morejoylessstressGood morning!

It’s a Friday in October and it’s not even Halloween. Heck, right now it’s not even cold in New England – we’re at the end of a four-day heat wave that has me opening windows and donning T-shirts when I should be wearing slippers and cozying up to a hot cocoa. But still, despite the fickle weather and the date on the calendar, I’m thinking about the holidays!

I know it seems early….and believe me, I’m just as annoyed as the next person at retailers who have decked their halls already. The thing is, though, as J. said the other day: “The reason I think I love Halloween so much is that once it’s over, all the good stuff starts!” He’s right. Halloween rushes into Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving rushes into the winter holidays, and before you know it, it’s hello, New Year. That’s why it’s so important to be organized and to plan well for every aspect of what’s coming, from easy entertaining menus to keeping decorations organized, figuring out practical homemade gifts, and preparing for out of town guests (or your own travel) without losing your mind.

Last year, I teamed up with my friend Bonnie from The Joyful Organizer to create a 12-week newsletter series with online support for all of these holiday prep issues, and more. We got wonderful feedback from the participants and are excited to announce that this year, we’re offering “More Joy, Less Stress: A Holiday Survival Guide” as a single, downloadable e-guide. You’ll still get the same great tips, tricks, recipes, and gift guides we offered with our personal support last year, but in a streamlined single-volume format.

The chapters in “More Joy, Less Stress” include:
Holiday Budgeting
Preparing Your Home
Party Planning
Time Management
Holiday Cards
A Clutter-Free Gift Guide
Cookie Swaps
Holiday Houseguests
Decoration Organization
Dealing with Holiday Stress
Holiday Travel
DIY Gifts

The guide also includes a full menu that’s perfect for Christmas Day, from a crowd-pleasing brunch to a simple but elegant dinner, with tips to help you take advantage of advance prep so you spend less of the day in the kitchen and more of it enjoying family and friends.

This year, the single-download version of the guide is available at the Early Bird rate of $5. Enjoy!