6 Chores You Can Outsource During The Holidays to Make Your Life a Little Easier

There's no shame in calling in a little help.

It might be the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s also the busiest. Between work, parties, events, and family gatherings, it can feel as if you don’t have time to get it all done yourself. Fortunately, you don’t need to. Here are six chores you can easily outsource during the holidays, so you can focus on what means the most to you this season.

Related: 7 Home Tasks to Do Now for a Stress-Free Holiday Season

Grocery Shopping

Grocery shopping during the holidays always feels frustrating. The lines are longer, the increased amount of choices seems overwhelming (do you really need peppermint-favored hummus?) and the crowds are enough to make you abandon your cart in the middle of the supermarket and just head home.

Whether you opt for Instacart or Amazon Fresh, the extra cost of these services can be well worth it to free up some time—and save yourself some stress.

If you’re on a tight budget, there are still ways to avoid the chaotic grocery store scene and save yourself time. Depending on your location, many stores, including Target, offer free pickup so you can order online and get your groceries delivered to your car.

Gift Wrapping

There’s something nice about opening up a beautifully wrapped present, but wrapping a gift yourself takes time and doesn’t always look all that pretty. According to RetailMeNot, quite a few stores offer free and low-cost gift-wrapping or boxing services including Revolve, Charlotte Tilbury, Amazon, Bloomingdales, Kendra Scott, and Tory Burch. Save yourself some time and elevate your gifts this year.

Holiday Cards

Who has time to write cards, pick up stamps, and mail them? Fortunately, this is easy to outsource. There are several sites where you can buy cards and have them mailed including Postable, Snapfish, and even good old Hallmark. Don’t waste an envelope or an extra minute this season.

Cooking

Some people are like Julia Child in the kitchen, making everything from scratch and obsessing over every last detail—but what if you aren’t one of those people? It's far easier to enjoy your family and friends without the pressure of cooking if it doesn't bring you joy. So, ask your favorite restaurant if they can cater your party, even if it's only for a small group of people. Serve everything on pretty platters and in nice bowls. Your guests won’t know the difference—they'll just be happy to share a meal with loved ones.

If ordering out isn’t in your budget, Trader Joe’s has lots of crowd-favorite frozen prepared food you can easily reheat in the oven with minimal effort and mess. Who doesn’t love a warm samosa or pig in a blanket?

Related: 15 Holiday Foods From Trader Joe's That'll Make Entertaining So Much Easier

Cleaning Up

Cleaning up is the least fun part of hosting. While doing this for a few extra people isn’t a big deal, it can put a damper on the festivities when you’re hosting a larger group. Consider hiring someone to clean up for you. Try Taskrabbit or see if there are local high school or college students who want to pick up some extra cash.

Tablescapes

Do you dream of having a beautiful tablescape, worthy of thousands of Instagram likes, but don’t have time to design one? You may want to consider renting one. While it's certainly an extra expense, renting a table setting can quickly turn your at-home dinner party into a high-end event. Companies like Table + Teaspoon and Hestia Harlow, offer everything from the plates and utensils to table cloths, decorative candles, glassware, and more. And the best part of it all: You don't even need to do the dishes or wash the linens afterward—just pack everything up and send it back.

Related: 5 Money Expert Tips for the Holidays to Save on Gifting and Travel

For more Real Simple news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Real Simple.