HHP - 2019 - Week 1: Planning and Paperwork

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Holiday_Mom

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Here we are! It’s September 1st and we’re starting the House and Holiday Plan! Over the next 18 weeks, we’ll be getting ourselves and our homes ready for Christmas.

Each Sunday morning, I will try to post the link for the week that we are in. Feel free to post the link for the week if you get here before I do. We’ll share what we hope to accomplish for the week. Please post your progress throughout the week. I've learned so much and I've been encouraged by those mid week postings. Let’s cheer each other on as we get ready for one of our favorite times of the year! :)

Here’s the link to this week’s plan:

https://christmas.organizedhome.com/house-holidays-plan/01-planning-week


What do you hope to get done this week?
 
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Holiday_Mom

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Here's what I'm hoping to get done this week:

Household
  • Declutter and clean the home office. This will be a BIG undertaking. This office became a catch all room again. :rolleyes: Done

Holiday Prep
  • Look at the calendar and plan time to work on the HHP. Done
  • Set up a Christmas notebook and one on Google Sheets. I will be using a 5" x 8" binder for weekly planning. Then I'll transfer things to Google Sheets for mobile access.Done
  • Fill out the Family Values Worksheet.Done
  • Talk to dh about the holiday budget.Done
  • Begin a Master Gift List.Done
 
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happy2bme

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My Happy Place
I am so excited to get the plan started this year!!

Here are my tasks for the week:

Household:

declutter desk - Done
organize filing system - Done

Holiday Prep:

set up Christmas notebook - Done
establish a holiday budget - Done
begin a master gift list - Done
 
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Sugarplum

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I've been working on decluttering paperwork and office supplies, files, etc. for a few weekends now. I have my planner setup and have been reading all the lists and things to do.

I plan on following the plan and then adding other items that I can manage as usually I can only work on this stuff on the weekends.

House:
-ALL paperwork/files have been purged and organized. Tote of shredding to be taken care of.
-6 Drawers in the kitchen have been cleaned, decluttered and organized.
-Re-organized the two upper cabinets that I switched last year and were driving me crazy. Other cabinets are fine.
-We are also painting and doing new flooring so home improvement list is being worked on as well.

Holiday:
-Started my holiday baking supply, paper goods and pantry shopping list of items I regularly buy and start getting a little each week.
-Baking planner and any new recipes to try; baking schedule; dough to make ahead & freeze (AFTER hurricane season!)
-Thinking and looking for Halloween costume inspiration. We go all out at work. Plus need potluck ideas for our work party for lunch.
-Also buying Dollar Store Fall/Halloween/Thanksgiving items before they are sold out. Christmas next.
-Thinking about Thanksgiving plans, have to decide if we are going to sister's beach house this year.
-Thanksgiving planner/recipes put together.
-I always create my menu lists for all the upcoming holiday events, shopping lists, timelines. We are very traditional with the same things each year, but always fun to try something new.
-Creating gift list - ideas

So I did start a little early this season, but with work & travel, hurricane season and home improvements I decided I needed some fun things to do! Love this time of year.
 

MinnieCo

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House:
X Declutter Desk Drawers
X File my 2019 Paperwork to date
X Purge Stored Documents Prior to 2012
Refile 2016 Amended Return
Organize Pantry

Holiday:
Complete Values Exercise
X Create Planning Center (move to bedroom)
X Start a Master Gift List
X Make a couple batches of Thumb Print dough for freezer
Get to Dollar Tree for Metal Fall Words
X Check spices and make a list of needs
X Check baking goods and make a list of needs

To Call:
Make GYN check up appt
Make Gastro check up appt
Call Chiropractor
 
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Holiday_Mom

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-Also buying Dollar Store Fall/Halloween/Thanksgiving items before they are sold out. Christmas next.

That is a good reminder. You are so right about things selling out there. That recently happened to me with buying patriotic items. I had to go to three Dollar Tree Stores to find four paper lanterns with the LED lights inside.
 

Holiday_Mom

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I spent time today going through the book cases. I have 2 small boxes of books to be donated. This room is so overwhelming to me. I think I'll work on one wall a day and then another day work on things that have been left on the floor.

The Christmas Notebook and the online notebook are ready.

The next few weeks are going to be busy during the evenings which is when I typically try to get to the bulk of my holiday prep. I've scheduled other times to work on the HHP so I don't loose momentum.
 
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housewife2

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i put a lot of stuff in my planner. made grocery lists and made menus for the week. made a christmas list of a few things i want to get
 
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Holiday Barbie

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I got my front porch clean yesterday before it got too hot outside. It’s too early for the Fall wreath and flowers. I need to replace a few of my pots, so I’ll pick those up this week.

The rest of the week will be spent on making lists. My Christmas card list needs updating the most since several friends and family members have moved this year.

I hope everyone has a productive week one!
 

Holiday_Mom

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Welcome, Holiday Barbie! :)

I got through another section of the office. I feel like I spent as much time on trying to replace the ink cartridges for the printer as I did cleaning the office. The printer still isn't working properly. Dh will have to look at it. I'm not good at these things.
 
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Sugarplum

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Well, life sure likes to throw you a curve ball now again. After I posted I found my husband passed away in his sleep. I'll be back after dealing with this traumatic experience. I will continue to celebrate with my family and now I have an even bigger project with dealing with the stuff. Just will be bittersweet, but he would want me to go on.
 

luludou

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??? Robin? So sorry for your loss. Know we are here for you in your oment of need :(
 

Myron's Mom

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Busy making my lists!
I know that the outside will be left until after all the soybeans are harvested. There will be so much dust and we are surrounded by fields. Kitchen will wait until after I make applesauce. No sense in cleaning when I know I’ll be scraping it off the floor and walls.(yes I’m messy!)
For this week I’ll be purging some of my fall stuff as I decorate. And deep cleaning the living room and dining room.
One of my biggest items will be looking for new tree lights. I’m so picky and I’ve seen nothing that I like.
 

happy2bme

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Sugarplum - I am so very sorry for your loss. Sending you big hugs.
 
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Holiday_Mom

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Oh my goodness, Robin, I'm so sorry to read this.
 
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Holiday_Mom

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The Holiday Prep part is going nicely. I got the Family Values sheet done. I had to refer to last year's notes. The Master Gift list has been started. The budget has been set.

The Household is progressing too. I sorted through more bags and boxes and put things away where they belong. Another day or two and I should be finished in the office.
 

Holiday_Mom

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I am content with the way the office looks now. Things are back in their places and the room has been decluttered of paper and books. The printer is working now. Apparently, the nozzle dried up from disuse over the summer. o_O

How's everyone else doing this first week of the HHP?
 

MinnieCo

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Oh Robin...I'm soooo sorry!!! Heartbreaking I'm sure. Hang in there!

I came on to say I got some cookie dough made..I'm excited. I'm actually doing something I saved from a magazine last year. You use one specific recipe for the base of the cookie, which is a thumpprint cookie, then you switch it up with that. You may add a different extract to the cookie dough or cocoa powder, then they are all filled different. So for example..... I have a mint dough, that I'll use with red and green sprinkles and then put a candy disc to melt in the middle...very festive. Then I have a lemon dough I'll roll in coconut and then fill with lemon curd. And I did an almond dough I'll use to make an almond cherry cookie. You fill it with cherry pie filling and add a couple roasted almond slices on top. This way I can have this on hand for potlucks or Christmas Eve or whenever I need them. I thought it was fun! I see people on here make their dough early, so I'm giving it a try. I'll use my sealer machine...Can't think what it's called at the moment. Geez!!

I'm going to work on my desk area (and crafting area in the same vicinity) so I can work on filing some papers in the morning. My desk was purged earlier this year so it's in pretty good shape. I did get my printer up and working so that's done already!
 

Myron's Mom

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Living room is about done. Cleaned windows, washed, ironed and rehung curtains, cleaned all the glass( curio doors, picture frames etc), washed base boards and dusted,and washed all the blankets that cover my furniture ( cat hair issues). I still need to polish all the wood furniture but my manicure still looks nice and gloves are not my friend. I’ll wait until my polish starts to chip or right before my next appointment and then do all the furniture in the house.
Tomorrow I’ll do the dining room. I haven’t touched my fall decorating yet.
 

MinnieCo

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Sounds like you got alot done MM!
 
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