Decorate! Entertain! Shop! Ship! These tips
will help you feel less rushed.
Edible Accents Display a simple table centerpiece of nuts,
above.
Bonus: It doubles as a snack tray.
Color Convenience Choose one go-with-everything color— such
as white, silver, or gold— for gift bows.
Points of View Limit decorations to the places guests see. Hang a
wreath on the door, put a candle in the powder room, and use
festive napkin rings on the table.
Purchase Prep Keep two things with you: a notebook listing
recipients’ names and gifts purchased, and an envelope for receipts.
No-Fuss Fruit Make mantel decorations using glass cylinder vases
filled with fresh cranberries or limes.
Package Deal Use the United States Postal Service’s flat-rate boxes
to ship gifts. The boxes are free, and you can order them online.
Quick-Clean Routine Skip whole-house deep-cleaning before a
party. Just swipe surfaces, vacuum, and hide clutter. One exception:
the bathroom guests will use.
Greens for the Season For free and easy decorations, snip greenery
from your yard. Spruce, holly, fir, juniper, and arborvitae can stay
green for weeks in a house that’s not too warm or dry.
Flexible Gifts Avoid being caught empty-handed. Stock up on a gift
that can be given to just about anyone, such as a kitchen gadget,
set of dish towels, or reusable bag for groceries.
On a Schedule Take advantage of extended store hours; shop first
thing in the morning or late at night to avoid long waits.
ORGANIZE IT
It’s a Wrap
“A good way to
store rolls of gift
wrap is upright in a
tall cardboard box,
wastebasket, or
bucket,” says Donna
Smallin, author of
Organizing Plain &
Simple.
To keep rolls
from unraveling, slit
an empty paper tube
from end to end and
slide it over a new roll
of paper. “With this
system you can also
dispense paper neatly
through the slit,”
Donna says. When
you’re ready to store
paper until next year,
slip a leg cut from a
pair of old pantyhose
over one or more rolls
and secure the open
end with a twist tie.
DISCOVERY
Ornament
Holder
Safely store and
clearly see your deco-
rations in this plastic
container made of
three trays that stack
and snap together.
A lid with a handle
makes moving them
easy. Adjustable divid-
ers let you create up
to 48 compartments
for ornaments and
other decorations.
Snap N Stack box, $21;
organize.com
MOMS’ VIEWS
Order Up
Holiday cooking
starts with kitchen
organizing for many
of the moms in our
online community,
The Motherboard.
Some common tasks:
tidying cabinets
(especially the
pantry), cleaning the
refrigerator and oven,
and clearing counter-
tops of clutter. What
a great fresh start for
the season!
themotherboarcT
a million women strong
148
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS | DECEMBER 2010 | BHG.COM
PHOTO: (NUTS) BLAINE MOATS
