Five Helpful Hints for the Holidays

Have you done all you can ahead of time to prepare for the holiday blitz (organizing, selecting products, contacting customers, etc.)? If so, your December will be filled with fun and excitement rather than stress.

I'll keep my comments brief because you have lots to do. I want to share with you five ways to streamline this month's work. One or more of these ideas may brighten your day and keep you on track at work and at home.

1. Each night, decide what's most crucial to do the next day. Organize your thoughts between the work that only you can perform and the tasks that can be handled by others. Other people include your children, spouse, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and anyone else who has lots of time but little work.

I find that although my mom stays very active, there are down times in her schedule, and she loves to be helpful. Also consider working with individuals outside of your family, such as students who are mature enough to take your work seriously. That can be anyone from an elementary school student to a person studying to receive a Masters degree.

2. What can you do while watching television, sitting idly in a car (waiting, not in traffic), commuting on mass transit, or eating lunch? You can make bows while watching television, sketch your vision of a difficult basket (always carry pen and paper with you), write tomorrow's list of chores, and document your ideas for ad materials in 2001 (flyers, new catalog, postcards, etc.). These are tasks that can be completed during the times when your own hands are idle.

3. Keep the bows you've made fresh and ready for placement by using flat cardboard to prop them up until use. If you don't use a pegboard or something else to attach bows, one side of a discarded cardboard box is cheap and handy.

To start, poke two holes (a half inch apart) in the top right end of the cardboard, about an inch from the end. Thread the bows' strings through the holes, and tie the strings on the cardboard's back side. Now the bow is secure until it's needed, and you simply pull the strings for retrieval. Poke more holes onto the cardboard, distanced enough to not overlap onto other bows. I did this for an Easter basket event at Macy's.

4. Give yourself a holiday order cutoff date. This means that on a certain day, you will stop accepting orders. You should not be making baskets on December 24 for next day delivery. Some people constantly order late and expect perfect service. Your time is more important than the few dollars you receive for hours of stress. Let customers who like to order late join their comrades in the mall.

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