Have you ever wondered how those homeowner’s who put out hundreds of lights and holiday decorations put them all away so they work and aren’t tangled next year?

You too can store Hanukah or Christmas decorations with care so they are easy to find and unbroken next year.

Keep this article with your stored decorations and refer to it annually.

If you have a Christmas tree, start un-decorating it from the bottom up, removing the most fragile items first. That way if something falls or is dropped, it won’t damage anything below. If you have help, hand items to another person.

Wrap fragile ornaments and candles individually in tissue paper or cushion them with crumpled newspaper or packing peanuts (a great use for those annoying Styrofoam pieces). You can also blow air into a zip-lock type plastic bag after inserting the breakable object, so the air cushions and protects it.

Pack the above in a sturdy cardboard or plastic storage box, some of which are manufactured with inserts for separating fragile items. Discarded empty liquor boxes with divided sections serve this purpose well. Label the contents clearly on box.

Box up similar items together such as outside decorations separately from inside lights, fragile items separately from wreaths, etc.

For electric menorahs, unscrew and wrap the individual bulbs as described above for fragile ornaments. Menorahs can be protected with paper or Styrofoam. Candles stay best in the freezer until next year. Never store holiday candles in hot garages or basements. You probably won’t like how they look the following year.

Protect large hanging decorations in plastic garbage or dry cleaning bags, seal and hang from the rafters in the garage. There are also giant size zip-lock type plastic bags available.

Wrap strings of lights around empty paper towel rolls to avoid tangles. Make a small slit in the ends of the core to secure string ends into the hollow center then wrap the string gently around the core. Next year you can just unwrap the roll onto the tree.

Label each roll, identifying the type of light and its use such as “outdoor,” “tree,” or “front door trim.”

Include any extension cords used with this year’s lights to avoid searching for them next year.

Store ribbons and long rolls of wrapping paper in a storage box that slides easily under a bed or fits in a closet. Include a pair of scissors and plenty of tape for convenience next year. Immediately after the holidays you can take advantage of sales to stock up on discounted paper and wrapping supplies so you will be all set for the coming year.

Try these few simple organizational tips now so your next holiday season will go smoother and be happier.

Diane Hatcher, CPO ® is a Certified Professional Organizer and owner of Time-Savers Professional Organizing Services, Inc. in Ft. Lauderdale, FL since 1998. She is the author of Don’t Agonize, Organize Your Office Now! You can reach her at (954) 252-7511 or on the web at www.timesaversUSA.com and sign up for her free monthly e-zine.

What if I could teach you 1 tip that would save you 1 hour a week – every week!

Now what if I gave you FIVE of those tips?

How about 10?

Would a few extra hours a week change your business?

What would you pay to have those hours and tips –

and a course that taught you how to implement them?

$197?

$100?

How about $67?

WE has asked our favorite Simplification Strategist, Debbye Cannon,

to be a guest speaker for our WE Women on January 11^th

to help us ALL kick off the new year with a new set of tools in our toolbox.

JOIN US!
and INVITE a FRIEND
This is the PERFECT Holiday Gift between Girlfriends!

Debbye Cannon is the SMARTcut^® expert, and her SMARTcut^® Tips
have helped thousands of business women and moms to change their lives
and move chaos to productivity day after day, week after week.

By creating less chaos in our lives and simplifying our TIME,
we create more ROOM.

What’s your 1^st priority of 2011? Join us at 1pm EST on 1-11-11. Hah!

Give YOURSELF a holiday gift this year and take this
million-dollar life changer for $67.

CLICK HERE to JOIN THE WEBINAR
(Can’t be there? WE will send you the recording and materials!)

“Creative entrepreneurs often struggle with time management. The trick is to find systems that will provide some order without becoming totally restrictive. I know, because I am one of you! I’ll be sharing the “whole enchilada” on time management on January 11^th, and I’ll be sharing bits and pieces as well as whole systems that I want the WE Women to mix and match to create YOUR own best solution.”

~ Debbye Cannon, The SMARTcut^® Expert

The holidays can prove to be a highly demanding and stressful time. Several of my life coaching clients are under loads of pressure right now because of what feels like a Tidal wave of things to do in the next month. If you are feeling stressed out, the following suggestions may be just what you need to help you reduce overwhelm and regain balance in your life this holiday season.

Plan and Create Task Lists: Prioritize and schedule specific days for shopping, baking, partying and other activities. Creating an actionable plan will make you feel more in control of your responsibilities.

Acknowledge How You Feel: You can’t force yourself to be happy just because it’s the holiday season. If you are feeling blue reach out to a good friend or family member for some laughs. If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community events or volunteer your time. If you are feeling overwhelmed stop and assess what you can let go of.

Breathe: Make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Reduce stress by clearing your mind, nurturing your body and finding inner calm. Make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Reduce stress by clearing your mind, nurturing your body and finding inner calm.

Delegate: You do not have to do everything on your own. Ask the people who love you for help. It’s amazing how much friends and family are willing to step up and chip in. People like to feel useful and needed. Do you think Martha Stewart takes care of all the details?

Get Real: The holidays don’t have to be perfect or just like last year. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. Choose a few to hold on to, and be open to creating new ones. For example, if your adult children can’t come to your house, find new ways to celebrate together, such as sharing pictures, emails or videotapes. This year we have completely switch up our regular game plan and it feels good!

Say NO Thanks: Saying yes when you really want to say no can leave you feeling resentful and totally overwhelmed. Friends and colleagues will understand if you can’t participate in every holiday event or activity. You have permission to say no thank you.

Continue Healthy Habits: Overindulgence contributes to additional stress and guilt. Plan to enjoy healthy food before holiday parties so that you don’t inhale too many decadent treats. Do your best to to get plenty of sleep, physical activity and down time to nourish your mental and physical health.

Planning for the holidays can be a lot of fun. All you need to do is create a plan, ask for help and honor yourself. You deserve to eliminate the self-induced stress of the holidays and enjoy this time of year!

If you want more information about overcoming stress and anxiety, you are welcome to visit www.anxietyslayer.com for additional posts, podcasts and ideas created to help you wipe out anxiety and get on with enjoying your life.

Shann Vander Leek, successful television broadcast maven turned international life on your terms accelerator, yogini and author of Life on Your Terms: The Support You Need to Follow Your Passion From Inspirational Entrepreneurs. Unconventional and delightfully curious; she is a wildly sought-after transition coach who inspires powerful women in career transition to get focused now, follow their passion and create more balance in their lives. Shann invites you to step on the gas and accelerate your life on your terms with her signature Accelerator Sessions. You can find her on Twitter @ShannVanderLeek or at www.truebalancelifecoaching.com

12 “Ways” of Christmas by Debbye Cannon

No matter what your special winter holiday may be, it’s sure to be FILLED to the brim with once a year special events, friends, and family time. Having everything in order will assure you that the season will be packed with pleasure instead of filled with frustration. Here are some of my best secrets for sanity.

1. Ask friends and family members for their wish lists to simplify your gift giving efforts. You can specify an amount or make the sky the limit. Include specifics (catalog number or store and price).

2. SMARTcut® your holiday greetings with services for sending electronic cards. There are many free services for sending electronic cards all year long. (http://ecards.plaxo.com/ecard/ or http://www.hallmark.com/online/product/ecards/).

3. Speed up gift wrapping with reusable gift bags, boxes or make some fabric bags. All are economical and easier to store than rolls of paper.

4. Donate! This is the perfect time to clear out closets and share the wealth with those less fortunate.

5. Keep up with the incoming paper (mail, catalogs, newspapers, magazines). It’s so easy to get behind on your paperwork when you have more fun opportunities like holiday parties and gatherings to attend. Visit http://office-simplified.com/ for SMARTcut systems for paper management

6. Create a reusable menu and grocery list. Let’s face it, most of us have a favorite meal for holiday times. Instead of looking up the recipes in a bunch of cards and books, why not create a pretty (and totally functional!) Holiday Meal “Album.”
You can start adding photos of your holiday gatherings.

7. Of course, the BIG DAY meal isn’t all you’ll be cooking and serving in the next few weeks. If you ever needed to streamline your everyday meals, this would be the time. Discover how to save time and money in the kitchen at http://Meals-Simplified.com.

8. Holidays are sure to find some extra hands helping you in the kitchen (well, I hope so anyway!). So help them to help you by adding labels to your refrigerator shelves.

9. One thing that contributes to stress in hyper-busy times is not allowing for preparation and clean up. Be sure to mark off some before and after time to your activities so you have allowed time to pack for that trip, bake for that party, and wrap those gifts.

10. Got guests? If so, don’t delay in checking your guest room for towels, travel-sized essentials, and maybe even a basket of goodies.
 Ask ahead if they have food limitations and tell what to expect for temperatures in your home so they are dressed for comfort.

11. Be sure to take lots of photos with a digital camera to preserve memories! Try digital download albums available from services such as http://Snapfish.com to create some lovely books. This is an affordable, fast way to make duplicate copies for friends and family of your special times together.

12. Ahhh! The festive days will soon come to a close, so put away the decorations in a more friendly fashion. Last year I realized that my decorating efforts next year would be much simpler if I stored my decorations by rooms.

Simply Yours,

Debbye Cannon

Debbye Cannon, author, speaker and simplification strategist consultant simplifies life for women internationally. With a diversified background as a military wife, mother, home educator, caregiver, entrepreneur and grandmother she’ll make your life SIMPLY BRILLIANT. Find more SMARTcut® Solutions at http://SMARTcut-Solutions.com

*purchase the pink ornaments shown above at Summers At The Cottage

From SMARTcut-solutions.com

We all know what time suck is.  It’s when you set out to do a few tasks that you estimate an hour or two to complete.  The next thing you know, it’s evening – your day is shot and your list is longer than when you started!  Here are three tips to help you STOP wasting time and end the overwhelm.
#1 Batch Your Activities
What I mean by that is grouping types of activities together. For instance, try to get all of your errands together and completed in one circuit.  Or, if you are decorating the house, do it room by room, rather than the whole house in one chaotic effort. (Personally, I find that just a little overwhelming!) Last year, I even packed my Christmas decorations away room by room. For other holidays, I have one box for each throughout the year, and in that box, I collect everything that has to do with that holiday — cocktail napkins, the candles that go on the table, stationary, party invitations, cupcake liners, or even spices that maybe you only use for recipe during one particular season of the year.
#2.  Skip the To Do List
I think to-do lists just give us all a big long feeling of guilt and overwhelm because you have this long, long, long list.  My husband is a big to-do list maker, and when I ask him about something he says, “It is on my list.” It’s not very comforting (or successful).  Instead, when you think of something you need to do, put it on your planner or calendar. Give it a time and a date! Forget about, “I am going to do that some day,” because Someday is NOT a day of the week!  Your appointed day for your task can be flexible, in fact, write in pencil. Don’t feel like you have to be really forced to do it at that particular time, but if you are not reserving time to get it done, chances are it is not going to happen.
#3.  Practice Positive Self-Talk
One way to truly lose time is to spend it feeling inadequate, overwhelmed, or worse, actually criticizing yourself or repeating the same negative story over and over.  If you find yourself thinking about the holidays and getting anxious long before you open a box or make a gift list, stop and look at the story you’re telling yourself.  Then, try a new one! “The holidays are a time when I enjoy my family, I am going to relax, and do a little bit of catch-up and clean up and get ready for the New Year.” Now that’s a story I’d enjoy hearing over and over!
Simply Yours,

Debbye Cannon

Debbye Cannon, author, speaker and simplification strategist consultant simplifies life for women internationally. With a diversified background as a military wife, mother, home educator, caregiver, entrepreneur and grandmother she’ll make your life SIMPLY BRILLIANT. Find more SMARTcut® Solutions at http://SMARTcut-Solutions.com

It’s one of the top ten “least-favorite-mandatory-tasks” in life. It has to be done, and it has to be done well. In my business, we offer the service of packing because if it’s not done well, the consequences can be miserable.

There are so many things to consider – the venues, the objective of your voyage, the people you will encounter and might encounter, the activities that are planned and that might happen, the weather [and the potential weather], the culture of the destination, the airline fees for luggage, the amount of time that you may have to carry/wheel your suitcase, the importance of comfort vs looking your best; the list could be continued for hours…the reason for this commentary is your trip depends on how good you look! (..which substantiates how you feel).

Think about it – the last time you had that feeling of looking really good: people treated you differently; you carried yourself taller. The issue is packing the right pieces in order to meet the objective of the trip…and not going into bankruptcy with baggage fees.

The very first step is evaluating what needs to be accomplished: nail the account, get the promotion, land the job, change the idea, research and investigate information, visit a landmark, attend a social event, etc… This step is to take the time to consider the appropriateness of your attire, accessories and overall presentation. If you are on a business trip, you need to represent the company image. If you are on a social journey, consider that you represent not just yourself, but your hometown, your culture, your school, etc…To be specific, if you are visiting Yosemite National Park, you might opt for unwrinkled shorts that fit and flatter paired with a coordinating top and comfortable hiking boots, rather than simply an outfit that wasn’t well thought out. Many do not give effort or energy to an outfit on vacation outside of comfort which leads to a disheveled look – not great for the photo album. This certainly doesn’t mean that you have to look ‘decked’ – it means that a polished look of comfort is preferred.

The second step is to consider the weather and what the weather might bring. Everyone knows the drill, for possible rain, bring whatever rainproof gear you need – if you do, it is certain to be sunny, but if you don’t, expect torrential downpours. Everyone in New England knows to bring sweatshirts for the evenings…but not this summer: they were left folded on the shelves. On the other hand, Mother Nature had a mood swing in the Rockies: despite predictions in the mid fifties, last Saturday night dropped to 31*F! Needless to say, the strapless dress that was planned for a wedding was hid by a fur stole that was never removed the entire night. Obviously, shopping is fun [and necessary], but this article is about packing – therefore, we always suggest layers. The best way to do this is to go from light interior to dark exteriors…

The last step is to make ensembles that include the absolutely necessary and then recycle the outfit using different pieces and accessories. We advise our clients to dress as nicely as possible without sacrificing comfort during travel because you never know what influential person you may meet. One of the greatest ways to get upgraded to first class is to look like you already belong there. A dark colored wool gabardine blazer, crisp cotton button front shirt, polished belt and designer jeans with loafers is a common ensemble for travelling. Although this blazer should not be used for an important meeting –we suggest suits for important meetings- it would be re-used for an informal meeting or dinner. Additionally, that crisp cotton shirt could now be placed under a cardigan with trousers and belted, etc…most pieces should be re-used at least once.

In closing, do not forget to pack the carry-on for the infamous ‘lost bag syndrome’…there’s nothing like having clean underwear and a fresh change of clothes when you have no suitcase. And no matter what, don’t forget the accessories: they’re light and transform the blah to chic.

What’s the point in travelling if you can’t feel accomplished and chic?

Priority, Which Priority?

Deciding your priorities can be a difficult task, especially when everything seems to be of utmost importance. First, you need to decide your “priority categories”. You can name your priorities in a way that reminds you of their true significance. You can designate them as

• High, medium, low

• Numbers, letters or colors

• Important & urgent, Important but not urgent, Urgent but not important

• Creative labels such as “I will be dead at the end of the day if I don’t finish…”, “Things will be easier if I complete…”, or whatever verbiage works for you

Second, remember that what is urgent to others may not be your top priority. In such cases, delegating, renegotiating, or saying “no” are critical skills to helping you prioritize. Third, consider that tasks that are really important are those that relate to your personal mission, vision, and values and to your professional objectives as applicable. Some questions you may want to ask yourself are

• Will completing this task matter in 1-2 years?

• Will not finishing this task have grave consequences for me or others?

• Is this item a piece of a larger job that is crucial?

Contrary to popular belief, not all tasks can be top priority. Yes, you have a job to do (personal or professional), however if you want to experience a higher quality of life, you must be able to determine what is truly important to you.

Prioritizing Pointers

Allow adequate time for your priority tasks by scheduling 50% more time than you think it will take.

Know the difference between tasks (which can be completed within a day), projects (which have multiple tasks and take more than a day to finish), and routines (things you do on a regular basis such as getting the mail everyday).

Re-evaluate priorities periodically.

© 2010 Janice Russell, CPO-CD. North Carolina’s first Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Janice Russell, and her firm, Minding Your Matters® Organizing, have built a reputation for helping business and residential clients organize their space, items, documents, and time using the flexible structure principle™. Janice’s workshops on topics such as tackling the “no time” trap, perishing paper piles, and stopping stuff from being overwhelming are dynamic, informative, and practical. Minding Your Matters® is dedicated to helping people achieve organization with lasting results™ in their personal and professional lives. Janice is highly regarded within her industry. She is a Golden Circle Member of National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and past president of the North Carolina Chapter of NAPO. Janice is the author of the book Get Organized This Year! and two audios: Stop Letting Stuff Overwhelm You and Tackle the “No Time” Trap. For more information, please visit www.mindingyourmatters.com or call 919-467-7058.

You have heard it before:  “Write everything down.”  Chances are you already have several lists of ToDo items.  But then I’m guessing that there are still some tasks that you keep in your head because you are sure you will remember to do them.

When I talk about multitasking in my time management training seminars, I have the audience pause to write down everything in their heads that is not already listed somewhere else.  After a few giggles and some brief hesitation, people begin to write…and write…and write. The number of items grows, with pauses in between writing.  The reason for each pause is that you can only store an average of seven things in your short-term memory.  Once everything in the forefront is written down, other tasks and thoughts can rise to the surface.

It is the same thing that can happen when you are asleep and, in the middle of the night, you awaken to wonder if you overlooked something that was due.  During the day it is easy to submerge some thoughts because you are running around multitasking, and you have fragmented focuses.

When you keep something stored in your memory, confident that you will not forget it, you diffuse your focus in the present.  It is very difficult to both concentrate and try to remember everything when so many divergent thoughts keep shifting through your mind.

If EVERYTHING is written down and placed in one location so that you can prioritize, you immediately improve your concentration.  In not worrying about forgetting something, your productivity will increase, and you will feel less stressed.

Denise Landers is the author of Destination: Organization, A Week by Week Journey and the owner of Key Organization Systems, Inc.  ( http://www.keyorganization.com).  Based in Houston, she is a national speaker, trainer, consultant and coach providing conference sessions, corporate training, and individual assistance to improve daily work flow and time management skills.

You look at your to-do list and the word overwhelm comes zooming in your head at warp speed. Add on top of it, the upcoming holiday season: family gatherings, extra grocery shopping, sprucing your house for company, it can be too much to handle.  However, if you delegate some of your work tasks by outsourcing them, you will be able to celebrate your holidays with less stress and more bliss.

 
Outsourcing refers to when a business owner allows another service provider such as a virtual assistant to handle certain tasks such as email communication or newsletters, calendar maintenance for meetings and travel plans, and online marketing and promotions for the upcoming year.

By outsourcing these duties to another person, you will free up your time to visit with your family and friends while your business is able to continue to operate and even grow during this time.

Here are a few tips to remember when outsourcing:

* Research online for outsourcing companies and search for those criteria you wish to delegate (i.e. administrative, marketing, web site or blog maintenance).

* Ask your colleagues, co workers and associates for a referral of the company they use for outsourcing.

* Be sure to write up a detailed description of tasks you would like to outsource.

* Ask for references if you would like to hear others experience with the company.

Set a timeline when tasks are expected to be completed.

* Make clear the expectations for their availability during the holidays.

* Articulate best source of communication (email, phone, text) between you and outsourcer.

You have all the good intentions this year you will not allow yourself to get overwhelmed. Each year comes and goes and you wish you would have done things differently and gotten some help.  An effective way to get help over the holidays is outsourcing tasks to a virtual or personal assistant. By outsourcing, you allow yourself the opportunity to celebrate the holidays instead of dreading the holidays. Go outsource for the holidays!
 
 

Teresa Morrow is on Board of Advisors with Women in Ecommerce (http://www.wecai.org) and Editor at Large at WE Magazine for Women ™ (http://www.wemagazineforwomen). She has over 15 years working with various industries to include property management, landscape architecture and financial planning firms in executive administrative positions. She cares about her clients and is available for a 20 minute free consultation. You can contact her via email at Teresa@keybusinesspartners.com or visit her website at http://www.keybusinesspartners.com.

More great holiday gift-giving articles and ideas can be found in  our new Holiday Gift-giving Guide at http://bit.ly/1Z6LSF