Sunday Prep Vol. 28
The week where we make gift spreadsheets and create a drop zone.
Create a “holiday drop zone.”
Set up one spot for incoming gifts, wrapping, and packages. It keeps clutter from spreading through the house.
Something to do today:
Plan three simple, nourishing meals or snacks for the week ahead—something that makes you feel cared for and grounded. A little prep today will make the days ahead smoother and healthier.
Something to do this week:
End each night slowly. Light a candle, read a few pages, or jot down a quick gratitude list before bed. A gentle wind-down helps your mind and body settle for rest.
Baked Feta Pasta
Page 109 in The Simplified Cookbook
Ingredients:
1 (8 oz) block feta cheese
2 cups cherry tomatoes
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 (16 oz) bow bowtie pasta
1/4 cup chopped basil, for topping
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Place feta cheese in center of baking dish, and place the tomatoes around the feta.
Drizzle olive oil over the entire dish, then add salt and black pepper to taste.
Bake for 30 minutes, then remove and stir.
While feta and tomatoes are baking, boil bowtie pasta according to instructions on the package until al dente. Drain pasta and add to the baking dish, stirring thoroughly to combine.
Top with chopped basil.
Get ahead of your week & make time for the things on your agenda!
Make NYE reservations if you’re going out
Pick up dry cleaning or drop off at tailor
Plan a “holiday lights” evening drive
Print family photos or order from your camera roll
Order a gift now for next month’s event
Plan holiday outfits
👇What else are you putting in your planner this week?
This Merry plate is absolutely adorable for the festive season. And on sale!
Pair this beautiful, very flattering skirt with a sweater and your holiday look is complete. 😍 Check that off the list!
Our team was quite excited that December 1 landed on a Monday this week. What else could a bunch of Planner-makers ask for?!
Obsessed with these earrings. Perfect for a holiday party and all year.
Keep the puzzle box displayed with this lid stand. Such a cute gift!
Wrapping paper cutter. Love this invention to make wrapping easier!
Already overwhelmed by all the wrapping essentials? This organizer changes the game.
Most of our team is in spreadsheet land to finish Christmas shopping. Anyone else do this?
Every year, our team gifts Emily a Christmas ornament with a Simplified Planner cover from that year. It’s such a special tradition, and now she has enough to fill a whole tree. So many amazing years!
It’s game season. Put the phones down and play games on a weeknight—you’ll thank us later! This one is really fun! Conversation Cards are always a hit too.
Each week, we're answering your real-life questions—about routines, meal ideas, work-life balance, favorite movies, and everything in between. Got a question? Leave it in the comments!
Q: “What’s your best tip to simplify holiday shopping?”
Emily: Make a plan. Keep a list. Stick to it (as best as possible).
Brittany: Don’t procrastinate (do as I say, not as I do). Get started in October or November—spreads out the spending so you aren’t super crunched in the weeks leading up to the holidays, and easier on your mental load. Also—fewer, more thoughtful gifts!
Whitney: I use the app Giftful to create wishlists for my kids and myself. It’s been so great to give our family specific ideas if they want them (and prevent 2 people from buying the same thing), or show the general vibe and sizes of things my kids are currently into!
Dusty: Ask for specifics. Extra things in your stocking if you send a link!
Laura: Make a plan. Use your Notes app to organize gifting by person that you can put ideas into during the year. In October/November I’ll simplify this list and keep my eyes on deals and STICK to the list. I like to picture my ideal Christmas morning with my girls and that helps me stay focused and not overbuy or impulse shop in December. A slow morning of peace and joy is what I’m after, and that helps me keep things simple. ❤️
Carly: Put a countdown in your planner that tells you how many weeks until the holidays are here! If I see that the family is getting together in 4, then 3, then 2 weeks... I’m reminded that I need to get those presents done!
Lindsey: This may fall more under the category of simplifying the gifting instead of the actual shopping, but I LOVE to give people gifts. It’s what I’m thinking about in almost every conversation. My best tip to simplify great gifting is to LISTEN and observe what your people love. Try to notice very specific things about their hobbies or style and meet them there with something special to enhance that part of their life. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, but definitely try to think outside the box! It’s a fun place to be creative.
Liz: I think about gifts all year long. That might sound extra, but it really helps me be less stressed + more present during the holidays. I keep a running list of gift ideas for everyone in my Planner—whenever someone mentions something they need or I see something that would be just *perfect * for someone on my list, it gets added. It makes Black Friday shopping SO much easier and way more fun.
🩷 Have a question for our team? Leave it in the comments and your Q might be featured next week!
We’re LOVING our first-ever 12 Days of Deals sale. It’s so fun to do something different each day. What do y’all think!? Which day has been your favorite?
One thing about our team is we love share what we learn. No gatekeeping here! Sometimes we will work on a draft post or project and come back to it later. This use of “T K” is really helpful so we don’t post anything before it’s truly finished.
We call the two weeks between Christmas and New Year “Holiday Break” like we’re all back in school. It’s a treat we look forward to, and work hard to finish tasks so we can enjoy this time off. It does make the beginning of December quite the hustle, but it’s worth it! Kindle and puzzles, here we come!
Snag this festive art for your Frame TV!
What does “enough” look like for you in this season—financially, emotionally, or socially?
What do you want more of and less of this month? Be honest and specific.
Get your journal for the season here.
Thanks for reading this week’s edition of Sunday Prep! We hope you have the best week! Can’t wait to chat Wednesday in our next Post! 💕
This is a highlight of my week! So many great tips for gift giving and staying organized!