Easter Follow-Up

Hallelujah! He is risen! I hope each of you had a blessed Easter and had time to celebrate the amazing joy of the resurrection of our savior among all the candy and feasting.

I wanted to take a quick moment to write a follow-up to my Clutter-Free Easter post. I'm sure you all were wondering how the Easter baskets turned out in the Brown household.  I didn't get any good pictures as I was rushing to get them filled as we headed out the door for church and the kids were so excited when we got home and found them that they were strewn about before I could grab a photo.

But the baskets looked like this:

3 year old girl
book (Alice in Wonderland)
bottle of bubbles
pack of fun hair bands for ponytails
brightly colored tank top
chocolate bunny
handful of chocolate eggs (the Nestle Crunch kind)
bubble bath

2 year old boy
book (Peter Rabbit)
bottle of bubbles
pack of Silly Bandz
chocolate bunny
handful of chocolate eggs (the Nestle Crunch kind)
bubble bath

8 month old boy
2 packages of baby food
jar of Puffs

In addition to what I got them (which is on the sparse side compared to some people) the Easter Bunny brought gifts sent by the 2 sets of Grandparents - PJs, books, dress-up masks, candy, bibs (for the baby) and some other things I'm sure I'm forgetting.

I am happy to report that aside from some candy wrappers on the floor there was very little mess. The kids loved the baskets and the other gifts and I felt good about keeping things minimal.

One of the few pictures I managed to snap - on my phone, sorry for the blur. Showing off his new PJs and silly bandz.

Clutter-Free Easter

As someone trying to keep my home relatively organized and clutter-free I find holidays and birthdays for the kids to be challenging.  The two big offenders for me are Easter Baskets & Christmas Stockings.  So often we fill these things with stuff that our children don't need because it's small and cheap.

Why?  Why do we look at Easter as a time to waste spend our money on things that we (and our kids) don't really like, that break easily, and become easy clutter in our homes?  Because marketers have told us that's what we should buy because they fit in small easter eggs.

This year I propose we TAKE BACK THE EASTER BASKET!  The past four years as a mom I've tried to keep the things in the Easter basket to a clutter-minimum. I challenge you to do the same this year. 

What can you put in baskets that kids want and won't add to the disaster in your home?  Well, the point is to avoid the "junk" - the trinkets and bobbles that make clean-up a pain and the kids get bored of after 2 days.  Embrace things that are consumable and that you would buy anyway.

- food (dried fruit, popcorn, a chocolate bunny)
- consumable toys (crayons, markers, bubbles, bubble bath)
- lasting toys (DVDs, books, video game)
- summer fun items (new bathing suit, beach towel, inflatable pool toy)
- accessories (hair clips, belts, sunglasses)
- household goods (cups and plates for little ones, reusable water bottle for big kids, new bathroom accessories like a toothbrush holder & soap dispenser, pillow cases and sheets)
- clothing (shirts, shoes, socks, tights)
- new undies (these are fun for a little, new-to-the-potty kid... not so much for your 10 year old)
- things that add to a collection (a new train or doll to add to an existing collection)
- healthy habits items (toothbrush, toothpaste, lotion)

Look at what you already had on your list of things to buy for your kids and go from that.  Even if the item itself isn't "fun" (hello, new socks), getting it in an Easter basket is more fun than a random Tuesday.

The goal is to get stuff that's fun for the kids without adding to the clutter in your home.  I try to avoid at all costs the Dollar Store and the Target Dollar Spot.  I know that goes against conventional wisdom but you and I both know that those cheap trinkets will break after one use (but no one will throw away for 6 weeks). 

Where can you shop?
If you have a baby... shop Babies R Us for some toddler items (cups, spoons, bibs) she'll need soon
If you have a toddler... find a single-serve pack of his favorite snacks.
If you have a preschooler... browse the clothing racks for things to fit her latest obsession.
If you have a school-age child... remember the last thing she begged you for at the store and try to get things related to that.

The bottom line for me is that the stuff stores try to push on you for Easter is not often the kind of thing you'd buy if you were shopping for your child on a regular day.  So walk right past those to the brands you already know you trust and that will get use in your home.

With less than 2 weeks until the big day it's probably time to get shopping!

Finish off 2010

The new year is here.  We are 3 days in and well, whether we're ready to move forward or not, 2010 is gone.  But is it gone from your to-do list?

Let's choose this week to wrap up the winter holidays so we can really move on to our future in this new year.

Shop
Finish buying the stuff off your Replenishment List that you need for next year.  You can still find a few decent sales on after-Christmas things.  Stock up now.

Update
Gather up all those envelopes from the cards you received and update your address book.  Don't worry about making it perfect.  For now, just scratch out the old info and add the corrections.

Budget
Review your Christmas spending.  Was it in line with your budget? 
If there are categories you spent more than you planned was that because your original budget wasn't realistic?  Do you need to add a category for next year?)

Plan
Make a note on your holiday card list of anyone you want to add or remove.  Maybe you made a new friend this year.  Or maybe there are people still on the list since your wedding many moons ago that you really don't have contact with anymore.

Remember
Review what you cooked and ate for your holiday meals & parties.  If you had a written menu, make notes of what worked & what did not.  Some items may become part of your annual tradition and some recipes need to hit the "round file." 

Commemorate
Do something with the holiday cards you received.  If you plan to scrapbook them - put them with your scrapbooking supplies.  If you plan to make To/From labels for next year's gifts then put them with your crafting supplies.  What do I do with them.... anything with a picture of people gets put into an inexpensive photo album for my kids.  They love looking at pictures of people and asking me who they are.  I add the new cards to it every year.
Or you might just enjoy them and then recycle them.

Clean (make sure you do this task AFTER you finish the shopping task)
Put away all the lingering decorations.  You may have already taken down the big stuff but if your house is like mine there is always about a small boxful of miscellaneous stuff that was missed the first time around.  Pack it away, make sure the box says clearly that it's holiday things and put it away with the rest of the holiday boxes.

Start Fresh
Upload all the photos from your camera to your computer.  Back them up.  Then clear your memory card.  Make room for lots of new photos in 2011!

Quick Tip Thursday

It's time to get those gifts in the mail!!

If you have anything that needs to be sent out of town, please take time today and tomorrow to get it packaged up and put in the mail.  If you plan to ship using the United States Postal Service their last day for Christmas delivery of first class mail is Dec 20. 

See the complete list of deadlines here.
You can find the last days to ship with FedEx here (it's Dec 23 unless you want to pay for overnight).

To help you stay on track this season, avoid going to the post office or shipping store to get those packages sent.  Instead schedule a pickup right from your front door.  You weigh your package, pay for the shippng online, print out the shipping label and tape it to your package and then place it on the porch for your mail carrier.  It is actually quite easy.

DO Holidays - Prepare for Guests

Are you expecting guests this holiday season?  Today's the day to start getting ready for their visits.  If you will only be having non-overnight guests your to-do list is much shorter (but no less important).

Check your primary guest bathroom (a half-bath in many cases) and make sure you have the following:
* Hand soap (if your bottle is getting low, think about just replacing it with a new one, or refilling)
* Extra toilet paper that's easily accessible.  If you have a vanity under your sink this is a great place.  If you have a pedestal sink you'll need something more creative - like a pretty basket that sits on the back of the toilet or a nearby shelf.  Whatever you do, please don't use one of these.  Please, for my peace of mind.
*Air freshener of some sort.  This can be whatever you prefer.  Some air freshener spray discreetly hidden under the sink, one of those little air fresheners that "puffs" when you press it, or a candle that you light before guests arrive.  Whichever you choose, please have something that guests can use to make themselves feel better if they need to use your restroom for something a little bit, well, stinky.

Now, if you are having overnight guests you have a bit more prep. 

The must-haves:
* clean sheets
* clean towels, hand towels & washcloths
* light-bulbs that work (I know this seems silly but it's easy to not notice that a bulb is burned out in the guest room if you never go in there)
The really-should-haves
* space in the closet
* extra hangers in the closet
* extra blankets & pillows
* trash can in the bedroom & bathroom
* tissues (especially in winter with all those runny noses!)

The nice-to-haves
* easy-to use alarm clock (most people have cell phones with alarms so this isn't top priority)
* night-light
* key to the house (or garage door code)
* list of important numbers (your cell phones, the home number, the address of your house)
* list of places they can easily walk or drive to, including nearby churches
* local area map
* hair dryer
* basket or medicine cabinet with essentials - toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, shampoo & conditioner, lotion, floss, shaving cream, razor, over-the-counter medicines (antacid, ibuprofen)

There are of course a lot of other things you can add to these lists to make things that much more comfortable for your guests but these will suffice for most short visits. 

Take the time to check on these things now.  Change the sheets, add anything you need to buy to your shopping list and generally tidy up so the day guests arrive you aren't feeling frantic and unprepared.

DO Holidays - Plan The Grub

Are making any big meals or hosting any parties this holiday season?  It's time to start thinking about your menu.  Yes, I know Christmas is still 2 weeks away.  But, hello... Christmas is only 2 weeks away!  Let's get cracking.

How to create the holiday meal/event menu you need:

1. Write down the date, time & name of the event
2. Figure out the number of people you need to feed.  Make a list!
3. Decide if this is a full meal or an appetizers & desserts type affair.
4. Write down what your ideal menu looks like.  Don't forget:

• appetizers
• specialty drinks or cocktails (eggnog, spiced cider, signature cocktail, etc)
• beverages (adults & kids)
• garnishes for drinks (lime & lemon wedges, maraschino cherries, peppermint sticks)
• main dish
• sides
• condiments (gravy, cranberry sauce, etc)
• bread
• dessert
• after dinner drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic, coffee)
• ice

5. Determine if you know how to make everything on your menu.  If not, it's time to find recipes or decide on a substitute.  My personal favorite websites for recipes are All Recipes and Epicurious but there are hundreds of places to search.  Don't forget to peak in that old Better Homes & Gardens cookbook you got for your wedding too.  My favorite cookbook for making, well, anything is How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman.  Never roasted a turkey?  Mark will help you produce a tasty bird the first time.

6. Decide what to delegate to others who are coming

7. Now that you have a menu and recipes it's time to determine quantities.  You know what you want to make but how much?  There's an easy calculator at Best Party Ever than can help with quantity suggestions.

8.  You're finally ready to make your shopping list.  Go through each recipe.  Write down every ingredient it calls for (even if you know you already have it on hand.)  Now check to confirm what you have on hand and put a check by it.  The rest is your shopping list.  At this point you might want to rewrite the list to sort by store (liquor store, warehouse club, grocery store, etc) and within each store by category.  The more you can group like items together (produce with produce) the less likely you are to overlook something on your list and the less amount of back-tracking you'll have to do in the store.

Steps 9 & 10 are purely optional for those of you who want to maximize your savings.
9.  Do you clip coupons?  Now is the time to go through your coupons and pull anything you can use for your shopping trip.

10. Check the grocery store website(s) where you normally shop and see what they have on sale this week.  Add anything that's already on sale to this week's grocery list.  Save the rest for next week.

11.  Hit the stores!

Quick Tip Thursday

The holiday cards have started to arrive! 

I know how anxious you are to rip open those envelopes to see the newsletters and pictures inside.  But wait!  Don't throw that envelope away just yet.  Once you've had your fill of Christmas cheer from the card, use the envelope to check you address book and make sure you have the most current address for your friends and family. 

Feel too rushed to do it right away?  Then set up a little file folder with the envelopes and run through them after the 1st of the year.

DO Holidays - Stock The Freezer

Are you making dinner tonight?  If you are, why not make a double batch.  Instead of 4 chicken breasts, make 8.  Instead of cooking up one batch of meatballs, make double.  Instead of one lasagna, assemble two.  Wrap the extra portion well (freezer bags, plastic wrap covered with foil, etc) and place in your freezer.  Make sure you LABEL the package with what it is and the date you put it in there.  And if there are special instructions for reheating, put those somewhere you'll find them easily.  Then, next week when you've just had a crazy day, pull out that frozen meal, reheat it (or cook your pre-assembled item) and serve your family something hot and homemade.

If you are feeling especially ambitious and want to really make make-ahead meals a staple in your family check out Once A Week Cooking or request the book Don't Panic, Dinner's In The Freezer by Susie Martinez, Bonnie Garcia & Vanda Howell at your local library or bookstore.

DO Holidays - Feather Your Nest

We all love a comfy cozy home, especially at the holidays.  But how can we make our home beautiful without making our lives crazy?  If you've been putting it off but can't seem to get going let today be the day.  Remember these things when you're feeling daunted about getting started.

Cut yourself some slack
If you don't put up every piece of holiday decor you own no one will know but you!  Remember that we are always our own worst critics. 

Focus on the Big 3
Simplify this year and do the Door, Mantle & Tree.  If you have the energy and time for the dining room table add that on.  But don't stress if you don't get to it.  No holiday towels in the guest bathroom?  No worries! 

Simplify
If the idea of pulling out all 250 of your Christmas tree ornaments has you wanting to curl up on the couch to watch reruns of 80s game shows then skip it.  Put up your tree (real or artificial), add a lot of lights, wrap it in ribbon and put a giant bow on top.  It will look beautiful.

Go Fresh! 
Rather than dusting off all those boxes in the attic, consider heading to your local florist for a beautiful arrangement for your table.  Or go to the nursery for a swag of greenery for the mantle.  If you are feeling creative, grab the kids and head outside.  Gather pine cones and greenery.  Use these plus a bunch of walnuts, oranges & pomegranates from the grocery store to make simple but gorgeous arrangements for your home.

Delegate
If your kids are school aged they are old enough to help with the decorations.  Give them a few "assignments" and offer rewards.  For example - if they make paper chains and gather the pinecones have cocoa & Oreos waiting when they are done.

And my last tip for holiday decorating is to take care of yourself.  Pick one thing you love - a favorite ornament, a framed photo of your baby's first Christmas - and put it somewhere you'll see it every single day that's just for you.  This year I took a little tray I had previously used for a tablescape and moved it to my dresser.  I put my little Swarovski crystal tree (a gift from many years ago) and a picture of my kids with from last Christmas on it.  Every night when I take off my rings and get ready for sleep I see these things and smile.  And I get to see them again when I get up and get dressed.  It's my own simple corner of Christmas cheer.

For beautiful decorating inspiration, check out Layla & Kevin's blog at The Lettered Cottage.

DO Holidays - Start Spreading The News!

Let's talk about holiday cards.  We love to get them.  We love the idea of sending them.  What we don't love... paying for them, ordering or making them, trying to get our kids to all smile at the same time for a decent picture, addressing envelopes & buying stamps.

Being honest... holiday cards (Christmas cards for most of us) are a real pain in the, well, you know.  Purely from an organizational standpoint, it might make sense to cut them off your to do list in order to free up your holiday time.  But I just cannot bring myself to recommend that.  I love them too much.

And let's look at it from another perspective.  Yes... we should be keeping in touch with our friends and family all year.  Yes, we should be sharing pictures of our kids and our pets and ourselves regularly.  But we don't.  Some of us are better at these things than others, but in general, when it comes to navigating through the daily routines, sometimes staying in touch with those people you really adore but who aren't in your immediate area gets pushed to the bottom of the list.  The holidays give us a chance to take a break and acknowledge those people and let them know that even though we may not have a chance to talk as often as we'd like, we're still thinking of them.  In that way, holiday cards are actually a bit of a solution - send a little "love note" to all those you care about but save time by buying cards in bulk!

But if we're going to do it, let's make it practical.

1.  Review your list. 
You don't need to send a card to every person you've ever met.  You don't need to send a card to everyone who attended your wedding.  You probably do need to send a card to your best friend from college, your favorite aunt and your grandmother (even if she lives next door - grandma's never get tired of getting cards from their grandkids!)  Feel free to pare down the list.  Decide on a number that's practical for you (for me it is 75 - for you it might be just 10 or 20) and make your list fit that number.

2. Be flexible with pictures. 
Don't have time to snap a family photo in front of the Christmas tree?  Dig out one of those pictures you still have stored on your camera (but haven't uploaded to the computer) from your summer vacation.  Let your friends see your family on a day when your family really was having a great time.
And yes... your friends really do want to see a picture of YOU - not just your kids. 

3. Skip the picture! 
If you really don't have any family pictures, just skip it!  Even a simple postcard that says Merry Christmas! and has your signature and a personal note will be appreciated.  Or you can add the kids school pictures to the envelope.

4. Get the kids involved! 
Now moms... I know you want to do it all yourself because your 4 year old just wouldn't get it right.  But please give yourself a break and delegate.  Got a budding artist in the family?  Let them design the card.  Scan it in to your computer and have it printed.  
Or at least let the kids help with addressing the envelopes.  This year my 2 & 3 year-olds put the return address labels on the cards (so if you are getting one from me, don't be surprised if the label is askew or upside down).  They don't look as neat as if I'd done them myself but it saved me probably 5 minutes of time and they had a lot of fun.
(Tip... if you're worried they won't get the return address in the upper left corner, have them put in on the back flap of the envelope.)
Kids also like affixing stamps.  Just make sure you have them put it in the right spot.

5.  Divvy up the writing. 
Do you send cards to both his side of the family and hers?  Let your husband write/sign the cards for his family.  Or... let the kids help.  I bet your great aunt would love a personal note from your 10 year old.

6. Order your stamps online. 
Yes, you can buy stamps at every grocery store these days.  But most stores only carry the standard Liberty Bell Forever stamp.  If you want a special stamp - like Evergreens or Madonna & Child - you have to get them from the post office.  But don't make a special trip.  Take 3 minutes after you read this and hop on over to USPS.com and order them.  For $1 shipping and handling they will show up in your mailbox in just a few days.

7.  Have FUN with it. 
Make the holiday card process fun.  Pick a night and have the family gather at the table to do the cards.  Make cocoa (or uncork a bottle of your favorite wine for you and your better half), pop some popcorn (unbuttered - you don't want buttery fingers on your pretty cards!), turn on the Christmas music and enjoy thinking about all of those people you care about.

Want more?

Do you want more organizing tips than you can get here on the blog?

Join me on Facebook for daily reminders as we count down until the end of the year.

DO Holidays - Give It Away!

You've heard it before but it's worth repeating.  One of the best ways to stay organized it to keep only what you need or you love.  Everything else is clutter.  It may even be very well organized clutter.  But it's still clutter. 

So this holiday season as you are working on your charitable giving, consider how your clutter could be someone else's blessing. 
Do you have coats that are still in great shape but not the right size (or style) for anyone in your family anymore?  There are many homeless shelters looking for coats.
Do you have diapers that your kids have outgrown but you can't bear to throw those last 10 away because someone "might need them someday"?  Give them to your neighbor who just had a baby.

Do your kids have so many toys that anything Santa brings won't have a spot in the toy bins?  Have them help you pick things that another child might love.
This is one of my favorite suggestions.  In fact, my kids and I did this a few weeks ago.  We have two boxes of toys and books that are still in great shape but just not of interest to them anymore.  The hardest part of this exercise for me was allowing them to decide what stayed and what went.  They chose to get rid of things that I loved and they chose to keep things that made me scratch my head.  But I kept my mouth closed and encouraged them to find those things that someone else might love.  And today we are heading to the donation center to drop them off.  This is an important step in my opinion.  Usually I have the truck pick my stuff up during the day right from our front porch.  But I want my kids to experience the actual giving away of the items.  I want them to hand them over and get that "Thank You" back from the man or woman collecting the boxes.  I hope they will come to learn that our stuff isn't what defines us and that giving it to someone who could love it better than we can will set us free to enjoy new blessings.

DO Holidays - Making A List!

Santa does it, why don't you?

Make a list & check it twice!

The holiday season is filled with things to make lists for.  Here are the ones I make each and every year.

1. Christmas cards
I start my list with the one from last year.  I cross off anyone I no longer want to send a card to (such as relatives who are no longer with us or people I just don't keep in touch with anymore).  And I quickly write down anyone new to add (new friends from playgroup).  Next I do a quick look through my address book and make sure I haven't missed anyone. 

2. Budget
I actually don't do this at the holidays.  I usually do it in January so I can plan how much to move to my special Christmas savings account each month to meet my goal.  But that total dollar amount is divided up into categories and within the categories, into individual pieces.  My categories are: travel, tips, gifts for our kids, gifts for ourselves (my husband & I), gifts for family, shipping (our family lives out of town), and decorations.  I need to add a category for food.

3. Gifts to Purchase
Once you have a budget you can have some idea of what kind of gifts you want to purchase.  This list is best maintained throughout the year.  When you think of someone on your list, jot it down here so you can come back to it in November or December.  Write down the name of every person you plan to buy gifts for and next to their name your budgeted amount for them.  As you purchase things.  Write those down underneath their name and adjust your budget down.

4. Wish List
This is a fun list to make.  What do you want?  Write it down so when people ask you remember what to tell them and don't just say "oh, I don't need anything."  They know you don't need anything but they want to get you something.  And they want to get you something you'll like.  So be kind and give them suggestions.

5. Decorating Planner
This is for your base decorations.  The things you plan to put up and leave up.  As you put things away this year, make a list of what you need to buy for next year's decorations.

6. Party/Event Menu
Hosting the family New Year's Eve party?  Make your menu early and buy things while they are on sale.

7. Advent Activities Calendar
Many families like to celebrate the coming of Christmas by planning a unique activity for each day in the month of December.  Write them down.  Have your kids help make the list.  This can also turn into a great craft if you (or the kids) want to make it something that can be interactive.

One great place to look for all the lists you didn't know you needed is List PlanIt.  Their Holiday ePlanner is a great way to get started if you feel a little overwhelmed.  At just $7 it is an inexpensive investment in your sanity!

Quick Tip Thursday

Do you have an artificial tree that comes in multiple pieces?  Is it a challenge each year to find the cords and get each section connected correctly?

This year, when you are putting up (or taking down) the tree add labels to any cord that needs to be plugged/unplugged.  Labels can be in many different forms

• printed labels from your trusty label maker
• handmade adorable tags that look like ornaments
• old bread bag closers that you write on

The keys to making it work are:

• Make the label easy to see/find amidst all the branches
• Make the label hard to remove (so it doesn't get knocked off)

Next year when you drag that tree up from the basement you'll get it lit on the first try (assuming you didn't break any bulbs!)