Simple Farmhouse Christmas Plans and Organization

Christmas Table Runners:



I recently purchased a kit for making an easy and quick table runner. It was so simple that I made another one.

Also, now that Thanksgiving, 2010 is a memory, my efforts have turned to getting organized and preparing my home for Winter. This means that I am organizing my personal life, homemaking and Christmas plans

I pulled out my organizer/notebook and updated it by purchasing a few items from the Dollar Store. Some folders with pockets, a pretty composition book, a shopping/to-do-list pad, a zipper pouch and a 2011 calendar.

The folders with pockets will be used for organizing bills to be paid. I like to budget and organize bills by the week. I find that certain bills are due each of the 4 weeks of each month. I have a list of the bills that should be paid each week in each folder. When a bill comes in I put the part that gets mailed along with its envelope in the appropriate folder. If the bill is drafted or paid on line, the list helps me to make sure the amount is written down in the checkbook.

One pocket folder will be used for Christmas receipts, shopping lists and to do lists. Each year I list all the people on my shopping list, items purchased with the cost, and if its been wrapped. I also like to write down a plan for our Christmas menu and to do lists for things like decorating and handmade gifts.

My organizer/notebook also contains menu ideas, a grocery shopping list, phone numbers and addresses.

First thing this morning I made a list of things I wanted to do today in the composition book. I would say I finished 75% of the things on the list. Completed items included: finishing laundry, including putting it away; deep cleaning and decluttering the living room in preparation for Christmas, vacuuming all the floors, cleaning out the shade garden, watering houseplants, cleaning bathrooms.

I plan to keep Christmas decorating very simple this year. I want to use some handmade things such as the table runners shown above, pillows, wall hangings, holiday themed napkins and coasters.




Well, that's what's going on at the farmhouse this week. I hope to post pictures of some more simple handmade Christmas items this week.