Like clockwork, the holidays are upon us. As exciting as celebration and time off work may be, that time away from our design business can also create anxiety. I’m here to tell you that if you prepare now, then you can thoroughly enjoy all that the holiday brings for your personal life. Curated from my own decades of experience, think of this checklist as your secret shield against the chaos of year-end madness. So, take notes if you’re ready to conquer 2024 and start 2025 on your best holiday slipper forward.
END-OF-YEAR CHECKLIST: Your Secret Shield Against the Chaos
First up, set those OOO (out of office) dates. Let your clients and team know when you’ll be with family and friends so there’s no boundary crossing or unhappy silences.
For end-of-year orders, there’s nothing worse than promising a client their dream sofa will arrive for holiday entertaining, only to have it stuck in transit. Set a firm cut-off date for ordering (and pad that date) and stick to it like your design reputation depends on it (because, let’s face it, it does).
Let’s chat about holiday gifts. I have a little trick up my sleeve to avoid the last minute scramble. I send my gifts (king cakes!) in February to celebrate Mardi Gras – it doesn’t get lost in a sea of holiday gifts, is totally on-brand for this New Orleans girl, and gives my clients and other VIPs a little post-holiday surprise. Plus, it buys me some breathing room during the busier season.
interior design by suzanne rheinstein
Before all else, check with your internal team for their holiday vacation dates. Planning and delegating accordingly will save you from feeling short-staffed, overwhelmed, and far from joyful.
Decide on what your holiday cheer gift will be to the team. Will it be a gift? An outing? A bonus? Figure out what is within budget, and start your planning now. P.S. If your team is remote, how will you create a stronger bond through the season?
Get realistic about how to incrementally accomplish the remaining work on your plate from now until December 18th. Don’t take on anything more, and possibly eliminate things that are on your plate now that will not create impact this year.
You must not forget to check in with yourself. If you are a solopreneur (like me), treat yourself! Whether that means a spa day or giving back to a cause near and dear to you.
Refresh those connections! It’s crunch time to finish current projects with stellar client satisfaction. Don’t be afraid to tell new clients that you can start with them at the beginning of 2025. That timeline may work better for them too so they can more clearly focus and give you more of their attention.
And for those on-the-fence clients? Consider now your time to check-in. Before everyone’s schedules go haywire, ask what’s holding them back or when they aim to start. Maybe it’s just a quick chat to clarify your scope or to address lingering questions. A proactive reach-out now could be the difference between kicking off the new year with a bang or wondering what could have been.
Clean up your bookkeeping. Carve out a few hours to review all your “Work in Progress” reports in your billing software. Final invoice the orders you have delivered in full so that you can submit your sales tax payments promptly before the year closes.
Review your expenses. Spot expenses like paper and ink as an opportunity to save money and time filing by going paperless. Though this should be a monthly or quarterly practice, a year-end review gives you an advantage to project a saavier 2025 budget.
Request W9s from all new vendors you’ve placed orders with or independent contractors you’ve paid (over $600) this year.
interior design by suzanne rheinstein
Psst..Still feeling overwhelmed?
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