Hush- Holiday Prep Cheat Sheet-Get Ahead of the Rush!

The Holidays are Coming! 

A holiday preparation cheat sheet will help make your holidays stress free

…read more and get my holiday preparation cheat sheet below

It’s still warm outside in our neighborhood. Even so, it’s time to prepare a holiday preparation cheat sheet. A holiday preparation cheat sheet will help make your holidays stress-free and give you more free time to spend with your loved ones.

I love October. I live in Kansas, have a mix of Spring, and Fall weather at this time of year. The weather goes back and forth and back and forth between the two seasons. Here is a picture of our garden right now. It still looks and feels like Spring around here and even though it feels warm outside, it’s time to make a holiday preparation cheat sheet.

That’s why so many of us get what is politely called “a cold”. After changing clothes twice, a day, only after we perspire in the warm clothes from the morning and then change into lighter clothes…. oh well. The weather is still beautiful. The weather can be deceiving as the holidays are just around the corner. Time to get in the right mindset and prepare for winter and the holiday season with a holiday preparation cheat sheet.

Holiday Preparation Cheat Sheet

Preparing for this glorious time of year doesn’t have to be stressful if we start now! For us, it involves two key things:

1. Winter Checklist and a
2. Holiday Meal Plan-a healthy plant-based menu

Winter Prep Checklist

Go through and declutter your winter wardrobe

Since we live in a cold climate, we switch out our wardrobes at this time of year and at the beginning of Spring. I keep our warm wardrobes in storage downstairs in damp-free, clean storage containers. We pull all of them out and go through each item and decide if they need washing or need to be donated or thrown away and then make a list of anything that I need to go shopping for now. Who wants to go shopping at the last minute for a winter coat? I don’t want to ask you to pay full price and make a rush decision.

Winter-proof your home

We caulk all the windows and around the doors to eliminate any air leaks. Check your insulation and replace/add as needed.  You will be glad you did as you can save money on your utility bills during those long winter months. Head on over HERE to find more helpful info on winterizing your home for the Winter.

Winter-proof the yard

Some of you may remember my awesome perennial Butterfly Garden post back in the Spring. That just doesn’t come back without proper steps taken in the Fall.

1. We first check our irrigation system for any leaks and then have it winterized.
2. We clear all annuals from our entire yard and bag and /or compost.
3. Clear brush and debris from your flower or vegetable beds and mulch them with hay or mulch.
4. We mulch around any delicate perennials too so that they survive the Winter months.
5. We empty all flowerpots clean them and store them for planting in the Spring.
6. Now it’s time to mow the grass short-at about 1 inch. Let the clippings fall as they mulch and protect your lawn during the dead of Winter.
7. Keep the leaves mowed regularly and let them fall as well as they too provide protection for your lawn during the Winter

Here is my latest video NEWSLETTER:

Prepare Your Kitchen

My next post will focus entirely on cool tips on preparing your kitchen for the holidays. I will include great info on preparing healthy holiday main courses and side dishes. Meanwhile, check out my cool awesome post on reorganizing your pantry HERE.