Keeping it together

[lightitup]

I would like to share how I keep my self organized for a smooth start to my season.
I keep and index card file box on my desk. In that file box is a set of alphabet dividers. I use this for addresses of people I send cards out to and on each card it has there birthday and what type of stuff they like. Example is here:

lightitup
123 any street
any town, Va.
23602

Birthday 01/12/1948

kitchen is done in blues, collects cookie jars
living room eclectic in brown and blues more traditional
has a craft room and loves to craft with lights.
has a sunroom with lots of african violets.
Christmas decorations is ecletic with lots of traditional stuff. Has a blue and white tree with snow man.

You can add any info that will help you to buy for them for the holidays, birthdays, or get well.

I also have a couple of numeric dividers.
One is to help me keep my decorations organized. I store my decorations in rubbermaid type tubs and have them labeled 1-80. My index cards are labeled one thru eighty too.
Example:
Tub 1
Red Christmas lights with green cords
Tub 2
Garland for front porch and kissing balls for porch.
Tub 3
3 village houses
little people
bridges
bags of snow.

What ever is in the tub is on the index card. I also have where it goes on the things that are not lights.

Second Numeric is for dates and months
Right now I have it set up with 1-31 index cards. in the 1st section I have what needs to be done each month on the first day.
Example
June 1st
take out two trees in front yard
June 2nd
move four azaleas
June 3rd
work on angels for gifts

October 1st will be with june 1st. once the task is completed it is either thrown away or moved to the organization numeric tabs. Now I am seeing the october 1st index card in the 1st slot once I complete the task on that card it will either get moved or thrown away.

How do you keep on track for the Holidays Planning?

[peavey]

You're a lot more organized than I'll ever be! But I "plan" for Christmas this way:

I start shopping ahead, sometime in the middle of the summer heat (whenever it strikes me that Auntie would like that, or Mom loves those..) and I stockpile gifts in a corner of my closet.

As I go through the year, I toss small things that are suitable for stocking stuffers or favors in a drawer in my office. These come from freebies, dollar store finds or sometimes garage sale scores.

Downstairs, I have decorations and a fake tree in cardboard boxes. All of my tree decorations, with the exception of garlands, are hand made, unbreakable and easily store in an 18 X 18 zippered bag. I collect Santa Clauses, so that's the biggest two boxes. I also have outside lights in a separate box.

They all stay there until the day after Thanksgiving, when I haul out the tree, set it up and start decorating. I keep at it until the boxes are empty.... then sometimes I go to the store and get a little more.

Then I sort through my gift stash and stocking stuffers, make note of what else I need to complete the gift list. Shopping after that is fun. I don't make notes ahead of time, because tastes change, and when kids are young, they grow so fast that I could never keep up with them. For adults, I don't give clothing so sizes are not important there, either.

After writing this all out, maybe I'm more organized than I thought. Or tradiitionalized, maybe. :)

[lightitup]

You sound pretty organized to me Peavey. I am a true believer that you need to do what you do feel most comfortable with. I have over 80 tubs to keep up with so I need to know what is inside of each without opening them because it takes me over a month to get it all up. Maybe I should down size. hehehe
:roll:

[peavey]

Nah... you wouldn't want to downsize... that's no fun. :-)

I do write on each cardboard box what's in it, but for the most part, I can tell what's in them by the size.

[lightitup]

I guess you are right. It is so much fun putting it all together and making new stuff. I really test my abilities when it comes to making my own decorations. This year we are making a huge dancing reindeer. We have everything we need now to put it all together so I should see it dancing in a few weeks.
I will share some pictures of how to put it all together when we get it done. I already have some pictures of what we are doing.

[Ervserver]

Hello I'm Ervserver and I admit I'll never be as organized as Lightitup

[lightitup]

It is easy when you have to build a 14'x24' shed just to store decorations. Hubby tells me we could park a car in the shed but instead we fill it with lights. I also have the attic in the garage filled. I needed to organize cause I couldn't find anything. Just keep adding to your decorations erv and you will get organized.

[Ervserver]

Attic would be an option for me, I just would need to put some flooring down. I could store boxes up there

[lightitup]

I am a fan of tubs not boxes. I am buying clear tubs now and loving it. I see what color lights are in it without logging it.

[ElfSpirit]

I don't have that many tubs/boxes...yet... :lol:
But I have a feeling that that might change. :smile:

[lightitup]

Hanging around Christmas fanatics it might grow more than you would ever expect it to.

[Ervserver]

I am a fan of tubs not boxes. I am buying clear tubs now and loving it. I see what color lights are in it without logging it.

I do like the red and green tubs Wally has at Christmas

[mother christmas]

Okay I have been here for 2 years now, and just read this one for the 1st time ever. I love your idea of a card box with dividers. Light are you still that organized?

I think I will have to talk some of your ideas and try them out my self.

I 1st of all need for kids to get there stuff together so that I can get my stuff together.

[*Tessmas*]

Wow LIU, thats way too organized, l'm nothing like that!

[jollyheather]

Thank you for bringing this under our atention again Tess! It's a great way of getting more organized and i hope i can get like that as well!
:f06:

[Yuleti]

I don't have that many tubs/boxes...yet... :lol:
But I have a feeling that that might change. :smile:

Heck our whole basement is full of them. We love them, especially for Christmas stuff!

[Snowflake]

My hubby put a floor in our walk in attic several years ago, and I store a lot of my Christmas stuff in tubs in there. But not my glass ornies. I am afraid the glitter will come off in the hot attic. But our attic doesn't get extremely hot, I think we have some sort of attic fan, but it still get warm in summer months.

[lightitup]

Yes I am still that organized but it is now two index card files. One with names and the other is with numbers for tubs. I have about 100 tubs now. You have to do what works for you but whatever way you do it don't worry about the heat cause it just isn't going to damage anything that is not made out of wax.