I don't know about y'all... But it's just about this time every year that I get the winter blues... hard. After the holidays, Valentine's Day, birthdays and when spring stuff shows up in the stores (hello, Target swim suit section), but when you know very well you are going to be in boots through April in Colorado.
Here are a few things to help us (me) get through the remainder of these cold, wet months.
I love Sundays. There is no better feeling than getting home from church and having the whole day to get ready for the week ahead. If you know me, you know I love lists, change, and fresh starts. And these three things are what my Sundays are made up of. I have a checklist of things I get done every Sunday and if I don’t knock them out, my whole week is thrown off. If all the things DO get done, I have so much less stress about my house, meals, and schedule. Ever since I started doing Sunday Crushday, my weeks have felt less cluttered and stressful. My house is usually a reflection of how I am feeling. So if my house in clean and in order (which rarely happens and only lasts about 20 min), my mindset is clean and orderly. Sunday is the perfect day for me to hit the reset button and get everything back to square one so I am ready for the week and all the craziness that life will throw at me.
Laundry
This is a day FULL of dirty clothes. I try to put off all major laundry until Sunday with a few loads here and there throughout the week. Before I leave for church I will gather all the dirty clothes and start a load. I wash EVERTHING: sheets, clothes, towels, guest towels, hand towels, kitchen towels, and every single piece of dirty clothing. This process lasts all day, from before church (early servicers REPRESENT!) to past our girls’ bedtime. I really try to push myself to go from start to finish (wash, dry, fold, and put away)
Meal plan and grocery shop
Mamas, working mamas, and working women, GROCERY PICK UP IS LIIIIIFE. If you have anywhere near you that offers grocery pick up, you should really take advantage of it! I sit down with my planners (The Simplified Planner and my bullet journal) and plan the meals for the week. While I am planning, and compiling recipes I am able to bypass the grocery list. I just add the things I need for each meal to my digital grocery bag, along with our every week essentials (milk, yogurt, fruit, veggies, etc.). I pick a time on Monday that I want to pick it all up and BOOM, meal planning AND grocery shopping is done!
Write out appointments, schedules, and workouts
I take a look at my phone calendar, because that’s where I can see Sam’s appointments, work appointments and deadlines and write those in my planner under the day and block those times out. I also plan what days and times I am going to work out at Orange Theory. Some weeks, their 6:15 am class works best in my schedule and sometimes the 1:30 pm class works best. I write those in and sign up for the class so I can’t look back and change my mind (Orange charges you $10 if you don’t show after you sign up).
Clean my room
I am terrible at keeping my room clean. This is about the only time it gets cleaned. I hang up my clothes that have accumulated on the floor over the week, clean up my vanity, and just tidy up in general.
Clean out my car
It is crazy the things that make it into my car over a week’s time. Random toys, trash, books, diapers, cups (THE CUPS), and Cheerios. I clean it all out and restock the car diaper caddy with things I need (tissues, trash bags, a charged IPad, diapers, wipes, and hand sanitizer)
Put everything back where it belongs
First I grab three laundry baskets (because all the dirty laundry is piled up by the washer) and each basket is assigned a floor of the house (upstairs, downstairs, and main). I start upstairs and go to every room and put the things that don’t belong in that room in their appropriate basket. After the baskets are filled I take the basket to their assigned floor and put everything away where it belongs. While I am doing this, I tidy up each room for a fresh start on the week.
Set one goal for the week and write it down
My goal is usually to not eat out at all that week, and I have never succeeded. Maybe I should just start with avoiding Chick-fil-a for a week.
Clean out and restock the diaper bag
Our diaper bag needs some serious TLC after church and a busy week. I clean out all the toys that have been added to the bag, take everything out and restock it with the basics: diapers, wipes, wallet, teether, Aquaphor, a change of clothes for Greta, two pairs of undies for the girls, and a couple apple sauce packets.
It’s a busy day and takes the whole day of me hustling. But it makes for a great week and a great Monday. As a stay at home mom, the days tend to run together and weeks don’t have a good start point and end point. This process REALLY helps me. I recommend the Simplified Planner! I have always wanted this planner and my sweet bestie bought it for me for Christmas last year and I am LOVING it.
If you have any questions please let me know! Or if you have anything you do on your Sundays to prepare for the week, I would love to hear it!
