Set Your Week Up For Success

I call this my Weekend Routine. Here are 8 simple steps I use to set my week up for success!

This routine is one of my 4 Core Routines. Even when life is crazy, if I can keep these on track everything goes much more smoothly. This is my most extensive routine, but it sets my week up for success. 

Many times I will start this routine on Friday if I see that my weekend is full. If I am home on Saturday morning, I typically do this then. Find what time during your weekend that works for you.

Let’s get started!

1. Fridge Refresh
   I take a few minutes to pull anything out of the fridge that needs to be tossed. If I have any veggies or meat that are on their last leg I will plan to use them immediately or freeze them. I tidy my fridge and wipe everything down. I also make a list of what I have to use and use that list in my next step.

2. Meal Plan
   I’ll be brutally honest. I do not love meal planning. I’m not sure why, but I don’t. It’s typically been something I have struggled with over the years. Unfortunately, without it, I am left with no dinner plan and a hungry family when it’s dinner time each night. This is an example of something that has become easier as I have just sucked it up and made myself do this each week. I have a blog post on some meal plan tips HERE.
   I look at the calendar to see what the week ahead looks like. Next, I like to shop my own shelves first and create meals from what I have on hand. Then I create my shopping list. By doing this on the weekend, I am prepared for dinner Monday night.

3. Inbox
   The Inbox is just a fancy name for where my family drops mail and receipts that haven’t been immediately dealt with. I prefer to take care of mail and file (or trash) receipts as soon as I bring them in the house. But that doesn’t always happen and so I have developed a system. What USED to happen is it would pile up on my desk and make me feel crazy. Now I have a little hanging file (HERE is a similar one) that hangs on the wall by our desk area and everything can be found here. Here are the quick steps I take:

   1. Pull everything out

   2. Trash or file

   3. Deal with anything that needs immediate attention

   4. Put things that can wait in my To Do folder and make a note on Monday’s task list to take care of it. (But if it is at ALL possible, I like to take care of it right away.)
      This simple system has really helped me to not be overwhelmed by the daily paper that comes in. You can find more on how I deal with daily paper HERE.

4. Laundry
   I do laundry daily. It keeps it from piling up and makes my life easier! HERE is more info on that. However, life sometimes gets hectic and I miss a day here or there. The weekend is where I get caught up. Then I can start Monday back with a load a day and be back on track.

5. Clothes
   I added this category when my daughter started school. This takes 5 minutes and is a HUGE time saver during my week. I go to her closet and choose her clothes for the rest of the week - all the way up until next Sunday. You can do this for yourself or other family members as well. I also take this time to make sure clothes are laid out for the next day (Sunday.) We arrive early to church each Sunday morning and the easiest way to be late is to not have clothes ironed, or be searching for a hair bow on Sunday morning.

6. Errands
   Do I have library books due this week? Do I need to drop off clothes at the dry cleaners? Do I have an Amazon return? I gather the books and clothes and print the return label and put these times in my car. I then make a note on Monday in my planner to stop by these places during my day. Bonus is when I have time on Saturday to quickly run these errands!

7. House Reset
   This is a favorite because it feels fabulous when it’s done! I usually divide my house up into the upstairs and downstairs. On a typical weekend I tell the kids on Saturday morning - house reset time! And they joyfully (ok… maybe not joyfully) follow me upstairs.
   We start in the furthest corner of the house, my closet. We have our little basket and put anything in it that doesn’t belong in this room. We pick anything up that is down and put it away. We don’t leave the room until it’s totally straight. Then we move to the next room. We usually do this first thing in the morning, so beds aren’t made. We make beds and pick anything up and move on. This is also a great activity in teaching my kids to help each other. My teen is helping pick up my 5 year old’s dolls and my 5 year old is helping her teenage bother make his bed.
   I typically wait until Saturday evening to do the downstairs. Since we straighten this floor each evening as part of my evening routine, this is an easy one. I do go the extra mile to check each room on the main level and be sure everything is put away.

8. Planner
   This is the final thing on my list. I use the Full Focus Planner and love it! I highly recommend it. You can grab one HERE. I look back at my week and celebrate my wins (something I’m really trying to do better at) and see what I missed that I need to put on this week. I then look forward at the calendar to see what is happening that I need to prepare for. I plan my week out and decide what my Big 3 are, the 3 most important things I must accomplish.

This is my weekend routine! Let me know if you try it. What would you need to add to set your week up for success?