News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Information:
Stephanie L. H. Calahan
Phone: 309.825.7833
Fax: 309.422.7665
questions@calahansolutions.com
www.calahansolutions.com
Holiday Planning Made Simple
Tips to Help You Manage the Holiday Rush
BLOOMINGTON, IL – December 5, 2005 – The holiday season is upon us and for many it is a hectic and stressful time of year. It does not have to be! “The holiday season is a time for making room for what is important to you. How you do that is your choice,” says professional organizer Stephanie Calahan. Visit www.calahansolutions.com and look for the “Holiday Planning Guide” for a detailed project plan! She offered the following tips for making this holiday season less stressful.
Entertaining Does Not Have to Be Hard -- Use Your Best Talents
Try not to do it all when you entertain. If you are a fantastic hostess, then spend your time mingling and making your guests comfortable instead of cooking. Understand your strengths and then work towards them!
- Ensure You Have Freezer Space - Make sure you will have enough room in your freezer or refrigerator for the turkey. If you don't have enough room, plan now to make room by eating meals made from some of the items taking up the space.
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- Easy Food Preparation - Order cold food trays from the deli or hot meals from your favorite restaurant. If you are a member of a warehouse club like Sam’s Club, check out their party trays, there are amazing deals there!
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- Decorations - If you love to cook but hate decorating, ask a friend to help in exchange for some baked goods. You can also consider working with florists, interior designers or a college student from the art or drama department. They will decorate your home for the event for a fee (they also undecorated for you!)
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- Cook Ahead - Make any meals that you can well ahead of time, and freeze them. On the party day, just defrost heat and serve. You will save tons of time, plus you'll be able to join in the festivities without being stuck in the kitchen.
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- Perform a Safety Check of Your Home - If you are having young children in your home, do a safety check of your home. Are medicines and cleaners out of reach? Do your outlets have covers? Do you have breakable items that might be better off on a higher shelf? Do a thorough check of each room the children will occupy.
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- Help to Make Next Year's Holidays Even Easier - The easiest way to remember how you had everything laid out in your home or office is to take photos from several angles and points within your house/office. Take a full shot of the exterior. Include shots of table setting, mantelpiece, and other focal points. Make notes on the back of each picture about items used and then store with your holiday decorations.
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Gift Giving
- Create a Gift Center in Your Home - Designate one place in your home for all your gift-wrapping needs. (I.e. a drawer, closet, or storage box) When you only have to make one trip for your tape, scissors, paper, ribbon, pen and cards-gift giving is both fun and easy. Also store the gifts you plan to give in the same place. Set up one storage tub for "kid gifts" and another for "adult gifts" and make sure to include a flat surface for wrapping.
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- Keep Hostess Gifts on Hand - Keep hostess gifts on hand, have them in the same area and have them categorized. For example, frames should be kept together, books, vases, etc. Now it will be easy to choose a gift and wrap it before your evening out. Be considerate the easy way!
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- Gift Giving - Still searching for gift ideas for those not-so-easy-to-buy-for folks on your list? Here are some ideas on how to approach the gift-giving season: 1. first, make a list of everyone for whom you'll be buying a gift. 2. Next, think of the last two conversations you had with that person. What did they talk about? 3. Spend a few minutes thinking about their lifestyle for clues on what they can use.
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Making Room for what is Important to You
- Differentiate between obligations and choices. If you have been dragging yourself to the company party for years, attended a boring present swap so many times that you have lost count, or you are dreading doing one more time consuming fundraiser, let yourself off the hook. When you thin your holiday schedule of unwanted obligations, you are choosing to make room for the activities that are truly important to you and will create lasting memories. Your family will thank you for it.
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- Make a Balance Plan - Your life consists of Seven Vital Areas: Health, Family, Financial, Intellectual, Social, Professional, and Spiritual. You will not spend equal amounts of time in each area or time every day in each area. But, if in the long run, you are spending a sufficient quantity and quality of time in each area, then your life will be balanced. But ignore any one of your areas, (never mind two or three!) and you will get out of balance and potentially sabotage your success. Fail to take time now for your health and you will have to take time for illness later on. Ignore your family and they may leave you and cost you a lot of time to re-establish relationships, etc.
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If you would like more free ideas for how to make your home, work and life run with less stress, visit the Calahan Solutions, Inc. Web site at www.calahansolutions.com.
For information: http://www.calahansolutions.com or
Contact: questions@calahansolutions.com
Phone: 309.825.7833
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About Calahan Solutions and Stephanie L. H. Calahan
You Won't Have to Do it Our Way, Because We Help You Find YOUR Way!™
Calahan Solutions, Inc. (www.calahansolutions.com) is a premier professional organizing and consulting firm, serving a national and local clientele in corporate settings, home-based businesses, and residential environments. Calahan Solutions, Inc. is a member of NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers), NSGCD (the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization), NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners) and the BBB (Better Business Bureau.)
Stephanie L. H. Calahan is a Professional Organizer and founder of Calahan Solutions, Inc. and www.calahansolutions.com - offering organization consulting for business, home and life. Visit www.calahansolutions.com for free tips, free organizing reports, downloads, organizing products and service offerings.
Direct comments or questions about this article, including requests for reprint rights, to:
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Stephanie L. H. Calahan
Calahan Solutions, Inc.
8 Shoreline Court
Bloomington IL 61704
Phone: 309.825.7833
Fax: 309.422.7665
questions@calahansolutions.com |
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