Get Organized for the Holidays

Making a traveling tote of wrapping supplies to ease your holiday stress. Toss in paper, scissors, ribbon, bows, tape, and tags. It's easy to carry around for anywhere-wrapping. It's easy to carry around the house for anywhere wrapping.

Host a card swap before the big day to cut down your workload. You'll feel less stressed, and you'll get to hang out with your friends, too!

First, find the decorations -- they've got to be somewhere in that garage, right? Spice up the tree with these treasures and a few new pieces.

Look through the past year's photos for holiday-letter potential. Do you have a fun family shot from a summer vacation or one with everyone dressed up for a family wedding? Use it! There's no rule that the holiday photo has to be taken at the holidays.

Print custom labels for your cards and packages with the help of a few computer dingbat fonts and digital elements.

SOURCES Font: Evergreen by Two Peas in a Bucket. Digital elements: Katie Pertiet for Designer Digitals. Design: Erica Hernandez.

Stock up on film and batteries for your camera -- and be sure to clear out your memory card!

Have the entire family write quick notes about what they're grateful for and add it to a holiday paper chain. When you're done, hang it up and take off a link each day.

SOURCES Patterned paper: Making Memories, Sandylion, Heidi Grace, Karen Foster Design, Scenic Route Paper Co., Bo-Bunny Press. Border punches: Fiskars. Design: Erica Hernandez.

Cookies are the perfect gift for neighbors and teachers. Get creative and wrap them in scraps of fabric. Add a special touch to the wrap by embellishing it with ribbons and buttons. Top it off with a personalized tag.

SOURCES Card stock: Bazzill Basics Paper. Rub-ons: Autumn Leaves (star), KI Memories (letters). Buttons: Autumn Leaves. Metal-rim tag: Making Memories. Design: Jen Lessinger.

Start a new tradition: a holiday-only journal that comes out once a year. Each season, add to the book and read past entries.

SOURCES Patterned paper: Scenic Route Paper Co. Font: Times New Roman. Iron-on letters: Heidi
Swapp. Journal: EK Success. Design: Erica Hernandez.

To keep the kids amused, set them up with your unwanted scrapbooking supplies and let them create cards, crafts, and even scrapbook layouts.

Scour your junk drawer and craft room for unique items to turn into hanging gift tags or ornaments.

Got a stash of great photos of your nephew? Choose the best ones and frame them in a matching set, a perfect gift for his parents.

Need a creative gift for a friend? Make her a set of personalized cards. Tie up the stack with a pretty ribbon, and it's good to go.

Clean out your crafting supplies while doing something good: Donate a basket of extras to a local women's shelter or children's hospital.

Got a stash of plain gift bags? Pretty 'em up with a little scrapbook paper and embellishments -- everyone on your list will feel extra special!

SOURCES Patterned paper: Autumn Leaves (diamonds), Scenic Route Paper Co. (dots). Buttons: Autumn Leaves. Stickers: American Crafts (letters), Autumn Leaves (epoxy). Stamps: Magnetic Poetry. Designs: Jen Lessinger.