressful and expensive time of the year and if there are ways that this can be controlled then it will allow you to enjoy the time with friends and family more. The more organised that you are the more smoothly the run up to the holiday season will be. It will mean you are able to save money during the holidays and benefit from these as well:
- Be more organised
- Save money
- Reduce the stress
The way to complete all these items is to become organised and plan for the holiday season, using these five tips will reduce the stress that you feel and will mean that you can enjoy the time feeling relaxed and stress free.
Budget
You need to know how much money that you have got saved up for the festivities that are coming.
Break down your budget into the different categories that you have got to purchase items in this will show you where you can save money during the holidays.
For example you might have these categories:
- Gifts for close friends and family
- Work colleagues gifts
- Teachers gifts
- Cards and gift wrap
- Food for parties
- Food for family
- Clothes for the festive period
- Travel and food expenses when purchasing the gifts
- Decorations
Once you have worked out all the areas that you need to spend the money that you have got you can then start dividing the money into those categories, but it is important that you stick to your budget too.
Checklist
Once you are aware of the budgets that you have got to spend you need to start planning your purchases as well as getting your home ready for the season.
If you have the list prepared early it will give you time to spread the tasks out over a month or so and this will mean that you are able to get the jobs completed in a more timely manner and you won’t feel rushed, this will reduce your stress levels and save money during the holidays.
Break down tasks into manageable sizes and then schedule them into your diary. Make sure they are just as visible as any appointment that you have committed to, if you keep putting off the task then it will become more difficult to reduce the stress as the time that you have will be reduced.
As you purchase a gift, wrap the gift and label it, this will reduce the time needed; there is nothing worse than a mammoth wrapping session. The presents won’t get that individual touch, as you would with the first couple that you wrap.
Holiday Supplies
Knowing what items you have already have got at home will save you money and time purchasing duplicate supplies when they are not required. It will mean you are able to choose which decorations need replacing and which are perfectly acceptable for the following season.
Not only will you be saving on duplicate purchases, time and money. This will save money during the holidays.
De-Clutter
It is important that you make space for the holiday season in your home and this can mean de-cluttering. It is a good way to get rid of the items in your home that you no longer love, they can be broken and damaged and this just takes up space and can make cleaning up take longer.
If you have got clothes that you no longer wear, or that your children have grown out of then now will be the time that you need to get rid of these items. It is not just about throwing out the rubbish but sorting through the items that are taking up space in your home.
Make Money
It can be the time of the year when you are able to make some money from the items that you no longer need. It is possible to sell some of the good quality items that you have got. It will mean that you will have extra money to add to your budget so that you can make the festive season that bit easier on your wallet.
If you have a talent you might be able to make money selling what you have made or what you are able to offer another person. This will mean that you will be able to make more money for your family and whilst it can be a good way to boost your finances for this year it is never too early to start putting money aside for the festive season next year.
It is important that you take the time to plan and organise your home and the tasks that are always going to pop up and needing addressing, but what you need to remember is that if you are more organised it will help you in the long term.