Ready for Christmas? Enjoy an Organized Holiday This Year

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Ready for Christmas? Enjoy an Organized Holiday This Year

Ready for Christmas? Enjoy an Organized Holiday This Year

1. Keep a stack of directions TO your place for people who need to know how to get to your home or office. This prevents you from having to write them out every time you are asked. Type the directions and save them on your computer. This way you can email, fax, or mail them the directions. Make copies and keep them accessible. It is also helpful to keep directions FROM your place for future visits you need to make.

2. Rather than add to someone else's clutter with a gift you are not sure they would like, give 'consumable' items for Christmas such as: special coffees or teas, cookies, or gift certificates.

3. Keep a Christmas idea file. Keep a folder and insert recipes, magazine clippings, gift ideas, and other ideas you might like to use for the holiday.

4. A COUNTDOWN is super effective for any event such as weddings, holidays, and parties. Start by creating a master to-do list of everything that needs to be done for your special event. Then, transfer a couple of to-dos onto each day preceding your event. Cross off items when finished!

5. AVOID shopping during busy times like the weekend and after-work. Shop online, by catalog, or in an area with several stores-in order to consolidate your shopping trips. Ask for gift-wrapping!

6. Spend your time on what you LOVE to do. If you love socializing, why waste your time cooking? Order from your favorite restaurant. If you hate decorating, hire an interior decorator or an art student. Exchange tasks with friends.

7. Pack your decorations away with care. Do not throw everything in a box. Take time to pack fragile items carefully. Store your decorations and lights in proper containers. Inventory what you have with a list and a list for what you need next year. LABEL all of your boxes!

Rebekah Slatkin is a professional organizer dedicated to getting people organized through hands-on decluttering sessions, teleconferencing, coaching, and her website http://www.best-organizing-products-supers tore.com Visit http://www.best-organizing-products-supers tore.com and subscribe to Organewz, her ezine dedicated to organized living and get organizing tips- free.

In The News:

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Democrats criticize Obama's proposed tax cuts (AP)

AP - President-elect Barack Obama's proposed tax cuts ran into opposition Thursday from senators in his own party who said they wouldn't do much to stimulate the economy or create jobs. Senators from both parties agreed that Congress should do something to stimulate the economy. But Democratic senators emerging from a private meeting of the Senate Finance Committee criticized business and individual tax cuts in Obama's stimulus plan.

Obama warns of dire consequences without stimulus (AP)

AP - President-elect Barack Obama urged Congress Thursday to work with him "day and night, on weekends if necessary" to approve the largest taxpayer-funded stimulus ever, warning in almost apocalyptic terms that a dire economic future was certain without it.

Burris denies any improper deals for Senate seat (AP)

AP - U.S. Senate appointee Roland Burris said Thursday he's never been involved in an improper deal in his two decades in government and didn't strike any agreement to become embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich's pick for the U.S. Senate.

UN truck comes under deadly fire in Gaza (AP)

AP - The U.N. suspended aid shipments in the Gaza Strip on Thursday and the Red Cross restricted its convoys after their trucks came under Israeli fire. The threat of a wider conflict arose when militants in Lebanon fired two rockets into northern Israel.

Prosecutors say Madoff was ready to send out $173M (AP)

AP - Prosecutors said Thursday that investigators found 100 signed checks worth $173 million in Bernard Madoff's office desk that he was ready to send out to his closest family and friends at the time of his arrest last month in what is alleged to be largest financial fraud in history.

Shooting by Oakland, Calif., officer sparks violent protests (AP)

AP - Heavy police presence greeted Bay Area Rapid Transit commuters Thursday, a day after more than 100 people were arrested in violent protests over the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man by a transit police officer.

Court papers: Gotti neighbor was dissolved in acid (AP)

AP - It is perhaps the most intriguing unsolved mystery from the gaudy gangland career of John Gotti: Whatever happened to the neighbor who accidentally ran over and killed the mobster's 12-year-old son and then vanished?

Cruise calls death of Travolta's son 'horrific' (AP)

AP - "Horrific" is how Tom Cruise described the sudden death of the son of his friend, John Travolta. Cruise struggled to maintain his composure as he spoke on "The View" about last week's death of 16-year-old Jett Travolta. "John just adored him, both of his children," Cruise said haltingly. "... It's something that I don't have the words for."

Man allegedly caused flats with nails in driveways (AP)

AP - Police in upstate New York say a man has been sprinkling roofing nails on the driveways of people he didn't like to cause flat tires for two years. Stony Point police Lt. Peter Quinn said Michael Delisio was arrested Tuesday after an officer staking out one victim's home saw nails being thrown from Delisio's car.

AP source: Smoltz agrees to deal with Red Sox (AP)

AP - After more than two decades with the Atlanta Braves, John Smoltz is likely to finish his stellar career wearing a different uniform. In a stunning end to one of baseball's longest runs, Smoltz reached preliminary agreement on a contract with the Boston Red Sox after failing to work out a deal to return for his 22nd season with the Braves.

Obama pushes stimulus, warns on recession (Reuters)

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama warned on Thursday that the U.S. economy could stay mired in recession for years without bold action and he urged lawmakers to work day and night to pass a massive stimulus plan.

Citi backs Senate mortgage bankruptcy reform: senators (Reuters)

Reuters - Financial giant Citigroup Inc has agreed to support a controversial rewrite of U.S. bankruptcy law aimed at helping troubled mortgage borrowers avoid foreclosure, lawmakers said on Thursday.

Israel faces criticism as Gaza toll hits 765 (Reuters)

Reuters - Recovery teams ventured into battlegrounds of the Gaza Strip on Thursday to gather bodies from the rubble, and Hamas officials said the Palestinian toll in Israel's 13 day-old offensive rose to 765 dead.

Wal-Mart and other retailers warn after weak December (Reuters)

Reuters - Wal-Mart Stores Inc and other top U.S. retailers delivered disappointing December same-store sales and profit warnings on Thursday, sparking fresh recession concerns that hit stock and currency markets.

Madoff had $173 million in checks ready, U.S. says (Reuters)

Reuters - Accused swindler Bernard Madoff had signed checks totaling more than $173 million in his office desk ready to be sent out before his arrest, U.S. prosecutors said in court papers on Thursday asking a judge to jail him.

EU sees monitor breakthrough in Russia gas row (Reuters)

Reuters - Moscow has agreed to deployment of international monitors to oversee the transit of Russian gas to EU states via Ukraine, clearing the way for the resumption of European gas supplies, the Czech EU presidency said.

U.S. panel warns Pentagon on nuclear deterrence (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. nuclear deterrent that kept a tense peace during the Cold War is in danger of losing credibility among allied nations that look to the United States for security, a Pentagon panel said on Thursday.

European pessimism grows; U.S. jobs, retail slump (Reuters)

Reuters - Economic weakness in Europe worsened and U.S. jobless rolls swelled as disappointing sales from Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, and other retailers on Thursday showed that consumers are still wary about opening up their pocketbooks in an uncertain economy.

Gaza war toll rises (AFP)

AFP - A UN relief agency halted work in Gaza and protested to Israel on Thursday after an aid worker was killed, while the war death toll rose past 760 after dozens of bodies were found in rubble during a pause in bombing.

Russia, Ukraine gas talks collapse amid dispute over monitors (AFP)

AFP - EU-sponsored talks collapsed Thursday between Russia and Ukraine on resolving a gas dispute that has cut supplies to Europe in the midst of a bitterly cold winter, with Moscow blamed for the failure.

Ready for Christmas? Enjoy an Organized Holiday This Year

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