>Stick to a pre-set budget.

Nothing says the holiday season is over and it's time to get back to work better than the credit card bill in January. Make sure you don't overdo the gifts, holiday outfits and food purchases by making a list and checking it twice--with the calculator BEFORE you go to the store. And be ready to do battle with those impulses due to impulse items merchants purposely put in your way in the store. (You didn't think it was just bad floor design, did you?)

Follow a blueprint for decorating.

If you really like the way you set up your decorations this year, don't try to commit the design to memory. Write it, draw it or take a photo of it and store in binder in a top loading sheet p

Have you been a bit stressed during past Christmas seasons? Too much to do too soon it seems? By strategically organizing Christmas this year you can help to make this a low-stress, merry holiday. Here are just a few Christmas organizing tips to get organized for Christmas present and future so it's even better than your past Christmas'.

Automate greeting card lists on your computer.

And make them reusable year after year. Just enter the information in a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel. Use separate columns for each item in the address such as first name, last name, street address, city, state and zip code. Then you can do a mail merge on your computer with your word processing program to create address labels. Also create columns by these same names on your spreadsheet to list things like gift ideas, friends' children's names, ages, birthdays and more.

Set up a gift wrap center.

Keep a rolling storage bin under your bed for this or buy an official gift wrap center. Some are made of cardboard. Others are plastic and hang in the closet. Include gift wrap, scissors, tape, name tags, bows and any other supplies you use. Do not borrow from this gift wrap center for other areas of your home. If you have to search for a gift wrap supply each time you need to use it, that's not organized or easy.

Don't stress. Just ask.

Ask people what they want for gifts. Why think of what they really want when you can ask them? Your gift will less likely end up in a pile of clutter if they truly need it. If they want to be surprised, they can just tell you the general item such as pajamas or wine glasses and you can surprise them with the specific item.

Shop online.

Sure you can stand in long lines and go from store to store looking for one with your item in stock. Or you can shop online at the same stores, which also often offer free shipping deals during the holiday season. Then you only have to go to your doorstep to retrieve it and can spend the rest of the time drinking eggnog and watching holiday movies on DVD. But if you'd rather fight for parking, sweat in line, get frustrated by out of stock items...

Try new recipes before the day needed.

If you're planning a shindig of long-time, no-see family members and friends, don't let your cooking become the butt of family and friends jokes for the rest of the year. Give that new recipe a test drive before the big day. If it works out really well, you might just be able to freeze some of the food items anyway until the party.

Ask for volunteers.

Sure you can do it ALL and do it PERFECTLY, but wouldn't it be less tiring to delegate a few tasks to willing family members? Or maybe you can trade some errands with friends. You will stand in line at the post office with the packages if she will pick up your list of recipe ingredients while at the supermarket.

Stick to a pre-set budget.

Nothing says the holiday season is over and it's time to get back to work better than the credit card bill in January. Make sure you don't overdo the gifts, holiday outfits and food purchases by making a list and checking it twice--with the calculator BEFORE you go to the store. And be ready to do battle with those impulses due to impulse items merchants purposely put in your way in the store. (You didn't think it was just bad floor design, did you?)

Follow a blueprint for decorating.

If you really like the way you set up your decorations this year, don't try to commit the design to memory. Write it, draw it or take a photo of it and store in binder in a top loading sheet pr

labels. Also create columns by these same names on your spreadsheet to list things like gift ideas, friends' children's names, ages, birthdays and more.

Set up a gift wrap center.

Keep a rolling storage bin under your bed for this or buy an official gift wrap center. Some are made of cardboard. Others are plastic and hang in the closet. Include gift wrap, scissors, tape, name tags, bows and any other supplies you use. Do not borrow from this gift wrap center for other areas of your home. If you have to search for a gift wrap supply each time you need to use it, that's not organized or easy.

Don't stress. Just ask.

Ask people what they want for gifts. Why think of what they really want when you can ask them? Your gift will less likely end up in a pile of clutter if they truly need it. If they want to be surprised, they can just tell you the general item such as pajamas or wine glasses and you can surprise them with the specific item.

Shop online.

Sure you can stand in long lines and go from store to store looking for one with your item in stock. Or you can shop online at the same stores, which also often offer free shipping deals during the holiday season. Then you only have to go to your doorstep to retrieve it and can spend the rest of the time drinking eggnog and watching holiday movies on DVD. But if you'd rather fight for parking, sweat in line, get frustrated by out of stock items...

Try new recipes before the day needed.

If you're planning a shindig of long-time, no-see family members and friends, don't let your cooking become the butt of family and friends jokes for the rest of the year. Give that new recipe a test drive before the big day. If it works out really well, you might just be able to freeze some of the food items anyway until the party.

Ask for volunteers.

Sure you can do it ALL and do it PERFECTLY, but wouldn't it be less tiring to delegate a few tasks to willing family members? Or maybe you can trade some errands with friends. You will stand in line at the post office with the packages if she will pick up your list of recipe ingredients while at the supermarket.

Stick to a pre-set budget.

Nothing says the holiday season is over and it's time to get back to work better than the credit card bill in January. Make sure you don't overdo the gifts, holiday outfits and food purchases by making a list and checking it twice--with the calculator BEFORE you go to the store. And be ready to do battle with those impulses due to impulse items merchants purposely put in your way in the store. (You didn't think it was just bad floor design, did you?)

Follow a blueprint for decorating.

If you really like the way you set up your decorations this year, don't try to commit the design to memory. Write it, draw it or take a photo of it and store in binder in a top loading sheet p

can ask them? Your gift will less likely end up in a pile of clutter if they truly need it. If they want to be surprised, they can just tell you the general item such as pajamas or wine glasses and you can surprise them with the specific item.

Shop online.

Sure you can stand in long lines and go from store to store looking for one with your item in stock. Or you can shop online at the same stores, which also often offer free shipping deals during the holiday season. Then you only have to go to your doorstep to retrieve it and can spend the rest of the time drinking eggnog and watching holiday movies on DVD. But if you'd rather fight for parking, sweat in line, get frustrated by out of stock items...

Try new recipes before the day needed.

If you're planning a shindig of long-time, no-see family members and friends, don't let your cooking become the butt of family and friends jokes for the rest of the year. Give that new recipe a test drive before the big day. If it works out really well, you might just be able to freeze some of the food items anyway until the party.

Ask for volunteers.

Sure you can do it ALL and do it PERFECTLY, but wouldn't it be less tiring to delegate a few tasks to willing family members? Or maybe you can trade some errands with friends. You will stand in line at the post office with the packages if she will pick up your list of recipe ingredients while at the supermarket.

Stick to a pre-set budget.

Nothing says the holiday season is over and it's time to get back to work better than the credit card bill in January. Make sure you don't overdo the gifts, holiday outfits and food purchases by making a list and checking it twice--with the calculator BEFORE you go to the store. And be ready to do battle with those impulses due to impulse items merchants purposely put in your way in the store. (You didn't think it was just bad floor design, did you?)

Follow a blueprint for decorating.

If you really like the way you set up your decorations this year, don't try to commit the design to memory. Write it, draw it or take a photo of it and store in binder in a top loading sheet p

y new recipes before the day needed.

If you're planning a shindig of long-time, no-see family members and friends, don't let your cooking become the butt of family and friends jokes for the rest of the year. Give that new recipe a test drive before the big day. If it works out really well, you might just be able to freeze some of the food items anyway until the party.

Ask for volunteers.

Sure you can do it ALL and do it PERFECTLY, but wouldn't it be less tiring to delegate a few tasks to willing family members? Or maybe you can trade some errands with friends. You will stand in line at the post office with the packages if she will pick up your list of recipe ingredients while at the supermarket.

Stick to a pre-set budget.

Nothing says the holiday season is over and it's time to get back to work better than the credit card bill in January. Make sure you don't overdo the gifts, holiday outfits and food purchases by making a list and checking it twice--with the calculator BEFORE you go to the store. And be ready to do battle with those impulses due to impulse items merchants purposely put in your way in the store. (You didn't think it was just bad floor design, did you?)

Follow a blueprint for decorating.

If you really like the way you set up your decorations this year, don't try to commit the design to memory. Write it, draw it or take a photo of it and store in binder in a top loading sheet p

>Stick to a pre-set budget.

Nothing says the holiday season is over and it's time to get back to work better than the credit card bill in January. Make sure you don't overdo the gifts, holiday outfits and food purchases by making a list and checking it twice--with the calculator BEFORE you go to the store. And be ready to do battle with those impulses due to impulse items merchants purposely put in your way in the store. (You didn't think it was just bad floor design, did you?)

Follow a blueprint for decorating.

If you really like the way you set up your decorations this year, don't try to commit the design to memory. Write it, draw it or take a photo of it and store in binder in a top loading sheet protector along with your other holiday lists and directions. While you're at it, create a blueprint for putting away the decorations too. Why struggle with getting items to fit back in the storage containers when you can follow a plan you know works year after year.

Organizing Christmas with these tips will almost ensure you have a merry one every year forward. Then you can get back to enjoying and celebrating your holiday the way you should be.