One of the tools I use as a professional organizer are countdowns.

What exactly is a countdown? To put it simply, anytime a special event, party, or holiday is anticipated (okay maybe dreaded :), create a MASTER list of EVERYTHING you need to do.

For example, during the winter holidays, tasks such as- setting your table, gift buying, cooking, decorating, may be floating around in your head. "Oh yes, I can't forget to do x,y,z", sound familiar?

Transfer all of that mental clutter from your head onto a piece of paper. This is your MASTER to-do list.

Then, transfer each item on your MASTER list to a day in your calendar, sometime before the event. It will not be too hard to determine the necessary chronological order for each task. You may want to use something large like a wall calendar with post-it notes for the individual tasks. This way, if you cannot complete a task on the assigned day, you can move the post-it over to another day.

You now have DAILY and WEEKLY to-do lists and have just created a COUNTDOWN.

After creating your Master list, you may decide that you logistically cannot get it all done before the event. If this applies to you, decide to delegate, delete, or diminish some of your tasks. Do you really need to give a gift to every single one of your coworkers? Can you buy the jelly donuts instead of baking them-especially if you've never made jelly donuts before?

Rebekah Slatkin is a professional organizer dedicated to getting people organized through hands-on decluttering sessions, teleconferencing, coaching, and her website http://www.best-organizing-products-superstore.com Visit http://www.best-organizing-products-superstore.com and subscribe to Organewz, her ezine dedicated to organized living and get organizing tips and downloads- free.