Day of the Bear Hunt Timeline

Sun Jan 9, 2011

10:15am - 10:30am      Take cookies out of freezer

10:45am - 11am           Make beverages for party

11am - 11:15am           Put out last minute decor

11:15am - 12:15pm      Make food for party

12:15pm - 12:30pm     Send someone for balloons

12:30pm - 12:45pm     Turn down a/c

12:45pm - 1pm           Get dressed for party

1pm - 1:15pm             Light Candles

1:15pm - 1:30pm        Check restrooms

1:30pm - 1:45pm        Relax and get ready for the party

Before a party, I always make a timeline for the week of, day before, and day of the party.  It keeps me from worrying that I am forgetting something, and makes it easy for me to delegate when someone asks what they can do.

The paste above is from my google calendar, which is also on my phone.  I set the event to repeat yearly, so everything is already set for Squeaker's next bday party.  All I have to do is drag the event to the correct day once I set the party date next year.  It's usually the same weekend, so the only events I have to drag and move are the day before and the day of timelines.  All the weekly planning tasks leading up to the event don't have to be moved at all.  I give myself the whole week to complete each of those tasks (for instance, "gather invitation supplies"), so it doesn't matter if it falls on a Monday or a Tuesday, as long as it's in the correct week.  For more timeline info, read here and here.

Bonus: Today, I happened to be finished early (even with the bear cave rain out/re-routing debacle!) and actually had time to sit and have a glass of wine with my sister an hour before the party began.  Score!  Incidentally, I think what made me finish sooner is that I dressed for the party (which was do-able since it was a kiddo's party) first thing in the morning.  Not only did I not have to run upstairs and rush to get dressed right before the party, I think I moved faster and more efficiently since I was showered and dressed early.  It probably helped that I went to bed by 10 the night before, too!  This will definitely be something I do from now on and will be changed to first thing on my day of timeline!