Flying towards Christmas aka Cruising through the Holidays - anyone up for a thread?

[picturesinthefirelight]

It starts today.

In previous years I have only done the December Super Cruising Missions, never the ones that start in October but following a thread last month thought I would have a go.

Each day between now and 1st December Flylady posts a mission designed to help you get ready for Christmas. They do include Thanksgiving so there will be stuff thats not applicable.

Who wants to join me?

[picturesinthefirelight]

MISSION 1 - CLEAN & FLING

Your first assignment is a Clean and Fling Mission! When doing your Weekly Home Blessing today grab a small trash bag or one of those plastic grocery bags, make friends with it as you are going to carry it through your weekly home blessing. As you enter each room when you see anything that needs to be tossed just fling it into your bag. It is amazing how much stuff we have laying around that can be tossed that we just don't take care of and before you know it a hot spot is flaring up!

Don't think too hard or obsess over this, just fling, fling and fling some more.

[picturesinthefirelight]

Anyone?

[castlelough]

Hi pictures....I'll pop in and out! Can't promise I'll join in on all missions though! Struggle with WHB at the best of times! Never mind adding a Fling onto it!!!! Still I'd like to be nice and organised this year! :-)

[picturesinthefirelight]

Ok so I managed to fill a carrier bag with rubbish(mostly old envelopes, wrappIngs & newspapers) and threw them out.

[castlelough]

Hi pictures how did you get on today?
I did today's mission - started a folder and downloaded the Christmas control Journal to have a little look!

[picturesinthefirelight]

I got my folder from last year (its an organised Mum Lists & Notes book that has now been discontinied but I didn't do anything more.

MISSION 3 - Anti Procrastination Day

Gather up all of your Christmas cards, wrapping paper, bow, ribbons etc into one central location to have ready for when you need them.

[castlelough]

I did this mission today. Only took a few minutes to put together. Found 2 rolls wrapping paper, 1 roll brown paper, 19 cards with envelopes plus 7 without . Also a lot of present bags kept to re-use. I have some ribbon that I must hunt out and add to the pile too. And I might actually be organised enough to use it this year!

pictures you sound quite organised if you have a Christmas CJ from last year! Good for you!

[picturesinthefirelight]

What's the phrase - you can't tidy clutter. Throw those envelop less cards!!!!

I have several rolls of paper in my wardrobe and a couple of part packs of cards & gift tags in the top boxes over the bed. Need to buy more.

[picturesinthefirelight]

Wonder whether this thread should be moved to Christmas - it might get more traffic there.

HOLIDAY CRUISING MISSION #4 Thursday Go and Do

Today is Errand day and your mission for today is to pick up any detail items that you can. Postage stamps, scotch tape, packing tape, markers etc.

Try to get these things together and put them with the supplies that you gathered up yesterday (the holiday cards and wrapping paper). Having these things early and ready will prevent those late night dashes to the store that end up costing you far more than just tape.

[castlelough]

Pictures have you moved the thread to somewhere else?!

[StripyShoes]

I'm in, but like a previous pp will pop in and out. Will lurk daily though!

[picturesinthefirelight]

Sorry I've not been around the last few days. Will try harder.

[picturesinthefirelight]

The ones I have missed.

HOLIDAY CRUISING MISSION #5 Friday Budget Don't Begrudge It

Your Holiday mission for today is to take time out to establish a budget for Christmas.

Look over your gift lists and menus and try to work on a budget for these things. When you establish a budget and try very hard to work within that budget you will find that you do not go overboard on your spending because you have taken the time out to plan and think things through instead of shopping impulsively.

Try to establish when you can start your shopping and to break it down into small manageable tasks. You need to figure out how much money you can afford for: gifts, mailing, wrapping supplies, travel expenses, meals, baking etc.

You can put these numbers into your Holiday planner that you were to create in Mission #2. . This way you have your lists and budget all in one place

[picturesinthefirelight]

Holiday Cruising Mission #6 Monday Clean and Fling

As we are sailing on our cruise to FLY through the holidays!

Your Zone Mission for today is to clear off the hotspots in your Living Room to prepare for your holiday decorations.

Your Holiday Mission for today is to jot down in your Holiday Planner that you were to put together (Holiday Mission #2) what decorations you want to use and what rooms you want to put them in. That is it. You are not to drag out the decorations just yet. We will get there! For now just make a plan of what you want to use and what room you want to use them in. This is to plan what you want to use that you already own. If you have candle lights that you put into the windows, centerpieces, advent calendars etc. Just jot them down in your notebook

[picturesinthefirelight]

Most of the other mussed missions are contined next week. This was Friday


Holiday Cruising Mission # 10 Friday Budget Don't Begrudge It

Today is desk day and your mission for today is to review your budget for the holidays and look to see how and when you can take care of the shopping that you will need to do. Not just presents, you need to take into account meals, postage, cards, wrapping supplies, decorations etc.

Be careful and thoughtful, you do not want to rack up huge credit card bills that you will be paying until spring for the holidays. Try to fit your budget around what you can afford to pay for. If this means a little less than what you would like, try to remember how great it will feel not to be overwhelmed in January when the mail comes. Set limits and try to work within them. Don't look to buy presents that will impress, look to give gifts that will be loved. Be creative. Talk to your friends and family and see if they would like a challenge for this year. Talk about theme gifts such as an ornament or t-shirt exchange with a price limit. Look for fun and creative ways to express your love without busting your budget

[picturesinthefirelight]

Holiday Cruising Mission #11 Monday Clean and Fling

Your Holiday Mission for today is to Clean and Fling!!! Monday's are Weekly Home Blessing Hour days at FlyLady and your mission is to do a 27 fling boogie as you bless your house. We are cruising through the Holidays together and every time you can get rid of some clutter is going to help you FLY! Grab one of those plastic bags that you get at the grocery store and loop it along your wrist or loop it through your belt loop on your pants, as you are going through the house just toss in the bag whatever needs to be tossed. This can be junk mail, odds and ends that have been laying around and whatever you see that is just plain clutter and needs to be gotten rid of. Do not spend hours doing this.

[Inneedofbrandy]

Oh can I join in, have started organised Christmas but can do this on top.

[picturesinthefirelight]

The more the merrier. What is organised christmas?

[Inneedofbrandy]

It's a 6 week countdown to be organised by the 1st of December. Last week was just making a notebook and writing lists, a Christmas planning centre ( so wrapping and Sellotape in one place which I don't do because I like wrapping on Xmas eve) de clutter house ( and make it cosy which is what I do not on the website)

This week it's do a card list, shopping list make a budget, schedule a few me days, and plan food. Then there's a to buy list which is stamps and Christmas cards ( and holiday clothing but that's to American)

If I do everything il be sorted this year!

[picturesinthefirelight]

Sounds a bit similar. We have to wrap in advance as there are presents to be distributed to other family members.

[castlelough]

Thanks for the updates pictures! I think I'll need to do a little catching up this week! ;-)

[castlelough]

Welcome InNeed

[Inneedofbrandy]

Hi

Think I might do a house blessing today, urgh I hate half term!

[Some0ne]

I think I'll keep an eye on this thread, I need to spread out the prep this year with a full time job, a 2 year old and an 8 month old!

So far I've got cards and envelopes; this year's Christmas stamps are available on the 8th of November so I might try and have them all written by then. That way I can have a pile of them ready to post later. When's the earliest you can post them without looking like a (very festive) loon?

I'm planning on going up to the attic this afternoon and going through the decorations; we have way more than we ever use so I'm going to get rid of about half to a charity shop (in time for someone else to buy them before December), so there's no messing when we go to take them down - we can just bring the whole lot.

Oh, and I'm going to cull the kids' toys. They have more than they ever play with, really, and with more coming in a few weeks it's going to get ridiculous. Off to the charity shop with half of those, too...

Aside from that I've the clutter reasonably under control, generally. I just need to sort out the bookshelves in the sitting room.

[Some0ne]

Oh, and I have a stash of wrapping paper, ribbon, tags, sellotape and a scissors from last year in a box in the attic, so I'll get that down this afternoon and stash it in my bedroom.