BEE4 Posted October 11, 2006 Posted October 11, 2006 I don't have kids but I buy tons of presents for my nephiews and kids from 3 families I babysit for. I have a list of things I want to buy and keep all of them in the basement. Since there is a lot of space and the presents don't cluttrer my bedrooms. I really don't have to worry about hiding them.
Turtle Mommy Posted October 11, 2006 Posted October 11, 2006 I have a huge storage closet I hid it all in. I just bought a new lock for the door this past weekend. I always loose the key by the next Christmas because I only lock the door when there are gifts in there. I have to clean it out and get ready for presents. I think I am going to set a table up in there to make it easier to wrap this year.
peanut92973 Posted October 13, 2006 Posted October 13, 2006 i put mine in the shed. after i get home from bf day i wrap everything stick it in garage bags and put it in the shed. also on bf day i have a paper in my purse and everytime i buy something i write it down.
blakes_mommy Posted October 13, 2006 Posted October 13, 2006 I hide them in the attic and make a list of what I have bought for each kid.
lilac100 Posted October 15, 2006 Posted October 15, 2006 I have a small room under my basement staircase. We have a padlock on it because my husband keeps his saws and sharp tools in there. We put the gifts in there. I keep track of everything on a pad of paper that I keep locked in the glovebox of my car. That way I can pull it out as I shop and write everything down and the kids never think to look in the glove box.
fulfam Posted October 16, 2006 Posted October 16, 2006 I usually put stuff on layaway so that I don't have to hide it for too long since I don't have any extra storage space. I usually pick up my layaway the week before xmas so I take it to my mom's house and wrap and leave it there until xmas eve.
shopping mom Posted October 16, 2006 Posted October 16, 2006 My FIL has his own business and plenty of storage space so we hide it there. I need to go look and see what I have because I used quite a bit for birthdays this year. I am hoping to have more that I remember. I'll make the list and continue on from there.
happysunshine28 Posted October 16, 2006 Posted October 16, 2006 One year I tried to fool my kids and brought a whole bunch of tags to work and had different people write their names on them, they didnt even notice. I have mine in my closet big stuff goes to SO's moms house.
mynpyn Posted October 16, 2006 Posted October 16, 2006 I have a box in the top of my closet with stuff in it, but it is starting to get full. I'm thinking I'll move stuff to the attic next. Of course last year I hid some DVD's from my husband and found them in March... Guess I'll have to figure out how to keep better track of those. Our gifts from Santa are not wrapped so I don't have to worry about the writing on the tag.
rogue1230 Posted October 16, 2006 Posted October 16, 2006 I LOVE the spreadsheet idea. I just took an excel course so I am dying to see what I can do with all that packed in knowledge!!!! Right now I pick up a little 3x3 or 4x4 prial notebook, use stickers to make tabs and give everyone I have to buy for a section. I tape the recipts to the back of each persons pages and that keeps me pretty well kept.( not as well as the spreadsheet though, WOW I think I may have to convert.) As or hiding them I don't have little ones running around the house. I just try to wrap as I go and usually hide a "surprise" gift under the pile under the tree.
digman6 Posted October 16, 2006 Author Posted October 16, 2006 the spread sheet thing seems to be working for me! I made colored columns and each kid has so many spots to fill once they filled I was set. they had until yesterday to make any adjustments. I went shopping put it on layaway a good chunk of it. I cross off what I have at home or on layaway in orange and label "S" next to the things they want from Santa in red. I have now a envelope for reciepts and my list and I am set. Thanks for the great ideas everyone!
kboyts Posted October 16, 2006 Posted October 16, 2006 My DD is almost 2 so hiding stuff isnt much of a problem yet but I do have to hide from the wife. I have a very large rolling suitcase with a luggage lock on it that I change the combo to every year. I stash most of her stuff in there. Anything that I order online or ebay I have sent to my work where I stash it until close to christmas.
dorkydiva Posted October 17, 2006 Posted October 17, 2006 I keep things in the basement or in the guest bedroom.
laffnatu Posted October 18, 2006 Posted October 18, 2006 i have a spreadsheet that i take my receipts to after each shopping trip and add what i just bought and how much...i also color code it, red is bought, black is what i am looking for....this list comes with me everywhere...spending limits for everyone, i allow a $5 overage but if i'm under $5 i won't make up for it, i might add a big candy bar... my kids are the only ones i will go over forWOW! You are organized. I try to hang on to my receipts but most of the time I lose them. I usually end up placing them in my top dresser drawer. I cleaned off the side of the fridge and found last year's layaway receipts from Walmart on the side.
Deal Grabber Posted October 18, 2006 Posted October 18, 2006 As funny as it sounds i have a storage locker room i rent for December.All my christmas stuff is put there.Wrapping bows etc.I dont want my kids to see any of it.They both 7 & 10 believe.After i shop its stored there and a few days before christmas i pack a lunch and spend the day their wrapping organizing and putting it into boxes so i can bring home.Chritmas eve i go get it and leave it outside the house till they sleep.This way the was no evidence of gifts in the house.It still works.
laffnatu Posted October 18, 2006 Posted October 18, 2006 Big stuff usually goes to my mom's. Other items go in the front hall closets and the attic. The kids never go in the closet and my son hates the attic. lol.
Deal Grabber Posted October 18, 2006 Posted October 18, 2006 Oh yeah i find every year present tags that are signed from santa and my wrapping paper is coded.I know which type of paper is for which child.Usually only use 4 different designs.2 for each child.It really works well.
Christy Garner Posted October 18, 2006 Posted October 18, 2006 I keep the small stuff in hidden in my closet and bigger stuff in the trunk of my car. This problem with the trunk of the car however is remembering that it is in there. Last year, I told me oldest to get something out of the trunk and he opened it and said, what is in all these bag? so, i immediately yelled, nothing and slammed the trunk. I need to find a better hiding place.
chefbart Posted October 18, 2006 Posted October 18, 2006 hid them at grandmas then spend hrs x mas eve getting them home
pogiporkchop Posted October 19, 2006 Posted October 19, 2006 That's a good question for me... I have no idea where I'm going to put all my shopping, especially the bigger things for the kids (our place is very small with almost no storage space). Better start cleaning those two closets...
jewleyp Posted October 19, 2006 Posted October 19, 2006 I keep the small stuff in hidden in my closet and bigger stuff in the trunk of my car. This problem with the trunk of the car however is remembering that it is in there. Last year, I told me oldest to get something out of the trunk and he opened it and said, what is in all these bag? so, i immediately yelled, nothing and slammed the trunk. I need to find a better hiding place.LMAO - I remember my mom having the same "issue" when we were young!! I store all my christmas decorating stuff in those rubbermaid boxes, so i kind of shift them around and mark the boxes with presents with a little X. The big stuff goes to a friends house, who's husband has mercy on me and will put it together before they bring it over Christmas Eve after the kids are asleep!!
jewleyp Posted October 19, 2006 Posted October 19, 2006 Oh yeah i find every year present tags that are signed from santa and my wrapping paper is coded.I know which type of paper is for which child.Usually only use 4 different designs.2 for each child.It really works well.Where do you find those tags?? "Santa" usually writes with the left hand!!!
able Posted October 19, 2006 Posted October 19, 2006 once i had a gift for someone and at the time my basement wasnt finished..i hid it in the rafters cause the person was coming.. well i forgot about it ...and had my basement finished...
biomajor Posted October 19, 2006 Posted October 19, 2006 I just put them in my drawers and the kids don't look anymore (17, 14) 2 years ago, I got them laptops and had them charging in the open, on my dresser and neither of them found them LOL
Jamy36823 Posted October 19, 2006 Posted October 19, 2006 I assign each kid with a number. I have three daughters so I usually go backwards so dd1 is #3. Then I use a small notebook and just number the pages #1 is youngest DD and so on. I do not write down what Ive bought exactly, I use code. So if I bought a Bratz Doll, I would write Btz and the price. So if they do find the notebook, they wont understand it anyway! Then to hide the packages, I just wrap them. I dont put tags on them until christmas eve so if they do find them, they wont know whos is whos but I do because Ive numbered them in a spot on the package theat they wouldnt notice! Usually where Ive taped the package
caramel Posted October 20, 2006 Posted October 20, 2006 The hubby and I have separate closets so all my gifts go in my closet.
mcnavy Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 A few years ago I used an old non-working dryer that we had in our basement. (just hadn't gotten rid of it) and they really held alot of toys. My kids had no clue.......they don't even want to touch the laundry room door now and they are 10 and 13. But alas we have moved and will have to get real creative this year.......
zoemariesmamma Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 I am used to hiding purchases..shhhhh. Daughter doesn't think to snoop yet but hubby thinks I go overboard. I love to find clearance stuff all year long for the angel tree and shoeboxes all year long. I have a drawer full of school stuff in one of my craft drawers!
zoemariesmamma Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 Last year we redid daughters bedroom, we stashed dresser, castle shaped bed, 2 toyboxes, bedding and lots of other misc. in my husbands very small studio...he couldn't paint all week. We locked her out and let her sleep in our room in her tent Christmas Eve..worked like crazy to get it done and get a little bit of sleep before morning. It was kind of a rush and probably my favorite Christmas since I was a child!!
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