Whether you are a mom or just someone who enjoys making the most of the holidays, ‘The Busy Mom’s Christmas Organizer? can help take some of the stress out of your celebration season.
Created by ‘busy mom? Theresa Fiorani of Lake Orion, the book comes in a soft-cover binder for easy portability. Included are sections for tracking gift buying, gift ideas, Christmas cards, and holiday party planning.
Fiorani, who is on a leave of absence from her job at All State Insurance, said she came up with the idea because she is a ‘list maniac.?
‘I did one last year, but I didn’t really market it,? Fiorani said. ‘I revamped it and this is kind of the second edition of it.?
Fiorani said she kept a lot of lists on her computer and thought it would be nice to have them in something that was portable.
‘I couldn’t find a product that wasn’t hardcover,? she said. ‘I also wanted something compact. I kind of created one, I worked on it a couple of years ago when I took a self-publishing class.?
Fiorani has a degree from Eastern Michigan University in written communication/journalism, and has three children with husband Doug: Natalie, 11, a seventh-grader at Scripps; Megan, 7, a third-grader at Carpenter; and Brendan, 5, a kindergartener at Carpenter.
‘My family has been very supportive of this project, my husband designed the website. He’s pretty computer savvy,? Fiorani said.
Fiorani thinks the gift ideas section of the book is one of the most useful aspects of it.
‘I take that information when I go to buy things,? she said. ‘It also helps you pace when you are done shopping.?
The book also has pages budgeting for the holiday season, as well as a good ideas page.
‘Sometimes you go to someone’s house and think ‘That’s a good idea,?? she said. ‘There is also a holiday wrap-up section, where you can say ‘What am I not going to do next year?? It helps you prepare for the next year.?
Although she is focusing on Christmas for now, holiday planners for other holidays like Halloween could be coming.
‘I toyed with the name, I thought about ‘The Busy Mom’s Holiday Planner,?? Fiorani said. ‘But I decided I should keep them separate.?
Fiorani said desk top publishing has always been a kind of hobby for her.
‘All of the pages for the organizer were done on the computer,? she said.
Fiorani used the organizer last year as a fundraiser idea for her son’s then preschool, The Learning Link, and might work with some local day care centers again.
‘That seems to be a good place to find busy moms,? she said. ‘The book is $10.95, and $2.50 of each one went to the school.?
Fiorani had the book available on Amazon (it will not be this year) last year, and said she got some out-of-state customers.
‘I surveyed the people who used it last year,? she said. ‘I don’t think you’ll find anything like it at the book store.?
‘I’m not telling you what to do with your holidays, you customize it the way you want it,? Fiorani said. ‘There are vinyl pockets in the book so you can keep your receipts there…I’m trying to help you keep all those good ideas in one spot.?
For her next project, Fiorani is considering a book for children and also a non-fiction Christmas book.
‘That’s an idea I’ve had for a while, but it requires an illustrator,? she said.
To buy ‘The Busy Mom’s Christmas Organizer,? for $10.95 plus Michigan tax and $2 shipping and handling, visit Fiorani’s website at www.coldtoastpress.com.
For more information about fundraising opportunities, email publisher@coldtoastpress.com.