MeckMom.com

Check it out – two posts in one day.  I almost feel like a real blogger.  Here’s the final piece to my Holiday How To blog series.  You can see the other posts by clicking here (part 1, part 2)

Speed Up the Small Stuff

Look in anyone’s gift wrap supply and you’ll probably find dozens of adhesive-backed bows.  Why?  Because it’s faster to adorn a package with one of these than it is to create a homemade version.  We value our time and when we find great shortcuts like the bows, we stock up.  Do yourself a favor this season and search for shortcuts like those listed below to help streamline your holiday workload.

Buy in Bulk: Coaches, teachers, neighbors and coworkers often add to our holiday shopping lists.  It can be daunting to find the perfect gift for each of these individuals.  Simplify the gift buying process by purchasing dozens of “the little black dress” of presents: something universally appreciated, relatively inexpensive and easy to accessorize.  Examples include candles, cocoa mugs, hand warmers and ornaments.  Like their fashion counterpart, these gifts work well on their own or can be enhanced with extras like teacher-supply store gift cards, restaurant certificates or holiday goodies.

Wrap It Up: Most stores offer a dizzying array of gift wrap.  Save time and energy by restricting yourself to a few color schemes with mix and match accessories.  Keep tabs on wrapped gifts by designating one color scheme for each group on your list, such as immediate family, extended family and non-family.

Call for Reinforcements: Hiring help during the holidays doesn’t have to blow your budget.  In fact, the help you need could be right around the corner.  Chances are the teenager you hire to watch your kids on Friday nights would gladly accept the same rate on Saturday afternoon to iron linens, wrap gifts or help you prepare your house for guests.  Likewise, the student you pay to cut your lawn in the summer would be grateful for a little off-season income by hanging your outdoor lights or moving furniture for your party.

This post is an excerpt from an article published by Organize Magazine, Nov/Dec 2007, Volume 03, pg 68-73, written by Maria Eckersley, photos by Poul Ober, styling by Kendra Smoot.