SPCG November 2012 Checklist!

Finally, I've finished my Springcleangirl Checklists for the rest of the year! 
When developing the checklist, I got some ideas from one of my favourite organizing sites, but I changed it quite a bit as well to make it as culturally relevant for us Singaporeans/Asians with our hectic lifestyles and little time to spare for organizing and springcleaning. I did, however, make an exception this month for Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is not quite a festivity we celebrate here in Singapore, nor in most Asian countries, but I thought it over and considering how special this occasion can be for you and your family, I thought to include it into November. The whole spirit of Thanksgiving is that of gratefulness for many things that we have been blessed with. They can be the material things like a job or a housing bid, or very often more so, the non-material special relationships like family and friends. It's a great practice to have at least one time a year where we all just stop and consider all that we have been blessed with. And more so, to tell the people we love how we are blessed by their very presence in our lives (which, being Asians, we can be more hesitant to express on normal days). :) It's coming soon! So prepare your heart for that time. I've even included a suggestion to get your children involved (if you have any) so that you have some memories you can keep too.

Here it is! Do feel free to join me as I continue on my journey to a more organized life! May this list bless you and your family in practical, and special ways. And (I hope) would help create memories which you may not otherwise have made.

SPRINGCLEANGIRL’S
NOVEMBER 2012 CHECKLIST
DATE DAY Exciting SpringCleanMyLife Task of the day! 18 SUN Last minute shopping for your Thanksgiving dinner! To avoid the stress of preparing for the dinner on the weekday, prepare what you can freeze ahead today (including Turkey stuffing and cookie dough). If you don't like to cook, then at least plan what you are going to order in and remind the family to be home! 19 MON Check your closet and choose a nice outfit for yourself for Thanksgiving dinner. Send to those closest to you an 'I’m thankful for you' email/SMS. 20 TUE Give your dining room a little bit of a sweep and wipe to prepare for Thanksgiving. 21 WED Put on some relaxing music and take some time for yourself today. Read a book, journal or, in the spirit of thanksgiving, write a list of things that you’re thankful for and just relish in just how blessed you are. 22 THU It's Thanksgiving! Get the family together for a family meal and talk about what you are thankful for this year. Have your kids write thank you letters to God. Tuck them away in their memory books for years to come.  23 FRI Clean your fridge today. Package and freeze any uneaten leftovers from last night's dinner.  Make a list of your freezer contents and use this to plan upcoming meals. Plan to use most of it up by the end of the year. 24 SAT Make a list (or revise last year’s) of the people you plan to send Christmas cards to. There's nothing like a personal handwritten card! Take out any boxes of new Christmas cards you have (and any Christmas presents you have been buying throughout the year) so you'll know exactly how many you will need to get/make. 25 SUN Go out and get the Christmas cards you need, or consider printing them out from an online template. Spend some time to write a simple personal newsletter about how you have been in the past year that you can slot into the Christmas cards. 26 MON Place a few empty Christmas cards in your handbag or in your car. You never know when you're going to find the time to write one or two. Aim to write a few a day. 27 TUE Drop by the Post Office and get the stamps you need for your cards. :) Say something encouraging to the postmen and women - service people don't get appreciated very often. 28 WED Make a list of the people and the Christmas presents that you will need to get this year. (Tip: Use your Christmas cards list you made on the 24th, or a "Family members" list to help. Also, consider doing something handmade with love this year - I'm personally making boxes of cookies for my entire family.)  29 THU Finish up any online Christmas shopping! Things take time to ship so you'll be glad you started (and finished earlier.) 30 FRI December is almost here! Which means Christmas is coming! Treat yourself to a new CD of music of the holiday season and start putting up your Christmas decor.

Have a wonderful rest of November ahead!
xoxo