‘Tis the Season to Celebrate and Be Organized!

While it’s still time to talk turkey, it’s also time to think about the upcoming holiday season and shopping. During an uncertain economy, we will all be spending carefully. Here are a few tips to help get your holiday shopping under way.

Set your budget. Don’t exceed that limit! Prepare your gift list. Remember, it’s the thought that counts. Shop early. If you wait until the last minute, you will spend more just to ‘get it done’!

Organize a list. Using a gift list book makes this an easy task and helps keep your sanity. Add a dollar amount and include your gift ideas.

Homemade gifts are definitely from the heart. Whatever your specialty, family and friends will enjoy. Creative packaging makes any gift more fun. Remember it’s all in the presentation!

Personalized Gifts. These are my favorite and everyone loves their name in lights. The best part is, you don’t have to spend a fortune and you make the recipient feel so special.

Look for coupons. Most retailers have coupons and catalogs coming to you daily. Check the latest for upcoming sales. Clip the coupons and organize them in a coupon organizer that can be kept handy in your purse or car.

Shop Online! This saves you time, gas and money. Look for Free Shipping offers.
Sometimes extra coupon or discount codes apply, so pay attention.
Keep an internet password organizer handy to save time.

Give back. Even small toys and books make for great donations. Get your kids involved, teach them to think about others and make giving an annual family tradition.

My Favorite Thing:

As you’re making your list and checking it twice, don’t forget to add some fun with Holiday Henry. This lovable talking gnome is perfect for stocking stuffers, holiday decor and is the life of the party at festive gatherings.
Happy Organizing (and shopping!)

- Mrs. O

No Comments November 22, 2008 on 1:10 am | In Uncategorized

Tips For the Week of Thanksgiving

We are coming down to the home stretch and I’m excited! Here are some of my tips to keep you organized on the final days to Thanksgiving.

Two days before:

- Defrost your turkey and get all the fresh and perishable ingredients you need at your local market. If you are organized, this should be your last trip to the store
- Prepare a cooking and baking chart of what needs to go in the oven and at what time. This really keeps me stress-free on Thanksgiving day
-  Organize all your cooking material, including roasting pans, twine, gravy separator, baster, turkey lifters and thermometers

If you are having out of town guests, be sure the guest room and bathroom is in order. I include a luggage rack, extra hangers, a blow dryer, iron and ironing board and for a final touch, I always place a bottled water on the nightstands

One Day Before:

-Bake pies and desserts
-Peel potatoes
-Clean Turkey- prepare to roast and refrigerate
-Prepare stuffing, vegetables, casserole dishes and cranberry sauce
-Set your table, arrange your flowers, arrange place cards, put candles in holders and also place them around the house or in bathrooms. Don’t forget the guest towels!
-Prepare hors d’oeuvres and cold appetizer platters
-Make salad dressing, wash lettuce and store
Organize your serving bowls & platters, forks, spoons, gravy boat and any other ‘special’ items you use for the holidays. I mark my serving pieces with post-it notes with what I am serving on each dish

This is also a good time to set out butter, salt and pepper and the water pitcher. Be sure that champagne, white wine, bottled water and soda is in the refrigerator or on ice

The Morning of Thanksgiving:

-If you are serving breakfast, make it an easy one in preparation and cleaning
-Stuff the turkey and put in the oven, while you prepare any last minute recipes
-Have all your cooking utensils in order and in reach of the stove and oven
-Keep your list posted to the oven or near the stove top and refer to it often
-Delegate tasks or ask your family to pitch in! Everyone should be able to get their own rooms in order and beds made for your final ‘walk-through’
-Set out cocktail napkins, appetizer forks, spreaders, small plates, cocktail, champagne & wine glasses and any fruits or mixers you might need. The ice bucket should be filled about 15 minutes before your guests arrive
-Forty-five minutes prior to your guests arriving is a good time to set out cold or room temperature hors d’oeuvres
-Twenty to thirty minutes prior put appetizers and hot hors d’oeuvres in the oven. Have serving plates, spreaders and garnishes ready

The final touches:

-Turn on the music
-Light the candles
-Take a few minutes for yourself and family to relax
-Greet your guests, serve dinner and give thanks!

I hope these tips help make for one of your easiest Thanksgiving Day’s.

Happy Organizing!

- Mrs. O

2 Comments November 14, 2008 on 1:00 am | In All, Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Decor

Once you get the invitations out and the menu confirmed, the next step to a stress free holiday is getting your decor in order. Whether you stick to tradition and rescue the same decorations from storage every year, or change things up a bit and go with the latest fall trends, it is always a good idea to start early and get organized. Think about every room, table and doorstep that you want to adorn with Thanksgiving cheer. After you take note of what you would like to go where, you can decide if there is anything missing.

Don’t forget the heartfelt feeling that comes with hand-made decorations. As one of my much loved hobbies, I would like to share some great do-it-yourself crafts that will put you in the giving spirit. Two of my favorite websites, iVillage.com and Parents.com, have put together some easy and simple projects that will bring a seasonal feel to your home this year.

If you plan to indulge in one of the great craft ideas provided by iVillage or Parents.com, make sure to have the necessary organization and storage items for before and after the project. You are bound to need craft organizers to keep your paper, pens, scissors, wire, glue, etc. in one convenient place. If you feel inspired to give one of the homemade wreaths a shot, a wreath holder and storage bag will come in handy. Or if you plan on personalizing your dinner table by making your own centerpiece using a vase or glass hurricane, be sure to try and find matching accents for the napkins and place cards.

Happy Organizing!

- Mrs. O

No Comments November 12, 2008 on 1:07 am | In Uncategorized

Thanksgiving Check List Tips

Ok…as I mentioned, Thanksgiving is almost here and it is time to get busy. Start making your lists and check them twice. Thanksgiving dinner is one feast that can’t wait until the last minute. We’ve put together some simple steps for you to enjoy this holiday and to spend quality time with your guests. Here is your master check list to get you started.

Two Weeks Before:

• Confirm your guest list.
• Order your turkey if it will be fresh or purchase a frozen turkey at your local market.
• Complete your plans for the remainder of your menu
• Prepare your final shopping list
• Take inventory of dinner table and other supplies that you might need to take out of the storage area and clean, borrow or rent. These include:tables, chairs, dinnerware, glassware, flatware, linens (tablecloths and napkins-if you don’t have already rent or buy new), home decor (decide on flowers, candles, placecards and holders), kitchen supplies (be sure to have a turkey roaster, thermometer, turkey lifters, twine or poultry lancers, baster, gravy separator, serving platters, mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, and ladles)

If you are having a large number of guests, think about a garment rack for coats and a boot tray to keep those wet shoes and boots where they belong.

One Week Before:

• Wash and iron or dry clean linens (make sure to give yourself time to pick up from cleaners)
• Polish the silver
• Shop for anything non-perishable (a good time to shop for Costco items)
• Schedule a day for cleaning
• If you are having out of town guests, get the guest room room ready- don’t forget luggage racks, bathroom accessories and extra hangers
• Prepare bathrooms with hand towels and fresh flowers

I hope this checklist is helpful for you. Please check back often for the next set of tips and pointers for a stress free Thanksgiving.

Happy Organizing!

- Mrs. O

No Comments November 7, 2008 on 12:54 am | In Uncategorized

Tips and Pointers for An Organized Thanksgiving

It’s just 3 weeks away from one of the most delicious and treasured holidays and to help get you prepared, we have put together some very helpful pointers and tricks to get you organized for Thanksgiving. I will be giving several tips to get you through this holiday stress free. I’ll start with two weeks out and as Turkey Day draws closer, I’ll give tips for two and three days before. So whether the flour is flying or the wine is flowing, I hope everyone can get a few great ideas that will ease them into the giving spirit.

Tip of the Day

The first thing you should do to get ready is make a checklist. Begin with two weeks before and narrow down to two days before. Getting the turkey, the side dishes and all the guests to the dinner table at the same time will take some planning. Make a “to-do” list of what needs to be done and what you want to be done in order to get organized. Make sure your duties are prioritized. Everything from getting extra stuffing to cleaning the bathroom to putting out the smelly candles should be written down. A good rule of thumb is to start broad and revise your “to-do” list as you are able to check things off. Your duties will get more specific as the days go by.

My Favorite Thing:

One of the best “to do” pads for a multi-task project like preparing for Thanksgiving is the 3 Way Notepad from Knock Knock. It gives you 3 different notepads for tasks to complete, errands to run and people or places to contact. And the best part… they are all connected and lay right next to each other so you don’t have little pieces of paper flying around everywhere.

Happy Organizing!

- Mrs. O

No Comments November 5, 2008 on 1:03 am | In Thanksgiving