Organize, Decorate & Prepare for the Holidays

It's true--the holiday season is probably the most stressful season of the year. Between housing several relatives and friends for days (and no way to kick them out without seeming rude), cooking big dinners, and keeping your house clean and festive, feeling overwhelmed is not anything out of the ordinary. Brush up on your holiday tactics with a few tips from Better Homes & Gardens to keep yourself calm, cool and collected.

Cleaning and decorating an entire house for the holiday season is way too stressful a job for one person. Assign specific chores to family members for a fast and easy way to spruce up your home for the holidays. Or invite friends over for coffee and cookies and have them help you decorate your home for the big event. Remember, the holidays are supposed to be full of family, friends and fun, so relax!

Get those cupboards and closets organized well before the holidays roll in. Don't be surprised if guests go snooping through your storage bins to see what you're trying to hide. Instead, surprise them with arranged and clean storage spaces by using boxes and shelves to keep everything exactly where it's supposed to be. You'll save a lot of time knowing you don't have to hunt for that tablecloth before dinner.

Holiday organization doesn't stop when the big day is over. Keep your house (and your sanity) in check by labeling boxes where you store your holiday decorations. Don't just throw everything in one box either--you'll thank yourself next year when you know exactly where you stuck that light-up jack-o-lantern or your favorite box of glass ornaments that you can never seem to find!

Some of your holiday decorations can be used again for separate occasions. For example, those pumpkins, gourds and corn wreaths you used during the Halloween season can make great centerpieces for a Thanksgiving feast (and not to mention a great pumpkin pie!). Be creative with your decorations and you could end up saving money while stirring up some great conversation starters.

If you want something a little different to decorate for the holidays, try adding some of your own flair to your decorations. Not a pumpkin carver? Dress up a pumpkin with ribbons, beads and rhinestones. If you're not big on red and green at Christmastime, choose a different color, like royal blue or white, and coordinate all of your decorations to match your theme color. It will make for a unique and eye-catching holiday.

Not the do-it-yourself type? No problem. Many people hire a decorator to help with the cleaning, spruce up the landscaping, and decorate for the holiday season. While you might pay a little more for professional help, you can tell them exactly what you want and you'll save yourself a lot of time and stress by having someone else do all the hard work. A cheaper option? Ask an artsy friend!

The best way to plan ahead for a well-organized holiday season is to make a list. Lists are helpful in all parts of the preparation process--lists for decorations, when to decorate, groceries, who is bringing what, gifts, guests, and even a last-minute to-do list. Keep your holiday season bright by keeping yourself prepared.

Last-minute shopping during the holidays is not usually a good idea. Whether you're shopping for gifts, decorations, or food, the odds of your item still being on the shelf are not very good. Plan ahead to make sure you get to the stores in time to get home to cook those cheesy potatoes or wrap that present. The payoff? You get to relax and smile knowing that all of your shopping is done well before the big day arrives.

Everyone loves eating during the holidays. Whether it's a spider web sugar cookie, a slice of juicy turkey or a dollop of hot mashed potatoes, food is a huge part of holiday celebrating. Plan some foods that you can make ahead or freeze to take some stress off the day of your get-together, or assign certain food dishes to your guests so everyone can share the special occasion.