November is about being thankful for everything: Health,
family, & friends.
This time of year can be stressful and challenging for many because they need a bit of organizational direction.
As an organizer, I’m constantly asked by friends and acquaintances how to get organized for Thanksgiving and the holiday season. My answer is simple: Plan ahead.
Let’s talk about Thanksgiving. As a result of the current pandemic, this November may not necessarily be about big Thanksgiving get-togethers, but you still may be hosting and you’ll need to start to get organized and plan.
Starting early and not waiting for the last moment is key.
1. Make lists of what you need to purchase. One of my favorite things to do is to use the Amazon Alexa app to create “shopping lists.” Not only can you create any type of list with Alexa, but you can tell her what to put on it. So as you are planning that recipe or hoping you’ll remember to buy a bouquet of flowers, just ask her to put it on your shopping list. This eliminates the need for a paper list (that inevitably gets left on the kitchen counter..lol) and it’s automatically populated in your Alexa app.
Another option to manage your to-do list is called TeuxDeux. It’s simple and doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles…try it!
2. Consider using an inventory app like Sortly. There are quite a few home inventory apps out there, and keeping track of your items and where they are in your home can be a tedious process. If you know what you have in your home and where it is, taking out what you need for any holiday or occasion will be a snap. You’ll be happy to avoid the headache of trying to find the things that you need at the last minute.
3. Thanksgiving brings us to the holiday season and everyone’s time is so precious.
To keep track of all of your online purchases, try an app that syncs with your Gmail app called Arrive. Not only will it track your online orders from Amazon and Walmart, but it will also give you status updates with UPS, USPS, FedEx and DHL.
No more searching through emails!
4. Trying to locate your holiday decorations can be challenging if you don’t have a “home” for them all. Consider organizing these items in clear, plastic, labeled bins. This will keep everything neat, tidy and you’ll always know where to find what you need.
Happy Holidays to you and your family from the Lisa eOrganizer team!
Lisa Haubenstock is a Professional Organizer and owner of LisaTheOrganizer, LLC. servicing Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties. She is a member of NAPO and serves on the board of the South Florida chapter. She holds certificates in household management and residential organizing.
Email Lisa at Lisa@lisatheorganizer.com.