I have to say that we really can't complain here in South Dakota about the weather...yet! It hasn't been that bad, but I still enjoyed a great trip to Raleigh, North Carolina where it was a bit warmer. I spent time with the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) North Carolina Chapter. As a national board member of NAPO I have the honor of visiting some of the chapters. Not only was Raleigh beautiful but the ladies in this chapter were great!

I also got to meet Mary Larsen of Mary Larsen Designs. We've been emailing each other for awhile and I finally got to meet her. She's a gal after my own heart as we went out for the best dessert I've ever had!

From Raleigh I went to Chicago to speak at the NAPO-Chicago Midwest Conference. Again, meeting the most wonderful people. If you live in the Raleigh or Chicago area and need help organizing please visit these NAPO chapter websites and contact the organizers. You're going to love working with them!

I have a wonderful friend in Chicago, Stacey Hanke, and she came to the conference just to see and hear me speak. It was great to see her again, and she gave me a copy of her brand new book "Yes, You Can!" I read it on the airplane going home and it changed my communication skills for the better! I would definitely recommend this book to each of you.

At the end of October I gave the Organize the Holidays with Confidence workshop here in Sioux Falls. I mentioned this in my November newsletter but I wanted to show you a picture from the workshop. This was a 'hot' topic, as 85 women registered for the event. Are you ready for the holidays?!

I hope you have a great December with your family and friends. Make sure in all the hustle and bustle to take some time for you and really enjoy the season!

Merry Christmas!

Fearlessly yours,

Here are some great tips for you to keep sane in December!

1. Print out a blank calendar for the month of December and cross out the week of Christmas. Now you can see in black and white that there isn't much time for all that you think you must do during the Holidays. Fill in EVERY activity you and your family are involved in. Now look at your calendar. Is this even doable without driving everyone crazy? If not, start deleting items that aren't that important and keep the really great events.
2. Get a large white envelope and label it Shopping Central. Put your shopping list there and keep ALL receipts in this envelope. This will make shopping and any returns a breeze.
3. Talk to your family about the traditions that you do every year. What do they really like and what are they not all that wild about? Keep only the great ones and start some new ones of your own.
4. Give gifts that don't clutter. Gift certificates, movie tickets, certificates to spend time with you, massage certificates, homemade food mixes, etc. See more ideas below.
5. Ask everyone what is one thing they'd really like to do over the holiday break. Put those activities in your calendar and enjoy time with your loved ones.
6. Have a buffet for a party instead of a sit-down meal.
7. Start making doubles now of casseroles, freeze the extra portions, and use during the busy holiday season.

Gift Ideas:
Think back to last year's Christmas gifts. Do you remember any that you received? If you do I would expect that they were gifts from the heart and showed that someone cared - not something just pulled off the store's shelf in a hurry.

Here are some heartfelt gift ideas for you:

1. What about purchasing a beautiful journal for the key people on your gift-giving list? On the first page write their name, contact information, and a short note from you. Then on the following couple of pages write down how they are a blessing in your life. I guarantee that they will never forget this gift and will use it for the rest of the year journaling their own thoughts.
2. When you open your gifts take the time to turn to the person who gave you the gift and tell them one way that they are a blessing in your life.
3. As a family pick a charity to give to this year.
4. If you're a parent have one of the gifts to your children be a family night. Perhaps pizza and bowling; or pancakes and game night!
5. Get the book Make-A-Mix and give the gift of food. In this book are great ideas for easy mixes that you can then 'wrap' in a canning jar, tin, etc. and print the recipe. There are recipes for brownies, breads, sauces, and lots more!
6. Does the person you're giving a gift to have a hobby? Get a basket and fill it with items for their hobby. If they golf it can be golf balls, tees, golf towel, etc. If they knit it can be knitting needles, yarn, knitting book, etc. Or how about a Get Organized basket?! Here are some great organizing gift ideas.
7. Want to give your clients a great gift? How about a gift of your time? Either in person or by phone. What can you help them with?
8. Speaking of giving time - how about giving time to your parents, a best friend, or a lonely neighbor? Make up a cool certificate for a certain period of time and tell them that you will share this time with them in any way that they'd like.

We are all so truly blessed. I know that many of us have had a trying year but take the time now to think about all that you have in your life and share your thoughts with others. It's really hard to complain when you are sharing great feelings!

I want to wish you all a very blessed Christmas and I can't wait to start spending 2009 with you!

December 3, 2008	Organize with Confidence! The Harrington Company Minneapolis, MN
December 9, 2008	Organize with Confidence! Sioux Empire Society for Human Resources Sioux Falls, SD
December 10, 2008	Organized Time Webinar for Décor and You
December 11, 2008	Fearless Organizing Professional VIP Circle Coaching Program - How to Blog! Learn more
December 17, 2008	Fearless Organizing Professional VIP Circle December Q&A Call Learn more
December 25, 2008	Merry Christmas!

See more details of upcoming speaking engagements here.

I'm in the process now of booking 2009/2010 speaking engagements. If your business or organization would like to be more focused, organized, and productive please visit the Speaking page on my website.