7 Ways to Stay Organized This Holiday Season
Holiday party season is in full swing, which means schedules are so jam-packed it could make even the most veteran stylist’s head — and hair — spin. And with back to back (to back, to back) clients, how are you supposed to stay organized… and keep from going totally insane?
I think people are getting dressed up more than they do any other time of the year, and anytime someone is dressed up they want to accessorize their hair and makeup a little bit differently,” says Redken Artist Lauren Hagen. “It’s really an opportunity to play ‘dress up’ not only with clothes, but also with hair.”
With everyone on the schedule looking to change up their #lewk (the idea of "new year, new you!" is a blessing and a curse for stylists), here are 7 ways to have your most organized holiday season ever.
Plan Ahead
Starting the day with a game plan can really help things run smoothly later on. "I always make it a point to come into work a half an hour earlier, or stay a half an hour later, and I always look at my book for the next day and this way I’m prepared and start planning already,” says Hagen. "I already know who’s coming in, I take a look at their color cards and see what I did on them last time and what I might do on them this time, and then I try and look and see which clients I have the time to maybe do a quick add on service to or to change their style up.”
Prep Your Clients in Advance
"Scheduling can tend to be the most tricky when we don’t set up our clients on how difficult it can be to make an appointment when there is the holiday rush,” says Redken Artist Tara Abramowicz. "What I have found works for me is to start booking for the holidays in September! It seems really far out, but it’s really only 2-3 appointments from November/December.” Hagen suggests asking clients a few months in advance if they have any holiday parties coming up or if they’re thinking about changing up their look, then having them bring in photos you can look at together ahead of time to ensure there are no surprises the day of the December appointment. (Plus, it’s a guaranteed visit if you get them too book in advance!)
Don’t Overdo it
It’s natural to want to fit as many guests in as possible, but no matter how brilliantly you juggle your schedule you can’t change the fact that there are only 24 hours in a day. "I refuse to book myself too tightly,” says Abramowicz. "I would rather add extra days to my schedule than to squeeze people on a day where I can no longer give them the best service. For me, those are the days I feel most defeated- when I can’t do my best work because I 'fit it all’ in.”
Clean As You Go
When you have guests coming in one after another, you have zero time to tidy up in between their visits. "When I come to get my client for their shampoo, I’ll grab any towels/dishes and foils that could be in the way,” says Abramowicz. "As far as prepping my station — I leave the towels and capes I’ll need for every client during the day inside my cart. That way, I save time not heading back to the towel cabinets all day.” Even during the craziness of the holidays (or really, especially during the craziness of the holidays) you want every guest to have an enjoyable experience, so it’s important to keep your station tidy as you work.
Get Everything Ready Ahead of Time
The best way to keep your schedule organized is to keep your physical space organized, too — that way you’re not wasting time scrambling for products in the middle of an appointment. "If i have five clients I know I’m doing foils on, I get that stuff ready ahead of time so I know it’s ready to go,” says Hagen. "As far as styling products go, I have my pillar styling products on my station that I know I’m using on every guest, then in between each guest, I’ll just go and get the one or two specific styling products that I need for that guest, and as soon as that’s done I’ll put them right back.”
Take Time For Yourself
Real Talk: When you’re overly stressed out, are you really doing your best work? Probably not, if you’re being totally honest. “I think the reason why stylists get stressed out is because they’re going into their day without a game plan,” says Hagen. Make sure, at the very least, you’re taking those few minutes in the morning or at the end of the day to get organized and keep things running smoothly
And most importantly….
Don’t Forget to Eat
“Make sure that you book yourself at LEAST one half hour to eat,” says Abramowicz. Hagen suggests bringing your own lunch and snacks so you don’t have to rely on ordering out, and to give yourself one less thing to think about during the day. After all, nobody likes a hangry stylist!
