DrDeClutterBlog.com

• Is holiday shopping just too much for you?
• Is overconsumption and consumerism just too much?
• Do you feel overwhelmed and wonder how to stop it all?

America is the mecca for “Retail Therapy” and Christmas brings out the big guns!

Listen into my interview on ”It’s the Economy” Talk Show

from Thursday night, December 15th on

KGNU Radio, Boulder, CO.  

Mp3 –  http://www.kgnu.org/economy/12/15/2011

“And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before!
“Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store.
Maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more!”

- Dr. Suess

Tired of holiday hype?

No matter what event or holiday you are celebrating that includes gift giving, you might just want to sit quietly and pick out something from a shopping trip in the “department stores of your mind!”

Even if it’s a week before Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, a birthday, wedding or anniversary, think about making your gift instead of buying it at a store, keeping it simple and personal.

Consider the following:
- Bake muffins, a pie, a cake or cookies
- Cook a special meal
- Put together a picnic basket and invite others out for a hike in nature
- Create a scrapbook page of photos from something you did with them, or of their childhood or a special event.
- Put together a music CD or digital recording – download or sing songs that you know they like
- Make an ornament significant to them
- Write a song, poem or story for them

There a lots of small and fun ways to give from the heart this year and always.

TIP: Ask the what they really want and like that you could make for them, and do it!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Kim

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold,
it would be a merrier world.”
~ J.R.R. Tolkien, author of the Lord of the Rings trilogy  

It’s too easy to go through a rushed holiday season and forget to keep track of what was really good, awesomely yummy and something you want to bake, cook, or create again next year.

RECIPE AND MEMORY KEEPER

Create a simple Holiday Recipes notebook, scrapbook or index card holder where you can keep all of your recipes in one place, share with others and hand down to your children in the future.

Be sure to add your personal handwritten notes to them too! Those are  great to read by the generations to come.

SCRAPBOOK THEM!

Embellish with photos  of your family and friends enjoying them too! Make it really fun to look at and use every year. Keep them clean buy using clear plastic sheets or laminate them.

Happy Holiday Cooking!

Okay, here it is!! Holiday shopping madness season!

If you didn’t do it all on Black Friday, you have weeks to go yet, right?

I want to offer you a very cool tip on finding stuff for free!! Yes FREE!! Whether you’re shopping for the holidays or any event… save money, time and nerves the next time you need to shop for clothing, especially when you have children.

How?

1.  Declutter.
Yes, you heard me! When you declutter piles and heaps and boxes of stuff and things in closets, garage floors and attics you’ll be amazed at what you’ll find that you forgot to give in the past or bought two of along the way, someone gave you and you’ll never use, or… whatever!

2.  Plan on REGIFTING!
Create a “Gift Box” and put these items in it for “regifting”. Yes, REGIFTING! Why spend more money and mental anquish over things you already have!

3.  Box and Label for Future FREE Stuff!
When you get and stay organized by boxing and labeling you seasonal clothing – and children’s clothing that can be worn the next year by the same or another younger child– you will save yourself plenty of time, energy and money by going into your storage boxes and bins and finding most of what you may need “before” you go store shopping.

Yes, we already own most of what we need; we just don’t remember where we put it! So, the more organized you are and the better categorizing and labeling you do when organizing, you will find much of what you need right in your own square-foot-heaven.

This includes all kinds of items, like tape, pens, batteries, flashlights, supplies of all kinds, gloves, etc. When you keep items in “categories” and “contained” in boxes, tubs, bins and baskets, and “label” them so that everyone in the house can find them and put them back when done using the items (teach everyone!) you’ll waste less money, time and mental energy trying to locate and use what you already own.

Happy (in-home) Shopping!

The City of Longmont, CO fire stations are accepting used bicycles for donation to Bicycle Longmont’s Christmas Bike Program. Drop off unwanted, used bikes at the nearest fire station. Santa’s elves will repair the donated bikes! Go Santa!!

Kids receive repaired and happy bikes through charity organizations: The Safe Shelter of St. Vrain Valley, the OUR Center, the Inn Between and the school district’s Safe Routes to School Program.

Check this article for deadlines, drop off points, contact information and more.

For over two decades the Christmas Bike Program has been helping local children get a “pre-owned” bike to change their lives in an important way. A bike might enable a child to earn money with a paper route, see relatives who live far enough away that walking would take too long, get groceries and . . . just have some fun with friends or alone!

Scooters and tricycles are also welcome.

Make a difference this year. Declutter and old bike for a new life for a child.

Start a Christmas Bicycle Program in your community this year!

Are you stressing and anxious about the holidays already? Only a few weeks, and then a few more to go!

Join me and all my attendees while I share tips and keys to making this holiday less stressful.

WHEN: Tuesday, November 8th – 7:00 pm Mountain time/9:00 pm Eastern. 

BY PHONE OR WEB:
This is a tele-seminar. You can call in from anywhere! You can also listen online – you’ll get the phone number and webpage to listen online if you like after your register and click on the confirmation link you will get in your inbox.

TO REGISTER: Go to www.holidaystressbegone.com/free-call/

ATTEND LIVE or GET THE REPLAY
If you can’t make it to the live call on Tuesday, you’ll get the link for the recording soon after the event. But, you need to register to get the link.

YOU WILL LEARN:
 
 – How to figure out what stresses you out the most about the holidays (it may not be what you think)

 – Identifying the triggers that turn things from fun and joy to frustration and disappointment

 – One word that will set you free to really enjoy the holidays – your way

 – The 3 secrets to making it a stress-free holiday (really)

When you think about all the time you’re likely to spend in the coming months preparing for the holidays (cooking, writing cards, going to parties, shopping), this 45-minute call can make it all worthwhile. See you there!

A safe and fun Halloween is a must! Prepare to have a good one by using these 13 ooooooohhhh “13!” . . . ;-D  basic common sense tips to help create great memories for your kids and yourself!

1. Always use common sense. Yup, right off the bat, there it is. Seems like, well, “common sense!” But, kids walk in the dark and do things that can set them up trouble.

2. Young children should always go trick-or-treating with an adult.

3. Never trick-or-treat alone. Make sure to have a great time with your buddy or buddies.

4. Plan your entire route and make sure your family knows what it is; this includes time leaving and getting back too.

5. Make sure to wear safe costumes. Safe for walking, skipping and playing in, as well as flame retardant as possible due to lit candles in pumpkins.

6. Candy? Wait until you get home for your parents to check your candy before you dive in and eat! Sadly, there might be questionable goodies, or packages with cuts, or . . . worse. I don’t want to go there, but, you know. Plus, very few of us, especially little kids, have the willpower to not eat waaaaay toooo much candy and pay the consequences soon enough.

7. Be very cautious of strangers and those teasing or daring you to do something you don’t want to do, or that feels wrong.

8. Never go inside a house. Unless you absolutely know the people – they are family friends, relatives, etc., stay at the door, get your treats, and move on, after a mighty fine “thank you!”

9. Visit houses where the light are “on.” If the lights are out and the house is not decorated, you can pretty much assume they are not home, or are not participating with candy giving, etc. Next!

10. Walk. Do not run. No body needs a ripped costume or skinned knee when there’s so much fun to have.

11. Walk on sidewalks and driveways, not on the grass or through lawns.

12. Carry a flashlight.

13. Carry a cell phone if necessary.

Most of all, have great fun! Remember to say “Trick-Or-Treat!” Smile big! And, say, “THANK YOOOUUUUUU!”

Happy, fun Halloween.

Whoa! It’s Halloween time again! When did that happen!!

If you have kids that want Halloween to be fun, planning ahead, even at the last minute! is important.

1. What will your kids be wearing? What do they want to dress up as?

2. Can you create it out of what you already have or will you be purchasing, renting or barrowing a costume and accessories?

3.  Where are they going?

4 . Who are they going with?

5. What’s happening in your neighborhood or area for trick-or-treating?

6. Safety is a must of course. Safety in regards to their costume for walking, skipping and running (because they will!) and safety if they are out and about on their own or with other little ones.

Help your kids have memorable fun this year!

7. Take lots of pictures.

8. Scrapbook those photos immediately!

DONE! Have a great Halloween!

 Having fun comes on all kinds of levels. It’s normal at Christmas to drive around and see spectacular displays of ornaments on front lawns. But, autumn has them too!

From the gory to the cute, lots of people take time to decorate and have fun. Enjoy it too! It’s free! Some yard decorations will let you go stand amongst them and be in the photo too, like the one above.

Make sure to appreciate the pumpkins, festivals, lawn art, scarecrows and graveyards! on display the next week or so too. It’ll be gone in a wink and a freeze!