It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! It's mid September and before we know it, it will be December 25th. So, before the time gets away from us, I thought it was necessary to prepare ahead of time for this special time of year.
Every single Christmas without fail, when I ask people how their Christmas was, the answer is usually, tiring. I still believe we should enjoy Christmas to the max, even though we are not children anymore. Most of us are tired because we want to do so much for this occasion in a short space of time.
Let’s do things a little differently this year and begin to prepare early! So when the holidays come, we can fully enjoy it, like we were meant to.
HOW TO PLAN AHEAD FOR CHRISTMAS !!!
PLAN!
Let's begin with a plan! Most people love their homes to be clean, fresh and new for the Christmas holidays. Some of us like to entertain during this season and most of us love to decorate and exchange gifts and so on and so on. ..Therefore, let’s devise a plan that will help us to knock off our ‘Must do before Christmas list’!
From this month (September) your plan should be in place. There is a lot to be done so you should make this plan ASAP! This will help you to know what you need to do in October and November to help you to prepare for the holidays.We will do this month by month, beginning with the things that can be done a couple months in advance and going straight through until December. Let's begin with October!
HOW TO PLAN AHEAD FOR CHRISTMAS !!!
OCTOBER
a) Hard cleaning
Two months before Christmas, this is a great time to do the cleaning that you don’t usually do on a weekly basis, I call this, ‘The hard cleaning’. These are things like:
Cleaning windows
Cleaning seasonal linens (Christmas tablecloths, curtains, towels, etc.)
Cleaning out the kitchen cabinets
You can add anything else to this list that you would like to have cleaned.
b) House Enhancements
This is also the time for house enhancements and…. they will still be fresh for Christmas. These are things like:
Painting- giving your home a fresh coat of paint!
Tiling or any minor renovations.
Power washing- This usually does the trick for most people and no fresh paint is even required.
c) Lists, lists and more lists!
Create Lists to help you to keep organised.
Gift lists- Who do you have to buy gifts for? How much would you like to spend? Some people do this before October but for those of you that like the last minute hustle and bustle, this will help you to be more prepared.
Soft furnishings - this includes curtains, rugs, cushions, bedding and accessories
Furniture lists ( new bed, living or dining room furniture) any new furniture that you would like.
Decorations list- You can thoroughly think it through. Do you need new decorations for the tree? How about the walls in your home or even the dining table?
d) Christmas cards
Take the time to write personalised cards to your friends and family. It will take some time to reach those who are overseas, therefore, this will be enough time, so that the cards are delivered in time for the holidays.
HOW TO PLAN AHEAD FOR CHRISTMAS !!!
NOVEMBER
Since you began to prepare in October, all of the lists are made and you have a good idea of what you would like. Now! you can begin to do some shoooopping!
You can definitely do your decoration and gift shopping during this month. The earlier the better!
November is a great month to shop for your soft furnishings as well. You can put them in place during this month but I know some people like to do this on Christmas eve, that is entirely up to you but if you want less things to do during your holidays, you can knock this off your list.
You can also purchase any new furniture that you may like. This way, you beat the last minute rush. Don’t worry, they will still be new for the holidays.
New plants and other accessories can also be purchased in November.
For all the bakers and Christmas cooks, you can begin to make a list of the goodies you plan to bake or cook for Christmas. That way you will know exactly what ingredients you will need to buy.
HOW TO PLAN AHEAD FOR CHRISTMAS !!!
HIRE HELP
If you are short on time, I have some really great news for you! Interior designers, like myself, can do all of the shopping for you!!
We do the shopping and we design and decorate as well. Think of us as Christmas Godmothers, one wave of a wand and poof! Everything is in place.
There are so many things to do before Christmas, that's why it is best to begin early. I will write a part two to this post that focuses on Christmas preparations for the month of December alone but this post is more than enough to get you going!
Talk soon!
Happy prepping!
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