As the crisp days of fall approach, it’s the perfect time to get your life in order! A little bit of planning now will help your fall routine go smoothly. So sit down with your favorite cup of coffee and make a master plan. Start by reading the following suggestions on how to organize your wardrobe, personal finances, family meals and more:
Give it Away!
Organize a fun family day that will lead to clean closets! Get the whole family involved by setting aside some time (such as Labor Day) and inviting each member to clean out a closet. Put big garbage bags in a communal area of the house to collect things – one for garbage and one for donations. Set aside a time to begin and end (like a race). Start by serving brownies and end by offering a reward to the one with the best looking closet at the end of the day!
No Wardrobe Worries
Don’t waste time in the morning deciding what to wear. Instead, pare your work wardrobe down to 10 basic interchangeable pieces: 3 pants, 2 skirts, 3 jackets, 1 sweater, 1 dress. Choose neutral colors, like navy, khaki, black and grey, then simply add colorful blouses and accessories to express your personality. Pieces can be swapped out for two weeks so that you never wear the same combination twice. Not only will you save money in your clothes budget, it will free up time in the morning for you to drink your favorite cup of coffee.
Jump Start Your Meals
Shopping for a handful of basics and doing a little weekend prep work can easily set you up for a week’s worth of meals. Here’s how: Do all your food shopping on Saturday or Sunday. Prepare vegetables and cut up fruits ahead of time to store in sealed containers. Wash lettuce and keep in sealed plastic bags with a (white) paper towel for up to four days. Roast a chicken for salads, quesadillas or soup any night of the week. Wash and place potatoes in a baking dish to pop in the oven and roast later on. Make a red pasta sauce to keep on hand for quick pizzas, meatloaf or spaghetti in a flash. Even make a pie and freeze it!
Delegate, Delegate, Delegate!
Keep a list of everything that needs to be done in your household throughout the week. Then, on Sunday night, gather up household members for dessert and coffee to go through the list and delegate tasks to everyone. You may be surprised at how many others volunteer to take on tasks. Take note: Give everyone an opportunity to add to or subtract from the list. At the beginning of each week’s review, run through last week’s list and praise individuals who did a great job!
Get Wired
Use the Internet to put your personal finances in order. It will save you lots of time throughout the year! Start by setting up direct deposit for your paycheck. Then, make sure all your bank accounts, retirement funds and mortgage information can be accessed online for quick 24-hour finance management. Sign up for online bill pay to eliminate writing checks, buying stamps and missing due dates. Register with a major grocery store to do online shopping for emergencies and time crunches. These “little steps” will allow you more time for relaxing coffee breaks all year long.