Comments on: Save Time and Money Next Christmas

By: Gloria Katona

Gloria Katona — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 18:50:27 +0000

Another idea for those ornaments you no longer need/use/like. I wrap ribbon around my wrapped gift boxes and tie an ornament on the top — it makes for a pretty presentation and if the recipient likes it, it will be reused….if not, well, you were going to toss it anyway!

By: Kathy

Kathy — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 12:41:29 +0000

Another idea I’ll add to these fantastic suggestions is to print a second set of holiday card address labels and pack them away with your leftover stationary from this year (I finally gave up trying to hand address mine a couple of years ago). A few people’s addresses may change, but not many. That way, you don’t have to fool around with printing them next year. You’ll be ready to go as soon as your cards are ready!

By: Plan Now For Next Year’s Decorations | Lifehacker Australia

Plan Now For Next Year’s Decorations | Lifehacker Australia — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 06:46:05 +0000

[...] Save Time and Money Next Christmas [PFAdvice] [...]

By: Marcia

Marcia — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 21:25:59 +0000

I agree that buying specific gifts early isn’t a good idea. BUT consider buying fancy glass ornaments or easily generic gifts for either sex at after Christmas sales and storing them away for the gift swaps, last minute office gifts and things of that nature that always seem to crop up at Christmas. It can really help your budget and your nerves to know you have something to fall back on if things come up at the last minute…and we all know they will!

By: Diane

Diane — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:43:04 +0000

Great advice! It’s definitely helpful to get rid of things that are broken or lights that don’t work when you’re packing – saves space & time next year.

I use plastic bins and pack things together by room as much as possible, then label the outside of the bins. I also try to label the light strings as to where they go as I take them down. For some reason I failed to do that last year, thinking I’d remember?? and had to do more sorting this year. Bad move!

I also take photos inside & out to remember the placement of things.

I confess to keeping a couple of boxes of things I no longer use (don’t have room in this house) but still want to keep. Some I may use again, or give to my sons when they move out. I just keep them in separate boxes labeled “Christmas Save” and don’t go through them each year.

By: Diane

Diane — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:36:49 +0000

Photographs are a good idea! I take photos of the inside & outside decorations, so I can remember where things fit! Saves time trying to figure it out each year…

By: Marie at FamilyMoneyValues

Marie at FamilyMoneyValues — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:01:49 +0000

Lots of work when you are in a hurry to start making those New Year resolutions come true – but well worth it. I’ve been doing most of the stuff (I never wash ornaments as we don’t use a live tree).

By: Jo

Jo — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 14:40:33 +0000

Great points all around. I am terrible with where I packed Christmas things. I know they’re in storage tubs and stack rather haphazardly in the garage. No labeling on the outside of the tubs to tell me what is in which….*sigh*

I AM, however, good about tossing out useless stuff. My goal will be to go through storage tubs, toss and/or keep the items, label all tubs accordingly and then make a list of what I will need. This will insure no duplicating items or leaving out important ones for next season.

Per Jay’s comment above, I am mixed on buying through the year. I agree that people’s desire for certain gift ideas change, and with how quickly technology changes, it’s better to wait for certain things. I prefer to wait on newly released tech things so the “kinks” are worked out first.

Anyhoo…..a good lesson here. Thanks!

By: KK @ Student Debt Survivor

KK @ Student Debt Survivor — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 03:40:03 +0000

Nice tips. “Toss stuff” can be hard for the bf. I’m fine with getting rid of things we don’t need/use. The bf is much more sentimental about “things”.

By: jay

jay — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 20:03:39 +0000

Totally agree; excellent advice!
Photographs help, too. If you like how you did the decorations this year, why not memorialize for future reference.
I am also a big believer in paring down, so that you have less to store, less to forget, less to break and have to replace: Holiday music on a memory card; use Furoshiki instead of paper for wrapping (clean before putting away), cloth ribbons can be kept on cardboard tubes; use natural, easily available products for decorating (pines/firs/seasonal flowers). Make a note of what works, when and where you got them, etc., as well as WHERE you stored things! Set a calendar reminder to pull out your notes, photos, so you get an early [enough] start. We’ve gone as far as to label boxes by number, with #1 being the first to pull out and use. I’ve also organized recipes, and menus. Holidays tend to be about traditions, so doing the same year after year works.

Contrary to many, I also DON’T believe in purchasing gifts “early”. People’s tastes change, especially kids, and what was a great idea in February -not so great by December.