The holiday season is almost here! While it might be a great opportunity to celebrate with friends and family, an influx of parties, family gatherings, school events, and holiday shopping can create a hectic holiday to-do list. Thankfully, today's newest smartphones and tablets are good for more than rewatching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation for the 47th time. New productivity apps and services are improving the way that people around the world organize their lives and keep the holiday season under control, minimizing stress and maximizing the enjoyment that the season can bring! Here are the best organization and productivity apps to help keep your household running as smoothly as Santa's workshop.
Download a Gift List App
Whether you're shopping for the office Christmas party or picking out gifts for your own family, apps on both Android and iOS are there to help you make sure that you've got something for everyone on the Nice List. While there are plenty of options on your favorite app store, Giftster is a fan-favorite. This app provides a two-way gift registry, allowing each user to share their own wish list and also see what others may have on their mind. Just copy a link and drop it on the list - it's that easy! For Secret Santa events, Giftster even has a built-in tool that picks the names to make your Christmas party easier than ever before. Interested in checking out more Christmas list options? PC Mag has you covered, check out the top eight holiday gift list apps.
Track Every Step of Your Trip
Planes, trains, and automobiles are all going to be in high demand as millions of Americans are traveling this holiday season. Planning trips and purchasing tickets ahead of time is always a must, but downloading a couple of apps go the extra mile when preparing for your journey. For pre-flight prep, download the MyTSA app for a quick look at security checkpoint wait time and a searchable list of what you can and can't bring on your flight.
When you're loading up the family and hitting the road, Waze is a navigation app that not only gets you from point A to point B but that also shows nearby restaurants, gas stations, and amenities in addition to community-based speed trap tracking - no one has a ticket on this year's wish list.
Pick a Place to Stay
If staying with distant family isn't your style, hotels and motels have always been the go-to option. Airbnb and Vrbo are two very popular services with a community of renters offering everything from single rooms to luxurious mansions. Whether you're staying for one night or an entire week, these communities are packed with a wide variety of places to stay at any price point to create the perfect getaway!
Keep Tabs on Your Virtual To-Do List
From big tasks like prepping the holiday dinner to the small daily tasks like picking up the dry cleaning, lists are an easy way to help keep yourself on track and destined for success! While the old-fashioned paper list is a good start, there are hundreds of helpful checklist apps that send reminders and help you handle everything well ahead of the due date. Microsoft To-Do is one of the most popular options, integrating directly with Microsoft 365 to help you create to-dos from emails and never miss a task. Any.do is another handy app with checklists, reminders, and calendar integrations to help keep every part of your life organized. Google Keep is a third option that brings that old-school satisfaction of a sticky note on your computer monitor into the digital world. From family recipes to reminders, Google Keep is a one-stop source to keep track of all of your reminders.
Shop Online Throughout the Season
Amazon may have revolutionized the world of online shopping, but now nearly every major retailer is throwing their hat into the ring. From Walmart and Target to Harris Teeter and Whole Foods, online shopping is a great way to get everything from gifts to groceries in a fraction of the time without a computer! Download the store's mobile app, create an account, load up your cart, and check out - it's that easy. Whether you choose a free pick-up option or splurge a little for at-home delivery, online shopping is an easy way to take the hassle of heading to the store out of the equation this holiday season to maximize time spent relaxing with family and friends.
Our team at SeedSpark is always keeping our eyes on the tech space for up-and-coming new tools to help you make the most of your day! While technology can bring a lot of benefits during the holiday season, hackers are also working overtime to take advantage of unsuspecting online shoppers and internet users. Click the button below to check out our blog on cybersecurity tips to help you stay safe during the holiday season!
