Organize 365 Podcast

How can you use Black Friday to maximize your family's budget? I play a Black Friday game kinda like the extreme coupon game from the early 2000's and today I'm sharing how. I save money now to extend our financial resources throughout the rest of the year.
Black Fridays of Yesteryears
When I was little I wanted a Cabbage Patch Doll. I did not get one and I'm "scarred for life" because of it. So naturally when my kids wanted the thing of the season I would do my best to get it as soon as I saw it. But splurging on those big items took money away from our family budget. So I started to look at other areas of spending to see if I could reduce spending somewhere else while I was splurging on the kids.I didn't want to scar them for life too, afterall. Although if an item was out of the budget, I told it to them straight and let them know they would not be getting that item. 
Extreme couponing originated in Ohio and I was playing. Some savvy shoppers could even end up getting paid to "buy" their groceries. You would use a coupon on top of a sale and then maybe a manufacturer promotion too.  Then I started playing the Black Friday game.  I surely wasn't standing in lines at all hours of the night but I did take advantage of the sales in the light of day.  Which then led to Amazon Prime Days. You all know how much I love Amazon. At first it was accessories to go with the expensive electronics my teenagers wanted. Then I realized it was everything! Like, what? Ok so then I was addicted! Until, Amazon did me dirty and threw in early Black Friday. And it wasn't too long till Wal Mart, Target, and other retailers followed suit.  Don't fall for it people. Wait till Black Friday.
Sales Cycles
While I was extreme couponing I noticed there was a cycle that my Coke A Cola would go on a good sale, then a pretty good sale, and then THE sale.  About every 3 months I would take advantage of THE sale and stock up. If I was gonna drink the stuff might as well have been at a low price.  And then I noticed paint always goes on sale during the Red White and Blue holidays. And Of course, you want a good tv, buy one during Black Friday or close to the SuperBowl. Pay attention to the items you use, you'll start to see this pattern.  Except my Paul Mitchell hair spray. Please if you see it on sale, hit me up in my DM's!!
Is It 50% Off?
Now I simply ask myself about household items, "Is it 50% off or more?" The goal is to stock up on the items we use everyday and will buy anyway. Reduce household spending to free up funds to buy the gifts you want for the holidays. 
You may be wondering if you can apply this to Organize 365® and you cannot. But I know you know I have a good reason for that. The reason is that I always offer you the best price so that you can start your organizing transformation journey when the time is right for you. You don't need to wait till Black Friday to know you are getting the best deal. Now get online and start plotting the items you can stock up on to free up funds the rest of the year for the things you want. 
EPISODE RESOURCES:
The Sunday Basket®

Holiday Blitz® Resources

Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media.

The Holiday Blitz® is designed to help you, the Magic Maker, to enjoy the season and activities too. How? Why the family survey? I'm here to explain it all in this episode.
Delegate
Why is delegation a common theme with me and my systems? Delegation takes things off your plate. If it's something you want to do, keep doing it. But the things you don't enjoy or sincerely need help with, delegate. Think of your family member's strengths and ask them to help in those areas. If someone is a great cook, ask them to start helping with the cooking of the holiday meals.  If you are having a lot of company, there's no reason they can't bring their own beverages. I know at my house I try to buy all the things to accommodate everyone's drink preference and when they all go home I have half of the beverage aisle from the grocery store. 
I say, "Just have the awkward conversations." It's not comfortable to ask guests to bring something when they haven't years past but this year is a new year and there's no reason they can't lighten your financial and preparation burden. They are there to enjoy it too. And of course, you could order out the whole meal. Caveat; everyone attending can split the price of that meal too.  People know it's expensive to host and you might be surprised how willing everyone is to pitch in for a great get together.
Just Data
Keep in mind that the Holiday Blitz® survey is just data. It is not your new to do list every season. Find out what everyone remembers. And keep it mind if you do it every three to five years, you will get new responses.  Kids grow up and other family members may change what they like. You certainly aren't expected to do all of it so don't put that pressure on yourself.
Good Better Best
One way I think about my holiday expectations is in three levels. No one sees these lists. No one knows what you have planned. And no one knows if you bail on everything. What can you do with your time, talent, and treasures to put on the best holiday experience you can that leaves you as a human available energy to the experience you are creating?
My good list is the essentials that must get done. People need to eat and maybe gifts are being exchanged. Especially consider this level if it's just a low energy season for you.  Now my better list may include activities leading up to and the big day. When my kids were little I planned all their days that they had off of school. Now that I am working full time, not so much. And Best. This is a fun dreamy list.  This list for me includes one grand outing for our family. Remember you can graduate to the better list or you can simply do the good list and enjoy yourself. And before you set your sights on the Best level, evaluate, do you have enough time, capacity,and money to go to that best level. 
No
And for the love, people, just say no! If it's not on the list after Planning Day, say no.  It's worth the relief you will feel.  Once you are in the holidays is not the time to add things to your expectations.  You'll see a great idea on social media and think "Should I?" No, no you shouldn't! Just say No! Just like I started to say no to holiday cards, there may be a whole category of work you are ready to just start saying no to.  Or that traditional family chili day, yeah, simplify it or just say no.  If you find something to be more stressful than joyful find a way to make it less stressful by delegating part or just say not this year. Who knows, someone else may want the opportunity to host it this year. Stay tuned to the end to hear what I am saying no to these days.
EPISODE RESOURCES:
The Sunday Basket®

Holiday Blitz™ 

Holiday Shop 

Organize 365 App 

Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter 

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media.

When one starts to plan for the holidays, why doesn't one check in with themself first and plan for the outcome in mind? I'm looking at the holidays through many lenses in this episode.  In January, I don't want you exhausted and dreading next year. This year I want you to look back over the merry holiday magic that you made happen and feel excited to do it again next year.
Energy
The first thing you need to think about is your current overall energy. Has 2026 been a rough year so far or are you running on all cylinders?  When I held the self care retreat that was a result of my book last year, Escaping Quicksand, I really needed it. As the PhD came to an end, I was really exhausted.  How is your energy going into the holidays? Permission to plan accordingly.  You are where the holiday comes from and you are in control of what you plan.
Also, check in with yourself and identify when your energy is the highest throughout the day and week. I know that I am a morning afternoon person. I may tell others that we need to celebrate early because of kids' bedtimes, but really? It's me! I am done when the sun goes down. I'm ready for my hot bath and some down time.  Then there's my husband who works hard all week and does not wanna go out on a Friday night but Saturdays are great.  When you know this about yourself you can enjoy celebrations much more!
Sleep can definitely affect your energy levels too. Not sure I have much advice on sleep - just get as much as you can. Because no one is really getting a lot of sleep in our house we have mandatory rest time after presents. Does your family need a mandatory rest time to recharge and reset? Think about your rest for the entire break. There is a lot of time after the holidays have been celebrated. What does that home time look like? Will you be entertaining? Traveling? Are there projects you want to plan for? 
And what you eat to fuel your body matters. Carol who used to organize with me could tackle a garage or basement everyday of the week, she worked out. But me with my fast food and coke diet didn't have the physical or mental stamina to. I have really worked hard on my nutrition and now have added exercise. How else am I gonna keep you with my giant little grandkids? 
Family/Celebration Time
Another important thing to know about yourself is how long can you "family?"  I love being with my family, it energizes me. But not everyone feels this way. And some family or traditional gatherings  are easier to get along with the people there than others. If you need to create space or deflect attention I would recommend bringing a game to switch up the conversations or a handheld activity like cross stitch or crochet or maybe even a puzzle. If people choose to join you great and if not maybe even better? I know, I said it LOL
I had a spur of the moment idea in the middle of recording this episode but you could consider hard day task stacking sandwiched with positivity. Treat yourself with a coffee, commit to short visits to the hard stuff, and finish the day with a beautiful meal or something else you enjoy. 
Questions to Ask Yourself
In anticipation of those hard events there are some questions I encourage you to ask yourself.
Can you change it? 

Do you want to do it?

Can you avoid it, limit it or stack it?

EPISODE RESOURCES:
The Sunday Basket®

Holiday Blitz™ 

Holiday Shop 

Organize 365 App 

Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter 

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media.

This is the state of the American Home. I've been thinking "Where have all the leaders in the workforce gone?" Then I was like "Wait, where have all the Gen Xer's gone?" They haven't gone anywhere! There are just fewer of us than the previous generation.  Now the question is, what changes will Gen X create to accommodate the increasing cognitive load? 
Generational Patterns
So where the Gen Xer's are now, is in overload. I feel like I'm planning everything and there is more to focus on and I feel overwhelmed. I don't remember my mom having these struggles.  Why do I feel overwhelmed? I found out it's because there are fewer people carrying the same load. Gen Xer's are caregiving for their children, maybe a parent, and possibly a grandparent.  What I have learned about Gen X is there are considerably less of us than there are Baby Boomers and about the same amount as the Millenials. Other countries have been reporting a decrease in newer generations populations too. We are living longer which is resulting in stacking of generations. And the birth rate is lower due to an increase in infertility, people waiting longer to get married, and high divorce rate.  So we are not "replenishing" ourselves in abundance. 
Each generation has their own patterns that impact the economy. And this change in reproduction is having an impact on the main care giver. During COVID we saw many women take a step back from work to take care of their families and that is often the case. This too affects where all the Gen Xer's are…taking care of their families. And due to the state of the population we are at a 1:1 rate of caretaking. There aren't extra people/relatives to help.  There are fewer people carrying the same load. 
Systems Are Essential
All that to put a spotlight on the fact that it used to be a luxury to automate, delegate, and delete. But, now, it's becoming essential. We need these systems in place. Because when an unexpected event comes up and you are in a caregiving role, you are only as stable as the systems you have in place and there isn't time to improve those systems in that time period.
The change we can make in our generation is to embrace AI and figure out how to automate some tasks. Appreciate your home as your refuge. I know during COVID we upgraded a few things in the house and I really love just being in my house.  I also have really been wanting a home office. It dawned on me that we have had the perfect space for this all long. I will finally have the storage space and command central space I have wanted to run our home. Make your house support you so you have more capacity to support others. When you are in a caregiver role, come up with ways to still care for yourself. Don't worry about what your house was designed for, make it functional for you. And planning. I have planned more in my 50's to make sure I get time with my friends, family, work, and self care than I ever have. Value self care. The healthier that you are in every way, the more you are able to support those that are in need around you. 
EPISODE RESOURCES:
The Sunday Basket®

The Productive Home Solution

Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter 

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media.

I normally gloss over level one because there are so many resources for laundry, housework, and food preparation. I thought it would be helpful to offer how I deal with the work I love, feel "meh" about, and that work which I loathe.  I know we all understand the concept of outsourcing but how do you power through when you are the laborer that needs to complete the tasks of level one of the Productive Home CEO Theoretical Framework Pyramid. You have options!
Love
Let me start with my love of laundry.  I love at the end you have a visible representation of what you have worked at all day. After documenting how much time it took me one day to do 8 loads of laundry, I had documented only 90 minutes of actual work.  You may not like remembering to switch the laundry or putting it away. So here are a few ideas to maybe enjoy it more. One idea I saw was all the family's laundry was hung in the laundry room because their house had space for that. I'm a fan of helping your kids to help you.  I knew looking at that beautiful stack of freshly laundered clothes in one pile was like over load for my kids' brains. So I would put individual stacks in a laundry basket with clothes that need hung laid across the top. Then they would take them to their room and put them away.  Figure out what will make it easier and cause less resistance in them helping you. 
Meh
I fell "meh" about cleaning. I've done it for others. I can do it for myself. I'm indifferent. But you may loathe it.  If that's the case, decide if you would rather do it all in one day (that's what I like) or a little bit each day and then plan for that. Honestly, when I get to the end of my cleaning, which is my toilets, I start to bribe myself. I think once I'm done, I can have a bagel, work on a puzzle, or whatever I've been wanting to do. The other thing that I found to be helpful is to do something while you clean. You can listen to a podcast, music, or call someone and just start cleaning. 
Loathe
I loathe all things food related. I mean think about it, conservatively speaking, you spend 3 hours a week planning the meals, getting the food, putting it away. And about an hour a day prepping, cooking, and cleaning up.  I do not do anything food related in my house. When my kids were younger I traded with another mom. She made two meals for my family and I did her laundry.  Now that my family is in a different phase of life I prep everything on Sunday. Then I grab, go, eat, rinse the container, and go on my merry way.  After talking to my friend who is making a hot breakfast every morning, EVERY MORNING, I had a suggestion. I said why don't you make all the breakfast meat on Sundays and then you don't have that clean up everyday before work.  She noticed the kids ate it faster. So then I said make enough on Sunday to get you to Wednesday. Then on Wednesday make enough to get you to Saturday. Then you can have a lazy morning. Or if you are a married person they could cook on that day. 
EPISODE RESOURCES:
The Sunday Basket®

Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter 

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media.