How to Create a Holiday Binder

I have found that my holiday binder is a lifesaver in planning and preparing for a stress-free holiday season. I printed the Holiday Control Journal from www.flylady.net and customized it to meet my own needs. I strongly recommend that you prepare your own holiday binder early in the holiday season to keep yourself on track and sail smoothly through the holidays.

Components to include in your holiday binder:

1. November and December calendars - Print these two months out, or simply tear out those pages from a cheapo or freebie calendar that you already have. Stick them in the pocket of your holiday binder or hole-punch them and put them right up front. Then make a list of every single task you can possibly think of, and space these tasks on your holiday binder calendars in baby steps. Here are some suggestions: have family Christmas photo made, purchase/address Christmas cards, plan holiday menus, unpack or purchase and iron everyone's holiday clothing, deadline to place all catalog orders, mail gifts to out-of-town relatives, drive your kids around town to look at Christmas lights, attend your church/school/community/job Christmas events, decorate (this can be broken down into baby steps), prepare and freeze cookie dough and casseroles, etc.

2. Your housework plan - Don't punish yourself by waiting until the last day before company arrives to get your house into shape. Break this into baby steps, too, and include it in the calendar part of your holiday binder. Clean out your guest room, get clean sheets on the bed, clean the bathrooms (and keep them clean with a daily swish and swipe), get rid of the cobwebbies, declutter, clean out your fridge, and write down all the other house tasks that will make your holidays smooth-sailing. Then make a plan of simple routines to keep it clean! Include this in your holiday binder, too.

3. Your family traditions - Discuss these with your family and determine what your plans are and when. You may be surprised to find that your family members don't even enjoy some of the traditions you've been practicing out of habit for years! Evaluate this and record it in your holiday binder. Perhaps you usually travel, but you'd prefer to stay at home this year. Or perhaps you always host the holiday meal in your home, but you'd rather enjoy some "real" vacation time in a rented mountain cabin (and not have to worry about setting up trees or decorating or entertaining!). Don't be afraid to step out of tradition, but don't neglect to plan for the ones that really matter to you and your loved ones. Write these in your holiday binder and prepare for them early. As children, my sister and I always got to open one gift on Christmas Eve - a new nightgown to wear that night. Perhaps you like to load your kids up in the car with hot chocolate and popcorn for a night of Christmas light viewing or caroling. Our family likes to have a family picture made into personalized Christmas cards at www.walmart.com. Another good tradition for mamas is to exchange stockings with a friend or sister so that you don't get cheated out of all the goodies that Daddy and the kids get (since it's usually Mama who fills it up with those goodies!). Discuss with your family what traditions you do or would enjoy, and don't neglect to plan for them in your holiday binder.

4. Activities to do with your kids - Designate a brainstorming page in your holiday binder to list activities that your babies would enjoy, such as building snowmen, making and hanging bird feeders, decorating an outdoor tree, making popcorn or paper chains, or designing wrapping paper. You probably stumble across tons of neat ideas online or in magazines; write them down in your holiday binder before you forget!

5. Plan the meals - Write all of your holiday menus and grocery lists in your holiday binder. Of course, you'll want to include the major ones like Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners; but don't neglect breakfasts/brunches, hors d'oeuvres, baking, food gifts, and meals for when your out-of-town guests are visiting. This can get expensive, so divide your grocery list over the next several weeks and pick up all that you can ahead of time.

6. Christmas gift list - Be sure to set aside a significant section in your holiday binder to plan your purchases before they get out of control. One of the worst holiday mistakes people make is to roam around the mall with a purse full of credit cards and no plan! List everyone that you must purchase for, from your husband to your children's teachers to your gift exchange at the work party to your pet. Include a couple of extra generic gifts for unexpected guests, hostesses, and gift exchange parties that will end up popping into your schedule. You need a budget and a plan for all of these items. Make a column for recipients' names, gift ideas, budget, and shipping info if applicable. Check it off when complete (completion includes purchasing, receiving if ordered, wrapping, and shipping if needed). Don't forget to include stocking stuffers in the budget - these can become ridiculously expensive!

7. Travel plans - If you will be traveling to visit family members (or just vacationing), don't let these arrangements sneak up on you at the last minute either. Include all details in your holiday binder: flight arrangements, auto maintenance and preparation tasks, pet arrangements, packing lists, etc. You might need to block off a section in your holiday binder just for your travel pages.

8. Decorations - Take inventory of what you have and try to use all of it first. There is no use wasting money on items that you won't use (like the items you have and don't use!). Make a list in your holiday binder of the different sections of your home that need to be decorated, and plan what to do with those. You might include a wreath for the door, welcome mat, centerpiece for dining table, lighted garland for ledge or mantel, outside and inside lights, tree & ornaments, holiday dish towels, scented candles, nativity scene, etc. Break the decorating tasks into baby steps and pencil them into your holiday binder calendars.

9. Catalog orders checklist - Keep track of what you ordered, where it's coming from, how much it was (including shipping), and when to expect it. Then make sure it shows up! This can all go into one chart in your holiday binder.

10. Your personal wish list - Don't hesitate to share your wishes with your loved ones when they ask. There is no use in them wasting their money on clutter that you won't use or enjoy. Jot down items you would like to receive (you probably will stumble across several ideas as you shop for others!) in your holiday binder as you think of them.

The holiday binder can be a wonderful tool for make the holidays stress-free and enjoyable for you and your family. And after Christmas has passed and it's time to pack up the decorations, put your holiday binder right in the top of the box to get you sailing smoothly next year!