Pre-Holiday Planning

The holidays are coming. Whatever you celebrate, it will be here quickly. December has many trying to wrap the year at work. There is also holiday planning, including travel plans, shopping, decorating and meal planning if the family is coming to you. December is a busy month.

With so much to do, you need a plan. Sit down with a calendar and note pad and lay it all out. Having all of your ‘to do’ items in one place is the first step. Who do you need to shop for, list them by name, and any gift ideas you already have. If you are shipping gifts you have an earlier deadline. Which meals are you hosting, when, and how many are coming? What needs to be done to ‘prep the home’ for guests to arrive? Put holiday parties on the calendar, note when you travel, or when others arrive.

When you remember something, write it down. When something changes, update it. December can be joyous, but also stressful. Having a single source of information to reference will reduce that stress.

Once organized, now you need to get all this done. If you need outside help, call them early. If you need a cleaning service to do a deep clean, or a home improvement company to ‘improve’ some aspect of your home – say repair drywall damage and paint it – call them now and get scheduled. Their schedules will fill up and you want to be on their list.

More shopping is happening online, which means you do not need to leave the home. This lulls some into an ‘I have time’ mindset. Then, they find the products they want are on backorder, or the delivery is delayed in the holiday crush. Block time on the calendar and get your shopping done so that things arrive on time.

If you are hosting people this holiday season there is a lot of planning around meals. Meals with loved ones can be wonderful events. For some, however, holiday meals are dependent on others. Non-profits, food pantries and religious organizations work hard to feed the disadvantaged all year round, but they put special effort into the holiday season.

If you believe there is a ‘reason for the season’ then donating to one of these organizations is a beautiful thing. Better yet, volunteer as a group to help prepare or serve a holiday meal. There are few better feelings in life than helping others, especially those in need. Set an example for your loved ones, do it as a group, and bring holiday joy to all involved – both those serving and eating the meal.

If you need help with many different things before friends and family arrive for holiday festivities and meals, know that the Neighborly companies includes 17 established brands providing a wide range of home services. Do you need home improvement, maintenance, or repair help? Home cleaning? Plumbing, electrical, or HVAC work? Appliance repair, glass replacement, painting, pressure washing, or garage door help? How about pull out cabinet organization, mosquito control or your dryer vent cleaned? The Neighborly family of home service brands is your source for local home service experts for these needs, and many more. Visit Neighborly.com to lean more about how the Neighborly family can help your family prepare for the holidays.