You’re busy during the holidays. The last thing you want to think about is organizing on top of all that cooking, shopping and running around you’re doing. Well, just like most things in life, what you put in determines what you get out. A little time investment to organize, will go a long way on saving you time, money and frustration down the road. Here are three simple tips and tricks to help you make it through the holidays.
I get a lot of questions about what to do with the cards you receive. You could throw them out or recycle them of course. You could also cut them up and use them as gift tags next year. You could also let your child use them as art supplies. However, if you want to keep them, I suggest this method; punch a hold in one corner of the card and then insert a book ring. Write the year on the pack somewhere and then you have a keepsake that’s worthy of sitting on the coffee table! I have been doing this for a few years and it’s fun to see how kinds have grown and lives have changes in just that short amount of time.
I’m not sure why I didn’t do this earlier, but because my life is so much better for it, I’m sharing it with you. Instead of having extra fuses and light bulbs in all of those tiny plastic bags, put them into a small case like this one. This case is from Creative Options Containers. You could also use a small tackle box, which are usually available at the dollar store. I divided the bulbs and fuses so I could clearly identify what set the items belonged to. When I put up my lights this year and, as you know, some didn’t work (what happens when they are stored for the summer?!), I just grabbed this little kit and did the replacing. SO much easier than finding those baggies!
Ornament hooks are the socks of the Christmas world. They seem to disappear off ornaments and into thin air. Any time I’ve bought ornament hooks they come in these little paper and plastic packages. Once they are opened, there’s no way to close them. Thus, you have an ornament hook mess after you’ve used one. I was determined to find a little order. I found these small boxes at Staples (they live up to their name of Really Useful Boxes!) for just $1.49. I bought a few extra too 
I labeled them with the color of the hooks inside and although they will still be a little tangled inside, I will at least be able to find one when I need it!
