The holidays come and go so quickly and we’re often left wondering why we spent so much time trying to stay organized or stressed. Although we’ve all survived the holidays long before smartphones were invented, these apps might make you feel like you got through the holiday just a bit easier:

Holiday Shopping

 

Last minute or not, holiday shopping can be a less than pleasant experience. While online shopping is popular for convenience, shipping can be a hassle and returns can be even more of a mess. Check out these apps to make shopping a little more bearable:

 

• Gifster: Are you tired of buying gifts that you know will be returned right after the holidays? Don’t want to even guess what to buy your teenage nephew or your picky aunt? This wishlist app allows family and friends to share some ideas, favorite colors and sizes in particular items. Gifster takes the guesswork out of shopping.

 

• Pounce: How many times have you looked through Sunday’s holiday flyers, dog eared or tore out a page and then ended up accidentally tossing it out or hide it from the kids (never to be found by anyone, including you)? With Pounce all you need to do is take a picture of an item you want, scan it in the app, and order it online; it’s way easier than taking your bundle of ripped out catalog and flyer pages to the store with you.

 

 

• RedLaser: Want to make sure you’re getting the best deal, but don’t want to store hop all over town? With RedLaser, you can scan an item’s barcode and the app will tell you if and where you can find it cheaper (at another store or online). RedLaser also helps you stay organized by keeping track of everything you looked up so you can focus on other things rather than trying to remember all the random gift ideas.

 

 

• Find My Car: After a long day of shopping, it’s easy to forget where you parked your car. Be honest, after awhile, all parking lots and parking ramps start to look the same. With the Find My Car app, you pin your location right after you park. Like other map apps, Find My Car will lead the way to your car, where you can unload the day’s purchases.

Holiday Airline Travel

 

Air travel is an easy, busy, and sometimes stressful way to get home for the holidays. Let these apps help you out:

 

• PackPoint: Your mom doesn’t pack for your trips anymore, now that you’re grown up and you may be one of the many people who overpack. Remember, you’ll need space for presents. Packpoint will tell you what to pack when you enter the length of travel, any planned activities, and the forecast at your destination. You’ll have to double check your packing, but at least this app will help you get a little more organized.

 

 

• LoungeBuddy: This app may come in handy if you’re in an unfamiliar airport and need to hangout longer than you expected. LoungeBuddy will tell you what lounges are available so you can hangout somewhere other than on the floor.

 

 

Bonus: Don’t forget about the kid in you or if you need to get your overly excited kid to fall asleep? The Kringl app gives kids a chance to take a good look at the one and only big man in a red suit.