Get organised for Christmas with me + free planner

Posted on November 13, 2019

Inside: Grab your free planner and get organised for the big day!

Are you feeling stressed? Overwhelmed by the amount that needs to be done? I hear you! Not only do I have Christmas to plan for, I also have a Christmas birthday to contend with (very bad planning on my part, I know!).

It can be a stressful time, with crowds of people pushing and shoving in shops, the rush to get things wrapped in time, getting the house clean, tidy and organised and of course, cooking the Christmas turkey on the big day.

But, it doesn’t have to be that way.

Over the last few years, I have gone from Miss ‘Rush Around Like A Headless Chicken” to Miss ‘I Have Everything Under Control‘. I have organised myself to that everything is gently done, no stress, over the 6 weeks leading up to the big day – and it makes such a difference!

I want to share that process with you now so that you can feel more in control too. Obviously this is how I do it and everyone has different traditions and ways of doing things, so just take what you need and leave the rest. Or use it all – either way here’s to a stress-free Christmas for us all!

Make a plan for Christmas

First thing’s first, you need to know exactly what is happening – are you home for Christmas? Are you hosting? Going away? If you are going away you may want to start earlier so that you also have time to pack etc… If you’re hosting then you need to know numbers.

You also need to make a plan with regards to what presents you need to get. Who are you buying for? Do you know what they want? How many do you get per person? Have you got a budget?

Gift-giving idea for kids

I share this on IG each year and it is how we go about giving our kids presents. It comes from years of going overboard, without much gratitude or appreciation, to realising that less really is more.

View this post on Instagram

You asked me to re-share this from last year, so here it is! For years I went completely overboard with gifts for the kids. But in the end all I was doing was making them spoiled and giving myself more to tidy up!! Right? 2 years ago I decided enough was enough and found a variation on this little ditty. Something they want – they tell me some things they want and I pick one. Santa also chooses from this list. Something they need – new football boots, a new bag… something useful that they need. Something to wear – I like to get them something fancy to wear for New Year’s Eve which then doubles as a party dress for the rest of the year. Something to read – no explanation needed there! Something to do – a science kit, a remote control, tickets to a show etc… the list is endless. And I love you x. I write labels for each item so they know what category it falls under. I explained the process to the kids a few months in advance so they didn’t have a shock going from loads of gifts to just 5 + one from Santa and they were totally fine with it. So now we don’t have mountains of gifts that ultimately get thrown on the floor and neglected. And I don’t spend my life tidying toys! What do you reckon? Something you might try? xo, Katy p.s. My free Christmas Planner is now available if you want to pop over to my stories to grab yours ❤️

A post shared by KATY | Decluttering Motherhood (@whatkatysaiduk) on Nov 13, 2019 at 12:51pm PST

Preparing for Christmas Day

One of the biggest jobs, besides buying gifts, is getting your house ready. Not only do you want to clear the house so that you don’t get overwhelmed with mess as well as the decorations, but you want to clear unwanted items so that you have space for the new.

The main areas to focus on are:

The living room
The kids’ rooms/ playroom
The kitchen

The living area is more to make sure that you have space for the tree and any other decorations. The kids’ rooms need a thorough sort so that you make room for new toys. It’s always a good idea to have a sort through every 6 months but if you haven’t done it this year then now is the time!

If you are hosting this year then you will need to tidy out the kitchen so that surfaces are clear. You will also want to clear out the fridge & freezer to make room for the extra food you’ll need to buy.

*Apparently this year will see a shortage of pigs in blankets (sausages in bacon) so you’ll either want to make your own or stock up now!*

Christmas Posting Times

Do you know when the last posting dates are?

If you’re in the UK then you can find the key dates here: Royal Mail Last Posting Dates.

If you’re in the US then you can find the key dates here: USPS Last Posting Dates.

*Remember: parcels will need longer than cards!*

Christmas Day Schedule

Does the idea of cooking a full roast make you come out in a cold sweat? Don’t panic! I have a tried and tested schedule for you! The running order is for eating at 2pm, so just amend the timings to suit the time you want to sit down to eat. The most important thing to remember is to check the defrosting time on your turkey!!

Everything you need is in the Christmas planner, from planning sheets for getting organised to your Christmas Day schedule to cook the perfect dinner! Download yours below!

CLICK TO GRAB YOUR PLANNER

Once you’ve downloaded the planner, you’ll get emails from me to help guide you through the process. I will carry you through until the big day!

I’ll also be posting little reminders in my Facebook Group & on Instagram Stories – so make sure you are following both of those.

Here’s to a stress-free Christmas!