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Nov 15
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Christmas Shopping: Do it in One Day!

By Blog, Quick Organizing Tips, Time Management No Comments

Would you sign up for the challenge of completing all of your Christmas shopping in one day?

 

Lots of people do! Though not many choose on their own accord (shout out to my last-minute shoppers), getting it all done in a day is becoming increasingly popular!

 

Not tempted to spend all your December weekends shopping for Christmas presents?

 

I don’t blame you!

 

Before you get that bubble of anxiety in your chest, let me tell you – it can be done!

 

You can do it in one day, but you’re going to need to be strict with yourself.

 

Up to the challenge? Let’s see if you’ve got what it takes…

 

 

First – Fuel up!

 

It’s hard to do logical Christmas shopping when your energy is crashing.

 

Skip the bread, carbs, and sugary breakfast cereals, says Simone Lovell, certified nutritionist, health coach, and owner of Fuel for Fat Loss. “Protein with breakfast is so important within the first hour of waking up.”

 

 

Begin with a Shopping Plan

 

A successful shopping spree always needs a list!

One of the great benefits of preparing your Christmas shopping list in advance is that you’re way more likely to spend less money. When you’re more aware of what you’re buying it’s easier to stick within a budget. Try to write down who you’re buying for, what you plan on gifting them, and the store(s) you will find these items in.

 

 

 

Example: Auntie Lisa – Holiday diffuser oils – Vitruvi

Switch on Tunnel Vision

Traveling to five shopping centers and various outlet stores is just not going to happen in one day, let’s be realistic.

 

As you’re planning the gifts you’ll buy and the stores you’ll need to visit, try to commit to just two shopping centers. It will be easier to stick to your goal of getting all your Christmas shopping done in one day. Search the online directories of local malls and see how many gifts you could buy in the least amount of locations. And while you’re waiting in line in these stores, pry your eyes away from register sales and do your best to avoid all distractions!

 

Skip the Sweatpants

 

Wear something that fits and feels nice; bring your confidence out!

 

A balance between comfortable and chic is best. Did you know we are more productive when we feel more put together? It’s true – when we feel insecure, we tend to buy more. You know, that fill-the-void kind of thing. So scrap the sweats and sneakers if they make you feel frumpy and instead reach for something stylish that will boost your self-confidence all day long for your Christmas shopping!

 

No Plus One’s

 

This is a key component of a successful and efficient day.

 

Not only will shopping alone save you time, but also lots of money (important for your budget!). How often have you gone out with a friend and spent WAY more than you planned? It’s just too easy to get caught up in “Those jeans would look great on you!” and “Haven’t you been looking for a pair of boots like these??” Since the goal here is to complete your shopping in one day, going solo is a must.

 

Tips and Advice

 

Remember that even if you’re short on time, do your best to not leave anything else to the last minute. If you’re Christmas shopping online, this especially applies to you – you don’t want your gifts to arrive after Christmas! To avoid the risk of this happening, make sure you get your orders placed before December 15th, leaving plenty of time for your shipment to arrive.

 

Another tip: if you really want to add as much productivity and efficiency as humanly possible, pick a theme for your Christmas presents. Themes can be anything from books to puzzles, clothes to home linens – the choice is yours. Basing gifts off of a theme will save you a lot of time and effort as you will visit hopefully only a few shops in the process!

 

Will you be checking off your to-do list early? Or running around in the last hour? Comment below!

 

 

 

 

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Nov 08
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5 Easy Steps to a Holiday-Ready Home

By Blog, Quick Organizing Tips, Time Management No Comments

Is your home ready for the holidays? The time is now upon us – there is absolutely no denying that!

 

You’ve got to finish up all the loose ends before you’re stuck cramming these last-minute tasks into one week. December is already packed tight with to-do’s and errands, so do you and your family a favor by getting them out of the way early.

 

This way you’ll actually have time to be present for that quality time!

 

Here are 5 easy steps to a “Holiday-Ready Home”:

 

 

  1. ✨ Declutter your Guest Areas

    The living room, dining room, kitchen, den, bathrooms, guest bedrooms… every social room in your house needs a thorough going-over. However tempting it may be, don’t stuff things inside cupboards praying it won’t fall out. Your guests might find themselves looking for toilet paper or dish-wares at some point and the last thing you want is a waterfall of clutter falling on them! Be prepared for this instead. Keep it organized and clutter free, period.

  2. ✨ Store Clutter Away

    We often underestimate how our every day clutter (or organized chaos) can seem more like a mess when we have a house full of guests. Why put ourselves through that embarrassment? All the excess clutter that you know you won’t be using during the holidays can be stored away while your guests are present. There has to be some space free in your garage, crawl space, attic etc. to simply set it aside until after the holidays. Who knows, you might like the freed up space anyhow!

  3. ✨ Have it Ready!

    Whether it’s your ingredients for cooking, your games for playing, or your fine dinnerware for serving, it is always wise to get it out and in an easily accessible location before your guests arrive. You’ll spend less time rushing around searching for items you haven’t used in a year and makes entertaining more fun and less stressful. Set yourself up for easy entertaining and more enjoyment this holiday season!

  4. ✨ Make it Sparkle

    Deep cleaning and making your home perfect is best done after the busy holiday season. Make your home sparkle where it counts! Like the powder bath, your kitchen, dining room, family room, and guest room if you have company coming to stay with you. Pick a couple areas and make them areas shine. A sparkly home over the holidays will make everyone’s hearts shine a little more too!

  5. ✨ Give them Luxury

    Those fancy towels you purchased that you’ve been afraid to use, it’s time to get them washed and ready for display! Your guests will absolutely love them and I know it will make you smile when you see them on display. It will be like staying at a spa or fancy hotel while they’re with you, and being pampered will automatically lift everyone’s spirits up!

And voila – you now have a Holiday-Ready Home!

Sometimes, it’s the smallest things that make the biggest impact. Only do what you have time for. And remember, it’s more about the experience and being present in the moment that matters most!

Do you have family coming to stay with you this Christmas? Comment below!

Happy Holidays everyone!

 

 

 

 

 

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Oct 31
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What is the Average Amount of Time We REALLY Spend at Home?

By Blog, Expert Articles, Photos, Time Management No Comments

Fall has sure come fast this year!

 

I swear just yesterday it was shorts season. And now I’m layering up more and more each day! ⛄ Brr!

 

As our last leaves dance their way down, I can’t help but think about when we’ll be seeing the first snowflakes. But don’t get me wrong – I am not looking forward to the piles and piles we’ll be shoveling again!

 

Aside from pushing around all that white stuff, I think I’ll be spending my time mostly indoors. Sure I love a good walk here and there during the winter, visiting friends around the city, and a few weekend getaway trips. However when it’s rainy and chilly outside, even these favourites make me want to stay indoors!

 

I would much rather cuddle up with a good book, a matcha tea latte, and positive energy than brave the chilly weather.

 

Take a moment to think about what you have been trying to do consistently or focus on improving in your life. This is a great way to figure out what your winter project may be and to set some goals in advance!

FREE Download: Fall Cleaning Checklist 🍂

 

Photo projects are a great winter task to tackle. As is pairing down on memorabilia, since they don’t require many supplies other than maybe a photo album if your photos are not digital!

 

I believe in you and I know you can do this! It’s not easy to start, but once you get through decluttering one shelf or check off a few To-Do’s, you get momentum.

 

With all of this extra time spent inside, it becomes so important that we love our spaces 🤍 I, for one, would not like to be cramped up in a cluttered home with little to no opportunity of regular daily escapes. I love having a vibrant, comfortable home to welcome me during the colder months.

 

Which is why I spend much of my leisure time improving systems around my home and doing regular clutter checks in hot spot areas I know can accumulate clutter easily.

 

For those of us who work from home, keeping up with clutter is vital. We normally spend (aside from the time spent sleeping) 62% of our time at home. That equals almost 10 hours each day! This leads me to believe that we need to curate our homes to maintain a healthy, productive atmosphere for ourselves, but more importantly, for our families.

In this time period we are also seeing more of what is called the “Indoor Generation.” This title refers to the growing number of people who are spending the vast majority of their time indoors.

 

From one study, Canadians estimated we spent 68% of our time indoors*… but in reality, it is actually 90% spent indoors – often without enough daylight or fresh air.

*Indoors referring not only to the home. This includes other buildings, enclosed methods of transportation, etc.

 

If that isn’t a scary enough statistic for you, listen to this: Children who spend this much time indoors will be more susceptible to asthma, allergies, and other breathing issues over time. A whopping 40% more likely than their outdoorsy counterparts.

 

 

This is exactly why it is of utter importance to be on top of cleaning and decluttering regularly 👍🏼 This doesn’t mean we need to be doing chores in every moment of free time, but rather choosing joy in the process of decluttering and organizing to make it enjoyable! Without this self-discipline we would actually be putting our health at a big risk. Since we are blessed to live somewhere in this world where we are able to keep our homes safe and clean, why would we neglect to do so?

 

Now that you know we will be spending much more time inside… would you like to know exactly how much more? 🤔 Here is the breakdown of the differences in activities for the winter months:

 

 

❄️ November

This first real month of winter (for most of us) is where we begin to see an increase for time spent inside. November coaxes us to watch TV and Netflix 6% more than the preceding 8 months. Our socializing is also down -2% as we adjust to spending more time indoors.

 

🤍 December

Did you know December is the runner-up to July for spending the most time with family and friends? This makes sense with the various holidays landing in these 31 days… but would you have guessed it’s up by 15%?? It also takes the number one spot as the month we spend the most time cooking; an additional 8%!

 

📺 January

January takes the prize for the most time we spend watching TV and Netflix – with a shocking 13% increase. This is made possible because we cut down on social interactions by about -12%. And as the holiday buzz simmers down, our patience for cooking does as well. This drops to only a 1% step above the majority of a year’s months.

I hope these statistics shocked you into wanting to be organized and highly productive as they did for me!

Which stat wow-ed you the most? And what goals will you set for this winter season?? Comment below!

 

 

 

 

 

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