UHeart Organizing: Be Prepared To Party!

One of the reasons I heart to organize is because I can't stand spending time digging and searching for things, especially when I am in a rush to get out the door.  Another reason I organize is to be prepared when special occasions arise.  I have been in situations where I am making last minute dashes through Target ten minutes before my kiddos have a party to be at, and it is stressful with a capitol S.  Not to mention expensive.  Megan of Honey We're Home is joining us today to chat about how she prepares for events, and is offering up some great tips to keep you on top of your party attending game.

The month of August found us celebrating six little friends' birthdays with parties almost every weekend.  When the invites started arriving (via mail or Evite), I started to feel a little overwhelmed.  I wanted to make sure we had all the dates/times/places calendared, that none of the parties overlapped, that we RSVPd on time, and that we had gifts for everyone.

I hadn't considered "preparing to attend a party" a process until we got all these invites at once.  If you have more than one child, I'm sure keeping up with their social calendar of birthdays can be quite the juggling act at times- especially during the school year when you're also dealing with sports/dance/gymnastics or other activities. Today, I'm sharing with you some tips on how to stay on top of the birthday parties (or other events where gifts are appropriate) and some cute handmade cards to keep the costs down and make the gift more personal when it's for a child. 

ONE - CALENDAR THE EVENT

I write the party on our family kitchen calendar that way we can quickly see if something is occurring on a weekend.  I also put the date and location on my iPhone calendar with details like "bring socks or swimsuit" so we don't forget.  Then, I "invite" my husband on my iPhone calendar so he knows what's happening on the weekend too, but it doesn't mean I don't still have to remind him. ;)

If you have an Evite account (just sign up with your email and password), you'll be able to log in and see all at once the Evite events you've been invited to.

TWO - TIMELY RSVP   

As soon as we receive the invite, I confirm that we can attend, and RSVP right away so that I get it done and the host has enough notice that we'll be coming.  At a lot of these kids' parties, if the party is at a venue, parents pay by the number of children attending, so it's polite to let the host know if you won't be able to make it. 

THREE - GIFT BUYING

I have simplified kid gift buying by purchasing all birthday gifts online.  It's more convenient than in-store shopping with a toddler and the selection is better.  I find Amazon particularly usefully because you can search for gifts by gender, age, type of gift (arts/craft, animals/figures, puzzles, sports, etc.) and read reviews from other purchasers about whether the item is quality and a hit with the kids.  The "best seller" items are usually good.  If I give a gift that is particularly well-received, I've been known to purchase it in multiples and have it on hand for future gifts.  Who knew 2 and 3 year olds would like a $10 Mickey Mouse play dough set so much?! 

For the adults in my life, I keep a Pinterest "gift idea" board and refer to it often.  Or, even better, I'll search my friends'  Pinterest boards to see if they have one for "stuff I want" - sneaky huh?!   Shhh...  Although Amazon is great for kid presents, for adults I like Mark & Graham (for monogrammed items), Minted/Paper Source (for personalized stationery), C. Wonder (for unique, cute items) HomeGoods & Hobby Lobby (for teacher gifts), and let's not forget the grocery store for wine!  La Crema Chardonnay, Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio, and Liberty School Cabernet are three solid, inexpensive choices.

FOUR - GIFT WRAPPING/CARD MAKING

When a gift arrives, I tag it with a small post-it note with the recipient's name on it and put it in our bar area until I'm ready to wrap.  Then, I make sure I have the appropriate sized gift bag or proper wrapping paper. 

I've stopped buying birthday cards, opting instead to make our own as we sure have enough supplies for it!  I love having craft supplies of all kinds on hand from markers, to washi tape to stampers and stickers, so it's fun to actually use them!  I have a wrapping cart for organizing wrapping supplies in my office closet, but I like to take the top two divided holders out and keep them in my office for easier access for making notes and sending cards. 

I've kept our stickers in a plastic file folder from Wal-Mart for years so I can find what we need quickly.  You can always find cute stickers on sale at craft stores like Michaels or Hobby Lobby.  Markers are kept in an old candle box and cup. 

Getting my son in on the gift giving process helps instill in him the value of giving, and gives him some letter writing practice!  A foam board or vinyl tablecloth protects the table from scratches and stains when he's creating at the white table.  

Or sometimes, he likes to get on the floor. 

I found these cute "Handmade with Love" stickers at Michael's. 

Do you have this birthday party thing down to a science or does it stress you out sometimes? 

"My name is Megan and I am a lawyer by day, design and decor lover by night, and Mama to the sweetest 4-year old boy you've ever seen.  I'm passionate about fitness (and chocolate!) and could not live without my relationships, girl talk, and my morning coffee.  I've been blogging for four years over at Honey We're Home, sharing my love of keeping things organized and beautiful at our house.  My efforts to live in the moment and cook more are an adventure in progress."