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5 Ways To Stay Organized During The Holidays #Holidaysarecalling

December 18, 2014 in Holidays, Sponsored

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HolidaysAreCalling #CollectiveBias

christmas

Over the years, I’ve never really been one to have it “all together” when it comes to the holiday season.  Never have I been on time with anything.   If the presents were wrapped, the cookies were not baked yet. If the menu was planned, the house wasn’t cleaned. But recently I have vowed to get better at being a little more organized.  Baby steps, right?

Now that my kids are a little older I thought it would be easier to get everything planned out.  Wrong!  My oldest is all over the place with her school activities, sports and church commitments and travelling and the other two are just as busy with school and daycare. Increased responsibilities at work and planning family gatherings and shopping for gifts can get rather crazy.

With the holidays right around the corner, how do you stay on top of your to-do lists, wish lists and shopping bargains?  I’m going to be honest here, my phone has a HUGE part of my organizing this year.  Here are 5 ways I am staying organized this holiday season.

5.  STAYING ON TRACK WITH SLEEP AND EXERCISE:  Just because I have a lot going on and things to remember and do, I make sure I am going to bed at a decent time and exercising at least 5 days a week. There is no way I would survive the stress without getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night and running off a bit of stress on the treadmill.

4. SHOPPING ONLINE: I do love supporting our small businesses in our community and I do quite frequently physically go into a store, but there is nothing easier than shopping online. And most businesses do have a website to order from in this day in age. Since I usually spend quite a bit of time online anyways, I do compare prices on competitive retailers and snag up some good deals.

3. LISTS: I always keep a handwritten list. Keeping a list makes me feel as if I have some control of my mind and what is even better is the feeling when you get to cross a task off the list. Another helpful tip is to have lists for each task you are working on. For example, you can have a gift giving checklist, a card sending checklist, a baking checklist, etc. Each list will help you stay on track to help get things done more efficiently. A gift giving checklist, for example, should have separate columns — name of recipient, budget, gift idea, store where to purchase gift, etc. This list will help you stay on budget and let you monitor who you still need to buy for.

2. SET A GIFT GIVING LIMIT: If you have a large family, consider drawing names or buying just for the children. Set a price limit so everyone spends the same amount. Sometimes buying for everyone in your family can get outrageously expensive and overwhelming. My philosophy is that Christmas isn’t about the gifts. The real gift is spending time with each other! Right?

And now for the finale…big drumroll please! The number one way I am staying organized this holiday season is…

1.  MY PHONE:   I have found that my phone is my third hand, from voice reminders to keeping notes as they pop into my head. Heck there are even some pretty cool apps out there such as Google Calender or Remind me to help me put in events and other notes to keep myself on track.

walmart1

And now, we had been debating on getting our daughter her own phone and have finally budged thanks to Walmart Family Mobile, an affordable and easy-to-use mobile service. So we are now able to track her down without having to call Jim Bob’s cousin’s cousin who has a daughter on the same team as my daughter’s basketball team.

walmart2

walmart3

The Walmart Family Mobile service is $34.88/month for Unlimited Talk, Text, & Web ($29.88 for the second line) and it comes with 5GB of 3G Data.

They are also currently featuring some pretty cool smartphones on rollback right now so you are not limited to just a couple options:

Alcatel One Touch Evolve 2 – $49.88 (was $59.88)
ZTE ZMAX – $179.00 (was $199.88)
LG L90 – $119.00 (was $179.88)
Nokia Lumia 635 – $99.88 (was $129.88)
Samsung Galaxy Exhibit – $79.88 (was $99.88)
Nokia Lumia 530 – $49.88 (was $69.88)

And if you decide to snag up a Samsung Galaxy Avant between 12/14-12/27, there will be a $40 Walmart Gift Card promotion with purchase.

lola1

 

Lola really likes Autumn’s new phone and is trying to make a few holiday phone calls.

 

What are some ways you keep organized during the holiday season?

0
22 Comments
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. danielle@simmworksfamily.com'Danielle says

    December 23, 2014 at 4:16 am

    It’s so hard to stay on track with exercise and eating during the holidays! It’s one of my biggest hurdles this time of year. #client

    Reply
  2. massmommie@gmail.com'Robin Rue (@massholemommy) says

    December 23, 2014 at 7:15 pm

    I do the majority of my shopping online. It is definitely a lifesaver this time of year.

    Reply
  3. bluevioletnut@gmail.com'Liz Mays says

    December 23, 2014 at 8:26 pm

    I’ve tried organizing using my phone, but I haven’t been able to stick to it. I definitely make lists though.

    Reply
  4. perezfamily95@aol.com'Carmen Perez (Listen2 Mama) says

    December 23, 2014 at 10:08 pm

    My life is all about lists. I’m OCD and super organized, but if it’s not on my list (or my calendar), it just doesn’t get done!

    Reply
  5. khourtniey@gmail.com'LifeAsAConvert says

    December 23, 2014 at 10:35 pm

    I don’t know if I could shop online.. I would probably get distracted.

    Reply
  6. marison459@sbcglobal.net'Theresa says

    December 23, 2014 at 11:10 pm

    I did a lot of my shopping online this year. I was short on time and it really was a blessing having it all ordered and shipped right to my home without dealing with the holiday traffic!

    Reply
  7. dragonfly1611@gmail.com'Sarah Bailey says

    December 24, 2014 at 12:03 am

    I need to try and write more lists again this year, I used to be super organised.. But not anymore. x

    Reply
  8. pamwattenbarger@yahoo.com'Pam says

    December 24, 2014 at 12:15 am

    I have been trying to use my phone more to help e stay organized. It’s much better than writing lists on any spare scrap of paper.

    Reply
  9. sixtimemommy@gmail.com'Jeanine says

    December 24, 2014 at 2:09 am

    Great ideas. I always Make lists and I shop online when I can and when I remember lol!

    Reply
  10. savingyoudinero@gmail.com'Janell Poulette says

    December 24, 2014 at 2:57 am

    I totally need these tips! On top of Christmas we are moving in January. I am so unorganized.

    Reply
  11. homeschoolingblesssings@yahoo.com'Mama to 5 BLessings says

    December 24, 2014 at 1:53 pm

    List….. I have so many of them of this time of the year. My little ones find them and rip them up!

    Reply
  12. soaringplaces@gmail.com'Rosey says

    December 24, 2014 at 2:44 pm

    The phone is attached to my daughter’s hand too, and she uses it for so many things. I guess no matter your age, those come in handy for organization and reminders. 🙂

    Reply
  13. april@skinnyover40.com'April Decheine says

    December 24, 2014 at 3:36 pm

    Awesome tips, I feel so disorganized this year since moving from MN, we lost a bunch of paperwork that I need to stay organized.

    Reply
  14. chrystal@yumeating.com'Chrystal @ YUM eating says

    December 24, 2014 at 4:38 pm

    I am a list maker. My lists have lists. I shop year round for holidays and birthdays. I keep saying I am going to make master list for them so I know what I have on hand. I keep putting that off.

    Reply
  15. pam@imperfectwomen.com'Pam says

    December 24, 2014 at 9:37 pm

    Lists, lists and more lists and use my gmail calendar. Any calendar would work but I love the features it has.

    Reply
  16. Inkscrblr@rogers.com'Paula Schuck says

    December 24, 2014 at 10:36 pm

    I am striving to be organized. It’s hard this time of year. I like the idea of voice reminders/ makes sense!

    Reply
  17. cool.moms.cool.tips@gmail.com'coolchillmom says

    December 24, 2014 at 11:04 pm

    Your list is ideal! plus this phones allow us to keep connected!

    Reply
  18. aishakristinechong@gmail.com'Aisha Kristine Chong says

    December 26, 2014 at 7:28 am

    Just like our expenses – we do need to set some limitations and budget wisely.

    Reply
  19. lisariosonline@gmail.com'Lisa Rios says

    December 26, 2014 at 11:55 am

    I love the idea! I used to make a note on my to do list in my smart phone. This tips would be helpful to every one for this holiday season. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  20. krystalbutherus@gmail.com'Krystal says

    December 26, 2014 at 8:49 pm

    I just got my Walmart Family Mobile phone this month too! It is so easy to use and a real money saver.

    Reply
  21. mrs198128@yahoo.com'Melissa Smith says

    December 28, 2014 at 6:32 pm

    I keep my lists on my phone this time of year because it makes it so easy to adjust while I’m out & about. As long as I don’t kill my battery, I’m good to go! LOL

    Reply
  22. katrina.gehman@gmail.com'katrina g says

    December 30, 2014 at 3:14 am

    I love shopping online! it makes things so much easier. great tips!!!

    Reply

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We've been loading up on protein, carbs and chocolate milk in our household!  For every Cass Clay milk you purchase, you can snap a photo of your receipt, upload it to http://www.fueltheirdrive.com/cassclay and have a chance to win up to $10k for your athletic department. Is your school on the leaderboard?  Check out the top schools for the area here:
https://fueltheirdrive.com/cassclay/en-us/Leaderboard

Again, quick recap on how you can help your high school athletic department:  Simply buy Cass Clay milk, snap a photo of your receipt and upload it to www.fueltheirdrive.com/cassclay and then vote for your favorite high school!  Help push your school to the top.  Find Cass Clay milk at a local retailer near you, including Walmart.

CASS CLAY WILL AWARD 16 GRANTS RANGING FROM $1K-$10K TO SCHOOL COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING NORTH DAKOTA! WIN-WIN! LET'S GOOO! 

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My famous “mom” line is, “make sure you are My famous “mom” line is, “make sure you are drinking water!” Or “are you drinking water?” Or “do you need some more water?” Any sort of variation can come out of my mouth at any given time.  Ask my kids and they will confirm.  If there is one thing that I know is that staying hydrated is so important. 

Clean drinking water is even better! I introduce to you ZeroWater.  Only ZeroWater leaves 000 dissolved solids, for the purest tasting water. ZeroWater is the only filter certified by the NSF to reduce both Lead and Chromium. It also has a premium 5-stage filter versus the standard conventional 2-stage filter used by other brands.

I am teaming up with @zerowater000 to give away a zero water pitcher.  This pitcher comes with a water quality meter and premium 5-stage ion exchange filter!

The Ready-Pour technology allows you to dispense filtered water as the reservoir continues to filter. No need to wait until the pitcher is full to start enjoying.

Here’s the deal and the rules. 
*must “like” this post
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It’s that easy to enter. 
Good luck! 

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Winner will be announced on 10/15/2021 
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Today’s good mood is sponsored by coffee. #nati Today’s good mood is sponsored by coffee.

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Are you a coffee fan? If so, what is your favorite coffee brand? How do you like your coffee? How many cups do you drink per day? 

#coffee #coffeelover #coffeegram #coffeeaddict #coffeelife #coffeeholic #coffeedaily #coffeecoffeecoffee #coffeevibes #coffeebreak #coffeeislove #yumyum #cantleavewithoutit #cantleavehomewithoutit❤️
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#ourneighborhood #myneighborhood #fallseason #fallisintheair #fallismyfavorite #fallvibes #fallcolors #changeisgood #beautifulview #myviewrightnow #myviewisbetterthanyours #sunrise #gorgeousviews #autumn #autumnvibes
Sorry Kanye, but this is the greatest of all time. Sorry Kanye, but this is the greatest of all time. The Goat of all soups. And it’s easy to make too. 

🍁 Vegetable Soup 
Here’s what you need: 
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 medium)
2 cups peeled and chopped carrots (about 5)
1 1/4 cups chopped celery (about 3)
4 cloves garlic , minced
4 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth* or vegetable broth
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes (undrained)
3 cups peeled and 1/2-inch thick diced potatoes (from about 3 medium)
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped frozen or fresh green beans
1 1/4 cups frozen or fresh corn
1 cup frozen or fresh peas 

Instructions:

🍁 Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. 
🍁 Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute 4 minutes then add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer.
🍁 Add in broth, tomatoes, potatoes, parsley, bay leaves, thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste*.
🍁 Bring to a boil, then add green beans. 
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For the full how to: check out Vegetable soup on the cookingclassy.com. 

#comfortfood #soupseason #soupdejour #souprecipes #nummanum #yummy #soupfordays #fallsoup #fallsoupseason #vegetablesoup #vegetablesoup #soupmaker #deliciousness #delicious #cookingclassy #comfortfoods #goatsoup🐐 #greatestofalltime #whatsfordinnertonight #whatsfordinnertomorrow #itswhatsfordinner
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I love the colors. I love the decor. I love the fall fashion. I love the fall food.  I love it all! I had a few floral arrangements I had created by  different local small town florists.  Here are my faves.  Aren’t they gorgeous? And how cute is that little pumpkin? 

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Follow on Instagram
#FuelTheirDrive #CassClay #Sponsored We’re geari #FuelTheirDrive #CassClay #Sponsored We’re gearing up for the final weeks of cross country AND the Fuel Their Drive competition. 

We've been loading up on protein, carbs and chocolate milk in our household!  For every Cass Clay milk you purchase, you can snap a photo of your receipt, upload it to http://www.fueltheirdrive.com/cassclay and have a chance to win up to $10k for your athletic department. Is your school on the leaderboard?  Check out the top schools for the area here:
https://fueltheirdrive.com/cassclay/en-us/Leaderboard

Again, quick recap on how you can help your high school athletic department:  Simply buy Cass Clay milk, snap a photo of your receipt and upload it to www.fueltheirdrive.com/cassclay and then vote for your favorite high school!  Help push your school to the top.  Find Cass Clay milk at a local retailer near you, including Walmart.

CASS CLAY WILL AWARD 16 GRANTS RANGING FROM $1K-$10K TO SCHOOL COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING NORTH DAKOTA! WIN-WIN! LET'S GOOO! 

No Purch. Nec. Ends 10/15/21. 16+, IA, IL, KS, MN, NE, ND, WI only, Rules: http://pl.fyi/zw2
My famous “mom” line is, “make sure you are My famous “mom” line is, “make sure you are drinking water!” Or “are you drinking water?” Or “do you need some more water?” Any sort of variation can come out of my mouth at any given time.  Ask my kids and they will confirm.  If there is one thing that I know is that staying hydrated is so important. 

Clean drinking water is even better! I introduce to you ZeroWater.  Only ZeroWater leaves 000 dissolved solids, for the purest tasting water. ZeroWater is the only filter certified by the NSF to reduce both Lead and Chromium. It also has a premium 5-stage filter versus the standard conventional 2-stage filter used by other brands.

I am teaming up with @zerowater000 to give away a zero water pitcher.  This pitcher comes with a water quality meter and premium 5-stage ion exchange filter!

The Ready-Pour technology allows you to dispense filtered water as the reservoir continues to filter. No need to wait until the pitcher is full to start enjoying.

Here’s the deal and the rules. 
*must “like” this post
*follow @mamasitaal 
*follow @zerowater000
*tag a friend to receive an extra entry (the more you tag, the more entries you get)

It’s that easy to enter. 
Good luck! 

This giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram. 
Winner will be announced on 10/15/2021 
#ZeroWater #LiveLifeAtZero #creatorco #onetreeplanted #creatorsplanttrees
Today’s good mood is sponsored by coffee. #nati Today’s good mood is sponsored by coffee.

#nationalcoffeeday should be every day and let me tell you, Starbucks cinnamon dolce is my fave.  I top mine off with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Perfection. 

Are you a coffee fan? If so, what is your favorite coffee brand? How do you like your coffee? How many cups do you drink per day? 

#coffee #coffeelover #coffeegram #coffeeaddict #coffeelife #coffeeholic #coffeedaily #coffeecoffeecoffee #coffeevibes #coffeebreak #coffeeislove #yumyum #cantleavewithoutit #cantleavehomewithoutit❤️
Crisp air. Pretty leaves. Sweaters and boots. Foot Crisp air. Pretty leaves. Sweaters and boots. Football. Coffee and pumpkins.  I love fall. 

#ourneighborhood #myneighborhood #fallseason #fallisintheair #fallismyfavorite #fallvibes #fallcolors #changeisgood #beautifulview #myviewrightnow #myviewisbetterthanyours #sunrise #gorgeousviews #autumn #autumnvibes
Sorry Kanye, but this is the greatest of all time. Sorry Kanye, but this is the greatest of all time. The Goat of all soups. And it’s easy to make too. 

🍁 Vegetable Soup 
Here’s what you need: 
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 medium)
2 cups peeled and chopped carrots (about 5)
1 1/4 cups chopped celery (about 3)
4 cloves garlic , minced
4 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth* or vegetable broth
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes (undrained)
3 cups peeled and 1/2-inch thick diced potatoes (from about 3 medium)
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped frozen or fresh green beans
1 1/4 cups frozen or fresh corn
1 cup frozen or fresh peas 

Instructions:

🍁 Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. 
🍁 Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute 4 minutes then add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer.
🍁 Add in broth, tomatoes, potatoes, parsley, bay leaves, thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste*.
🍁 Bring to a boil, then add green beans. 
🍁 Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until potatoes are almost fully tender, about 20 - 30 minutes. 
🍁 Add corn and peas and cook 5 minutes longer. Serve warm.

For the full how to: check out Vegetable soup on the cookingclassy.com. 

#comfortfood #soupseason #soupdejour #souprecipes #nummanum #yummy #soupfordays #fallsoup #fallsoupseason #vegetablesoup #vegetablesoup #soupmaker #deliciousness #delicious #cookingclassy #comfortfoods #goatsoup🐐 #greatestofalltime #whatsfordinnertonight #whatsfordinnertomorrow #itswhatsfordinner
Tis’ the season to be fall-y. Be prepared for Tis’ the season to be fall-y. 

Be prepared for a slew of Autumn season posts.  Fall is my favorite. 

I love the colors. I love the decor. I love the fall fashion. I love the fall food.  I love it all! I had a few floral arrangements I had created by  different local small town florists.  Here are my faves.  Aren’t they gorgeous? And how cute is that little pumpkin? 

What’s your favorite season? 

#falldecor #fallfashion #fallcenterpiece #fallcenterpieces #fallstyle #falldecorations #fallready #fallharvest #fallisintheair #fallflowers #autumn #autumnvibes #autumndecor #autumnvibes🍁 #pumpkindecor
As I sit here at my current job (I am a radio adve As I sit here at my current job (I am a radio advertising sales rep), I am reminiscing about past jobs I have had in my life. Here are a few…can you guess which job I have not had?

1. On air personality (deejay)
2. Celebrity entertainment writer
3.  Grocery store checker
4. Zoo attendant 
5.  Housekeeper 

I’ll share the answer later in my story.  Don’t forget to share the first job you ever had! 

#jobs #jobsihad #jobsihadbefore #whatsayyou #shareyourstory #employment #whatidid
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