Why you need to get SORTED* for Xmas now… exact days to shop & book food slots and £20 gift hack

*That’s… Sling clutter, Organise your budget, Reset the rooms, Tick off your to-do list, Essentials ordered, Decorate & done. UNLESS you’re Santa Claus, thinking about Christmas in September sounds, well, crackers. But with 100 days to go until the big day, there’s never been a better time to start planning. Gemma Bray has the perfect countdown guide which can help you save time and money this Christmas Credit: Gemma Bray A quarter of Brits admit they find Christmas stressful, with six per cent of festive-phobes leaving it right up until Christmas Eve to prepare, according to YouGov. Gemma Bray, founder of The Organised Method app, says it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming though. It isn’t the amount of stuff you have to do that sends people into a spin – it’s trying to fit months’ worth of jobs into a couple of weeks. Here, the mum-of-three presents her countdown of exactly what to do that will save you time and money ahead of the big day. You can also use this calendar here to stay on top of the Christmas countdown. 100 DAYS TO GO – GET READY TO CRACK CHRISTMAS Gemma says now is the time to get planning Credit: Gemma Bray Work out what Christmas is actually going to involve this year. If you hosted your family last year, congratulations – you already have useful data. Think back to what worked, what you bought too much of, what you left too late and what caused unnecessary stress. Find out when Christmas delivery slots are released. Book panto tickets, ice skating and any other festive must-dos. If you’re travelling, look at trains and flights now rather than waiting until December, when prices shoot up, and seats are limited. And yes, think about advent calendars. Popular beauty, Lego and specialist calendars often sell out by October. Finally, start putting aside whatever you realistically can towards Christmas. MONEY SAVER: Don’t start Christmas by shopping. Start by planning. Knowing what’s coming prevents expensive last-minute decisions. SEPTEMBER 26: 90 DAYS TO GO – SELL IT… OR BIN IT Gemma says this isn’t the time for hoarding – focus on decluttering your space Credit: Gemma Bray Before Christmas brings even more things into the house, make some space. Now is the time for a children’s toy and clothes clear-out. Divide everything into sell, donate and bin/recycle and (crucially) get the sell pile listed straight away. Autumn is a particularly useful time to sell toys, games and good-quality children’s clothes because other parents are starting their own Christmas shopping. MONEY SAVER: Put anything you make from selling unwanted items straight into your Christmas pot. Your clutter could pay for some of your Christmas. OCTOBER 6: 80 DAYS TO GO – ATTACK YOUR CUPBOARDS Next step: clear your cupboards and make sure you’re on top of what you already have Credit: Gemma Bray Go through the freezer and pantry and be ruthless about the things that have been lurking there. Use up food you’ve already bought to reduce your shopping bill while creating space for Christmas grub. Also, note any leftover festive food from last year. If two jars of cranberry sauce are still lurking in the fridge untouched, then you don’t need to order three this year. MONEY SAVER: For the next few weeks, try to “eat down” freezer and pantry items. Put some of the money saved on your normal food shop towards Christmas. OCTOBER 16: 70 DAYS TO GO – DO THE MONEY MATHS Time to ask: what can you realistically afford to spend this Christmas? Credit: Gemma Bray This is when Christmas gets real. Work out what you can afford, then count the paydays between now and Christmas and work backwards. Include everything: Presents, food, travel, parties, school events, cards, wrapping paper, postage, batteries and all those little expenses that add up. Make a list of everyone you’re buying for and decide on a spending limit. If you do a Secret Santa, there is no shame in saying: “Shall we keep it to £20 this year?” January is hard enough without giving yourself a financial hangover too. MONEY SAVER: Remember, a bargain isn’t a bargain if the person wasn’t on your list in the first place. OCTOBER 26: 60 DAYS TO GO – BE YOUR FUTURE FRIEND Getting the little ‘boring’ jobs done early can make a world of difference, says Gemma Credit: Gemma Bray This is the time for doing boring little jobs that ‘future you’ will be so grateful for. Check you have enough chairs, plates, glasses and cutlery if you’re hosting. Borrow or hire extras rather than buying things you’ll store for the other 364 days of the year. Stock up on batteries for all those festive lights. Check spare lightbulbs. Test smoke alarms. Look through the medicine cabinet and make sure you’re stocked up. No one wants to be battling festive heartburn only to find you’re out of Rennies. Get children to write their present lists and ask your partner what they want. Prioritise popular, or likely-to-sell-out, gifts and follow one of my favourite Christmas rules: wrap as you go. When a present arrives, wrap it, label it and put it away. MONEY SAVER: Shop your loft before you shop the Christmas aisle and borrow before buying. You don’t need to own 12 matching dining chairs. NOVEMBER 5: 50 DAYS TO GO – MAKE ROOM FOR FUN Christmas planning doesn’t have to be stressful, says Gemma Credit: Gemma Bray Christmas organisation should make space for fun too. Think about the traditions your family actually enjoys and whether you’d like to introduce one this year. Prioritise anything you’ll be posting, too. Buy your Christmas cards and actually write them. Check international posting deadlines if you’re sending gifts or cards abroad. Make sure you’ve got tape, tags, wrapping paper, gift bags and anything else you need. Then put everything together in one place. MONEY SAVER: Check last year’s wrapping stash before buying more. NOVEMBER 15: 40 DAYS TO GO – AVOID TURKEY TRAUMAS Steer clear of a turkey trauma, warns Gemma. Does yours fit in the oven? Credit: Gemma Bray Think through Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day and put those meals on the calendar. If people are visiting, decide who is bringing what. Check that your turkey (or whatever you’re having as your centrepiece) actually fits in the oven. If it’s frozen, work out the defrosting time now and put it on the calendar. Look at supermarket pre-orders for things such as desserts, cheese boards and party food. Start adding suitable non-perishable items to your normal weekly shop. MONEY SAVER: Don’t shop for an imaginary Christmas feast featuring gimmicky grub that won’t get scoffed. Buy the festive foods your family eats. NOVEMBER 25: 30 DAYS TO GO – RESET, DON’T RENOVATE When it comes to keeping things tidy, Gemma focuses on the areas that matter Credit: Gemma Bray This is not the moment to decide the skirting boards behind the wardrobe require repainting. Concentrate on the areas you will actually use: kitchen, living room, hallway, bathrooms and guest space if you’re having people stay. Clear surfaces and declutter, so decorations have somewhere to go. If you’re making or baking anything ahead, now is a good time to begin. MONEY SAVER: A clean, decluttered room often needs far fewer decorations to feel festive. Don’t confuse “more Christmas stuff” with atmosphere. DECEMBER 4: 21 DAYS TO GO – DON’T BE A RUBBISH WRAPPER Gemma swears by getting Christmas wrapping done early Credit: Gemma Bray Aim to finish the remaining present shopping. The goal is for presents to be bought, wrapped, labelled and safely hidden away. You could also pick up one or two inexpensive emergency gifts – something useful that you would happily keep yourself if it isn’t needed. MONEY SAVER: Don’t go overboard on emergency gifts. One or two flexible items are plenty. DECEMBER 11: 14 DAYS TO GO – STOP SHOPPING (YES, REALLY) Do not panic buy! Try to relax, says Gemma Credit: Gemma Bray Put the decorations up if you haven’t already. Deal with any late parcels or remaining wrapping. Post your Christmas cards. Now comes the difficult bit: stop shopping. There is a phenomenon I call ‘the Christmas itch’. You’ve done everything, but Christmas hasn’t arrived yet, so you become convinced there must be something else you should buy. Avoid this at all costs and you’ll reduce stress! Go back to your list and your budget to stop yourself from getting carried away. MONEY SAVER: Repeat after me: I will not panic buy because Christmas is getting closer. DECEMBER 18: 7 DAYS TO GO – MAINTAIN, DON’T ADD The week before Christmas is all about maintaining – not finding more things to stress about – says Gemma Credit: Gemma Bray The final week before Christmas shouldn’t have another enormous list of jobs. Your priority now is to maintain what you’ve already done. Keep on top of housework. Check timings and travel. Make beds if guests are staying. Put together anything the children need for Christmas Eve. But do not suddenly decide to redecorate the downstairs loo, make homemade chutney, or buy six more presents because somebody on Instagram has a prettier Christmas than you. MONEY SAVER: Remember, traditions don’t have to cost anything – a Christmas film night or an evening walk to look at lights can become the things children remember. AND… YOU’RE DONE If you follow Gemma’s advice, you could spend Christmas Eve kicked back on the sofa Credit: Gemma Bray By December 24th, the big decisions should have been made. There will still be things to do, but there is a huge difference between being busy at Christmas and being in chaos. Do the fresh food, the final tidy and the essential Christmas Eve bits. Then stop. The biggest Christmas luxury isn’t a bigger budget, it’s reaching Christmas with fewer things left to think about. Join Gemma’s Christmas Challenge for daily support all the way to December 25.