Time Saving Tips for the Holidays

It's that time of year again! I run myself ragged wanting everything to be perfect and hoping the holidays pass quickly. Where did my time go? Did I remember to get everything done? This was the same old tape playing in my head every year as Christmas approached. I was driving myself crazy. That is until I decided I wasn't going to be a slave to my own expectations . Determining to get more organized was a promise I made to myself..

First I started making list of things that I needed to do. Menu planning, shopping for groceries and gifts then cleaning and decorating of the house.. All these fell on my shoulder because after all I'm MOM. Being MOM during the holidays puts me right up there with Superwoman, Wonder woman and any other female super hero one could name. Mom became Mean-Old-Monster in the days leading up to a season when good cheer should rule.

Menu Planning

Everyone has dishes they like on special occasions. I get out the recipe box and write down the ingredients I need to prepare those dishes. Since many of the dishes use the same ingredients a side list makes preparing the grocery list much easier.

I also contact other family members that help with the meal to make sure we aren't making the same dishes. Once we have all the courses covered it's time to make the grocery list.

Grocery Shopping

I am blessed my computer has a Works generated grocery list. It has everything a person could possibly need to purchase from eggs to aluminum foil. I print a list and mark the items I need. Usually I check this list quite a few times to make sure I haven't forgotten anything. Running out of staples the day you start cooking will throw even the most organized person into the panic zone.

With list in hand I check the kitchen cabinets. Many times I pick up items while they are on sale. This not only saves time it saves money. Before my list making days I'd purchase what I thought I needed to find it was already in the cabinet.. As the items on the list are found I mark them off the shopping list.now on to the market.