HGP Week 9: Oct. 27 - Nov. 2, 2013

[HouseElf]

Pantry / Closets Week
By Cynthia Ewer, Author of Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Organized


Week Nine at the Holiday Grand Plan, Pantry Week, finds us still in the kitchen.

This week, we focus on food storage, the pantry and any additional closets. Taking time to declutter, deep-clean and organize these storage areas will pay off when holiday baking begins.

Holiday prep chores this week see us begin to address Christmas cards, continue to work on holiday gifts, and start thinking about Thanksgiving dinner.

Ready? Let's get organized with Pantry Week in the Holiday Grand Plan!

Cleaning/Organizing Area:

Pantry and Closets

Pantry / Additional Closets
Pantry / Closets checklist

Holiday Prep:

• Make one batch of Holiday Goodies.
• Make one extra meal for freezer again labeled HOLIDAY MEAL.
• Buy two canned food items from menus (get 2 of each item, one to use and one to donate to food drive).
• Buy 1/8th of TO BUY gifts. Save all receipts, note return policy before buying. Ask for gift boxes.
• Wrap and label packages. If needing to ship, get some shipping boxes now and store packages in them.
• Work at least 1 hour a day on homemade gifts.
• Start addressing Christmas cards and writing Christmas letter.
• Find family photo suitable for inclusion with Christmas card.
• Involve the whole family. Do not seal cards yet, keep them in a box in alphabetical order, as you think of things that you want to say to them pull out the card and add a note.
• Send invitations for Thanksgiving.
• Prepare for special needs-extra beds, babies?
• Buy extra batteries (check gifts).
• Order turkey.

 

[luludou]

Pantries & closets are done... except for ds's!

working on ribbon pouches to put small chocolates in and finishing the Christmas ornaments I am making this year. Next will be Christmas cards.
This week need to order stuff online. as I am having problems with my feet & knees I will try to shop more online.
put winter stuff out in the front closet today... just to be ready! put away patio chairs & got screens all put away on the 1st floor... tomorrow will get the basement ones.

 

[HouseElf]

Thanksgiving dinner is behind us (Canadian), this week is Halloween - so I do have a wee bit of work to do there!

Happy for the focus to remain in the kitchen this week, have completed lots of cooking and need to work towards organizing and prepare for holiday baking. I use the kitchen so much more as the weather turns cold!

We have three turkeys, and three cured half hams in the freezer (from after Thanksgiving sales). Planning holiday meals around them!

We need to have a family photo taken this year - a picture outside. I really dislike my picture taken - prefer to be behind the lens.

When my sister in-law came down, she brought a bag of my husbands childhood pictures. Decided to put them together in an album for him as a Christmas gift. Starting this project tomorrow, hoping to finish this week in the evenings as he is away. I also need to drop into knit knackers and pick up some wool - for his scarf.

Lucie, sorry to hear about your feet/knees. Online shopping can be easier for many things - best of luck!

We have cleaned and put away the screens, but need to do some more repairs and get the storm windows up! At least the town is not fuelled by coal as it was when this house was built, maintaining these windows was a lot more work then.

 

[HouseElf]

Continued work on the windows this week, celebrated Halloween, and finished the pantry! :snowman: