Get a Jump Start on Christmas and Create a Gift Closet

It is the first month of the year and yesterday I bought the first Christmas present that I will give someone at the end of this year. It was a punch bowl that I found on sale for $2.50. Now it is tucked away nicely in a place in my home called the gift closet. If you have never had a gift closet of your own, then I encourage you to clear out a shelf or two in a hall closet and start buying Christmas presents early. Here are some tips when you make these early purchases.

Make a list: Before you go out purchasing random gifts for people, sit down and make a list of people who your purchase gifts for. Don't just think about who you purchase gifts for at Christmas. Also make a list of birthdays. Keep this list with you in your wallet or purse. When you find something on sale take a look at your list. Can you find a specific person on your list who would appreciate the sale item? If you purchase items without having a specific person in mind, you could be wasting money. These items could end up sitting in your gift closet, gathering dust, and never find a real home.

Check it off: Once you purchase a gift for a person on your list, make sure to check it off. Make a note next to their name that says what you have purchased for them. This will ensure that you will still remember what gift goes to what person when Christmas and birthdays roll around. Also, sometimes when buying gifts all year we forget what we have already bought. Writing things down will help you keep everything straight and prevent you from over purchasing.

From the Heart: While purchasing items at a sale price is important, you want to also make sure that you are buying something that the person in your life is going to appreciate. This means that you should purchase an item just because it is on sale. Really take the time and think about the person you are buying for. Even cheap gifts should come from the heart.

Stand By Gifts: While sticking to your list is good, there is always someone or something that we seem to forget. Purchasing a few extra gifts to keep in your closet is a good idea. Look for things on sale such as candles, soaps, scarves, gloves, and hats. These are things that everyone can use and can be given to anyone as a gift.

Think Ahead: Sometimes buying early presents for children can be difficult, especially when it comes to toys. The things they are interested now may not be the same a year from now. Ask yourself if this item is something a person will still like months down the road. If you aren't sure, do not buy it. It could end up being a waste of money. You do not want to purchase baseball cards for someone, only to find out at Christmas they are now collecting basketball cards.

Be Creative: When buying presents early for someone you risk the fact that they could purchase the item for themselves or someone else could purchase the item for them. Try to find items that you know they will like, but are not likely to purchase for themselves.

Always Good Buys: While you are shopping for your gift closet, keep in mind that you may have friends or family members who have babies and get married. Wedding and baby shower gifts are always great things to purchase when you find them on sale.

For the baby items, try to steer away from purchasing clothes on sale unless it is something like onsies or the price is too good to pass up. Unless you know someone who is pregnant at the time, you will have no way to know if the summer or winter clothes you are purchasing will be useful to someone. You wouldn't give a newborn summer outfit to someone who is giving birth in the winter. Also, try to stock up on items for girls, boys, or yellow items that can be given to either a girl or boy.

Having a gift closet is a great way to save time and money. You are purchasing things on sale throughout the year and not having to fight through crowds during the Christmas season. Plus, if you ever forget a birthday or have an unexpected Christmas guest, you will have plenty of gifts in your closet to select from.