Once again, Tip Junkie is here as Your Personal Assistant to help you organize your month. Consider taking a day to really plan and organize your schedule. Here are some things to do:
Organize
1. Let’s start the month off right and make a list of the things that are causing you added stress. Make a list of the big ones as well as the little ones. Is something in the house that’s broken, is there an insurance issue you need to take care of, do you need an extra trash can upstairs to help keep things tidy?
Once you’ve thought it out and made your list, next plan a day this week as your “ongoing problem day” and finally resolve those issues that need to be resolved. You’ll be glad that you did!
2. Check birthdays for the month, buy cards & presents, get them ready to mail or deliver. If you have a child’s birthday this month, plan it and get out the invites.
- Tip Junkie has tons of amazing birthday theme, party favor, game and decor ideas. {50 Home Birthday Party Theme Ideas}
- Tip Junkie Printables have several games to print out.
3. Clear schedule for book club, girls night out, BUNCO, and other rotating activities. Make sure you have child care, your food assignment, etc. Here’s how to start a dinner club.
4. If you are doing a food storage, time to check the schedule and buy next on the list. Don’t forget to put some cash in there as well.
5. Change AC house filter.
6. Write one grandparent a letter, artwork, or card.
7. Plan Mommy/Son or Daddy/Daughter dates.
8. Plan a date night with your man, arrange the babysitter in advance or swap with a friend.
Christmas Planning
9. It’s time to finalize your plans for Christmas.
- Christmas Planner {free printable} – Downloaded over 10,000 times!
- Christmas decor, gift, tradition, and organization ideas
- Printable Instructions for Christmas projects and gifts
- Order or start making your Christmas cards
Christmas Parties:
Christmas Gift Ideas:
- Tip Junkie Homemade Gift Guide {year long gift ideas}
- Neighbor Gift Ideas – Candy Grams
- DIY Gift Ideas & Tutorials
- 24 Quick, Easy, and Cheap Small Gift Ideas {printable tags}
- 24 Homemade Christmas Gifts for Neighbors
Christmas Home Decor Ideas:
If your purchasing your gifts, spread out your Christmas expenses buy purchasing a couple gifts each month from the Mom-preneur Shops. Every penny you spend goes to support another woman and her family. {{fabulous!}}
You can also barter with each other this year for Christmas gifts. However, don’t wait since the middle of shopping season will be crazy for everyone.
Activities for Kids
10. It’s time to start your Christmas traditions with your kiddos tonight!
- 25 Christmas Stories – read one a night with your family
- Nickolaus of December 6th – Nikolaus is the German Santa Claus and comes on December 6th and fills your shoes with treats and gifts. Have your kids line their shoes up by the front door the night before.
- 17 Christmas Traditions {printable} – print them all out in a 2 page format and then circle the one’s you plan to do.
- You’ve Been Star’d – ring and run activity
- Scripture Tradition
- You’ve Been Elf’d
- Gingerbread Houses
11. As you organize yourself this month, look ahead to the end of the year. This way you can stay ahead of the game and things won’t sneak by.
- Are you going to host a New Years party this year?
- What is your word of the year for 2011?
New Tip Junkie Sites
I created several new Tip Junkie sister-sites patterned after Tastespotting and Food Gawker. These new Tip Junkie sites are quick, easy to navigate and search for specifically what tutorials you are looking for this holiday season!
- Tip Junkie Christmas
- Tip Junkie Free Printables
- Tip Junkie Homemade Gift Ideas
- Tip Junkie Party Ideas
These sites are brand new and are still being populated with creative DIY and how-to tutorials. Be sure to submit your own ideas as they’ll be published in less than a week! That’s right, no more waiting for months. These sister sites are designed to quickly feature you and help spread the word about your amazing creative ideas.
Upcoming Tip Junkie Events:
1. Christmas Tree Contest – A fun way to feature great tips and how-tos on decorating a fabulous Christmas Tree. Submit your past Christmas Tree ideas.
2. Christmas Card Contest – Another fun way to feature fabulously creative Christmas cards and help inspire us to think a little more out of the box. Submit your past Christmas Cards.
3. The Tip Junkie Awards – In January, Tip Junkie will get all dressed up to celebrate the “Oscars” of blog awards. You will have the opportunity to vote for the best tips featured here on Tip Junkie in 2010 and the winners will receive some fun prizes.
If you want to remind yourself to head on over to Tip Junkie at the beginning of every month for this segment, here’s a button you can put on the sidebar of your blog. 😉
What else do you do in December to get your home organized?
http://roto-rouda.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-tip.html