Squash Mommy Guilt for Good!

Mommy guilt.  We’ve all felt it.  Working moms feel guilty for not spending enough time with their children.  Stay-at-home moms feel guilty for not contributing to the household income.  As a matter of fact, I’m feeling a little guilty right now as my son sits in the living room watching a Baby Einstein video as I write this.  We, as women, are programmed to nurture others and to feel the need to do it all.  It’s wonderful to be nurturing and caring, but we must be realistic in our own expectations in order to be at peace with ourselves as mothers.

Oprah’s often been heard to say, “Being a mother is the hardest job in the world.”  See, even she realizes it, and her only “children” are dogs!  So why do we feel that we have to do the most difficult job in the world perfectly?  Being a mom can be stressful and, at times, all-consuming.  Sometimes we need a break!

It’s okay to not absolutely LOVE every part of being a mom. We’re human.  Cut yourself some slack if your kids’ constant fighting is driving you crazy and you want to scream.  It’s natural to feel frazzled.  When you start to feel the guilt rising, remind yourself to let it go.  Then you can focus on redirecting the kids and sneaking off with a cup of coffee and a magazine for a few minutes.

Yes, it’s even all right to enjoy spending time AWAY from your kids.  Time on your own lets you to come back to your children refreshed and rejuvenated, allowing you to be more loving. Cranky, stress-out moms are not performing at their peak.  Don’t hesitate to give yourself a little break once in a while.  In fact, it’s good for kids to spend some alone time to learn and to grow.

Realize that nobody’s perfect and avoid comparisons. We’re often prone to thinking others have things so much better than we do.  Outside appearances can often be deceiving.  Accept yourself and your family’s situation with a sense of gratitude, and soon you’ll be feeling less guilt and getting far more enjoyment out of life.

It’s so important to practice letting go of the guilt.  It won’t happen overnight, but if you remember to stop yourself when you feel those mean guilty feelings coming on, you’ll soon learn to think differently.  Changing your thoughts will lead to improving the way you feel about yourself.  A mom who feels good about herself is always a better mom. By the way, my little guy’s still watching Baby Einstein.  And he’s squealing with delight at the colorful, spinning top he sees.  Why should I feel guilty about that?

Controlling Holiday Clutter

photo credit: chatirygirl

Holidays are a hectic and busy time. In addition, the gift giving and good intentions of family and friends usually means more “stuff” accumulating in your home. Add that to the decorations, the cards, the gift wrapping supplies and you can have a recipe for a clutter strewn zone. Or, you can follow some easy tips to reduce the chances of being overcome by clutter and chaos and enjoy the holiday season in a calm environment. Here are some ideas to get you on the right track:

Start a holiday binder (a 3-ring binder from an office supply store will suffice). Create dividers for different categories, such as recipes, gift lists, store sale flyers, Christmas card list, etc. Then get a flat plastic pencil pouch to put in the binder to hold all the holiday receipts, including gift receipts.

Incoming Holiday Cards- find creative ways to display incoming holiday cards. Some ideas include finding an attractive holder (you can find really attractive and inexpensive versions at Lillian Vernon and Current). You can also use scotch tape and tape them around a door or onto kitchen cabinets. Punch a whole in the corner and use red or green ribbon to tie them to a wreath. Let your kids create a collage or laminate and make placemats. Be creative.

To organize outgoing holiday cards- consider going to sending e-cards. This cuts down on stamps and time. Otherwise, try to set aside a few hours and get them all finished, addressed and ready to mail at one time. I have always set aside the weekend after Thanksgiving for this task. Having a time on the calendar to take care of a large project, such as mailing holiday cards, can make the task seem less daunting. Another idea is to only mail out cards to those people you receive from. Keep all your holiday card supplies in a basket near your mail station and as cards come in, sign, address and stamp a return card.

To cut down on too many gifts under the tree or too many gifts to store until you meet with family, consider giving more gift cards to favorite stores. Gifts to charity in honor of a loved one are also quickly becoming a popular way to give a meaningful yet clutter-free gift. In economic times like these, consider talking to your family/friends about picking names or just giving gifts to children. Everyone is feeling the pinch in their wallets so most will not be offended (they may even be relieved) by the suggestion of skipping the gift exchanging this year. Replace it with a fun family get-together with hot cocoa, board games and time for reminiscing. Those are the moments that memories are made of and clutter-free to boot!

Try to designate an area in your home for gift wrapping. Keep everything you need including scissors, gift wrap, gift bags, tissue paper, gift tags, pens and ribbons in one place. Many stores, including www.containerstore.com, have storage solutions for all your gift wrapping needs.

Just remember, the simpler things are the less stress you will encounter!

Happy Holiday Organizing!!

Organizing Basics for Busy Moms

Organizing Basics: We all want more time- if I did a poll of what you would ask for if you could have anything most of us would probably say more hours in a day before we would even ask for money or fame. An organized life is a simplified life and a simplified life means more time for the things that are important. There is no easy fix! Organizing is an ongoing process not an event. People say I am going to “get organized”. That is a great goal to aspire to but I encourage you to reword it a little. Try- I am going to become more organized. First of all, everyone has some aspect of their life that is organized. Your house can be cluttered with mountains of laundry and three years worth of magazines but your spices might be alphabetized or you might need all the towels in your linen closet folded the same way. So, here are some tips for getting started in the process of becoming more organized.

1. Just do it: Don’t be afraid and overwhelmed by the organizing process. Taking it one task at a time is the easiest way to dive into an unorganized space. Once you see progress you will be motivated to continue.
2. Start small: Picture the one space in your home that you avoid, the place that makes you shake your head and cringe when you pass by. That spot that you really want to change but just don’t know where to start. The space in your home that bothers you the most. Start there. Set the timer for half an hour. Get done what you can, assess what you accomplished and what is left and go back later.
3. What works for one might not work for you. Those organization articles in magazines have great ideas but they are very generic. Sometimes we judge ourselves if we fail after trying to implement some of those ideas from HGTV shows and articles. Please remember those shows represent hours and hours of work with seasoned professionals edited down to a half hour time slot. I typically spend 8-12 hours on a home office, 10 hours on a kitchen, etc (which is why I charge by the project and not by the hour). It all depends. One size does not fit all.
4. Keep at it. Once you have invested the time and effort to become more organized you have to work at maintaining that progress or you will slip right back into old habits. This is just like losing weight, having a daily quiet time or any other new habit you try to form. Maintenance is key to keeping your life organized. I develop a maintenance plan for my clients. It would be a shame to invest your finances and your time in a project and three weeks later walk into the same mess that was there before. All it takes is being aware of what created the situation in the first place and being committed to changing the pattern. Take fifteen minutes at the end of the day to clear the clutter off the kitchen counter or pick up the mismatched gloves that have accumulated in front of the door. If you put everything in it’s place tonight you will have a better start to your day tomorrow and you will not face an accumulation of clutter.
5. Enlist help- if organization is not your strong suit chances are you know someone who has the knack. Swap- babysitting or cook them dinner for a week in exchange for helping you tackle your cluttered family room. Hire a professional organizer- it is not as cost prohibitive as you may think!! Having an organized life means less stress and more time.

Happy Organizing!

10 Ways to Look Younger Without Cosmetic Surgery

As work-at-home moms, we’re a busy bunch. With diapers to change, carpools to drive, houses to clean, and careers to build, it’s no wonder we may find ourselves looking a little tired! Just because we work at home doesn’t mean we should let our appearance go.  Taking time on your appearance will give you a spring to your step, helping you to accomplish more throughout the day.  Take back your pre-baby glow with these easy beauty tips that will erase years from your appearance.

1. Take care of your skin. Use a mild cleanser formulated for your skin type in the morning and at night. Don’t forget to moisturize, and an SPF of at least 15 is a must to continue fighting the signs of aging. A skin care routine takes only minutes each day, but the benefits will last a lifetime.
2. Apply concealer correctly. Dot concealer underneath eyes and apply as close to the lashes as possible, blending it into the inner corners of the eyes. Your concealer should be one shade lighter than your foundation, and you can add a yellow-toned concealer to cover particularly dark circles.
3. Use a highlighter. Highlighting products contain light filtering pigments that give the illusion of lifting dark areas of the face, such as undereye circles, smile lines, and that little crease under your chin. Be certain to apply the highlighter below dark undereye circles, rather than directly on the dark area, to create the effect of brighter eyes.
4. Avoid using powder foundation. These tend to accentuate lines. Instead, opt for a liquid or cream-to-powder foundation that matches the skin on your neck. An exception is today’s new mineral powder foundations because they are lighter in texture and formulated to benefit your skin.
5. Make cheeks pop with blush. Avoid applying blush too close to the nose; press two fingers next to your nose as an approximate guide for where to end blush.
6. Don’t be afraid to experiment with pretty, sheer colors. Avoid frosts and metallics that may draw attention to crow’s feet and lines.
7. Consider using a lip primer. To make your color last even longer, apply lip liner and blend over entire lip area. This will provide a base for your lipstick to adhere to. Next smooth on a light coat of lipstick to each lip. For sparkle, you can finish the look with a complimentary color of lip gloss.
8. Define your eyes. Though you don’t want to be heavy-handed with your eye liner, don’t be afraid to use it to its full potential.  Be sure you can see the line when your eyes are wide open.  You may even want to extend the line just slightly past the outer corner for definition.
9. Splurge on brushes. The right tool can make a world of difference.  That’s not to say you need to blow $100 on a set of brushes used by the pros.  You can often find high quality makeup brushes designed for precision application at your drugstore.
10. Take care of your brows. Manicured brows can really brighten up your face.  Most likely you can get a wax at your regular hair appointment, and the pain is minimal.

Frugal Preschool Fun

Do you want to get your kids ready for Kindergarten, but don’t want to spend a lot of money doing it? My husband and I have five kids and we have been through preschool 4 times now. We have a lot of experience in teaching little ones and saving a buck at the same time. I know these ideas will help you too!

Buying all those writing tablets can get expensive, so we came up with a great idea! Here is what you will need:

• One handwriting tablet with the ABC’s on each page (one page for Aa, one for Bb, etc.)
• One slim dry erase marker
• One yard of clear plastic table cloth (you can find this in the material section of your local superstore)

Now all you have to do is cut a piece of the clear plastic table cover small enough to cover the tablet page and let the kids practice with the dry erase marker. You can use this a million times and with multiple children. You will never need to buy another tablet until you begin working on cursive!

You can use this idea for anything. We bought enough plastic to cover our whole table. At one end we placed a large white piece of poster board underneath the plastic. Now we have our own make-shift white board. We have used it for math, spelling, drawing diagrams, the possibilities are endless!

I get so excited when I find free online resources!

My very favorite website for kids is www.starfall.com . This website will teach your child everything from their ABC’s to reading books! By the time your child has done every activity on this site, they will be great readers!

You can also go to www.pbs.org/teachers/earlychildhood/ and find some great resources for subjects like reading, math, art, and history. There are printables, games, and lots of fun ideas to get your kids learning.

www.mathusee.com has free online drills. They are fun and colorful and when your child gets them all correct, they receive a blue ribbon. My son LOVES that!

When you are teaching little ones it is very important to make things fun. Here are a few ideas:

• Take them outside and let them write their ABC’s in the dirt or sandbox.
• Go to your courthouse and count the steps.
• Have them count the number of canned goods in the pantry. (4 green bean cans plus 3 corn cans equals what?)
• Place post-its on things around the house like a POT, a HAT, the RUG, so they can get use to seeing what these words look like.

Remember, you can find teachable moments in every day and both of you will love the memories made while doing these fun activities.

Get a (Social) Life!

Do you need a life?  A social life, that is.  It’s easy to feel isolated when you’re a work-at-home mom.  There’s no water cooler at home to gather around with colleagues and no communal lunch room.  It can get kind of lonely, especially if you’re an extrovert who thrives on human connection.  So what’s a mom to do?

With work to do and kids to care for, there’s little time to go out visiting, despite the perceived notion many have that those who work at home can do what they want, when they want.  However, staying connected is important for women.  We’re relational beings who are at our best when interacting with others. You don’t have to stifle your inner social butterfly just because you work at home, but you may have to be purposeful in creating ways to stay connected.

For example, I’ve developed a rather active social life virtually through social media outlets like Twitter and online networking groups for moms.  There are tons of online forums and groups out there.  You only have to head to Google to find one. Just look for a network or group in your area of interest.  Another great place to find a network of like-minded folks is Ning, a social networking site where you can find, literally, thousands of groups.  You can even create a group of your own!  You may want to find a group of moms, like I did, or choose a group based on your area of business.  The choice is yours.  One word of advice would be to schedule your online networking time. While meeting people with similar interests online can be fun and can even help you in your business, it can also be a time zapper.  Be mindful of the time you spend networking, and it could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship!

I absolutely adore my real-life girlfriends.  Hanging out with my pals rejuvenates me and gives me a lift.  I feel so much more energized after a nice afternoon chatting and catching up with a friend.  It’s important to have that time. We don’t want to become so consumed with our work and home life that we neglect our outside relationships.  Schedule time with a girlfriend once every week or two.  You don’t have to take an entire day out of your schedule or spend lots of money.  Often times, I’ll have lunch at my best friend’s house.  She’s a phenomenal cook, and her home is just so cozy.  I feel so much calmer after hanging out with her.  Maybe you can visit a friend’s home or just meet up for a quick cup of coffee.  Whatever you decide, you won’t regret making time to socialize.

Isolation can lead to apathy or even depression.  It’s very easy to “lose” your old self when you’re cut off from the world.  Take time to nurture your outside relationships.  So whether it’s online or in real life, don’t forget your friends!

12 Tips to Get Things Done

As a work-at-home mom, I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the number of things I need to do.  Mornings are spent rushing to get the older two kids out the door to school.  Once they’re on the bus, I’m feel ready to conquer the world and get to work.  Then the baby’s raging cries bring me crashing back to reality.

Does this scenario sound familiar to you?  How can we, as work-at-home moms, be productive when the needs of our children must come first?  I’ve revised my daily routine several times since beginning my freelance career.  I don’t have it completely down yet, but I’ll share what I’ve learned as well as advice from some of my work-at-home friends.

1. Keep a daily notebook. Develop a notebook system that works for you to record your daily to-do list along with reminder notes and organization tools like grocery lists and appointment reminders.
2. Use an electronic management program. Some people prefer to do everything online.  There are lots of great management tools to help you keep things organized.  I use Gmail because its label system is easier for me to organize than traditional folders.  I also like 30 Boxes as my calendar.
3. Multitask. I have a friend whose favorite time to brainstorm is when her kids are bathing.  I think that’s brilliant.    I take a book or notebook with me when I wait for the kids to get off the bus.
4. Utilize your best time of day. Most of us are either a morning person or a night owl; use your best time of day to your advantage.  I’m kind of an odd ball, in that I do better in the afternoon.  When my husband gets home from work at around 2:00, I get busy until it’s time to go pick up the kids.
5. Start early. No matter what your best time of day is, get started on tasks immediately.  Then reward yourself by taking some time to check your email or catch up with your favorite social network.
6. Divide and conquer. Trying to do everything at once makes me feel scattered, so I allocate each day to a different task.  For example, I use Monday to do research and brainstorm topic ideas, and Wednesday is usually query day when I pitch my ideas to publications.
7. Minimize distractions. It is so tempting to watch just one TV show or do one load of laundry.  Avoid that time trap by setting yourself a timer or resolving to stick to a set schedule.
8. Take a break. Though you don’t want to get sucked into time traps, it is important to recharge your body.  Each day I sit down to lunch with my infant son.  We enjoy the uninterrupted bonding time while refueling our bodies.  Then I’m ready to get back to work.
9. Delegate household tasks. Enlist family members to help with the chores and determine when they will be done.  Maybe you could work as a family to clean on weekends or tidy up a bit each night after dinner.
10. Make family agreements. Your family must be involved in order to make work-at-home work well.  I’ve challenged my husband to do his job while caring for children and cleaning the house.  No traditional employer would expect so much, so why hold yourself to such unreasonable demands?
11. Reassess. This is something I’ve had to do, and it can be tough.  Have you over-committed?  Consider whether one or two of your daily to-do’s can be dropped.  This will free up your time to tackle what’s really important to you and your business.
12. Dress the part. Don’t work in your pj’s and bunny slippers.  Nothing kills my productivity more quickly than foregoing my shower and trying to get right to work.  When I look like a professional, I feel more professional.

These are a few examples to get you started.  Consider your personality and your family’s routine when developing your own schedule.  And remember that you may have to try several variations before finding a routine that works for you, so don’t give up!

11 Easy Ways to Stomp Out Stress

Being a work-at-home professional isn’t as laid back as some would think.  It can be incredibly stressful to balance caring for the kids and the house while on the clock, trying to earn a living.  Do you find yourself trying to get work done, but feeling guilty for not spending time with the kids?  Or are you constantly thinking about work when you’re with the family?  Here are some sure-fire tips to stop the stress before it starts.

1. Stretch your muscles.  You don’t have to do a killer abs routine or run ten miles each morning, but engaging in some form of physical activity is a great way to start the day.  Consider yoga or pilates, which are known to be good for body and soul.
2. Avoid marathon work sessions. Sitting at the computer for hours at a time will only lead to frazzled nerves and tense muscles.  Set a timer or work on one task at a time.  Then take a short break, away from the computer.
3. Drink a cup of tea. A nice, warm cup of tea always relaxes me and puts me in a better frame of mind when I’m feeling tense.  A flavored or herbal tea can be a great indulgence.  Or substitute your beverage of choice for tea.
4. Call a friend. Sometimes we just need to vent.  If stress is keeping you from being productive, why not pick up the phone or instant message a pal to let off some steam?  Keep it short, then get back to work.
5. Play! - If you’ve got kids at home, it’s no secret that they need your attention.  So give it to them.  I feel so much better after a tickle fest with my baby boy.  I can head back to my project when he naps.
6. Write it down. Write down a realistic schedule for your week.  Account for regular events like naptime or bus pick up.  Then schedule work time in between.  Of course, we need to be flexible, but having a map certainly helps when trying to reach your destination!
7. Shut the door. This is one I’ve recently had to implement at my house.  Telling the children to “pretend” my office door was closed didn’t work.  I’ve been far more productive since actually shutting it.  My kids are old enough to watch television unsupervised and can be trusted to play with the baby for a bit.  Use your judgment.
8. Ask for help. Communicate your needs to your family and friends.  I’m constantly telling my family, “Mommy’s only one person.”  Asking older kids to help out teaches responsibility, and explaining how you feel to your significant other will help to avoid spats.
9. Leave work at work. Realize that, because you are only one person, you can only do so much.  When you’re spending time with your kids, try not to worry about work.  My biggest weakness used to be running into my office to check my email “real quick”.  I’ve been much happier since breaking that habit.
10. Get your beauty sleep. It can be tempting to stay up until all hours of the night to get some uninterrupted work time.  But this can be a bad idea.  Being exhausted from a long day can cause you to make careless errors, leading to disappointed clients and even more stress.  Plus, it’s been medically proven that lack of sleep is damaging to your health.
11. Hire help. If you’ve got it in your budget, it may be well worth the money to hire a part-time baby sitter or enlist the help of a cleaning service.  Check your finances, taking into consideration the money you might make if you had more time.

Give these tips a try to see what works for you.  You’ll probably even come up with some great ideas of your own in the process.  Changing habits takes practice, but saving your sanity is well worth the effort.

Overcoming Paper Clutter

Even with all the technological advances in the world I don’t think our society will ever truly be paperless. In fact, the recent technological advances seem to have created more paper to deal with in many cases.

We have receipts, bills, insurance policies, certificates, investment statements, health records, and more. Then added to that is the daily influx of junk mail- magazines, catalogs, sweepstakes entry forms, etc.

Today we will learn how to overcome paper clutter once and for all.

Mail

Your mail needs to have a designated spot. When you pick it up from the mailbox each day, bring it into the house and put it in the same spot. This can be a basket, a designated space on the kitchen counter, or on your desk in your home office.

Your goal should be to handle mail as soon as it enters your home. But at the very least try to have a set time each day that you go through the mail and deal with it, so you don’t end up with piles of mail and magazines spread throughout the house.

• Magazines- only keep the current month’s issue.If there are articles that you want to keep for future reference or for a recipe, etc. then invest in a 3-ring binder with plastic page protectors. Tear out the article that you like and throw away the rest of the magazine.
• Catalogs- When a catalog arrives at your home and it is not one that your regularly order from call the 800 customer service number on the back and request to be taken off the mailing list.
• Junk Mail- this should be immediately thrown away. If you like the coupons from the ValuPak, etc then clip the ones you like and throw the rest away. This will cut down on the amount of paper clutter laying around the house. To stop unwanted credit card offers call 1-888-567-8688 or write to Direct Mail Association Mail Preference Service at PO Box 643 Carmel, NY 10512. Include your name, complete address, zip code and a request to “activate the preference service”. This means you will only receive those catalogs, offers, etc that you personally request. The Direct Marketing Association estimates that this will stop 75% of the junk mail that comes to your home!
• Bills- have a place for all the bills that need paid to be filed until it is time to pay them. This can be a plastic shelf divider, a basket, a file folder, an accordion file, etc. Whatever works for you is the best system to have.
• Invitations, fliers, etc.- We all get the invitations to weddings, special events at the senior center and family goings on. Have a place that you put all these and weekly go through and sort out what has already happened and throw it away. As soon as you receive any type of invitation or reminder with a date in the mail you should check your calendar and if you plan to attend go ahead and write it on the calendar so that you don’t forget in the future.

Paper, in general:

• Newspapers- If you use the internet all major newspapers including the local papers are available (in their entirety) on line. If you are not computer savvy or prefer to hold the newspaper than be sure to recycle or toss newspapers at least weekly. Piles of old newspapers are untidy and create a fire hazard as well!
• Important Personal Papers- These include your will, birth certificate, social security card, passport, etc. Keeping these in a fireproof box is safest or use a safe deposit box at the bank. Other files you may have include 401k statements, bank statements, mortgage statements, stock/bond/IRA statements, warranties/instruction manuals, car information including car insurance and title. Keep your files organized and accessible according to how often you access them. If you only access certain papers once a year at tax time than file them in a banker’s box in the attic. Keep files you need on hand in the file cabinet.

How Long Should I Keep It?

We are often asked by clients how long they should keep various types of paper. These are general guidelines that we use when working with people. But remember it is always important to check with your accountant or tax advisor about your individual situation before shredding any documents.

• Auto Records- keep these as long as you own the vehicle
• Appointment Books- some people like to keep these as a type of journal, I keep them for a few years as back-up for mileage purposes. Keep them up to ten years for this type of reason.
• ATM slips- Keep them six years for tax related purchases. Store them with your bank statements.
• Credit Card statements- six years for tax related purchases (such as owning your own business) Otherwise keep until you receive the interest statement issued with by the company annually. Then you can shred them.
• Dividend Payment Records- Until you receive your annual statement
• Health Records- permanently
• Home Improvements- as long as you own the home. Store these with your tax records
• Household Inventory and Appraisal- As long as they are current. Update them annually (we will talk more about this next week when we talk about organizing for a transition)
• Insurance Policies- (auto, homeowner’s, liability) through the statute of limitations. (disability, medical, life, personal property, umbrella) keep for the life of the policy
• Investment Purchase Records- As long as you own the investments
• Investment Sales Records- six years for tax purposes
• Mortgage or Loan Discharge- as long as you own the home or six years after the discharge
• Pay Stubs- until they are verified by your W-2 statement
• Property Bill of Purchase- as long as you own the property
• Receipts- as long as they are current, or as determined by your accountant
• Safe- Deposit Box Key and Inventory- as long as they are current
• Tax Records- current year plus six years prior (can be filed away in a bankers box)
• Utility Bills, etc.- Until they are paid (your canceled check is proof you paid and the company keeps records as well)
• Vital Records and Documents- birth, marriage, divorce, death certificates: permanently
• Wills, Trusts, Estate Plans- permanently

Other tips to keep in mind when dealing with paper:

Papers should be filed so that you can access or retrieve them in less than a minute.
Some people are convinced they have a good system for filing but then wonder why there are papers on the coffee table, end tables, etc. It is because you do not have an adequate filing system. An adequate filing system works!

Filing cabinets or portable file baskets/containers should be stored within reach of where you deal with paper. File cabinets in the basement are of no help to you if you can’t go down to the basement anymore.
Two important questions to ask when handling paper- What is this?, Why am I saving it?

Avoid keeping paper for sentimental reasons, keep it only for necessity. This will drastically reduce the amount of paper in your home.

Dealing with paper clutter is not only about appearances and organization. It is also about safety. The more paper you have lying around your home or apartment is the more “kindling” a fire has if one were to develop in your home. Consider that as motivation to deal with the clutter in your home.

Happy Organizing!

Organizing for the Holidays- Save time and money

The holiday season can be a stressful and chaotic time for any family.  There are so many additional obligations and tasks to complete with no extra hours added to the day.

If we allow ourselves to be caught without a plan from October to January, we will face a new year deeper in debt, exhausted and wondering where the last quarter of the year went.

But, there is hope!  Creating a plan for your family to navigate the holiday season will free you to enjoy the festivities and activities available this time of the year.

Here are a few tips to decrease holiday stress while helping your family be organized and prepared.

• Start early. This is so important! Do you ever see an item in March and think “oh, that would be a great gift for so and so”?  That is when you should buy it!  Set aside an area in your home (I use a shelf in my laundry room) to stash such gifts away until the holiday.  This saves so much time and last minute impulse buying as the holidays approach!  Also, you can take advantage of back to school and out of season sales to purchase gifts for people, thus stretching your budget further.  Carry your Christmas list with you at all times from October 1st on.  That way when you find items on sale while you are running errands, you can check your list to see if it would make a good gift for anyone left on your gift list.
• Make Holiday To-Do lists. These lists can include gift lists, holiday card lists, a budget, etc.  Having all the information you need in one place is crucial to staying organized, especially during a hectic time.  When you do go out shopping make a list of people you are buying for, their likes/dislikes, their sizes (if applicable) and even their favorite color.  Anything that will keep you from getting stuck not having any idea what to buy for someone.  Isn’t that how we all end up with slipper socks under the tree?
• Simplify. Wherever you can, choose the easy route!  Wrap as you buy, ship as you buy.  Shopping on the internet or via catalog can streamline the process by saving you time and energy that can be spent on other things.  Resist the temptation to throw elaborate parties.  Instead, host a cookie or ornament swap.  Ask yourself: is this going to make my life easier or add another task/item to my list?

At the holidays there are too many things that will automatically get added to your list- parties, family gatherings and other events- you don’t want to add anything extra to your stress level on purpose.

The holidays should be a time of creating memories and enjoying family traditions.  Focus on what is important- faith, family, friends and tradition by staying organized, having a plan and starting your shopping early!

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You Can Make Money. You Can Spend Time with your Kids. And, you Can Enjoy Life ... While Working from Home!