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Articles by Kendra Burrows
How to Help Others In a Hurting World Without Harming Ourselves
A cup of fresh-brewed coffee in hand, you open the laptop to begin your day, but as soon as you see the headline, your heart sinks. Something horrible has happened — again. Click the picture. Skim for details. It’s too early to know much. Google it, look at three more news reports. Your stomach flip-flops. The few available details get stuck in your throat. You say a prayer for those involved, and for their loved ones. As you try to work, your mind floats back to the story. How did this happen?
Get Yourself Organized for Christmas Project 17: Ship Those Boxes Out
It is shipping day! Today is shipping day! Grab your packages, buy yourself a Starbucks, and brave the post office (the lines won’t be nearly as long this early in the game). To make this day painless, take some time earlier in the week to familiarize yourself with USPS.com, print out labels, and pack everything up so it is ready to go for pick up.
Get Yourself Organized for Christmas Project 15: Get Those Stockings Ready
It is time to make a plan for stockings! Spend time today deciding how much you would like to spend for each one and/or how many gifts you would like to put in each. Next come up with a system for storing and keeping stocking gifts organized. Once you are planned out, it is time to start shopping. You can buy a few stuffers each time you go out this month if you have not already started stockpiling. Online shopping is another easy way to shop for stockings.
Get Yourself Organized for Christmas Project 14: Prep Your Kitchen
It’s time to give the kitchen a little TLC and prep your kitchen for the holidays. Spend some time today clearing any clutter hanging around your counter tops. Put away mail, Christmas cards, leftover Christmas decoration containers, etc. Also, here are some basic tips of things you can do to spruce up quickly. Assignment: Clean your sink up so it is nice and shiny. Clean out any science experiments from the fridge. Wipe out your pantry, fridge or cupboards of tiny crumbs.
Get Yourself Organized for Christmas Project 13: Decor Day
“It’s starting to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go.” Today is the day to start making your home look like Christmas — decor day! It is time to get out all of your Christmas decorations. You don’t have to do all your decorating today but get a start on things, especially outdoor decorating. If you live in a climate with a cold winter season, you need to get those lights and decorations out before the snow starts (if it hasn’t already).
Get Yourself Organized for Christmas Project 12: Catch up on Your Projects
Today is another freebie day, and we are more than halfway there! Use this day to catch up on any projects you have been meaning to finish and cross them off of the list! Nothing feels better than to put a checkmark on your list. If you are already all caught up on all of your projects, use today to bless someone. Maybe you could pay it forward to someone at the restaurant. Or bless the gas attendant with a random act of kindness card with $10.00 inside.
Get Yourself Organized for Christmas Project 11: Get Your Recipes Together
That favorite fudge recipe you always make, that delicious marinated carrot recipe your mom used to concoct, and Aunt Edna’s pumpkin pie recipe are yearly Christmas treats. The problem is every year you have to search to find them. Wouldn’t it be great to have you recipes together in one place? Assignment: Gather your holiday recipes and organize them.
Get Yourself Organized for Christmas Project 10: Gather Your Elf Supplies
Originally, this project was going to be “buy your stuff,” but I know that all of us probably have enough gift wrap, tags and ribbon to supply Santa’s workshop. Problem is, most of us find it December 26th. So dig through your basement, garage, spare closet or under the bed and gather together: wrapping paper ribbon tissue paper tags, etc. Scotch tape scissors Assignment: Elf supplies Once everything is rounded up in one place, put it into a container to keep it together.
Get Yourself Organized for Christmas Project 9: Gifts for Out-of-Town Friends and Family
Plan ahead for gifts for out-of-town family and friends Refer back to your gift giving list to identify anyone who will require their gift to be shipped, as these gifts for out-of-town family/friends can take extra thought. Now think of the least stressful ways to make this happen. A gift card to their favorite store or restaurant is a great gift and extremely easy to ship. You can also ship gifts directly to people from whichever website you are ordering from.
Get Yourself Organized for Christmas Project 5: Schedule Your Time for the Holidays
If you don’t plan your time, someone else will. During the holidays it is especially important to schedule your time in advance so you have the time to do the things that are truly important to you. Schedule your time for the holidays For example, I schedule downtime. Life gets very stressful over the holidays, and I schedule time just to relax and wrap gifts with music playing or to kick back and read a book.
Get Yourself Organized for Christmas Project 3: Pick Your Christmas Card Picture
If you’re not sending a Christmas card this year, or you’re sending a card sans family photo, you get to sit this project out. For the rest of us, it’s time to sit down and choose a photo or choose a date to take or pick your Christmas card picture. Enjoy this project by inviting your family to help select the photo this year. Maybe enjoy some Christmas cookies and cocoa as you look back on the memories you made together over the year.
Get Yourself Organized for Christmas Project 2: Put Together Your Christmas Binder
The Christmas binder is going to be your friend for the next few weeks. You know–the kind of friend you count on to help you keep your sanity. Your friend should reflect you, but more importantly, the vision you have for your family Christmas! Yesterday you made a list of what is important to you for the holidays. What it would look like for you if you started fresh this year. Use your mission statement and go from there.
Get Yourself Organized for Christmas Project 1: What is Your Christmas Mission?
Assignment: Create your holiday/Christmas mission statement In order to enjoy a peaceful holiday season, you may have to let go of some things you’ve always done. It’s time to focus on what brings you and your family joy. Make a list of what you normally do around the holidays, as well as what you’d like your holiday season to look like. After your list is complete, circle or highlight what is most important to you and your family. Next, cross out what you can let go of this year.
Get Yourself Organized for Christmas Pre Project: Prep for the Christmas Project
Thinking about Christmas can be both exhilarating and exhausting. Thinking of all there is to do, buy, bake, cook, wrap, plan, organize, clean, and the list goes on. It is no wonder many think about the holiday season with dread and forget the true meaning of why we celebrate. Whether you are filled with magical wonder or dread, one thing is for certain: ready or not, Christmas is going to happen. Christmas is just a day.
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