by Christina Renee | Christmas, Gifts, Holidays, Uncategorized
Getting ready for the holidays includes a wrapping station. While I am envious of this wrapping station, I don’t have the room for that. I have an under the bed box that I keep ready to wrap every gift.
Wrap Early and Often
Since it’s close and easy to get to I can wrap as I buy gifts. I try to wrap them the same day but at least within the week. With everything in one place and easy to get to I don’t have to procrastinate as it’s not a big deal to just get it done. I wrap, write it down and put it up. I do add the bows later if I have to stack it in the closet. No wrapping on Christmas Eve.
Makin’ a List
While you’re wrapping don’t forget to make your list. Put a label or tag on your gift, or just write it on there. In my list, I write down who it’s for, what I got them and where it’s located. I don’t know how many times I found a gift late because I forgot it, or who it was for because I was sure I would remember. LOL, Then I would have to peek in the corner of the gift to remember who it was for. So write it down.
My Wrapping Station
While this is pretty simple, it works for me. I have all the rolls of wrapping paper to one side. Rolls of ribbon and baskets of bows and ribbon. A stack of tissue paper with gift bags and gift boxes on top. They help keep the paper flat. And a small box with tape and scissors. While I love to look at the beautifully wrapped gifts on Pinterest and Youtube, that’s just not my life. I had to come to the conclusion that it’s okay. Maybe later in life.
So what’s your wrapping style? Do you have any great tips for wrapping gifts?
by Christina Renee | Decor, DIY/Ect., Home, Saving Money
I recently did a mini redo on our master bathroom and reorganized it. I found a Paris theme shower curtain and wanted to make it a feel similar to a hotel. Nice fluffy towels, yummy smelling candles, even Parisian music on Pandora. So step into my organized master bathroom and enjoy.
Sink Area
Our bathroom has the sink area separate from the rest of the bath. When you walk into our room to the right is the bedroom area (which I am working on now) and straight ahead is the closet area and sinks. We have a double sink and we live in a rental so I can’t replace anything that’s not cosmetic. Opposite the sink area are our 3 closets; his, hers and extra stuff. Under the left sink, I have tubs for allergies, first aid, cold and flu, sunny- which is sunscreen, bug spray- what you need for sunny days. Also, I have a bag of elastic bandages, another tub of bandages from wound care and teeth supplies. Almost all of the containers are from the Dollar Tree or from other places in the house. Under the right sink is toilet paper and a box of extra shampoos, conditioners, body wash, etc. We buy it by the case so my stockpile of tp goes up and down. We have our electric toothbrushes and water pic stays out on the counter and shelf. I don’t really like it but they need to be plugged in. I have very few things in the medicine cabinet since most things are stored in tubs. Extra razor heads, open toothpaste. I decanted the mouth wash in a pretty bottle, the same with q tips and cotton balls. A little picture and a pretty hand towel complete this area in our organized master bathroom. I also put some pretty wrapping paper in the cabinets and medicine cabinet. I love to open closets and cabinets and see pretty paper looking back.
Main Bath Area
This area has the shower/bathtub and toilet area. We put a small rack in the toilet and I set it up like a hotel bath. Pretty stacked towels, candles, bath salts, and body brush for dry skin brushing. I found a few cute pictures on clearance, the 2 small ones I for 29 cents each!! I love his and her towels, along with the thick fluffy ones from Kohls. We did switch out the apartment shower head for this double shower head. We just saved it and will put it back on when we move. I also have a shower curtain hanger that holds shampoos, etc. And a hanger over the shower heads. The mat I also got on clearance for under a dollar. I love all the sparkle and the muted colors. We have a small Paris them basket for dirty clothes that sits on the shower stool when it’s not needed. Which I hope is more and more.
I hope you enjoyed this tour and it gave you some ideas. Do you have an area hard to organize?
by Christina Renee | Christmas, Holidays
Rethinking Christmas Traditions
I have been working on the H
oliday Grand Plan and one of the weeks they have you question the values, activities, etc. that make Christmas important to you. We have a large family, 10 children, grandchildren, spouses, parents, etc. I thought by now I knew all the Christmas traditions that they loved.
But some things that I thought were important; to my family were not. So use this time to talk over with your family and you may find out some of the things that you are wearing yourself out over are just not that important to them. So I am rethinking our Christmas traditions; to keep or change?
Changing Christmas Traditions
You may find that they don’t want to go to the Nutcracker every year but would rather stay home and make snowball fights.
That they want to use (gasp!) decorated paper plates for Christmas rather than china.
Find out Their Favorites
That your youngest daughter’s 2 favorite things are caroling to the neighbors and bringing them cookies and having the family picture taken for cards. (Now that is strange. Have you ever tried to get 10 people to match, not let anyone get dirty before we leave, all the hair and make up done, we have 7 daughters. It takes hours and we haven’t even left the house yet. Then get everyone to smile at the same time.) And this? is her favorite thing? Strange bird.
That your other daughter’s favorite is the Grinch Night (more to come). And she hates going to the Live Nativity. Except for the hot chocolate and cookies.
As They Grow
You might need to change Christmas traditions as your children grow up and what was once fun is not now. Or rotating some and doing them every other year instead of every year.
So we are making adjustments this year. I am trying to simplify a little so I can enjoy Christmas as much as the rest of my family.
by Christina Renee | Christmas, Holidays
I love Christmas, the sights, the smells, the decorations, the feeling of expectation. There is something wonderful about having a whole season focused on…..Christ. Christmas is Christ Coming.
Focus
What is your focus? If you go into the world,; it is presents, the gimmee’s, Santa, shopping, rushing, doing and all the stuff that goes along with it. The decorating, the tree and themselves. Smile. Or do you focus on Christmas as Christ Coming?
But to have a whole season to be able to be focused on Jesus, that is a gift. Yes, I know we should do that every day, but to have this season of anticipation… Can you imagine so long ago the anticipation they had waiting for Jesus to come? Knowing He would change our lives forever. Do you anticipate His second coming as much as you do Christmas?
Giving
My children joke I am the biggest child at Christmas. I love to decorate for my family, to bake, to buy presents and look forward to how much they will enjoy them. I love to teach my children why we do the things we do at Christmas. Why do we give presents and decorate and bake. Each year we bake a lot. We carol and give cookies to out neighbors. It is my son’s favorite activity for this time of year. He has been repeatedly asking when they can go give cookies out. And sing, loudly to the neighbors. I have been telling him he needs to wait within a week of Christmas. So we looking forward to delivering cookies and having a wonderful time. Giving, not getting.
Anticipation- Christmas is Christ Coming
Don’t you imagine that Jesus is having a wonderful time anticipating us coming to heaven. We know He is getting a place ready for us. Don’t you think it will be wonderfully decorated with a feast waiting for us. Isn’t it hard to wait for that?
