by kathilipp | Dec 30, 2014 | Christmas, Uncategorized |
When to take down your Christmas tree is a very personal decision. Bringing it up in mixed company (me and my husband Roger,) is sure to bring up “issues” in our marriage. (Suffice to say; before we were married, my tree was down on December 26th. WE now leave it up until New Year’s Day. Sigh.)
So I’m going to leave it up to each household as to when “undecorating” is done. I just want you to have the “stuff” ready to go when you do want to pack it all away.
Project #1 Put Away the Paper
Today’s task is to put away all the paper-related parts of the holiday.
- Wrap it Up I am a box and ribbon saver. So sue me. I feel that I’m helping the environment, and have a secret thrill to see how many times I can use the fluffy Santa bag before it looks trashy. The key to being able to reuse each year is packing them up well. Before you destroy those great sturdy boxes that all your presents were shipped in, keep the best of them to store your Christmas boxes, wrap, bags, tissue and ribbon. I’ve even created some cute labels for you to print out and put on your boxes to make them easy to find next December. Go to my Facebook Author page at http://www.facebook.com/kathilipp.author to download the free labels. You’ll thank me next year.
- Leave Notes to Your Future Self If you’ve purchased your Christmas cards this year (50% off!) for next year, put their exact location on your calendar (wall calendar, Outlook, Google Calendar, etc.) so you don’t forget and then have to go buy more December 15th – only to find them on the 20th…
I put a note on my calendar for October 1 that reads, “Don’t buy any Christmas Wrapping – You Have ENOUGH!!!)
3. Update Your Christmas Card List NOW! While you know where all those envelopes bearing return address are. Don’t wait – seize the after Christmas day!
So tell me where you fall on the wrapping paper scale in the comments below:
A. “I always run out about December 20th.”
B. “Everyone in my family could come and wrap their gifts for the next five years and I would still have paper left over to wrap gifts for the next couple of years…”
C. “Doesn’t matter. Every year I lay in a new supply on December 26th!”
Now go have fun!
Are you ready to be Clutter Free? Start the 21-Day Clutter Free challenge! Sign up now!
by kathilipp | Dec 2, 2014 | Uncategorized |
In January, I’m launching my new book: Clutter Free: Quick and Easy Steps to Simplifying Your Space and you could be a part of our launch team!
If you struggle with clutter, and want some practical and real ways to deal with it once and for all, I would love to consider you for the team. We will be 
starting great guns right after Christmas with a 21 Day project that launch team members will get a sneak peek at before the rest of the world – and of course, you’ll get the book ahead of publication as well.
We are looking for women who have some (not necessarily all) of the following:
- An active presence on social media
- A blog
- A sphere of influence (part of a MOPS group, Lead a group, Women’s Ministry Leaders, etc.)
But here are a few things we are definitely looking for:
- Women who struggle to keep their clutter under control
- Willingness to share your feedback about the book on BN.com Amazon and other retail outlets
- Participate in our 21 Days to Kicking Out Clutter in 2015
- Reading though the book for quotes and ideas to highlight in social media
- Share some before and after photos
- Willingness to cheer others on!
- Share ideas on how to spread the Clutter Free message.
If you are interested just take a moment to fill out the application below:
CLUTTER FREE LAUNCH TEAM APPLICATION
by kathilipp | Nov 3, 2014 | Christmas, The Get Organized Project |
Okay, so I know it’s just now the first of November, and we’ve still got Thanksgiving to celebrate…which we will! We’re so thankful for everyone of you and thankful for so many blessings in our lives!
BUT, Christmas will be here before you know it. Think about it. Church musicals, Progressive dinners, and family gatherings will start to fill up your December calendar before November is even halfway through. This can be an exhausting time of year, (and if you contract the lovely stomach flu that tends to go around during the Holidays, that adds to the “joy”) but it doesn’t have to be.
That’s why we’ve decided to do a Christmas Challenge this year. We want to help you get ready for the joyous season so you won’t be too overwhelmed to remember the REASON for the season.
So if you missed my Quick Start post last week, check it out!
And make sure to sign up for the 21 Day Organize Your Christmas Challenge!
Photo of woman: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Shopping_g379-Christmas_Shopping_p38370.html
by kathilipp | Oct 16, 2014 | Christmas, The Get Organized Project |
It’s almost Christmas. I know you don’t want to hear it, but it’s true and procrastinating about it will not only stress you out, but will cause you to miss the beauty of the season. (Trust me I’m talking to myself here too!) So what are we gals going to do about it? I for one would like to enjoy Christmas this year without a ton of stress. I’d like to focus on Jesus, you know, the reason for the season. This month we are going to focus on 3 areas to Quick Start our Christmas. Then, on November 3, we will begin the 21 Day Organize Your Christmas Challenge.
Quick Start Tip #1: Start your gift list now – with amounts to spend.
Gift giving can truly be the most stressful part of Christmas and it really should be one of the most enjoyable! With tight budgets, picky gift receivers, and Pinterest perfect pressure, it’s tempting to put gifting off for the last minute. For all of those reasons, this seems like the most logical place to start. A gift giving plan will give you focus and help you stick to the budget.
Start by brainstorming all the people that you normally buy gifts for:
- Family
- Friends
- Service people
- Neighbors
- Coworkers
- Teachers
This is also a great time to talk about expectations with those who are on your list.
Several years ago we let our kids know, early on, that our Christmases were going to start looking different. With four kids and not a lot of money, we needed to focus more on family and faith and less on finding the perfect gift. We now give each kid three gifts: Something to wear, something for fun, and something growth (education, spiritual growth.) We have a budget for each kid and stick to it. We used to spend hours opening gifts and getting unwrapping fatigue. Now, the gift portion of our time is small, but the games and talking part of the holiday are what everyone look forward to.
Maybe there are a few people on your list that are on there out of obligation.
What about having a conversation with them about redoing Christmas – instead of buying another body wash gift set for each other, what if you took that money and went to lunch together in January, or went in on a goat for a family through World Vision? Make new traditions with those you love.
Quick Start Tip #2: Grab a Calendar and Firm Up Where and Who
Plan where you will be spending your time – and with whom.
We have a blended family, so trying to share our kids with multiple other families has gotten complicated over the years. Even without a blended family, extended family and all of their extended family can make for some complicated planning. Talk early and often about plans for the holidays. Last year we had everyone on Christmas. This year, we will be hosting the big Thanksgiving feast, and will celebrate Christmas on a different day. Flexibility and early planning with keep you from tears.
Quick Start Tip #3: Sign up for the 21 Days to Organize Your Christmas Challenge
Starting November 3rd, I will be taking you through three weeks of Christmas prep. This is absolutely free – my gift! A few minutes every day, in November, will help you have the most peaceful and Christ-centered Christmas possible. Join me and hundreds of other women for simple ideas to pull off the best Christmas ever.
by kathilipp | Apr 15, 2013 | The Get Organized Project |
You can accomplish a great deal while watching your favorite TV program. Here are 30 Organizing Projects you can do the next time your favorite show is on.
1. Clean out your handbag
2. Clear out your phone of email
3. Clean your keyboard
4. Take unused keys off your keychain
5. Match all your unmatched socks
6. Go through a stack of magazines and recycle anything older than three months
7. Check the balance on a gift card online and write the amount on the front with a permanent marker
8. Put bookplates in your books
9. File Recipes
10. Shred documents with personal info on them (only during commercials)
11. Make a meal plan for this week
12. Go through all your pens and throw out the ones that are dried up
13. Go through your DVDs and put any in a bag that you don’t watch anymore so you can give them away
14. Sort your mail
15. Clean out your diaper bag
16. Answer 10 easy emails
17. Grab a kitchen drawer and sort through it and wipe it down
18. Address and send birthday cards for the month
19. Write 3 thank you notes
20. Start a shopping list
21. Fix a button on a shirt
22. Fold three loads of laundry (and put them away during the commercials)
23. Cut out coupons and put them in your wallet
24. Gather up any business cards and put them in your computer contacts
25. Take pictures of your kids artwork before “thinning it out” (throwing it away)
26. Clean out your child’s backpack
27. Make sure your family calendars match
28. Download photos from your phone to PC (or set up for it to be done automatically through Facebook)
29. Order supplies online (ink, batteries, craft supplies, specialty foods, vitamins, etc.)
30. Download movies, audio books or music for your next flight or road trip
Q4USo tell me – what do you like to get done while watching your favorite TV show?
When to take down your Christmas tree is a very personal decision. Bringing it up in mixed company (me and my husband Roger,) is sure to bring up “issues” in our marriage. (Suffice to say; before we were married, my tree was down on December 26th. WE now leave it up until New Year’s Day. Sigh.)
Today’s task is to put away all the paper-related parts of the holiday.
