New Month: Time to Reset

ts no secret that I love the beginning of the month.

There are a few tasks I like to do at the end of the month, which helps me reset for the new month.

Let’s dive in:

1. Brain dump and write down your goals/to-do's for the next month.

   • Whether professional or personal, it’s a great time to plan out your goals for the coming month. Break down each task with easy, actionable steps that will help you achieve those goals.

2. Review the new month’s Calendar

   • We use a dry erase calendar at home. At the end of the month, I wipe it clean and write out all the events for the new month. I take note of birthdays and other events that may require me to purchase gifts so I can plan ahead.
     

3. Photo Backup

   • Because of my work, my phone fills up very quickly with photos and videos of my clients spaces. I copy (and delete) all photos off my phone and backup on my hard drive.

4. Deep Clean your Home

   • Clean out spaces you typically don’t get around to on a weekly space.These include areas that I usually don’t do during my weekly cleanings. (Inside the dishwasher, washing machine, vacuum etc)

5. Clean out your handbag.

   • We often forget to go through our bags. Mine are often filled with receipts of organizing items for clients! At the end of the month I dump everything out and file whatever needs to be filed, and throw out the rest.

Week 10: Maintenance & Routines

We come to the end of our 2021 Home Organizing Challenge. It has been a wonderful 10 weeks and I hope you have all made progress in your spaces.

This week we won’t be focusing on a specific area in our home, but I want to talk about Maintenance and Routines.

Being organized is not a one-size-fits-all. If you’ve set up a new organization system in your home, give it a few weeks to get used to. After, take a step back and assess. What is working, what isn’t? If it didn’t work for you, try something new. Think of spaces in your home that are working and try to recreate that in your other space.

Maintenance is the key to keeping things organized. To set yourself up for success, properly label your newly organized spaces. This will not only help you remember, but it can help the rest of the household stay on track as well.

Start your day with Intention:

Pick 2-3 top priorities for the day by urgency, and start with the task you’re dreading the most.

Further break down the tasks into manageable steps. Set up short uninterrupted time blocks to complete those tasks. During this time switch off all distractions and focus on the task at hand.

If anytime you are starting to feel overwhelmed, take a break. Walk around, get a glass of water and take a deep breath to clear your mind. When you’re feeling better, come back to it and continue on.

Before you start preparing for bed, take 10 minutes to do a final tidy. Put anything out of place, back to its home. 

5 Ways to Start your Day off Right

Especially on Monday mornings which don’t have a bad rep for no reason. First off, think about what your ideal day even looks like. What do you want to accomplish? Then try these tricks below and see if it will help you achieve your goals.

1. Try to sleep early so that you get your 8 hours of sleep. This is something I need to remind myself because I love my free time in the evenings.

2. Lay out your next day’s outfit. I’ll even lay out my kids clothes just because I want them to be as quick as possible in the morning without asking me tons of questions. Also, leave whatever you need for the next day by the front door so it’s easy to grab and go. If it’s returns you have to do, your work bag, an umbrella if there is rain just leave them in a handy spot by the door.

3. Start your day with intention. Review your schedule the night before. Plan your day in advance so you know how your day will look. Less time wasted in figuring out what to do next. Even if they are small bite sized tasks, you’ll feel more productive crossing them off your list.

4. Exercise. Go out for a quick walk. Getting your blood pumping first thing in the morning will energize you. If you have time for a full workout, even better!

5. Eat a good breakfast. After all, it’s not called the most important meal of the day for no reason. A balanced meal will help you feel fuller longer. Breakfast replenishes blood sugar levels, which helps provide energy and improves concentration.

The key to having a great morning all depends on you. See what works for you, what makes you happy, and continue to do that.

Exercise and sleeping early are definitely areas I struggle in. What about you? What’s your morning routine look like? Anything you’d like to improve on?

Maintain a sense of routine

Is 2020 over yet? How surreal is this situation we find ourselves in? Self-isolation, social distancing, quarantine – all these terms have become the new norm.  Whatever you may be feeling now, just remember you are not alone.

 Many cities have gone into lockdown with bans on social gatherings, travel, as well as work and school closures. While we may not have control over when we will be allowed back into the real world, what we can control is how we spend our time while isolating.

 As far as possible, try to maintain as much of a routine as you can.

Wake up and go to bed at healthy times to ensure you get enough sleep. Even though you are at home, get out of those PJ’s so your mind knows it is time to get started for the day.

 A healthy routine will require you to try and schedule tasks/activities throughout the day. Make sure to include these key points:

• Fitness. Get your heart rate up, even though you are at home and unable to go to the gym. YouTube has some great Zumba and yoga videos you can follow along as well. Most gyms are even posting daily online workout videos on their social media.

• The state of your home directly effects how you feel. I strongly believe in outer order brings inner calm. Keeping a neat and organized home will make you feel tranquil and energized. A little bit a day is all you need.

• Remain connected with family and friends. Have an online coffee date with them. We need each other more than ever now.

• Go outside for some fresh air. Go for a short walk around the block or even in your backyard.

• Click “next episode” on your shows, read that book you’ve been meaning to get around to, or take on a new hobby – when else will you have this much free time?

 Finally, test out your schedule. It’s not written in stone. Go along with it for a few days, see what works, what doesn’t and make the necessary changes.

See below for the schedule I’ve created for my kids and it’s working well so far.

 At the end of the day, do your best, but cut yourself some slack. This situation is not something we expected or prepared for. We’re all struggling but this will all be over soon.

Don’t forget to follow me on my social media. I’ll be posting more tips and tricks to keep you motivated.