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organizing

List Planning
Living Organization

5 lists you need to create weekly that will simplify your life

Listing is a real thing. I’m not speaking of the real estate variety obvs, but I speak of the subset of planning that requires you to put down on paper or  some form of digital app/software all of the things that you need to do.  When I say this is a real thing, its a real thing. Check out the hashtag #ListersGottaList if you think it’s a game.

I haven’t been in on the listing game for long but the short time that I have it really and truly makes a difference in making sure that my week runs smoothly in turn simplifying my life.

The purpose of listing is to rid your head of daily clutter…what are we going to eat, willing yourself to remember that meeting, some kid needs a snack for class. Listing is the practice of getting all of these things out of your head and on to paper or a digital medium clearing your head space for real important issues.

When I mention I meal plan, and create grocery lists people either laugh and tell me I’m doing the most or say they don’t have time. Truly I want to tell them the joke isn’t on me but them. I have felt so much freer in my daily activities since I’ve started listing. I want to tell them what I don’t have time for is that extra trip to the store after I’ve been twice that week because I forgot somebody needed wacky socks for Red Ribbon week.

The 20 min – 1 hour that it takes weekly to list is worth not having to keep track of mundane tasks during the week. Here are 5 lists you need to make weekly that will simplify your life

Meal Plan: Nothing more aggravating than having to think of what you are going to eat on a daily basis. No, you don’t have to follow it to a tee, but have a list. Factor in activities for the week and if the crockpot is more feasible then choose crockpot recipes. Pinterest is your friend.

Grocery List: Create your meal plan first, based on that build your grocery list. This will help you from purchasing items you already have, or leaving the items you do need in the store. The goal is to go to the store once a week and get everything you need.

Master To Do List: Sit down and think about everything you have to do for the week, from meetings to kids activities to things you need to buy. Write all of it down. This will be your point of reference for the entire week. As things come up be sure to add them immediately. I keep little list pads in my car and at the end of the evening I add them to the master list.

Daily to Do List: Every evening take a look at your master list and create a to do list for the next day. Do not scratch items off the master list until you have completed them.

Shopping List: I create as many lists here as I need titled by the store. While I may need one item on Monday and another on Friday, what is the point of going to the store twice in a week after I remembered I didn’t pick up Friday’s item on Monday. Making the master shopping list keeps you from having to go back and forth to the store wasting time and money.

I promise, making these lists helps tremendously if you aren’t already making lists. The real important take away is, make sure you keep up with the lists and take them with you when you go to the store otherwise you have wasted your time. Here’s a tip: Take a photo of the list, I’m sure initially you will be more protective of your phone than the list!

Care to share any lists that you use or that I may have forgotten? Do you list? How do you keep track of everything you have to do from week to week?

5 lists to create that will simplify your life

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Featured Living Organization Organizing Mamas

{Organizing Mamas} Kids Play and Homework Space – Before

The school bell rang. The most glorious sound I’ve heard in awhile. I’m excited for a number of reasons but one of the most important ones is I get a chance to start back working on the rooms in my home, slowly decluttering them and putting in place storage solutions that work in keeping things in order around here. No doubt will the kids keep asking me for something like, stats homework help or whatever kids are doing these days at school. I don’t mind helping obviously because they are my kids. I know that if my kids were older I might not be so helpful, particularly when it comes to essay writing. I had one friend recommend that I pay for essay online, but I wasn’t too sure about it. However, when it comes to my young kids, it just means more excitement building up for when I can get my hands on decluttering the house.

Tia from the Chic SAHM and I are kindred spirits in wanting to declutter our spaces to make life easier! We have joined forces to bring you a fun series of challenges focusing on a target area in your home bi weekly. We will post the before photos of our spaces and in 2 weeks WE’LL as in her, I and YOU will reveal what our space looks like afterward.

No blog? No problem feel free to drop your photos on our FB feeds or on IG with the hashtag #OrganizingMamasChallenge on reveal week.

With school starting already for some and on the horizon for others we thought it would be great to focus on setting up organized play and/or homework spaces.

Here are the before photos of my children’s play/homework space.

DON’T JUDGE! I haven’t cleaned in there since May when school got out. They’ve played with friends in there, done crafts and a host of other things and I haven’t bothered with it since, but in 2 weeks it will have a makeover…maybe even a new color!

Playroom

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These bags are full of art projects that I need to organize.

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I mean disastrous before photos make for awesome reveals

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Keep in mind creating a homework space doesn’t have to be a designated room but could be a caddy with all of the supplies that a child would need to do homework. Use your imagination and not a ton of money.

We’ll see you in two weeks with our reformed spaces! Can’t wait to see yours.

Featured Living

Cleaning Out My Closet + Yard Sale Tips

Hi, my name is Mimi and I like to throw my clothes on the floor instead of hanging them up. I mean, really how much harder is it to take an extra 5 seconds to hang up your clothing than tossing it on the floor and having to take days to clean it up. This is the struggle I am facing trying to get some order in our master closet.

Because I am one to own up to my own transgressions all of this mess is because of me. My husband graciously tip toes around this mess to gather his neatly hung up things. I figured I should fix this mess before he goes HAM because if it was the other way around….you already know.

There is still a whole ton of chaos left in my closet but the light at the end of the tunnel is you can see the floor. That’s all I have. I’m going to be working with an organizing business to start looking at the best use of space in the small closet as we embark on finishing up the closet and the master bathroom that we started almost 2 years ago…..

So, there was some sort of method to this closet cleaning madness. I decided to start with the hanging clothes and remove the items that I haven’t worn, forgotten about, or can no longer fit. Tossed those on the bed. Then I sorted into a keep and give away pile.

The giveaway pile ended up being the things I put out at the yard sale.

Closet organization

Want to know what I learned about throwing a yard sale before you decide to embark on your own? Good, I have tips.

Garage Sale Tips

Garage Sale

  1. People won’t value your junk things like you will. If you think it’s worth more than $10 don’t put it out there. Save that for eBay or Craigslist.
  2. If you want to receive a certain price for something, tell the looking for nearly free 99 things patron a price $3 above. You MIGHT get somewhere close to what you want for the item.
  3. Be ready for the group deal. People will try to collect 5 things that should be priced at $15 all together and offer you $4 for the lot. If you really want to give it away, go ahead. If you don’t, be ready to counter and counter quick. Too much thinking is weakness for the seasoned yard sale haggler. I had someone try to offer me $4 for two never worn pair of shoes. NO MA’AM.
  4. Put children’s clothing up front and organize it well. People are always looking for kids clothes, the easier you make it for them to find the sizing they need the more they will buy.
  5. Have fun! I had one of my fellow baseball moms sit out with me. She sold a few of her own items. We sat in the shade and talked and laughed with the shoppers. I even met some of my neighbors.

 Ever thrown a yard sale? Have any additional tips to add?