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.