Holiday Grand Plan 2023...

[AuntJamelle]

I am happy to volunteer to do the weekly posts this year! If someone else would really like to do it I won't mind - just let me know - otherwise I will plan on it.

I feel for you @Minta - busy schedules become pretty intense when you throw in the school activities/events! All you can do is what you can do, right? If you use a physical HGP notebook you could possibly carry that with you to games, etc. and work on it as possible maybe? I know that doesn't help with the cleaning tasks but all the lists, menus, etc. that go into the Holiday tasks might be something you could work on here and there. Good luck!!!

@Miss JoDee I have so often struggled with clutter overflow. Always ends up in one of the spare rooms - which is fine until we have guests coming in! lol Once I can assign something a HOME then it gets easier - until then it is the world's worst game of musical chairs!

Usually I need to allow a week for our camping trip just before Halloween but doesn't look like that is happening this year. Sad about it! But it does make the HGP schedule easier!!!

 

[halimer]

have so often struggled with clutter overflow. Always ends up in one of the spare rooms - which is fine until we have guests coming in! lol Once I can assign something a HOME then it gets easier - until then it is the world's worst game of musical chairs!

I'm with you on that! Going from spare room to spare room until the spare room is needed for something else!

 

[Minta]

I am happy to volunteer to do the weekly posts this year! If someone else would really like to do it I won't mind - just let me know - otherwise I will plan on it.

I feel for you @Minta - busy schedules become pretty intense when you throw in the school activities/events! All you can do is what you can do, right? If you use a physical HGP notebook you could possibly carry that with you to games, etc. and work on it as possible maybe? I know that doesn't help with the cleaning tasks but all the lists, menus, etc. that go into the Holiday tasks might be something you could work on here and there. Good luck!!!

@Miss JoDee I have so often struggled with clutter overflow. Always ends up in one of the spare rooms - which is fine until we have guests coming in! lol Once I can assign something a HOME then it gets easier - until then it is the world's worst game of musical chairs!

Usually I need to allow a week for our camping trip just before Halloween but doesn't look like that is happening this year. Sad about it! But it does make the HGP schedule easier!!!

Thanks, wont be able to take a notebook to the games/competitions as we are full fledge band parents and help with the kids, getting props on/off field, chaperone when then band director is not with them, assisting with any issues that come up, etc.

 

[Lori K]

I am happy to volunteer to do the weekly posts this year! If someone else would really like to do it I won't mind - just let me know - otherwise I will plan on it.

Do you want to split it? I'd PMd @Myron's Mom and offered to help out with it. Maybe every other week? Or we alternate months? Open to suggestions ... The only issue for me is the week of Oct. 22 and 29 (and I could possibly do the 22th, just not the 29th). Otherwise, I can tackle any weeks. PM if you'd prefer and we can discuss offline.

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

I'm with you on that! Going from spare room to spare room until the spare room is needed for something else!

Agreed. It all goes into the spare room until I need that room to store wrapped Christmas gifts and stores for the upcoming Summer.

 

[missjane]

I've already started the front porch area. The heat is so intense here this year that I can't work very long.

I did a deep clean of my closet, the kitchen drawers, coat closet, and bathroom closet recently. That will not have to be done during the HGP plan.

Fall is busy for us, too. Full football season here. We never miss one of DGS#1's or DGS#2's games. That's two nights of the week.

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

I think I am ready to go. I have double checked my cleaning supplies, edited and printed out my room lists and added these to my planner. If I decide to start early I am ready. I have made some meal plans so that the days when I do very heavy work (like the bedroom) I have a quick meal prepared for that night. Actually I am really excited to get going!!!

 

[AuntJamelle]

I understand now @Minta - sounds like you guys are going to be hoppin'!!!

Way to go on the early start @missjane - it is so nice to get certain things tackled and off your list before teh official HGP begins. Just relieves that little bit more of "pressure"

I think you are very smart @sweetpumkinpye - planning ahead for meals on busy days is always a really good idea!

I have been slowly whittling away at the mess left behind by our move back upstairs post roof repairs earlier this summer. The good that will come out of all of that hassle is that the upmost floor of the house will be already HGP'd - with a bonus of freshly painted walls!

I am going to try very hard not to let things descend into chaos after I do my big decorating job for Fall - I "think" I've got things in the right way to avoid that this time! We'll see!

We're leaving for a trip to TN tomorrow - when we return I'll be in the home stretch to the first day of school but I also will try to get a start on HGP tasks as well!

 

[Miss JoDee]

I got a unintentional jump start on the office. I had intended to just clean out drawers in the office and ended up emptying the entire office because I wanted to power wash the rug. Clean the rest of the office Company was arriving at Noon. I have 2 rooms a mess. Office was cleared out and everything was put in the guest room. I had until noon to get it all back together. I did by 11:30. I even put wandering pictures into albums, packed 3 boxes for donations, cleaned the bathroom, and put items back into the places they belong. Keeping a steady pace was key. I must say that muscle I forgot about have made me take notice. So moving forward with the HGP plan I will not try to get it all done in one day. Scrubbing that carpet and moving furniture makes the body hurt... So glad it is done. I have family coming on the 15th for about a week. So I won't plan to do much cleaning until after they head home. I will work on

 

[farmerswife]

Today is my day off, so I’m hoping to get a Head-start on organizing my office for the holidays, after I finish gardening this morning. I will also do the front porch today so that should be done. I watch my grandson, who I adore and I love doing that job but I went from working a part-time job two days a week at a church to four days a week at my daughters home, which is an hour and a half away so, I have to readjust, how I am going to do the HGP this year.

 

[DebbiGall]

I always paint my pages as a5 and keep them in my regular planner, right now it’s way to hot to do anything, it’s been up to 103 everyday, we only have ac in the bedrooms. So I’m only out in the mornings and late evening. I follow the fly lady so most of my house is in good shape. My craft room is a whole different story.

 

[Miss JoDee]

All drawers are done. Kitchen will get done on Friday. I need to take time to plan a menu and grocery shop for the next 2 weeks. Along with wrapping up a couple of other projects. The kind that take 5-10 mins. It is put out the trash night so I want to get all that done.

 

[AuntJamelle]

We're back from TN and we are exhausted! But I am excited to start working on an early start to the HGP this week!

@Miss JoDee you have been diving into the deep end of the pool! Those marathon sessions can really take it out of you but the results can be very gratifying!!!

@farmerswife - Hopefully you will soon get a feel for what your new normal will be like! And that is really wonderful that you get to spend all that time with your grandbaby!!!

@DebbiGall - Girl! Definitely take it easy in that heat! I do not blame you for sticking to the A/C areas!!! Sounds like your FlyLady methods have you in really good place. I wouldn't beat yourself up too much about craft room disorganization. I think that MESS is a craft room's natural state - to some extent. You can clean it all up but as soon as you start a project or two - forgedda bout it!!!

On my home front: Other than trying to tackle misc. cleaning jobs here and there - or just get a head start on them - my focus between now and when the HGP officially begins will be to continue working on my planning documents.

These are primarily what is listed under the Holiday Prep section of week 1 - updating my Christmas Gift List planning document with recent purchases but mainly a focus on food related planning. I'm still trying to flesh out Halloween to New Years menu plans and Christmas baking plans. Once I get that firmed up I can finish updating my spreadsheets for buying non perishable groceries ahead and for freezer cooking sessions.

If I do it "right" (for me that is!) then it takes quite a bit of time to get all my documents in order. Trying to do it all in one week would be ... a really bad idea for me! lol I always start early and if I stick with it my life goes SO much more smoothly!

It sounds like we have family coming up from TN and from Indianapolis to join us for Christmas this year - hoping that all works out! So I have to plan for various dietary needs too. I hope they do come up - it will be so much fun!

 

[missjane]

I always paint my pages as a5 and keep them in my regular planner, right now it’s way to hot to do anything, it’s been up to 103 everyday, we only have ac in the bedrooms. So I’m only out in the mornings and late evening. I follow the fly lady so most of my house is in good shape. My craft room is a whole different story.

I need to Google how to print a5. The planner I'm buying next year is that size. I've always bought spiral bound, but next year, I'm buying the ring binder so I can add pages I want to myself. I think it will hold the Agenda52 pages from HL, also.

 

[DebbiGall]

I need to Google how to print a5. The planner I'm buying next year is that size. I've always bought spiral bound, but next year, I'm buying the ring binder so I can add pages I want to myself. I think it will hold the Agenda52 pages from HL, also.

put A5 paper in your printer, go into your printer setting and set it to A5 then go to print and hit size to fit. it real easy

 

[mrskringle]

I'm all gung ho to get started, but alas, my neck and shoulders have different ideas, so this week for me is all about the lists. Plus, it is so hot here, just like everywhere else, that I think I'll shift the weeks around and save the porch and outside for near the end of the plan.

 

[Lori K]

I think I'll shift the weeks around and save the porch and outside for near the end of the plan.

Ha ha (and welcome)! I need to get my porch and outside done first, as we've been known to have flakes flying end of Sept.

 

[Lolwlias]

I have started printing pages, I have bought a composition notebook for my pages, but I just cannot decide on paper for altering the cover.

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

I am still hoping to get started next week. It depends on the staffing at work and what days I may need to be there.

 

[Cathymac2]

I will be joining you. I am working from home now and set my own schedule so I have zero excuses!
If it’s the Holiday Grand Plan time it must be fall!! I have been participating for 20ish years, but have never completed it. I hope this is my year!!