Okay, so you could really call this one a To-Do List. Basically, with the start of school and sports and everything else, I feel like my brain is on overload! There are so many things to remember, and it is so nice to sit down and literally dump everything out on to paper. (Or on to your smart phone, or your calendar, or planner, or whatever works best for you.) Writing everything down gives my brain a rest, while ensuring I don't forget anything. And who doesn't love checking items off a list when they're complete? My plan is to make my list at the beginning of each week, and cross off and add as needed. Right now my list includes things like purchase soccer pictures, sign up to be a preschool volunteer, and return something to Amazon. If you are someone who tends to be forgetful, I highly recommend making this a regular habit!
Keeping my house clean and organized is an ongoing struggle....and maybe it always will be!? What I have noticed myself doing is not waking up with a clear idea of what needs to be done. I might catch a little bit of free time but then feel frozen. Should I organize the pantry? Run to Target to return something? And how about that dirty bathroom that has been neglected for a couple weeks? It feels overwhelming because there is always SO much that needs to be done! What should I do first? My new plan is to have specific chores or outings that I do on the same days each week. For example, Wednesdays will be my days to vacuum and empty all the trash cans, because the trash always gets put out that night. Another day will be my day to run most of my errands, because I know I don't have to rush home to drop Jenna off at preschool. I am also penciling in time each week to spend organizing or purging a certain area of the house. Laundry is an every day thing around here, so I didn't bother adding it to my schedule. I am saving a few bigger chores for Saturdays, when the kids can help and earn an allowance.
3. Meal Planning
Of course I had to include this! Because when I know what I'm making for dinner ahead of time, everything just feels right in the world. If you know me at all, you know I have been meal planning (and loving it!) for ages. I even wrote a detailed blog post about it here. But now I'm getting even more organized, and assigning a single day of the week to do my grocery shopping, kitchen cleaning, and meal prepping. My goal is to meal plan and make my grocery list over the weekend, and then do all of the above on Monday, when I'm most motivated and excited about the week ahead. This summer I got out of the habit of shopping just once a week....and our grocery bill went way up! Making a plan and shopping for everything one time for the week definitely saves money, and helps us to stay on track with healthier eating. I am also being intentional about making life simpler when I can. So on days that I attend MOPS all morning, I will be making an easy crockpot dinner. Our menu for next week includes tried-and-true recipes such as salsa chicken tacos and breakfast-for-dinner, as well as a new bacon and corn pasta recipe that I'm excited to try. Oh and homemade calzones on Friday because that is our "fun dinner and movie night." If you don't meal plan, you're missing out on all the fun!
**There are so many meal planning notepads on Amazon. This one looks great because you can tear off your list (organized by food departments!) to take to the store and leave your meal plan up on the fridge!
So those are my 3 simple steps to getting my life organized. Do you feel like you could benefit from any of these?
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