Stress Free Holiday Tips!
/Hi friends - I’m all about the Holidays - I shared my Gift Guide last week and this week I’m sharing some tips to hopefully help you feel a little less stressed this year.
Not only are we looking for the perfect gift to give this season but, we are feeling the pull of perfection. I’m hear to tell you - loudly if I must that your Great Aunt won’t notice if your curtains are the same ones you’ve had in your diningroom since forever - please stop thinking that along with that side of mashed potatoes you need to go to great lengths and redecorate your home in the new few weeks.
What should the priority be - the 5 F’s come to mind.
FAITH
FAMILY
FRIENDS
FOOD
FUN
Yes friends with the focus on these we can tackle any To-Do list and do it joyfully and know that life is perfectly imperfect. We hope the food tastes great but, if the oven breaks lets find humor grab some take out and play charades or trivial pursuit. Let’s show the younger generation the photo albums and feel blessed to be together.
This image from The Sticky Fairy made me chuckle.
To stay organized all year long and especially during the Holidays. I use:
Lists
There’s a notes section on my iPhone and I use it for everything. Here’s a screen grab of my Marketing List. I jot down what I need and set up my errand route accordingly. I erase item from the list as they are purchased.
I have been known to accomplish a day of errands with stops at various locations only to get home and realize I forgot something because it wasn’t written down. Insert hand over face emoji!
I have a Christmas Folder in my notes.
I keep track of every thing year after year. Every task receives a Green Check Mark as it’s accomplished. I don’t delete anything.
Cards (Names) I’ve purchased cards.
Gifts (Each Person’s Name and Gift) I’ve started gathering gifts.
Daily Tasks (Days Prior To Do’s)
Food (Shopping and Preparing)
This Daily Task breakdown leading up to Christmas Eve has been a lifesaver since we host our family.
When I worked outside my home in the world of Product Development I would cram all theses tasks into one or two days which was A LOT! If you work outside the home and you’re hosting - I feel for you and hope you will ask for help from those around you. Don’t try and be a Superhero. Ask someone to come over and help you wash stuff up beforehand, give them a list for the market, or limit the amount of items you might be cooking or baking. I don’t prepare all the food myself. My sister and niece bring the Swedish Meatballs, appetizers and cookies.
After hosting for 23 years I’ve learned not to go overboard. I do a regular weekly house cleaning. There are extra things that need attending to - you see my list above. Glasses, Plates and Serving dishes are washed and set up on the sideboard. I also write and place notes with the specific food listed for each dish/plate. I’ll be honest it was hard for me who is very particular about where things are in my home to be ok with piles of prep on the sideboard for days. But, perfectionism is not healthy and I have a small house. Here’s a photo from last year.
CLEANING
I was chatting with a friend about cleaning the other night; she recently started cleaning her home herself. I told her my two biggest tips and I wanted to share them with you as well.
1. Clean from the Top Down. Dust everything start from the ceiling and then gather that dust/dirt by Vacuuming or Mopping.
2. Clean by activity. Starting with the same premise of the top down. Dust every room on the second floor of your home or on one side of your home and then go back in the same order and then Vacuum or Mop those rooms. Do not try and fully clean room one room it takes to long and leaves people feeling frustrated!
The Chalet is neat and tidy because it’s too small not to be. I believe in making the bed the moment you wake. It’s the largest piece of furniture in the room so if the bed is made than the room always looks neat. For my weekly cleaning I start by changing the bed linens and starting the first load of laundry of the day. Then I dust the hall, bedrooms, my husbands study and bath. Then I Vacuum in the same order. I Vacuum the stairs and make my way downstairs. I Dust the first floor and then vacuum. The last thing I clean is the bath.
I know for some the holidays can bring extra pressure. I encourage you not to feel the need to remove everything from your China Cabinet and clean every piece that lives in it. Only prep the spaces your guests will visit and clean the items they’ll be using… sure you might want to wash a few extra dessert plates but, take it easy on yourself.
For Christmas Eve week I will move the Coffeetable and the Leather Chairs and fully vacuum underneath - these chairs are moved to face into the room for Christmas Eve. Re-configuring furniture is just a small house thing that happens for gatherings. We also place the leaf in the diningroom table and bring additional dining chairs upstairs from the basement.
Here is what I use for my cleaning routine. Barkeepers Friends for the kitchen sink. Seventh Generation to spruce up the bath in-between cleanings. I use Vinegar and Baking Soda to clean the bath. Weinman for our appliances. Isopropyl and Method to clean and maintain the granite counters. A Hoover Tempo vacuum with a bag. I have had bag-less vacuums in the past and am not a fan. A small amount of Pledge on a rag for the mantel, coffeetable, console tables, our dressers - a little goes a long way. As a collector a Swiffer is just the thing to grab the dust around objects. I do not use cleansers on my hardwood floors. We are shoe-free so they aren’t dirty. I use the wand attachment from my vacuum and a damp towel to keep them shipshape.
