Weekend Routine - Plan For The Week Ahead!
If you have been following along, I imagine it’s pretty clear that I love routines that make life easier. My weekend routine is just that; a routine that makes my week flow so much more smoothly.
Sometimes I get most of these things done on Saturday and some Saturdays are nuts and I end of doing this on Sunday. But whenever I can complete these simple tasks, come Monday morning, I am very thankful that I took the extra time.
So let’s talk about what my weekend routine consists of.
Laundry. My rule is “a load a day.” The weekend is no different. However, if it’s been a crazy week and I need to do 2 or 3 loads, I make sure to get them done over the weekend so I’m starting the week off ready to get back to just one load a day.
Fridge Refresh/Meal Plan. I make a list of what meats and veggies I have to use and create a meal plan for the upcoming week. (Making this list really helps me stay on budget because there is a lot less waste.) Meal planning has never come easy for me. But let me tell you… it is SO much easier to do it ahead of time than to think of it at 4:30pm when your kids/husband ask “What’s for dinner?” I also take a few minutes to make sure expired items are tossed and do a quick wipe down of the fridge. Ideally, I place a Walmart Grocery pickup order at this time and pick it up on Sunday on my way home from church. I love putting groceries away in a clean fridge.
Inbox. I have a little hanging pocket on the wall that works as my physical inbox - mail and receipts are dropped in here by my family. I like to take care of these things as I get them rather than dropping them in the inbox, but sometimes I am not home when the mail comes or I’m in the middle of something else. This little inbox keeps everything in one place and makes it easy for me to find what I need. Over the weekend I grab everything out of that and go through it. I have a “to do” folder that I put things in that need to be addressed on Monday. If I have extra time I might take care of it right then, but it usually is waiting until Monday. I file my receipts and other papers in the appropriate folder, shred what needs to be shredded, and empty this box. (We are a paperless family - but more on that later.) Emptying this inbox makes sure I’m not missing any important mail and ensures that receipts and paperwork get put in their rightful home. Starting the week off with an empty inbox makes my heart happy.
House Straight/Clutter. Isn’t it funny how a little pile can just randomly appear? I do my regular nightly pickup even during the weekends, but I go the extra mile. If there is something I have been ignoring I make sure to address it on the weekend. Doing this makes sure the piles don’t grow and makes sure I start Monday morning off with a clean slate.
Planner. You know I’m going to mention my planner. I look back at the last week. Do I have any tasks I missed that I need to move over to the upcoming week? Any appointments I need to confirm? I also take a few minutes to go over the week with my husband. We share a Google Calendar, but occasionally something gets missed. It’s always great to quickly go over the week with your spouse to keep surprises at bay.
Errand Prep. The last thing I do is anything I can do ahead of time to prep for errands or something upcoming. A few examples are - bank deposits, swim lesson bag, school papers signed, Amazon returns packaged up, donations ready to be dropped off, etc. Anything I can do now seems to save me double time next week.
HERE is a quick check list for you to review if you would like to save this on your phone or print it out.
Sure, some might think this is overboard. But I’ve been doing this for a while and I never regret prep for the week ahead. I am going to get a little nap on Sunday afternoon, but when I wake up with a little more energy I make sure to have these checked off along with my normal nightly routine. (Check out my evening routine HERE.)
Remember, these don’t have to be done all at once or even back to back. Just take a few minutes here or there to give yourself the best start possible on Monday morning. You deserve it! And don’t forget to give yourself a minute to recoup from the week. I am working on carving in more down time and routines help me to feel accomplished and truly be able to take a little break.
Have you tried a nightly routine? What about a weekend routine? What do you think about it? I would love to hear from you!