Getting Ready for the Holidays, by The FlyLady, Marla Cilley
Every year we swear to ourselves that this Christmas is going to be different and every year we find ourselves wrapping presents as we walk out the door. Why do we allow our procrastination to play havoc with our lives year after year? I want to help you cruise through this holiday season with FLYING colors.
Our main problem is that it all seems like so much work to us. This is why we put it off another day. Who wants to work; we would much rather play and that is what we are going to do! We are headed for a cruise; that is we are going to pretend to go on a two week cruise just before Christmas. We will not be home until Dec. 21. If we are to have an enjoyable cruise our holiday plans have to be complete before we set foot on the ship.
Our goal is to have all the gifts purchased, wrapped and under the tree. This means that our home has to have a decorated tree and holiday food waiting in the pantry for us to prepare when we arrive home. We won’t have time to do much shopping when our cruise is over. We have a few weeks to do this. All we have to do is take babysteps.
We need a plan. This is my gift to you this holiday season; a Holiday Control Journal that is free for you to download on my website www.FlyLady.net. All you have to do is put a little action with this plan and you will be cruising toward your most peaceful celebration ever. While you are on my website check out our link to Holiday Cruising Missions videos to help you take your babysteps.
We used a basic weekly plan to develop the Holiday Cruising Missions. Don’t think that you have missed the boat. We have plenty of time. Get started today.
Monday-Clean and Fling: In order to have fun this holiday season we need to start with our routines keeping our home looking nice. You can’t organize clutter this is why we have to fling the clutter so that our home are easier to keep clean.
Tuesday – Plan and Play: Oh do we love to play and make lists. We set aside a few minutes each Tuesday to fill our need to play. Decorating our homes is fun when we don’t try to kill ourselves by doing it all at once. Using this day to make our plans and implement them helps us to take our babysteps and be ready to Cruise Through the Holidays.
Wednesday -Anti-procrastination Day: The buck stops here. No longer can we put off doing things like wrapping presents and addressing Christmas cards; this is our day to stop procrastinating and do just a little to make our cruise a reality.
Thursday – Go and Do: When we make our list of things to do and then get out into the world and do them; amazing things get accomplished. Before we know it we are checking things off of our list and we are Cruising Through the Holidays. Many things we can finish without having to leave the house by using the internet: Postage stamps and gift shopping.
Friday – Budget don’t Begrudge it: The holidays can play havoc with our checkbook balances and our credit cards when we wait to the last minute to purchase gifts and buy the extra food that makes our holiday special. Plan for your purchases and make a simple budget and stick to it. Friday is your day to check your Holiday Control Journal and make sure you are staying within your predetermined budget for the holidays. Your checkbook and credit cards will thank you come January. This makes not only the holidays peaceful but the New Year has a great start without the holiday debt dragging you down!
Are you ready to Cruise Through the Holidays! Come join us and enjoy a peaceful holiday for the first time ever!
For more help getting rid of your clutter and chaos, check out her website and join her free mentoring group at www.FlyLady.net or read her book, Sink Reflections published by Random House. Please bless others with your clutter by donating it to a Habitat for Humanity Restore near you. Copyright 2012 Marla Cilley Used by permission in this publication.