LIFE AS YOU LIVE IT: Preparing for Christmas in November

I promise this isn't a list that tells you to deep clean your home before the holidays. As true as that is, I have a few other tasks that I like to see done before the most wonderful time of the year. I'm under very strict rules here where I am absolutely not aloud to do any Christmas-y things until after Thanksgiving. In an effort to stay on top of the holiday season, I do have a few projects that I like to tackle during the month of November to keep things running smoothly during December to ensure a fun and enjoyable month!

HOLIDAY CARDS! - It is a priority for me to get these ordered and mailed pre-December.

I try my hardest to get our holiday cards sealed, stamped and delivered by the first week of December at the latest. Despite my best efforts, L and I still haven't had the opportunity to snap a fun picture and are hoping that we can get one while we're in Maine over Thanksgiving. Once again, we will be ordering ours through Tiny Prints, and already have some designs picked out!

GET ORGANIZED! - I am the queen of lists, and rely heavily on them for everything!

If there is one thing I'm good at... it's making a list. Having something written down in front of my face and crossing it off may just be the most satisfactory thing ever. I recently designed and put my Christmas Planner up for sale on Etsy (you like that nice plug I put in for myself?) and have been relying on it constantly this season already. With so many baking recipes, christmas gifts, events, and decorations to account for, this was most ideal in helping me with December craziness. Now that everything is logged and accounted for, it's a one stop shop when it comes to anything December related!

SHOPPING! - I told myself last year that everyone was getting gift cards for Christmas this year, and despite my intentions... everything but that is true.

I get so much joy from picking out gifts that I truly think our friends and family will enjoy, and get even more joy out of wrapping each of them up and looking at them under the tree. I am pleased to say that about 90% of our holiday shopping is complete and I will have to check a very large suitcase to get L's family gifts out to Ohio! We haven't begun the wrapping process yet, but having almost everything picked out and ready to go before it's even December is a HUGE weight off of our shoulders!

HOLIDAY PLAYLIST! - Without a doubt, when the clock strikes 12 Thanksgiving evening, I can assure you the Christmas tunes will begin to ring!

I won't be missing a beat when it comes to my beloved holiday jingles, and I sure hope you won't be either! Putting together a playlist has become a world of a lot easier (hello, Spotify) over the past few years, however make sure all of your ducks are in a row so that you are ready to push play come Black Friday!

HOLIDAY OUTFITS! - Get them now before you're stuck wearing your most festive set of pajamas to your holiday party!

Speaking from experience, I can't stress the importance of getting your holiday outfits and pajamas together before they sneak up on you. Here it is, late November, and I need to wrangle together at least two work party outfits, and other items to wear for events. Of course I can repeat outfits ("you are an outfit repeater, Lizzie McGuire") and have no shame in doing so, but that doesn't discount the fact that I am in dire need of new holiday pajamas. I'm not joking when I say I have worn my buffalo plaid jams ALL YEAR ROUND and they have definitely lost their Christmas cheer. Poorly played on my part.