This post was written in partnership with The Mills At Jersey Gardens

Holiday shopping procrastination is a vicious cycle, am I right?

We start out with the best of intentions. Then our calendars and to-do lists fill up, social events, cookie exchanges…  we miss that flash one flash sale… and thennnn the procrastinating begins and we begin to avoid our shopping list– or at least certain items… like. the. plague.

I’ve been guilty of this more times than I like to admit, but there is a silver lining in everything, right? And being a recovering holiday shopping procrastinator has given me some insight into some simple and effective ways to AVOID holiday shopping procrastinating.

I recently hosted a blogger breakfast at my favorite indoor outlet mall, The Mills At Jersey Gardens for a little holiday fun with the kids (They have THE BEST Santa set up!) and during the event I spoke with attendees about how we can really slay our holiday shopping list this year, like a pro!

(credit: the always fabulous Erika Batista)

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HOW TO END HOLIDAY SHOPPING PROCRASTINATION

Ask for suggestions early so there’s no guessing

When it comes to holiday shopping, there is nothing more overwhelming than having no idea what to get for someone on our lists– and when we feel overwhelmed we tend to procrastinate. So send out a quick text to those on your list and ask them for a few hints or suggestions before you head out to get your shop on!

Make a list and check it twice

Once you have your suggestions, make a master list and be sure to update it as you purchase your gifts. It is a rewarding feeling to cross things off your to do list, and it will help keep you on task and avoid impulse purchases that can cause us to spend extra money!

Keep your list in a place you see will see it every day

Keep your master list in a common area in your house that you are going to see everyday– like the refrigerator! This will serve as a daily reminder and keep you on track for getting your shopping done!

Map Out Your Shopping

One of the reasons I love The Mills at Jersey Gardens is that I can pretty much find something for everyone under one roof without compromising quality or feeling like I’m “settling” (which always ultimately makes us end up settling on a gift, right?). The less time spent in the car, the quicker we can get our shopping done.

The Mills At Jersey Gardens has department stores like Century21, Saks Off 5th and Neiman Marcus Last Call to individual designer outlets– you can easily find a gift at a great price for everyone from your family to teachers.

During the our blogger breakfast, we challenged attendee to find a great gift under $25 for a ‘White Elephant’ gift exchange… and you guys, the gifts that were unwrapped were incredible; from a Kate Spade wallet to Alex & Ani Scarf to a 3 piece, hand picked travel themed gift from Burlington!

Point being, if you can power shop outlets (especially indoors during the winter!) –––doooo it.

Set Yourself Goals And Reminders

Am I the only one who uses their phone to cover up for their early on-set dementia? I use Siri to remind me of EV.ER.Y. THAAANG– using Siri as my personal shopping assistant during the holidays just came naturally and it has changed the game.

“Hey Siri, remind me when I leave the house tomorrow to pick up a teacher gifts at Sephora!”

Another game changer?

Breaking up your list into smaller more manageable goals!

For example: buying all of your kids gifts by the first weekend in December (before moving on to anything else– FOCUS is key here!) When you’ve completed this small goal it will make your list feel more manageable and make you feel more accomplished and pumped to tackle the next small goal.

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