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Love it or hate it, we’re creeping closer and closer to Christmas. Some people like to start early preparing for the festive season, some feel it’s an outrage to think about it before we haven’t fully experienced autumn. I’m in the camp of liking to be prepared, time and energy willing, and this is what I will be doing now to get ready for Christmas:
Checking what I have
I have a habit of buying things and putting them away to use for another time or bought for a ‘just in case’ situation. Before I buy anything, whether that’s gifts for family or friends or seasonal home fragrance products, I’m checking what I already have stashed away. It’s easy to overbuy or buy multiples of the same item if you don’t keep a track of what you have. Checking what I have means I know where my purchasing gaps are, what I need and what I don’t need.
Decluttering
Who doesn’t need a good declutter? New Christmas purchases, presents and decorations mean more space is needed. So it’s a perfect time to get rid of any junk in the bin, sell items that are good quality or donate to charity.
Making lists and checking them twice
A list! Oh how I love a good list or three! I use lists at various stages. Example:
- What needs decluttering.
- What do you already have.
- What do you need.
- What to buy next and where, etc.
Lists can keep us on track and give us a sense of accomplishment, especially if there’s lots of things to do.
Seasonal home fragrance products
I love autumn and winter fragrances. They suit the time of the year thanks to them creating cosy spaces in the home during darker and colder days and nights. This is the perfect time to stock up on these types of products to put away ready for use. I’ve already seen, even bought, some really nice fragrance products. And there’s plenty of time to buy more.
Buying Christmas stocking fillers & gifts
Checking that present draw, cupboard or stash, means you know what you have and don’t have now, right? Once I’ve done this myself, made a list and decluttered, I can now buy smaller gifts. Gifts that could be for stocking fillers, part of a collection of gifts or small one- off’s e.g teacher gifts. Every year there’s always small items I can buy easily, affordably and from anywhere, that will be make great presents. Body mists, body butters, skincare masks, wax melts, candles. These are the perfect types of items welcomed by many people I know.
What do I WANT?
A lot of the Christmas preparation is for other people, so don’t forget yourself! If you’re buying a candle for a neighbour or teacher and you think it’s gorgeous, get one for yourself! If you’ve grabbed a body mist for your daughter and you know you will ‘borrow it’, get a second one. This is what I will be doing because I can spend so much time worrying and buying for others and not the same is being done for me.
These tips can be used for anything
What I will be doing can be used for anything. Checking what you have could be not just for presents but for food items too. Decluttering could be sorting out the cupboard under the stairs, the kids bedrooms. Christmas gifting could be a set of pjs, comic socks, a mug. All these acts are transferable. Done bit by bit, week by week, can make Christmas less stressful, more organised, cheaper and easier for us all.
So when will you be starting prepping for Christmas? I’m starting NOW!