5 tips for staying sane during the Christmas season.

Moto Jacket. Jeans. Cami. Clutch. Shoes. Sunglasses. Necklace.

So my husband and I sat down last night after the Seahawks game (yay we won!) and went over our schedule for the next 6 weeks.  Holy batman.  There is so much going on during the holiday season for us this year.  I have a lot of fun exciting projects for the blog for the next couple weeks (can’t wait to share it all with you!) which is great but lots of work, and we are traveling for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, lot’s of stuff with the kids during the weeks, he is of course busy at work and with his Church responsibilities, and every weekend is pretty much booked from now, till the new year.  Yikes.

I don’t know about you, but the older my kids and I get and the busier we get, the more I work at trying to get ahead of the game.  Especially when it comes to the Christmas season.  This year, I’m hoping to have all my shopping finished, and gifts wrapped and under the tree by December 1st.  It’s a challenge I’ll admit, (I almost made it last year) but I have a few tricks that I use and I think this will be the year where I’m all finished and am still feeling sane.

So here are my 5 tips for staying sane during the Christmas season.

1- Get organized.  Don’t start shopping until you make a list of everyone you need to buy for, what you want to get them, and what your budget is.  You don’t have to be “set in stone” sure on everyone, but having an outline will save you time, money and heartache.   Peruse gift guides if you’re stuck on what to get someone, and narrow it down before you buy.  It will make the process so much more enjoyable. (Speaking of which, do you have anyone who you’re having trouble figuring out what to buy for?  Leave me a comment and I’ll see if I can figure out something fab.)

2- Shop online. If you haven’t realized yet, online shopping is a total game changer when it comes to Christmas.  For one thing, I find it much easier to keep track of everything I have and haven’t bought.  Stores also generally have a much larger selection of pieces and sizes online, you can usually find the very best deal online as well.  Shipping has for the most part become so fast and easy, and especially with stores like Nordstrom offering free shipping, it is just so much more convenient to Christmas shop online.  They great thing is, once you’ve finished shopping online, you can still visit the stores for the fun hustle and bustle of the holiday season without all the added stress.

3- Use the heck out of cyber week.  Want to know a secret?  I am a ninja Black Friday shopper.  I used to go to the stores at 3 a.m. with my mother-in-law before online shopping was really a thing, but now I just do it all from my trusty laptop.   I prepare myself for cyber week most of the month of November, so that I know exactly what I need to buy for whom and where I’m going to find it for the best deal.  (And guess what!  I post all that info in one giant sale round-up right here on the blog that night, so you get to benefit  from my OCD black friday all-nighters.)

I also make a list of items I could use around the house or in my closet, and use the black friday sales to get them for a killer price.  It’s a tactic I’ve been using since we built our home in Arizona.  (We bought our washer/dryer and refrigerator on a black friday sale and saved thousands.)

4-Keep it simple.  When I’m super busy during the holiday season, I like to keep my outfits pretty simple.  What I’m going to wear is the last thing on my mind when I’m running around like a chicken with my head cut-off.  I’ve talked a lot about wardrobe workhorses, and during super busy times when I still like to look and feel put together I definitely reach for them the most.  Nordstrom is my one-stop-shop for great wardrobe workhorses, anything from the perfect pair of jeans, to  booties, or even a great (ahem) moto jacket.  I bought this cami from Nordstrom’s Topshop section earlier this fall and it became an instant favorite.  I’m now a little obsessed with the brand, their on-trend pieces, reasonable price-points and great fit.  And just in case you’re thinking basics=boring, don’t.  Throw on some saucy heels and a leopard clutch and you’d be surprised.

5- Make time for a little fun. Even though we’re super swamped this time of year my husband and I still try to sneak away for a date night once a week.  You’ll be amazed what putting everything on the back burner in favor of a little fun can do to help maintain sanity.

more Topshop favorites:

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