diy gift Archives - A Simpler Life

Early Christmas preparation can make for a less stressful holiday season!

Are you prepared for the Christmas season? If December seems to always slip up on you resulting in utter chaos, this post is for you! Preparation, organization, and realization of the true meaning of Christmas are the keys to a enjoyable holiday season. If you haven’t already done these things listed below, in early Christmas preparation then you REALLY need to, ASAP!

Make a recipients list
Set a budget
Begin gift research
keep gift records
Stay in your budget!

That may sound like a lot of Christmas preparation especially this early . So, let’s break it down to better understand exactly how these actions can simplify your holiday season especially if you begin early (AKA now.)

The first way you can begin your Christmas perpetration is by…

1.Making a recipient’s gift list

This is usually a simple task. Sit down with a pen & paper, a phone notebook, or my favorite Christmas app, (link below), and began listing each and every person to whom you will be gifting this year. Yes, I mean EVERYONE! Fido, the mailman, teachers, even your son’s gold fish! ????.

This Christmas preparation helps with budgeting by keeping your hard earned dollars from slipping between the cracks of, “oh I forgot”. This also helps you prepare items ahead of time giving you more meaningful and budget friendly options to choose from.

2. Decide on an overall budget amount, then distribute accordingly.

This is very important part of your Christmas preparation. To be honest, this is best done at the start of the year allowing as much time as possible to put back the desired amount of money for your Christmas budget.

Either way, if you haven’t already then NOW is the time to sit down with your spouse, consider your current income and decide on or confirm a REASONABLE Christmas budget amount. This amount should NEVER cause debt that you cannot afford nor should it be an amount that will cause anxiety & stress . Christmas is about the birth of Christ and there is no reason to celebrate it by spending money you don’t have, causing unstable and unhealthy circumstances that do not honor Him. Most likely, the person you are strapping yourself for would never want you to, on their behalf anyway.

Once you have an overall budget total, divide your budget into individual amounts between each family member and each holiday category. Your individual budget amounts should never add up to more then your total budget.

Example of dividing your total budget would be something like this –

Total budget $500

————————-

Parents $35 ea Total= $70

In-laws $35 ea Total= $70

Nieces & nephew’s $15ea. Total= $60

2Children $75 ea Total= $150

Gift Wrapping Total= $20

Ingredients for Christmas baking for neighbors etc. Total= $30

Gifts for Spouse & yourself to exchange $50 ea Total= $100

—TOTAL— $500

You may ask “What if my gift list exceeds my total Christmas budget?”

If your total amount of divided budget equals more then your total overall budget, then you probably figured your individual budgets first .

This is why it’s important to figure your overall budget , then divide it between the individual budgets accordingly.

If you are having trouble dividing the amounts small enough to stick to your total budget then consider omitting categories that you may be able to skip for this year. Sometimes we bye for more people then we really need to. You don’t have to skip this person or category forever, just until you can prepare better in the future.

Second, consider cutting down a small spending amount from each person. A small amount from each will not affect your spending much but can add up to quite a bit of savings on your part

What if I’m still over budget or my reasonable overall budget is just very small?

* Look for budget cut opportunities

*Shop sales and clearance

*Be honest, If your worried about unfulfilled expectations then just be honest and tell your family you are cutting back permanently or temporarily.

*Do not feel guilty.

*Gift the gift of favors or time

*Work with what you have and try to make the best of it .

*Consider DIY Christmas gifts, They have really came a long way… subscribe for future post on this topic

*Use your imagination and creativeness .

*Tackle the challenge with a good spirit, you might be surprised what you come up with, especially if you start now.

*Lastly , if you wish to have a bigger Christmas budget next year, consider planning for it earlier. January or as soon as Christmas is over, is a great time to set up a Christmas savings plan. At this time of year, Christmas is on your mind and you will know best the areas you would like to adjust in financially for future Christmases.

I like to make notes of Christmas ideas that I didn’t use on the current year for possible gift ideas in the following.

Note- Many banks have Christmas savings accounts that will even pay you interest to save. This would be a great way to begin your Christmas preparation next year .Every penny counts!

3.Research Is a must for early Christmas preparation

Research is vital to a budget friendly, receiver pleasing, stress relieving, gift giving, holiday season and of your Christmas preparation!

I know that was a mouth full lol.. but researching prices (aka price matching) and watching for sales can really help out when buying multiple gifts.

Research isn’t always about the price though.

Research can help that frantic feeling you get as you search for the perfect gift for that one person that is SO hard to buy for.

If you have a person on your list with no gifting ideas whatsoever, then begin your research NOW! Google gift ideas for “dad, grandpa, husband… etc. (is it just me or are men hard to buy for ?????).

There are so many articles on gift ideas online. If you don’t find something the first time, try different Google search titles such as “Christmas gift ideas for men” or if you’re crafty, try “best DIY Christmas gifts 2021”, “DIY gifts for dad”, or “DIY gifts made by kids”. You get the idea.

Also, keep your eyes open for YouTube videos and blog post on gifting (including here!) And don’t forget to listen for any type of hints or clues from or about those “hard to buy” family members. Listening and being observant alone can give you tons of GREAT, needful gift ideas.

4.Keep gift records

The holiday season can consist of a LOT of well, everything really. Lots of shopping , lots of traveling, lots of gatherings, lots of cooking, and a lot to remember . This is exactly why I suggest keeping a Christmas notebook, or app for Christmas record keeping.

What do I keep in my Christmas notebook?

1.Gift recipients and all budgeted categories .

Don’t forget to include extra expenses such as wrapping supplies, Christmas cards, Christmas dinners, goodies, and annual Christmas trips or traditions. These are easy expenses to forget amidst the hustle.

2.Budget limits and budget break downs

3.All gift ideas that you come across during your gifting “research”

4.Any item you purchase & who it’s for

5.All money spent from budget and each budget’s current balance

Keeping these details all together keeps you from buying doubles. It makes sure you don’t forget about a great gift idea you made note of , and most importantly, if done correctly, it can help keep you within your budget.

As the holiday season approaches and you begin your Christmas preparation, keep these records with you at all times. You never know when you may come across a great gift deal. But before you purchase, double check your “notebook” for budget limits, former ideas, & already purchased gifts.

5.Stay in your budget!

In the end, no matter how you decide to gift, be sure to STAY IN YOUR BUDGET as you prepare for this Christmas.

Come January, you will be so happy you did. And boy will be surprised how much stress this alone can illuminate.

Please subscribe below to receive post updates and FREE printable’s through my Homemakers only page!

LINK- my favorite Chirstmas gift tracking app!

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-christmas-gift-list/id769268887

Here are my best “DIY gift basket” tips.

Getting started with your DIY gift basket

Set a budget Before you get started with a DIY gift basket , you will want to set a budget. Gift basket can get out of hand quite fast. Setting a budget, whether large or small, reminds you to distribute the money where you actually want it.

Choose a center piece I would not consider this a must for a good gift basket but I often like to choose one “nice” item to build my gift basket around. Something I know the person loves or something that is worth a little more then the other items (AKA “fillers”). This makes the basket carry some “value” but doesn’t break the bank by filling it full of expensive items. Remember, the center piece doesn’t necessarily have to cost a lot if it is something special the person will love without a doubt .

Now that you know the size of your “center piece” it is time to choose a basket. Choose a basket that your center piece will fit in, leaving a little extra space for fillers. You want your center piece to “stand out” and you don’t want to spend a fortune in fillers either. Keep in mind your budget for this gift basket and choose your basket size accordingly.

Do not waste a ton of money on a basket. Check your own home first for a basket to re-purpose. Keep in mind that many things can be used as baskets, not just your traditional basket. Matter of fact, theming your basket for the occasion or the receiver is a fun way to “up” your gift a notch. Consider items such as, organizers, crates, bins, bowls, tool boxes, toy dump truck, baby bath tub, and even a re-purposed box, as gift basket options. Other places to check for baskets is Dollar Tree, Dollar General, yard sales, second hand, and stores like TJ Maxx, Try not to waste a lot of money on your basket, especially if you can find a nice one discounted elsewhere. The exception here would be if your gift basket was part of the gift, like a baby tub, toy truck, or mixing bowl.

Filling your basket

Shop with your basket The advantage of purchasing a basket while you shop for fillers is being able have a visual as you place the items in your basket. This prevents over or under purchasing. If you are not shopping with your basket, that’s okay too. Just take a good look at your basket before you leave, or even better, take measurements. Before you begin shopping, grab a similar sized container or basket and use it as your fill in visual aid. *After doing a few baskets you will get better at guessing how much you need.

Keep Your receipts Note the return policies of the places you shop and keep your receipts. It’s hard to over buy for a gift basket, especially on a budget, but it can happen. If you keep your receipts, you can return extra items and it won’t matter a bit. You can also tuck away extra items for your next gift basket.

Make use of things you have Gift basket fillers are a great way to re-gift small items you don’t need. Be sure the item is top quality and that it is actually something the person will use before you re-gift it.

DIY basket fillers DIY basket fillers are a great way to personalize a gift basket and in some cases, save some money.

Stick to useful items If you want your basket to truly be appreciated, stick to basket fillers that will actually be used. It’s so easy to stuff a basket full of cute what- knots but unless you know the person extremely well, this method may not be best option. A friend we visit occasionally made me & my children a gift basket this past week. I was so impressed by her selection. No, it was not full of adorable homemade items or even expensive stuff but it literally contained nothing that I would not use. Considering we are not around each other very much and we do not even talk regularly, this amazed me. I paid close attention to the items, making a mental note for my future basket making. In the basket she had included things like; hand sanitizer, kid friendly snacks, an adorable note book, a set of pens, kid friendly sanitizing wipes, mints, reusable sticker books for each child, Slim Jim’s, bobby pins, some fancy chocolates etc.

Try dollar store I love shopping at Dollar Tree for gift basket fillers. They have unique items in small packages for a cheap price. It’s true that lotion may be cheaper at Walmart per oz but the fact is, you don’t need a $4 bottle of lotion for most gift baskets. The same goes for many categories. Dollar stores also carries many items such as mugs for much cheaper than most convenience stores.

Stay away from tiny fillers Unless you have a large budget, I recommend staying away from super tiny basket fillers. You want small to medium size fillers that will accent your center objects while filling all of the space in the basket easily. A FULL gift basket should be your goal for top notch appearance and to do that you will need to get the most “bang” from your “buck”.

Set a base inside your DIY basket A base is basically a “platform” in the bottom on your basket. This lifts the items up to be more viable and gives a much more “full” impression. You can make a base out of a small upside down box or even wadded up news paper. Be sure to cover your base with tissue paper or something similar when you are done.

Putting it all together

Secure your items Securing your items makes sure your beautiful basket stays put together and allows you to display the items in a more “spread out” or upward direction. You can use double sided scotch tape, packaging tape, hot glue, and glue dots to secure your items in their best displayed positions.

Fill in any gaps You can fill gaps, add color, and stable items by filling in all of the gaps with coordinating tissue paper. You can also display tissue paper behind the gifts as a sort of backdrop.

Wrap your basket Wrapping your DIY gift basket in a clear gift basket bag or cellophane is a sure way to professionalize your gift. For smaller to medium size gift baskets, I recommend Dollar Tree’s heat shrink gift basket bag. You CAN’T beat the price or quality! All you need is a hair dryer and this $1 bag for an amazing display.

Add a bow Adding a bow to your DIY gift basket is like adding the icing on the cake. Well… it’s more like the rose lol. I would say the cellophane bag is more like the icing. But either way, the bow sort of ‘pulls it all together’. If you purchase a bag kit like Dollar Tree’s you may find that it includes a bow, SCORE! I do like to add a little of my own ribbon or twine to the included white bows. Tie on a gift card, if you want to get really fancy!

If you have enjoyed this post then please subscribe here for weekly updates & new post and don’t forget to like below!

Also, feel free to check out my accompanying YouTube video here!

https://youtu.be/7Nr7xIzStww

In this video you will learn how to make a simple bow out of wired ribbon. This ribbon would be great tied on a first DIY gift basket.

You can head on over to my new YouTube channel and subscribe to be notified when new videos are published. Just click the link below and subscribe once you are under my YouTube channel.

A Simpler Life

Homemaking At It's Simplest

Tag diy gift

Early Christmas Preparation