4 tips to simplify your Christmas shopping list

It’s that time of the year again where we have to start prepping our festive season shopping list - if you haven’t done so already.

While you may not be rushing to crowded shopping malls as you have in previous years, purchasing gifts for your loved ones - along with all the other Christmas essentials that come along with it - can be quite a daunting experience (which is why some people keep putting it off until the last minute, causing even more distress).

To combat this, we’ve put together a handy guide on how to simply your Christmas shopping, eliminating the stress and putting thoughtfulness and love back into festive season preparations.

Make a list of people you need to buy for

First things first: You know who and how many people you’re buying for.

Make a list of all the people you need to buy gifts for, starting with the most important i.e. your spouse, kids, parents etc, and then moving down the priority list. Once you have a clear idea of who you purchasing for, you can organise what you’ll buy and where you’ll shop accordingly.

Think of ideas and fish for info

Once you have your list sorted, you can start thinking of what would be a good gift for each individual. This way, you won’t be overwhelmed when heading to the shops or browsing online as you’ll have partial idea of what you’re looking for.

If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas on your own, try to fish for suggestions. You can start by asking them directly about something they want or need, or browse their social media to see what type of brands or stores the follow, and look for a gift from there.

Create an Excel spreadsheet to organise the process

Once you have a clearer idea of what you’d like to gift each person, you can create an excel spreadsheet to organise your shopping list.

List out the names of people you need to buy gifts for, then list the items they would like. Next, write out a list of store names or websites where you can buy the gifs from. Also write out the price of each item from each store. This way, you can compare prices and ensure you stay within your budget.

Plan your shopping trip

Before heading out into the mayhem, plan your shopping trip. Make a list of each store you need to go to. If you’re heading to a mall, ensure that they house the store you’re looking for. If you’re driving around from store to store, try to put them in order of location so that you minimise your travel time.

Lastly, before heading out, it’s a good idea to phone the store to see if they do in fact of stock of the item you’re looking for. If you’re purchasing items online, best to do it ahead of time to account for stock or delivery delays.