When should you start planning Christmas? If you want to have a stress-free, wonderful, and organized Christmas, you should start now.
December is rolling around, and you may have to get some last-minute projects and fulfill your demanding role at home while lots of your colleagues or employees are on leave. Christmas is chaotic at the best of times but it doesn’t have to be.
The best way to have an organized Christmas is to prepare in advance so there are no (or minimal) last-minute calamities, overwhelm, or forgetfulness.
Here are 10 easy ways to have an organized Christmas, from choosing Christmas gifts and dinners to easy-to-organize decorations and activities. This is a comprehensive guide for busy, working moms.
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10 Ways to Have an Organized Christmas
1. Use A Christmas Planner
The best way to have an organized Christmas is to plan it. As a working mom or mompreneur, you may have a million things running through your mind and your Christmas agenda might be forgotten, which is why it is important to have a Christmas planner.
You can use it to jot down important dates, gifts you need to buy, meals to prepare, and what you need to do. Luckily, there are a lot of Christmas planners to choose from, and here is what I recommend.
A Great Christmas planners you can use:
Bonus tip: Use a free Trello board or a digital planning tool
2. Create a Budget
Christmas is the most wonderful and expensive time of the year. When you do last-minute Christmas shopping and gift buying, you start panic buying and spend more money on meaningless gifts. A well-thought-out Christmas is essential for your sanity and bank account. Create a budget and this is your second most important step as it guides what gifts, decor, and ingredients you will buy.
Christmas gift rrackers to try:
Bonus tip: Create your own Excel spreadsheet to keep track of your spending.
3. Get ALL Your Christmas Gifts Organized
Probably one of the most expensive and stressful parts of Christmas is gift-giving. Create a list of everyone you want to give a gift. Think about what a person needs, will use, and what they love. Is this present for a child, fellow busy mom, or colleague? Remember the golden rule of gift-giving, it is the thought that counts not the price tag. The sooner you get your gifts the better, so start your planning now.
Here are some meaningful but small gifts to give for Christmas:
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Bonus tip: Wrap as you go and get creative with fried fruit and plants (try to avoid a last-minute bulk wrapping session)
4. Find A Christmas Recipe You Love
Cooking for Christmas can be stressful. It is a good idea to already start thinking about Christmas recipes so that on the day you can serve something delicious, simple, and festive. Once you have decided on your Christmas menu, write down the ingredients, and make an online order closer to the time to save time.
Simple but delicious Christmas recipes for you to try:
Bonus tip: Don’t forget to delegate, ask a family member to provide snacks or dessert, and get your children involved. When making decisions, polls on WhatsApp groups can be your best friend.
5. Audit and Declutter Your House
An often overlooked step to have an organized Christmas is to declutter and audit your home, especially if you have guests visiting. Block a 3 or 4-hour window one weekend leading up to Christmas (you can put it in your Christmas planner) to take account of Christmas decorations, utensils, and storage you own. Make a plan to donate anything you have not used for a long time. Not only will this clear physical space, but it might also help you mentally as you navigate this busy season. Block time to declutter at least one-month before Christmas.
Bonus tip: Take it room by room or step by step (this will make the process feel more manageable)
6. Organize And Streamline Your Christmas Decorations
As seen as Pine and Prospect Home
Planning an aesthetic Christmas may be at the bottom of your to-do list but if you have organized your Christmas decorations, you have a great starting point. You just need to tap into the 2024 Christmas trends and think out of the box, which we can help you do.
Christmas 2024 Trends to Utilize
- Retro Christmas – large vintage Christmas lights and a record player, you already have two pieces of the puzzle.
- Sustainable Christmas style – Earthy and woody tones. Use natural materials like wood, cloth, pine cones, and dried fruits. You can also use sustainable brown paper for gift wrapping, and personalize it with twigs, dried spices, or a ribbon.
- Monochrome Theme – this is a simple, cohesive, and timeless look that consists of an angle color palette. Play around with textures to add depth and warmth to your decor.
- Cottage Decor – This country-styled look makes use of natural material, homemade goodies, and rustic decor. If you crave slower and simpler times, this trend is for you. Candlelights are very important here to create a cozy look.
Bonus tip: Base your Christmas mood board on Pinterest and Christmas 2024 on what you already own, and buy only a few pieces to complement it.
7. Plan a Fun (Easy) Christmas Activity
Christmas games can be fun and a real bonding experience so it might be a good idea to plan one or two easy games. There are some great Christmas gift exchange games you can play among other fun ones.
Christmas Games You Can Try:
- Pass the parcel – Play this popular game at Christmas and see who the lucky winner is
- Secret Santa – In this Christmas gift exchange game get your guests to draw out of a hat to see who they need to buy a gift for or assign it yourselves. At Christmas leave your gifts by the tree. Your guests will take turns getting their gifts and will have to guess who their secret Santa is. This is a great option if you want to scale back on Christmas gifts and share the festive spirit.
- Gifts By Numbers – This is a simpler game to organize and just as (if not more fun). Everyone brings a gift to Christmas and places it under a tree. Later they draw a number from the hat and then each person grabs a gift and opens it in the order of their selected number.
Bonus tip: The less complicated the better so choose one that is fun and not too time-consuming.
8. Have a Cleaning Day
A week before the Christmas season properly starts, do a spring clean on your home. Luckily you will have already decluttered and organized your home so you need to vacuum, and clean windows and surfaces so your home is spotless and ready for your guests.
Bonus tip: Get your family on board, and assign each member a room.
9. Schedule a Morning Off
Bonus tip: Block a day off in your calendar and let your family know
10. Find a Christmas Playlist
On the morning of your Christmas party to get yourself in the mood, find a percent Christmas playlist, sing along, and do the last-minute necessities. You are about to have a wonderful and organized Christmas.
Christmas Playlists:
Bonus tip: Create a shared playlist on Apple or Spotify music and get all your guests to contribute.
Key Takeaways for A Stress-free, Organized Christmas
You now have a step-by-step approach to having an organized Christmas. Remember to:
- Plan Your Christmas on paper or digitally
- Create a detailed budget
- Create time blocks in your calendar for important tasks like cleaning, decluttering, and prepping.
- Try to use Christmas decor that you already own and lean into Christmas 2024 trends
- Share the load and get support
What to read next? 20 Inspirational Podcasts for Women That Will Empower You
FAQs: More Gift Ideas For Christmas
What are the best corporate gifts for Christmas?
The best corporate gifts are meaningful and flexible, which is why gift vouchers make the best corporate gifts. Hotelgift makes corporate gifting simple as employees can choose from 750,000 hotels worldwide.
What are the best gifts for female entrepreneurs?
The best gifts for female entrepreneurs are creative, have long-term value, and show thoughtfulness. Here are some of the most meaningful gifts for female entrepreneurs:
Recommended Reading: 28 Gifts for Female Entrepreneurs That Don’t Suck
Business casual clothing gifts?
Clothing is a great gift for women. Especially ambitious women. Here are some great ideas:
- Minimal, Modern Loafers for Women
- Mango Leather shopper bag
- Women’s Samba Shoes
Recommended Reading: 10 Business Casual Clothing Ideas That Are Trendy ( Not Boring)