September 2021

Hospitality is a core value of the Christmas holiday season; time to plan for guests! 

This week in the House and Holidays Plan, we'll "think hospitality" as we prepare for house guests and focus on the guest room.

No guest room?  Take aim on the multi-function area that houses sleepover guests; otherwise, it's another bonus room week!

Our holiday prep focus turns to decor, as we begin planning seasonal decorations.   A decor declutter clears surfaces in time to decorate for autumn.  

Week Five sees us into the master bathroom and linen closets for Master Bathroom Week at the Holiday Grand Plan! We'll clean and organize personal care and linen storage areas, and continue working on seasonal clothing plans. Holiday prep continues to move forward on to-make and to-buy gifts, and includes a wardrobe check for kids.

Here come the small fry!  This week in the House and Holidays Plan, our hearts are close to home as we tackle the children's rooms.  

Empty nest or child-free family?  Use this week to deal with any bonus rooms or areas in our home--or take a free week!

We're moving to the master for Week 4 of the Holiday Grand Plan! 

This important week sees us move into the master bedroom to deep-clean and cut clutter, creating a serene and peaceful refuge for the busy days ahead. As the season changes, we'll rout out the closet and organize clothing.

Our holiday prep tasks center on home-made gifts, and we'll begin budgeting "to-buy" items week-by-week.

Ready? Let's get organized with the Holiday Grand Plan!

As we get ready for Christmas, we’ll be making lists (and checking them a lot more than twice!), holding discussions with spouses, children and parents, and drawing up a holiday budget. 

Too often, we record our plans piecemeal, consigning them to a confused clutter of scrawled envelopes, jotted notes and cryptic calendar entries—none of which make it to the shopping center with us when it’s time to buy gifts.

Ask any mother of young children: time pressure creates a unique stressor during the Christmas season.  Holiday events, school functions and holiday parties crowd December days; service projects, travel and worship activities double.  

To keep holiday stress at bay, a calendar is a must-have tool for an organized Christmas.  Even if you never rely on a family calendar the other eleven months of the year, December's busy days call for a dedicated calendar for smooth sailing.

Properly appointed, the master bedroom can be an inviting oasis of calm in the midst of Christmas commotion--but not if it's choked and cluttered with misplaced stuff!

During Me and Mine Week at the House and Holidays Plan, we'll declutter, organize and clean the master bedroom.  Our goal:  to create a refreshing space for renewal and rest during the busy holiday season.

Welcome to Week Three of the Holiday Grand Plan!

This week, we tackle deep-cleaning and decluttering our entryway or foyer, to create a welcoming entrance to the home for holiday guests.

Holiday prep chores focus on baking and kitchen as we plan our baked goodies and start stocking up for holiday meals. More printable forms help our Holiday Grand Plan notebooks grow.

Ready? Let's get organized with Entry/Foyer Week at the Holiday Grand Plan.

What is the difference between the Holiday Grand Plan and the House and Holidays Plan ... and which one should I follow?

This question has been asked about our Christmas organizing plans quite a bit in recent days. Time to take a stab at answering it.

Right off the bat, I'd say there's no "should" about which plan to follow. Which plan, no plan, custom plan--it's all up to your personal choice. But I did want to write about what the differences are, so that each one of us can make the right choice for ourselves.