The following is a guest post from regular contributor, Rachel at Useful Beautiful Home.
For me, this is crunch time to finish any remaining gift purchases. Usually by now, if I have anything left to buy, it’s the little “extras” that have gone unnoticed or weren’t a part of my original gift list. Sometimes I don’t know exactly what I’m searching for until I stumble upon it in the store, which means I carry a long list outlining what we’ve already bought and what is still needed.
This year I made it easier by creating visual aids using my cell phone gallery to keep me on track while I window shop for the last few items.
Visual Aid Gift List Tracking:
It went like this, if I had a person on my shopping list that wasn’t completely “finished”, then I snapped a pic of what was already purchased for him or her. While I was out running errands or completing other purchases, I referenced my photo gallery of gift needs.
For example, below I have the gift we purchased for my young niece. Before wrapping it, I took this photo on my cell phone…
Then, as I was out shopping in different stores, I used it as a visual reminder for the missing piece. Instead of writing on my gift list,
“need something small for Kassidy but not sure what, preferably Frozen themed, not pajamas or a game”
I simply wrote,
“Kassidy – almost done, see picture”
Now, it seems simple as I’m typing this, but most of my gifts are purchased well in advanced and wrapped weeks ahead of time. Once things are packaged, I tend to forget what was originally purchased; which led to under/over gifting in past years. Multiply this times the dozens of family members on our list and I’m more than confused while standing in the middle of crazy town (aka the mall) searching for the final touches.
Better yet, I would text the picture to my husband if he was running holiday errands on my behalf. For some people (my hubby included), a picture is a much easier explanation!
Sometimes I included the labeled gift receipts for easy identification.
If I didn’t have a gift receipt, I just folded whatever scrap paper I had on hand and wrote in so-and-so’s name. I would imagine this is not a good idea for those who have little gift-snoopers around the house and know how to access Mom’s cell camera. 😉
That’s it, my Friends! It’s not intended to hog your time or congest your already busy holiday season. It’s just a simple tip that has made my last minute purchases more efficient and I hope you find it equally as helpful!
In other news, I’m taking a streamlined approach to the holidays this year, so head over HERE to read about my simple ribbon technique that saves a pinch of time while looking cheerfully festive! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from my home to yours!
In the professional world, I’m a nurse by trade. But, around our house, I’m known as Mommy to our young daughter. My two worlds collided and began shaping into a blog. Useful Beautiful Home represents the hours I’ve dedicated to managing my household as efficiently as possible. I offer you motivation to keep your home healthy, organized, and welcoming. My goal is to share what I’ve implemented in my home to inspire you with fresh ideas and to encourage you to keep up the good work in yours! Learn more about me HERE or visit me at UsefulBeautifulHome.com.
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