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The busiest time of year is upon us. The to-do list is getting longer and longer – filled with catch ups with friends and family, meeting those final work deadlines and, of course, getting ready for Christmas Day!
With Christmas festivities starting soon (for some of us, they’ve already begun!), end of year anxiety is rife. However, with advice from our friend, Kat Springer, Merlin is here to get your Christmas sorted!
Kat Springer is a Merlin ambassador and organisational guru, better known as The Organised Housewife, whose wisdom has helped countless families get their homes in order.
We spoke to Kat to get her thoughts on how to take the stress out of the silly season. Here are her four top tips to coordinating your Christmas:
- Finesse that to-do list!
Lists are a great way to get organised, allowing you to get your thoughts out of your head, onto paper and into line!
Kat says, “There can be a lot to do over Christmas, especially if you’re traveling, having guests come to stay, or hosting a lunch. To help you gather your thoughts and put everything in one place, start a to-do list so you can easily add tasks as you think of them, rather than feel overwhelmed.
“Your list could include things to buy, things to clean, things to do around the house, right down to the smallest tasks (such as making sure you have batteries for Christmas gifts!).”
Kat has a range of to-do lists designed to suit your every need − and keep everything in one place!
If a pen and paper isn’t for you, you can easily create a to-do list on your phone’s notes app.
- Pull the decorations out of storage
Most of us use the garage to store the Christmas decorations year-round. So, if you haven’t already, it’s finally time to pull the Christmas tree, lights and tinsel out of storage.
To make things easier for your post-Christmas self, keep your garage in order by assigning a space for your festive gear, ensuring boxes are labelled and placed together.
To get even further ahead, Kat suggests giving each box a star rating, based on the priority of packing/unpacking, e.g., three stars for high, one star for low.
- Set a fixed budget
It’s no secret that Christmas can be expensive and, with the rising cost of living, we’re even more aware of how all the lunches, décor and presents can put a strain on your finances.
Kat knows all too well how Christmas costs can build up: “It’s so easy to overspend when you’re in the festive spirit, but it’s going to be a lot less stressful if you don’t have to face the fallout of that in January.”
To bring costs down this Christmas, we recommend:
- Create a budget – and stick to it!
- Opt to do Secret Santa with the adults in your family or friendship group.
- Ask everyone to bring a plate to Christmas lunch.
- Spend time shopping around for a cheaper price.
Check out more of Kat’s budgeting tips (especially around Christmas time!) here.
- Take the stress off with smart tech
Enlist Merlin myQ Connectivity as your Santa helper this year!
Each year, more of us are choosing to order Christmas presents online, taking the opportunity to shop at all hours of the day from the comfort of home (or desk during a lunch break).
While online shopping is certainly convenient, it can also prove tricky to keep deliveries secure from theft – and from the prying eyes of your nosy little ones!
With Merlin’s myQ App, you can open your garage door from anywhere, allowing the postman to put your Christmas packages away, and out of sight of curious kids.
Merlin’s myQ is a simple add-on to any garage door opener.
Kat has found that Merlin myQ has made life that much simpler, while the functionality and safety features of her Merlin garage door opener offer peace of mind during the chrissy season.
“The Safety Beams installed with my Merlin garage door opener really are amazing. It’s so great to know that there’s no risk of the garage door coming down and injuring someone, or the dog − if you walk under the door as it’s coming down, it will instantly reverse. This is a great stress reliever with all the family we’ll have coming and going on Christmas Day, and is one less thing on my mind this busy time of year!”
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Thanks so much, Kat, for your incredible tips and tricks for getting us prepared for the crazy festive season! To learn more from Kat on how to get organised for Christmas, read her blog here.
For more information about Merlin, or to browse our range of gate and garage door openers and accessories, visit our website or call 0800 653 667.