Get Organized Week

Welcome to Get Organized Week!

The first week of the Countdown is a time for planning and calendars and lists, for setting our values and our course. As we break down holiday preparations into small, simple steps, we'll sketch out the outline of the holiday season to come.

This week, we begin to build a Christmas planner or notebook, assess the state of the house, and enjoy the Halloween festivities.

Ready? Let's get organized for a stress-free Christmas season!

To Do This Week:

• Follow the daily Countdown messages on the Web at Organized Christmas, on Twitter, or on Facebook.
• Make the promise! Spend 15 minutes each day this week to get organized for Christmas.
• Get comfortable for holiday planning--create a Christmas planning center in a cozy corner, desk or table.
• Begin to assemble a Christmas planner, using a notebook or three-ring binder.
• Decorate your planner! If you're using a clear pocket binder, print the Countdown planner cover and spine pages and insert into binder pockets. Get inspired to create a pretty notebook with Christmas planner tours and tutorials from Christmas Planner.
• Add blank lined pages for any notes and records.
• Print the Countdown plan calendar, and add it to your Christmas planner.
• Print and post a family holiday calendar.
• Values check! Review your family's holiday values privately, then a second time with family members. Print two copies of the Holiday Values Worksheet and record your findings.
• Gift-buying looms! Start a master gift list. Print the master gift list and add it to your Christmas planner to record purchases and home-made gift items.
• Begin a Christmas card list. Locate addresses, and consider making a computerized Christmas card address list for maximum time savings. Or, print a Christmas card list for your Christmas planner notebook.
• Print a home spruce-up worksheet and complete the holiday home spruce-up exercise. Schedule any pre-holiday home improvement projects.
• Will your family travel this holiday season? Make travel plans and reservations this week.
• Will you host houseguests this year? Make arrangements for any overnight guests.
• Make an appointment for family photo sessions for holiday giving or photo Christmas cards.
• Schedule carpet cleaning now! As the holidays approach, business picks up. Call now for your choice of appointment times.
• Declutter tabletops and public rooms before you decorate.
• If you haven't done so already, decorate for Halloween or Harvest celebrations.

To Print This Week:

• Christmas Countdown Calendar
• Get Organized Week Checklist
• Calendars
• Notebook Cover
• Notebook Spine
• Holiday Values Worksheet
• Master Gift List
• Gift Ideas Planner
• Christmas Card List
• Holiday Home Spruce-Up Form

To Read This Week:

• Ready ... or Not?
  Frantic at the thought of the approaching holidays? You're not alone!
• Get Organized! Create A Christmas Planning Center
  Set aside a dedicated spot for holiday planning.
• Christmas planner tours and tutorials
  Clever solutions from readers on the Web. Get inspired with Christmas planner examples from Christmas Planner.
• Before the Season: Focus on Family Values
  How to simplify your holidays? Focus on your family's values!
• Tips for Holiday Season Travel
  Will your family travel this year? Make it an organized trip!
• Seven Tips for Sparkling Christmas Letters
  Ready to pen a memorable holiday letter? Catch these tips!
• Simpler Seasons Greetings: Using Computers to Send Christmas Cards
  Will computers ease the chore?
• Holiday Home Spruce-Up!
  Organize and prune holiday home improvement projects.
• Welcome Home!
  Ready to start planning for Christmas? Consider what makes a holiday home!

To Buy This Week:

• Christmas cards or supplies for Christmas letters
• Holiday stamps