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Staying Calm During the Holiday Frenzy
This time of year we often find ourselves caught in a storm of breathless activity and endless busyness. Taking some time, in advance, to get organized and prepared can make a world of difference in your kitchen and in your mind.
Plan ahead. Decide what you will be preparing for get-togethers. Make your grocery list ahead of time. Buy what you can in advance. This helps with the physical and financial load you bear the week of the holiday.
Go to the grocery as many days before the holiday as you can to avoid the annual grocery store holiday madness. If your store is open 24 hours, go early in the morning or late at night when the crowds will be smaller.
Prepare everything you can ahead of time. Choose some items you can freeze a week or more in advance. Remember that some dishes can be refrigerated a day or two before your event, as well.
Delegate responsibilities. Don’t take on the stress of the holidays alone…share it with those you love! Just kidding! Seriously, asking your family to take on small tasks they might not regularly do, can lighten your load more than you realize. If you usually unload the dishwasher, but it is run two or three times more often during the holidays, ask the kids to help.
Start with a clean, organized kitchen. Clear your countertops of items that don’t belong there. You will feel as if you have more room to work and will create a safer environment by decreasing the risk of accidental spills and fire.
The week before Thanksgiving open all your cabinets and evaluate whether there is a better way to arrange things. Storing like items together saves seconds that add up to minutes quickly. If you bake a lot, consider storing your mixer, mixing bowls and cookie sheets close to each other. Is your utensil drawer distant from your stove? Temporarily place some frequently used pieces in a jar on the counter near the stove. Moving things around, at least through the holidays, can make accessing what you need much easier.
Let go of unimportant things. The holidays are so busy that you may not get the laundry finished on your regular day. A couple of rooms may not be as clean as you would like. Recognize what is important and what is not and realize that life will go on if you only get one pie made instead of two.
Don’t compromise your physical health or mental sanity. When your body says, “I can’t go anymore,” stop and rest. Don’t let the storm of busyness take away what this time of the year is meant to be—a time of joy and togetherness.
Kendra Husk is a Professional Organizer and the owner of Order Out Of Chaos, LLC. You can get a free Order Out Of Chaos Motivational-Pak filled with simple tips to help you get organized. Simply visit her Web site: http://www.theorderoutofchaos.com or e-mail her at kendra@theorderoutofchaos.com or call (502)322-7170.
Note: This article may be used in a publication without obligation or payment to the author, as long as the ending author resource paragraph is printed with the article.
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