Getting Ahead of Myself?

You all know I am a planner.  You didn't know that?  Ah, well.  You should.

I am a major planner.  Planning is how I survive.  I am good at it.  It helps me feel calmer.  So I plan.

But sometimes, I go overboard.  Like trying to make the birthday cards for the next six months.  That might be a bit much, Amy.  But then again, I've done it before.  The main issue is when I forget that I made someone a card, so I go and make them another one then later find the original.  Duh!  This has happened before.  At least twice.  But both times it was a September birthday.  So I'm learning from my past mistakes and am only doing till June.  Mid-year break.  I figure I can make some more then.  I have a little stash started, but of course I keep adding to my 'to do' list as I remember more cards I want for the year ahead!

Various birthday and thank you cards.  The top right is thanking my  dad for helping fix paint on our car  (I painted the car, Munchkin coloured), and the bottom left for friends lending us their amazing train set (another combined creation by Mummy and Munchy).

It does suit me, doing cards this way.  I get in the 'groove' of card creation and can churn out a dozen or so before I've had enough (we just hope that dinner wasn't due before then!).  Then when I need a card, I don't have to haul out my (slightly disorganised, crammed into a shelf of the cupboard) stash of materials to make a single card while trying to stop Munchkin getting into anything.

Cards are not the only thing I have been planning ahead lately.

I've been busily working on our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes for next year.  This because I am not only a planner, but a budgeter (it's just another form of planning really, isn't it?).   And  I know that I can get WAY better prices for many things just now than I will ever be able to score later in the year.  Like flannels (facecloths for the non-Kiwis!) at $1 or $1.50 each (Briscoes, half price), toothbrushes at $1 each (PakNSave on special), and the soaps I got a month or so ago (really, really early!  New World I think, 50c each).  And then yesterday, I happened to see some little plastic soap boxes for just 20c each at Payless Plastics!  SCORE!  The kids that receive these shoeboxes often own no other personal items, and live in a home without any form of storage.  So having little containers or bags for their belongings could be just as precious to them as the gift it contains.  I must admit, I didn't actually see the big box full of soap containers.  Munchkin did.  He thought they looked cool.  Mummy decided he was right!

Then there's my stationery stash.  Some for shoeboxes.  Some for us.  For us: a pair of sizzors, rolls of sellotape, and two drawing books for Munchkin, plus study material for Boyo and I.  Nothing flash, but necessary none the less.  I need to go back and get a few ring binders.  Forgot those, ugh.

So if you need any stationery for the year ahead, now is the time.  BIG, BIG, BIG savings at Warehouse Stationery.  Like, 10c notebooks, 29c writing books, 33c pencils...this stash (8 rulers, 8 erasers, 8 metal pencil sharpeners, 8 maths lined books, 8 writing books, 8 notebooks, 24 pencils) cost me just shy of $30.  I saved that same amount again.  They are sitting here in front of two of our shoeboxes.  We actually forgot to wrap on Christmas Day!  Blame me having a cold and family visiting for the day...we did it later in the week.

What plans do you have underfoot for this year?  Are you a planner by nature or necessity?

Amy