Earlier, the better.

Ok, so I'm not crazy for starting my Holiday shopping in AUGUST! Yes "Mrs. Procrastinator" is trying to plan ahead {gaaasp!} and I've already bought for over 7 family members, beginning during our anniversary trip in August. I just knew that being in the retail industry, life gets INSANELY crazy/busy with events/extended hours from October - December. I refused to be as stressed out as I was last year, therfore I'm getting a super early start...

and I'm not the only one.

SmartMoney.com just came out with an article as to WHY consumers should really shop earlier rather than later this year.

#1 reason is this - “Last year, if you saw something in the store and liked it, the longer you waited the deeper the discount would get,” Sluzewski says. “This year, if you see something you like, it may not be there anymore if you wait because inventory is less.” {smartmoney.com}

Being a retailer myself, I know exactly how much the retail industry is having to cut back on inventory. So, if you see something you want and think to yourself "oh I'll just come back in a few weeks and get it"...I hate to say it, but it may not be there.

The best TIP I ever received on how to organize early Christmas shopping was from my previous boss at The Little Black Book publication in Greenville, SC. Her advice was this:

Designate one closet in your home to "store" the early Christmas gifts until time for wrapping. On the inside of the closet door, tape up a sheet of paper {you can make it a table/chart} and jot down 

1. Description of Item you Bought
   


2. Person you bought it for
   


3. Place for notes to write if the item goes along with something, special instructions,etc...

Easy as 1.2.3! I'm one of those that likes to keep the wrapping paper out and wrap as I buy things. My mom organizes her gifts by listing them in a notebook, then wraps them all at one time. I can't do that because I'm so impatient and maybe a little on the A.D.D. side. I get so tired of wrapping, and just have to do it in several different "sessions" I guess you could say.

Speaking of wrapping, another TIP is to use the same wrapping paper for certain family members/families. I "almost" do this every year but somehow end up forgetting/getting mixed up by the time the 25th comes around. This year we're going to try to wrap all of Chad's families gifts {for example} in the same gift wrap, so when it's time to load up the presents for that particular gift exchange, we can easily spot them under the tree and it won't take us 10 years to load the car! 

What have you all found to be the least stressful way to tackle your Christmas gift list? Any tips on gift buying/wrapping this Holiday season?

Happy Buying!