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Start Your Day with Purpose: A Guide to Setting Intentions
What if you could wake up in the morning with the inexorable drive to accomplish everything you set out to do? Starting your day by setting intentions can help get your mind focused for the day and ready to crush your goals. You’ll be blown away by the power of setting intentions.
In this guide, I will help you get started setting intentions for your day to help increase focus, productivity, and more!
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Understanding Daily Intentions
Daily Intentions are commitments that we make to ourselves each day to help guide us toward our goals, whatever those may be. They are a tool to help direct our focus and energy on what matters the most to us and ensure we are not wasting that energy on the wrong things or less important things.
Setting intentions can help you approach the upcoming day’s challenges and events. Whether it is with gratitude, positivity, kindness, etc, setting intentions can help influence your mindset and behavior from the moment you wake up.
Benefits of Setting Intentions
Setting intentions allows us to align our mindset and actions with our goals. Having a clear intention for the day allows you to focus better on what you need to achieve and how you are going to do it.
Having a set intention for the day can act as a grounding tool throughout the day as well. When you find yourself caught up in life’s everyday craziness, take some time to review your intentions for the day and recenter yourself. Doing this will also help you keep on track for your goals.
Examples of Intentions for Everyday Life
Intentions can cover any topic you would like. It can be whatever is important to you for that day.
Gratitude-“Today I will cultivate gratitude by appreciating the little things in life. I will take time to thank those in my everyday life who make my day better.”
Self-Love-“Today I will show appreciation to myself. I will look at myself with love and kindness and only find nice things to say about myself.”
Mindfulness-“Today I will be present in every moment. I will honor my thoughts and feelings and appreciate my surroundings without judgment.”
Productivity-“Today I will focus on being productive. I will set goals for the day and strive to reach them before the day is done.”
Kindness-“I will spread kindness today. Through kind words, small gestures, or giving to others. Today, I will make the day brighter for someone else”.
How to Set Your Daily Intentions
- Reflection: Start by taking time to reflect on your goals and priorities. Contemplate what matters the most and what you hope to achieve with your daily intentions.
- Pick Your Area of Focus: Reflect on the different aspects of your life and their priority. Identify one or a few areas that you want to focus on for the day. These could be your relationships with yourself or others, personal health, mindfulness or self-care, etc.
- Set Your Intentions: For the topics that you chose, set specific intentions for the day. These should be positive and clear intentions to reflect your priorities for the day and what you want to accomplish.
- Write Them Down: Make sure that you write down each of your intentions for the day. Whether it’s on just a piece of paper, in a journal or planner, or a note on your phone. Writing them down is a good way to help solidify them in your head and have them with you as a reminder throughout the day.
- Visualize Success: Spend time reflecting on how things could be different if you live out your intentions. Imagine yourself living that life
- Review Throughout the Day: Throughout the day, check in with yourself and review your intentions for the day. Ensure that you are acting in alignment with your intentions, and if you’re not, take this opportunity to recenter yourself.
- Reflect On the Day: Spend some time at the end of the day to reflect on your intentions. Do you feel your actions aligned well with the day’s daily intentions? Celebrate your wins and accomplishments for the day and reflect on where you feel you may have fallen short. Use this to guide your next day’s daily intentions.
Intentions Into Habits
Remember that consistency is key! If you are setting intentions every day and reviewing them throughout the day, these things will become second nature for you over time. Pick things that you want to be a regular habit so that you reinforce these things and they become ingrained in your mind.
Create a morning routine that is centered around your daily intentions. Make it a part of your morning, every morning. Use this time to set the tone for the day and set yourself up to focus on your priorities.
Remember to be kind to yourself and flexible when necessary with your intention setting.
Jump on over and check out the Just Your Everyday Mama Facebook page for more awesome content!
If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy my posts ‘Set the Tone: Start the New Year Off Right‘ and ‘Building Bold Mamas: Gain Confidence and Self-Esteem as an Everyday Mama‘.
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My Favorite Ways to Increase Productivity
In the daily craziness of our busy lives, the quest for ways to increase productivity is an ongoing one, for sure. And some days, no matter how hard we try, it feels like we never get enough done.
Over the past few years, I have spent a lot of time trying to find ways to increase productivity in my life. And now, I would like to share this helpful information with you, my friend!
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Review Schedules Ahead of Time
Something I have found to significantly help me have a more productive morning is making sure I review our schedule the night before. It’s been beneficial to make sure I know
which appointments we have to go to, which story time we are going to, or if we have
playdates, etc.Knowing what you have coming up the next day helps you to avoid surprises and helps you to prepare ahead of time for anything you may need.
Find a Schedule That Works Best for You
Finding a schedule that works for you can include some trial and error, but overall it’s one of the key ways to increase productivity.
Utilizing time blocking can be helpful to maintain focus and minimize distractions. When using this method, you simply assign specific blocks of time to specific activities.
Allow for flexibility in your schedule and make sure you can find some time for yourself in your busy schedule.
Make Lists To Help Increase Productivity
Keeping lists to help you stay on top of things is another one of the many great ways to increase productivity in your life.
Here are some helpful ideas for different types of lists that you can add to your regular routines to help you increase productivity.
- Daily To-Do List:
- Make a daily list of things you need to complete each day.
- Take time to break down larger tasks into smaller steps to make them more manageable.
- Prioritize your to-do list so that you are putting the right amount of energy into the important stuff.
- Weekly/Monthly Goals:
- At the beginning of each week or month (whatever works best for you) spend some time outlining your goals for that period.
- Make tasks more manageable by breaking them down into smaller steps.
- Schedule time for yourself to work on these tasks. This will ensure you have time to focus on them, instead of trying to just fit it in on the fly.
- Project Task List:
- For a larger project, create a detailed task list. List all steps needed to complete the project.
- Make sure to include any time constraints and milestones to ensure timely completion.
- Continue to update the list as the project progresses.
- Waiting On List:
- Keep a list of tasks that are dependent on other variables. This could be waiting for someone to give you a notification of some sort, waiting for another task to be completed before this one can be started, etc.
- Make note of why it is being waited on and the expected date of completion.
- Continue to follow up as needed to ensure the timely completion of the task.
- Ideas and Brainstorming:
- Keep a notebook or pad of paper to write down your creative ideas and any thoughts you want to put onto paper.
- Revisit and refine ideas and thoughts as needed.
- Routine and Habits:
- Keep a list of your daily routines and have them handy.
- Include your daily habits that you want to continue and new ones you may want to start.
- As you work through your day, mark off accomplishments.
- Errands and Shopping:
- Keep a running list of shopping items that are needed and errands that need to be run.
- Batch errands and shopping trips to save travel time.
- Make sure to check items off your list when you’ve completed the task.
- Self-Care List:
- Keep a list of activities that benefit your overall well-being. All the things you love to do that help you fill your own cup.
- Make sure that you schedule time for your self-care activities.
- Delegation List:
- If you’re able to share some of the tasks on your plate with others, do it.
- Make sure to clearly communicate any guidelines to be followed, expectations of outcome, and the deadline.
- Continue to follow up as needed until task completion.
Take Breaks When Needed
It’s so easy to focus only on what needs to be done, that we forget to take a little breather for ourselves. Make sure that you don’t push yourself too hard on your journey of productivity and make sure you take breaks to recharge.
Prioritize Self-Care
Making sure that you are putting your own needs at the top of the to-do list is one of the most important things you can do to help increase productivity. If your cup isn’t full, you are never going to reach the level of productivity you want in life.
Ensuring you are getting adequate sleep, taking time for yourself, and making time for activities you love all are simple ways you can add in a little self-care to help you fill that cup. Check out my post Quick and Easy Self-care Ideas for some other helpful tips.
Prioritize Tasks
Another way to increase productivity is to prioritize your tasks. By doing this, you can put your focus and energy into high-priority tasks, better manage your time, and ensure that you are meeting any scheduling deadlines.
Some different methods you can try are listed below. You can use them individually or in a combination that works for you!
- Identify High-Impact Tasks:
- Figure out which of your current tasks will have the biggest impact on your goals.
- Ensure that you are using more of your energy on these tasks so that you don’t burn out on tasks that have less impact on your goals.
- Consider Deadlines:
- Have a clear idea of your deadline when starting any project.
- Make sure to prioritize tasks that need to be completed sooner.
- Ensure you are completing steps following your deadline needs.
- Focus on the Most Important Project:
- When juggling many different projects, identify the project that is either the most important or needs to be completed the quickest.
- Spend a larger portion of your time and energy focusing on this project.
Set Goals
Setting goals is a fundamental step in increasing productivity. Well-defined and achievable goals provide extra focus, motivation, and direction for you.
- Break Down Larger Goals: For larger, long-term goals, break the tasks down into more manageable tasks. This can make the overall goal seem less overwhelming to reach and will help you stay on track with steady progress.
- Prioritize Goals: Figure out which goals are the most impactful and take steps to make these your priority. Identifying and focusing on those high-priority tasks ensures your time and energy go where they are most needed.
- Set Realistic Timelines: Make sure that you are being realistic with your timeline expectations when setting your goals. If you try to take on too much or you are overly ambitious, you could burn yourself out very quickly.
- Establish Both Short-Term and Long-Term Goals: Make sure to include both short-term and long-term goals. Short-term goals give you some quicker wins and having long-term goals helps motivate you for continued forward progress.
Limit Distractions
Limiting distractions is a great way to ensure you can focus on the task at hand. By increasing your ability to focus on the task, you increase productivity.
- Create a Dedicated Workspace: Have a space that is solely for work. This helps your brain stay focused on work while in that space.
- Declutter Your Workspace: Keep your workspace free of clutter and keep it organized to help improve focus and increase productivity.
- Turn Off Notifications: Switch your notifications to silent if it’s not something related to the task at hand. This will stop you from getting distracted while you focus.
- Communicate Boundaries: Make sure you clearly communicate to those around you when you need dedicated time to focus. Let them know when you will be available again if they need you.
- Limit Multitasking: Try to focus on one thing at a time. Allow yourself to fully commit to what you are working on and not be distracted by trying to do other things at the same time.
Use these together or individually to increase productivity. Find what works best for you.
Delegate Tasks
Something to keep in mind for your own sanity’s sake is that YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING.
Delegating tasks is not only a valuable leadership skill but also a way to optimize productivity and foster teamwork.
Whether it is at work or home, delegate some of that to-do list to those on your team. Communicate your needs and expectations clearly and trust your people to help you.
Batch-up Tasks to Increase Productivity
Batching up tasks is an effective strategy that involves batching up similar tasks to get a lot done in a specific time block.
Group tasks that are similar or require similar mental processes. This allows you to focus better and not jump around from task to task, which will help increase productivity.
Combining the task batching approach with time blocking can be a great way to increase productivity.
Use Technology When You Can
In this crazy, tech-savvy world we live in, there are so many different ways to utilize technology to help us increase productivity. Use what you can to help you out and make life a little easier.
- Task Management Apps: You can use task management apps to help you create your lists and prioritize your tasks. You can have all of your notes and lists at your fingertips.
- Note-Taking Apps: Utilize a note-taking app to keep your lists and notes on hand across all your devices.
- Calendar Apps: There are many different types of calendar apps available that can help you stay organized and you can even sync some of them to your note apps to stay organized across apps.
Get Dressed For the Day and Keep Your Shoes On
No matter what is on your to-do list for the day, getting dressed is a great first step to increased productivity for the day. When we get ready for the day, it signals our bodies that it’s Go Time and we are ready!
Another little way to tell your body that you are still in productivity mode is to leave your shoes on. If you come home and take your shoes off, it tells your body that it is time to get comfy and that is counterproductive to your productivity.
I hope you will give some of these tips a try if you don’t already include them in your daily life. I would love to hear about your favorite productivity tips as well, friends! Drop me a comment here or jump on over to the Just Your Everyday Mama‘s Facebook page and share them with me there! See you there, friend!
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- Daily To-Do List:
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Setting Routines For the New Year
Are you ready to get this New Year off to the best start? Of course, you are! Starting the year with a strong start can help set the tone for the year ahead. And a tool I like to use to help get a good strong start? Routines, baby!
Having set morning routines, bedtime routines, and self-care routines is crucial for me. They help me keep on top of things, otherwise, I forget half of what I am supposed to be doing.
Establishing family routines streamlines daily activities, promoting organization and productivity while providing stability and structure to our lives.
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Morning Routines to Start the Day Off Right
Setting yourself up for a great day starts first thing in the morning. Plan to make sure that you have enough time to get everything done that you need to, allowing for a smooth and stress-free start.
Prioritize tasks and establish a morning routine that aligns and aids you with your goals and well-being.
Taking control of your mornings will set the tone for the rest of the day, fostering productivity, clarity, and overall vitality. Including mindfulness, exercise, and gratitude can positively influence the rest of your day as well.
- Wake up early– Starting early will help ensure you have all the time you need in the mornings. That peace and quiet time first thing in the morning can be exactly what you need to start the day off right.
- Drink a glass of water before coffee– We all know that we should do this, but I know that I never do. But it can be a great way to help kickstart your body for the day. It’s also helpful to get you closer to your water goal for the day.
- Meditation or Mindfulness– Take a few minutes to Meditate or practice mindfulness to help clear your mind and give yourself some calmness and clarity to start the day.
- Move your body– Get your body moving early in the day and you’ll have more energy throughout the day.
- Eat a healthy breakfast– Starting off eating well can help set the tone for the rest of your meals throughout the day. I know, I tend to make better choices throughout the day if I eat a healthier breakfast in the morning.
- Spend time on your self-care. Take some extra time getting ready, or spend 15 minutes reading or journaling. Whatever it is that you do for you. Check out my post-Quick And Easy Self-Care Ideas for some quick and easy self-care ideas.
- Connect with loved ones– Start your day by showing and sharing your love with those around you.
Bedtime Routines to Help Wind Down
Utilizing a regular bedtime schedule is very helpful because as you go through the motions of your routine, your body will start to recognize that it’s time to start winding down. This makes it easier to get that good rest we all want and need.
A regular bedtime routine can also offer a sense of stability and structure which leads to less stress and anxiety. Adding in things like gentle yoga, meditation, and other relaxation techniques can further enhance the calming effects of regular bedtime routines.
Keeping regular routines with your children at bedtime can lead to less struggling to wrangle them into bed at night.
- Gentle Yoga– Engaging in gentle yoga poses before bedtime can help release tension and promote relaxation. The emphasis on controlled breathing during yoga also encourages mindfulness, contributing to a calm state of mind.
- Meditation– Practicing meditation before bed can help you quiet your mind, slow your thoughts, and help you work through things that are on your mind.
- Reading– Settling down, relaxing, and enjoying a book before you close your eyes for the night is a fantastic way to unwind from the day and let your body know it’s time to sleep.
Routines to keep the Family Organized
If your family has a busy schedule, with numerous activities going on, it can seem impossible to keep everything straight some days. Finding routines that work best to help your family with this can take a little time and adjustment, but it’s so worth it.
- Review the family calendar regularly– Plan a time and frequency that works best for your family and plan to have a calendar review to make sure everyone is on the same page. This can be a daily activity if you have a lot going on in your lives, or less frequently may work better if you have a regular set schedule or not a lot going on from day to day.
- Keep a family calendar- In my house, there are only 3 of us to keep track of so it’s not terrible. But a big helpful tip, if you decide to go this route, is to color code it. Every person gets a different color designated to them and their activities go on the calendar in that color. We prefer to use a dry-erase calendar and keep it on the fridge so it’s always visible. You could also use a digital planner that’s shared with everyone on their devices, or a regular paper calendar.
- Have a family group chat– Take full advantage of technology to keep in touch when everyone is on the go. From group text chains, chat apps, etc, its easier than ever to stay connected.
Make Fitness a Regular Part of Your Life
Making an effort to be more physically active is something that you can do for yourself that has so many benefits. It can enhance mood and energy levels, improve overall health, and help with weight management.
- Make it a habit-Getiing yourself started is usually the hardest part. It becomes second nature once you make the steps to include fitness in your everyday life.
- Find something you enjoy– You are not set to any one specific type of exercise to get healthy. You can try different things until you find something that you really enjoy. If you enjoy doing it, you’re more likely to stick with it.
- Don’t make it complicated– Don’t overthink it. You don’t need a gym membership or fancy equipment to incorporate fitness into your day. Utilizing bodyweight exercises and free outdoor cardio activity is all you really need. Go for a walk and do some push ups.
- Include Friends and Family– Get a friend to join you at the gym or walk. You could make evening walks with your family a regular activity to help everyone stay healthy.
Meal Planning and Prep For Smoother Mealtimes
Planning meals on the fly is not a strong quality of mine. So I like to spend some time each week planning out our meals and snacks. It makes things easier during the busy week ahead.
Once the planning and shopping are done, you can try to find other ways to help make mealtimes easier, like prepping foods ahead of time or portioning out items for easy portability.
- Prep Meals/ Items Ahead of Time– Help yourself and save some time during the week and start prepping foods and food items ahead of time. Make a large batch of rice or pasta, or cook a whole pack of chicken at the same time to save the steps later on.
- Keep Essential Ingredients Stocked– This enhances your routines by saving time on grocery trips, ensuring the ability to cook a variety of foods, and promoting more efficient cooking time.
- Have a Set Mealtime and Location– To ensure an easier mealtime with the family, have a set time and a specific location for meals. This allows everyone to be aware ahead of time and plan accordingly.
- Utilize Kitchen gadgets to save time– There are a wide variety of kitchen gadgets out there that can make your time in the kitchen so much easier. My two favorites are my chopper/slicer and my Pressure Cooker/Air fryer combo.
Looking Ahead
Remember that there is no harm in changing or adjusting a routine to better fit your family’s lifestyle. Always stay flexible and adjust as needed. Routines are going to change a lot throughout the year so just make sure what you are doing is working for YOU.
Setting routines for yourself and your family is a great way to ensure that you stay organized, connected, and efficient in the new year. Happy New Year Friends!!
Head on over to Just Your Everyday Mama‘s Facebook page and share your routines that help keep your life manageable!
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Gratitude Journal Prompts for the New Year
Happy New Year Friends! I hope you are well and ready to rock the New Year! On my current self-care journey, I am focusing more on journaling and wanted to share some of the New Year writing prompts I will be using to get me going strong for the year.
It is important to reflect on our lives, emotions, and gratefulness, and recognize our blessings that we may otherwise overlook. When we take the time to explore these things and let them be present in our minds, we are better equipped to understand ourselves and the world around us. This fosters personal growth and a deeper connection with our surroundings.
Utilizing writing prompts to reflect on your gratitude for the new year can help you dive deeper into your reflection by giving you a different view and pushing you to think deeper on a topic. These Journal prompts for the New Year will help you do just that.
I hope you find some reflection and growth with these journal prompts for the New Year.
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Gratitude For the New Year
- Spend time writing about your gratitude for the New Year. What opportunities are you most looking forward to in the upcoming year?
- What new experiences are you going to try in the new year? How will these experiences help you?
- Reflect on your feelings about another New Year starting. How do you usually feel at this time of year? Reflect on the positive feelings and changes that surround you at this time of year.
Planning To Achieve
- What goals are you looking forward to tackling this year? Do you have a plan on how to achieve it yet? Reflect on how the things you have learned so far on your journey will help you to achieve these goals.
- Detail a potential obstacle you foresee in the future. How do you plan to overcome it? Come up with some ideas if you don’t already have a plan.
- Think of an upcoming goal that you plan on achieving. Describe how you think you will feel when you finally reach this goal. How do you plan to celebrate?
Keep On Growin
- Reflect on your personal growth from the previous year. What are some ways that you have seen your growth? How can you continue to do this in the future?
- List 3 new skills you want to develop or improve in the new year. How will these skills help you in your upcoming year?
- Reflect on a personal skill you use regularly. How has your life become better because of this skill? How will this skill continue to help you in the new year?
- Explore a past accomplishment that has shaped your approach to planning for the future.
- Describe an area of personal or professional growth you want to improve in. How do you plan you do this? Outline your steps and plan.
- Reflect on an obstacle you overcame in the last year. What did you learn about yourself in overcoming this? How do you plan to ensure you don’t have to face this same obstacle in the future? And if you do have to face it again, reflect on how your initial encounter has better prepared you for success.
Look to the Future
- Think about an upcoming event that will be happening in the New Year. How far away is the event, and how does the lead-up make you feel? What is the POSITIVE outcome of this event that you are hoping for?
- What are you feeling the most excited about in the upcoming year? How will this shape or change your life? What is the positive impact?
- Reflect on upcoming changes that you know are happening in the coming year and how they will positively impact your life.
- What is the number one thing that makes you feel gratitude for the New Year?
Utilizing these journal prompts for the New Year will enhance your reflection on the year ahead and set the stage for self-discovery in the months ahead. Happy writing, Friends!
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Set The Tone: Start the New Year off Right
HAPPY NEW YEAR FRIEND! I can’t believe we are already starting the New Year! It feels like we were just preparing for Halloween and Thanksgiving. But here we are. So Let’s Start the New Year off Right!
I spend a lot of time putting together my goals lists for the year, but I am finding it’s not the only important thing that goes into making sure I start the new year off right. Beyond the resolutions and aspirations, there’s great importance in embracing personal growth, fostering positive connections, and cultivating a motivated mindset.
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Reflect on the past Year
Spending some time looking back on the past year is so important. Doing this will help you see where you want to make changes in your life. It’s a great first step to start the New Year off right.
Reflect on all the blessings that the year brought you. The smiles, the memories, all of those things that brought you joy and light into your life. Let’s focus on more of that this year.
Take some time to explore some things that maybe, didn’t go your way. Dive in and see where you can make it a learning experience. Use it as a drive to not do it the same way this year. Learn from it, but let it go.
Declutter and Organize For Clarity
Take the time to clear out and reset your living spaces. It’s a great time to focus on this since the craziness of the holidays is finally over. Spend time creating an environment that is organized, sensible, and versatile by decluttering and finding designated areas for everything.
Spending time doing this can help to start the new year off right by helping you create an environment that reflects calmness and mental clarity throughout the year. The less clutter you have, the less distractions you have.
Organizing everything into its own space or area will help you in the future as well. It will be easier to maintain a high level of tidiness as time goes on.
Make Yourself a Priority In the New Year
If you’re not already, you need to make this the time that you start making yourself a priority. We must focus on self-prioritization in our busy lives or else we are bound to neglect ourselves.
Burnout and exhaustion are real things that we deal with when we aren’t taking care of ourselves as well as we do those around us. Let’s try a preventative approach this year and plan for time to rest and restore ourselves the same as we plan it for others.
Find what you’re self-care looks like and make sure you schedule time for this. I know that can be hard, so check out my article, Quick and Easy Self-Care Ideas, for some tips and ideas to get you started!
Set Realistic Goals For Yourself
As I said before, I spend a lot of time putting together my goals lists every year. I love having them to use as a guide. They are a handy tool that I use throughout the year.
Spend time looking forward to the New Year ahead of you. What do you hope to accomplish? What goal did you accomplish last year that you can build upon this year?
I like to try to set goals in many different aspects of my life. I like to have a variety of things to focus on and I need to be kept busy! Idle hands are not my friend.
And remember, there’s nothing wrong with having to adjust your goals along the way for unforeseen circumstances. Or if your focus in life changes. Things happen and things change. Give yourself some grace when you need it. Just make sure that you hold yourself accountable if it is important to you.
Create Routines and Plans for Success
Once you’ve reflected on your goals for the year, it is time to create a plan to help us keep on track to meet those goals. This can come in the form of meal prep plans, money-saving budgets, plans for better self-care, etc.
You use these plans as the stepping stones to your goals. Don’t be afraid to adjust them where it’s needed. Nothing is set in stone, this is all just to get us started on the right foot.
Try a New Hobby
If you’re like me, you have a long list of social media reels or pictures saved of a cool craft you saw and want to try. It’s time to make some time for you to try one of those cool new crafts. Or a new sport. Whatever your thing is, make a plan to do something new. And do it for you.
Trying a new hobby can be so beneficial on so many levels. From social time and bonding with others to giving you a creative outlet and building your self-confidence. You’ll find that trying a new hobby with an open mind will be another outlet for personal growth in the New Year.
Embrace the Opportunities of the Future
As we look to the New Year with an optimistic mind, the possibilities of our tomorrows are limitless. We must look to embrace the unknown that lies ahead and be confident in our own ability to face any challenge.
Each new day ahead offers a new opportunity to grow as a person, connect with our loved ones, and spread kindness into the world around us. We can make the choice to do better and to be better every single day.
Thanks for taking the time to stop by today friend. I hope you have enjoyed this article and I know you will find it useful as we set the tone for the year and start the New Year off Right!
Jump on over to my Facebook page, Just Your Everday Mama Blog, and share how you’re starting the New Year Off Right!
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Gratitude Journal Prompts
Hello there, friends! I have been posting a lot lately about self-care. Something that I keep encouraging you to do is gratitude journaling. So I thought I would put together a list of some Gratitude Journal Prompts to help you get writing!
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Everyday Life
- What is something that happened today that made you smile?
- What are 3 things that you are thankful for from today?
- Think of something nice that someone said to you today. Did it make you feel good? Brighten your day?
- What routine are you happy to have in your life?
- Think of a moment today when you were fully present. Reflect on how it felt to be fully there and connected.
- What is an everyday convenience in your life that you are thankful for?
- What is something your kid said today that made you laugh?
- What is something that happened today that you are especially thankful for?
Positive Self Reflection
- What is your favorite personality trait? How has this trait benefitted you in your life?
- What is your strongest personality trait? How has this trait benefitted your life at this point?
- What is your favorite personal physical feature? How do you feel when others compliment you on this?
- Which one of your many positive personality traits would you pick to pass on to your children? Compassion? Love for animals? Honesty? Explore why.
- List 3 qualities about yourself that you are the most proud of.
- Reflect on a situation that you faced recently that taught you something about yourself.
Appreciate the Natural World
- What part of nature are you the most grateful today?
- What is something you look forward to about being out in nature?
- Think of a time today when you saw something beautiful out in nature. What feelings did that that sight invoke in you?
- Think of when you felt very at peace while out in nature.
- Reflect on your favorite soothing nature sounds and how they make you feel.
- What is your favorite thing about the current time of the year?
- What is your favorite type of weather? Reflect on why it’s your favorite.
Relationships and Family
- What is the thing that makes you the most thankful for your favorite person/persons?
- What qualities do you find so attractive about your significant other?
- What is your favorite spot to go and spend time with your family? A restaurant? Park? Reflect on a favorite family memory at this place.
- Who are the people you are most grateful for in your life? Reflect on the positive impact they have in your life.
- What positive impact has your significant other had on your life?
- Reflect on the people in your life that have supported you and how having that support has shaped your life.
- Reflect on a special memory with a friend or family member that sparks joy when you think of it.
- Who is someone that you look up to? A mentor? Family Member? What qualities does that person have that inspire you?
Personal Growth
- What is a negative habit you previously had, but have managed to break?
- What challenges have you faced recently? How did you overcome it?
- What are your strengths? How have they grown over time?
- Think about a time when you thought you made a mistake, but it turned out to be a great learning experience. How did it spur your growth?
- What is something that you have been working on currently? Explore your positive progress.
- Think of a current challenge or setback in your life. How do you plan to overcome it? How will this help you grow?
- Reflect on a hobby that you do and appreciate how far you have come since starting that hobby. Appreciate the progress you have made.
- What is a skill that you have put time and effort into building? How has this skill helped you? What have you learned on the journey? How does having this skill make you feel?
- Think of a positive experience that you had in the past that still impacts your life today.
Personal achievements
- What is something you have achieved in your life that you never really thought would have been possible?
- What are you most proud of having achieved in your life?
- What have you learned about yourself from your achievements?
- What achievement are you celebrating today?
- What support helped you achieve a big goal?
- What is something that you accomplished recently? What steps did you take to achieve it? How has it affected your life?
Holiday/Seasonal
- What are you most grateful for this holiday season?
- What is your favorite memory from past holidays?
- What is something that you look forward to every holiday season?
- As New Year approaches, what are you most thankful for from this past year?
- What are you most looking forward to in the New Year?
- What holiday tradition are you the most thankful for?
Use these Gratitude Journal prompts as a jumping-off point for your reflection. See where the writing takes you. I hope these help you in your self-care routine, friend! For other helpful info and self-care tips, check out my post Quick and Easy Self-Care Ideas.
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Building Bold Mamas: Gain Confidence and Self-Esteem as an Everyday Mama
I cannot remember a time in my life when I truly felt comfortable in my skin and I hate that. I’ve never had the confidence that others seem to just radiate so brightly and easily. It’s always been something that makes me feel more negative towards myself.
If this resonates with you, my friend, then join me as I say “ENOUGH is ENOUGH!” This life is too damn precious and short to go through it feeling any other way than like the Queens that we are!
Let’s dive in and discuss some ways to gain confidence and self-esteem as an everyday mama.
Table of Contents
The Importance of Confidence as a Mom
One of the greatest gifts as a mother is to see the confidence that shines in your child’s eyes. Your child wants to see that in your eyes too, mama. And you deserve to feel it.
When you exude confidence, your children will see and absorb it, even if you don’t realize it. You set the example for them. Don’t let them think that you are willing to settle for feeling less than your best.
When you approach the challenges you face in motherhood, with a sense of confident assurance, you foster trust and a sense of stability for your children.
Self-Care
“You can’t pour from an empty cup” is a statement that has resonated with me so much lately. I let my cup get empty while I was busy making sure that everyone else’s was full to the brim.
For me, this became very apparent in the form of a few health concerns and anxiety issues that could have been taken care of with a bit better self-care. I never realized how much anxiety can affect you physically and I sure found out.
Make time for yourself to enjoy something you love, take that extra long shower, or have that girl’s night with your besties. Do something that’s going to help you fill your cup back up. We all need it from time to time.
If you don’t have something that you do for yourself, make the time, find the hobby, and get the coffee. Whatever it is. Do it.
It’s so important for us to have this time for ourselves. You gotta take care of yourself. It will help you feel your best and allow you to continue taking such great care of your loved ones.
Check out my post here, for some other quick tips on self-care.
Socialize
Socialization can be an amazing tool in the journey to gain confidence and self-esteem. Finding local support groups, playgroups, or friend groups that meet regularly can benefit you greatly.
Prioritize those relationships in your life that really help you grow and have a positive impact on your life. Spend time with those who value your time and presence. Spending time with these people helps lift you up, keeps you positive, and gives support.
Distance yourself from those that are toxic. That constant negativity is not good for you. Not good for anyone. Don’t let this type of relationship take priority in your life. It will only make you feel all of that negativity. You don’t deserve that and don’t need it.
Goal Setting and Achieving
Setting goals, even the smallest of goals, and achieving them is a great way to gain confidence and self-esteem. Every single step is a step in the right direction so don’t forget to celebrate those small victories, even when the bigger ones seem to outshine them.
When you need a little boost, spend some time reflecting on the goals that you have already achieved and acknowledge how far you have come. Let it be a reminder of all you have overcome. You can always do this when you need a little more inspiration as well.
Practice Gratitude and Positive Affirmations
Practicing gratitude can come in many forms. You can journal, keep a gratitude jar, keep a list, etc. I personally prefer to journal and enjoy it very much. I have fun finding different prompts to lead my writing. It helps to keep it interesting to have different ideas and ways to look at things.
When we spend time practicing gratitude in our everyday life it can help us to focus on, not what we lack, but the abundance of positives in our lives and help to shift to a more positive mindset.
The way we talk to ourselves and the thoughts that we choose to let take up space in our brains absolutely influence how we feel about ourselves. The negative self-talk that we are all so fluent in builds up and brings us down.
Instead of letting the negative self-talk continue to build up, turn it around, challenge it, and turn it into an affirmation for you. You got this.
Embrace Your “Imperfection”
Our ideas of perfection have become so skewed in the age of social media. We are bombarded by people telling us how we should look, eat, live, and breathe. It can be very overwhelming and lead to negative self-perceptions if we let ourselves be consumed by it.
We need to embrace the things that set us apart from others. Celebrate your individuality. Life would be so boring if we all fit into the same mold.
I hope that you have found something helpful here today friends! Jump on over to my Facebook page and share some ways that you help gain confidence and self-esteem!
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Family Fun Night Ideas
It’s so important to have time as a family to really connect with each other. It’s so easy to overlook this need when we get caught up in our busy day-to-day hustle and bustle. So if that’s you, friend. Here’s your reminder to slow down and take some time with your awesome family.
I have put together some super cool Family Fun Night ideas that are sure to be a hit with everyone in your home!
Table of Contents
Movie Night
A good ole movie night with popcorn and snacks is always a great idea! You can easily combine this with other family fun night ideas as well.
You could take this a step further and make some themed snacks, depending on the movie, or make it a pajama night. Get creative with it!
Dance Party
This is a fun little idea to help burn some energy up before winding down. Just pick some music and boogie down, friends!
Make it a themed event! 80’s Night BABY!
Puzzle Night
We are huge puzzle lovers in our house! We are constantly doing puzzles together. Barrett enjoys them so much that he has a little “secret” stash of them hidden away. Sometimes he will do those same puzzles over and over again a few times in a row!
Doing puzzles together is such a great way to connect. You can do one big puzzle together or a bunch of little ones, either way, It’s a great way to spend time as a family!
After you’ve finished it, you can glue it together and have a keepsake from the time together. Hang it on a wall as a nice reminder of the time spent bonding with your favorite people.
DIY Pizza Night
Spending time in the kitchen together is such an amazing bonding time to have with your family and including the kiddos in the kitchen from a young age benefits them so much. There are a lot of early skills to be learned in there.
If you want to be fancy with it, you can make your dough from scratch. If you want the quick option, naan bread and flatbreads are easy and tasty options.
You can do one big pizza together or you could even do individual pizzas so that everyone can customize their own.
Have everyone pitch in on the process. Assign jobs or work on each task as a team. Whatever works best for your family, just have fun with it.
Backyard Campout
A warm summer night can be the perfect time for a quick backyard campout. All the fun of regular camping with less hassle of having to load and unload your gear and saves on the travel time.
If you’re able, have a campfire and roast marshmallows!
Nature Night
Spend a night out in nature with your family. Go for a walk, hike, or bike ride. Stop and have a picnic, take some pictures, and spend some time relaxing and connecting.
Take a few minutes to collect a rock or something to keep as a keepsake.
Maybe spend the evening together in your backyard stargazing or cozied up around a warm fire. Leave the electronics behind. Just the people that you love, making memories together.
Family Craft Night
Gather together some supplies and spend some time together letting your creative side go wild! Find a craft that everyone wants to try, get some supplies, and have at it. If it’s something more complicated, have a tutorial on hand to help if needed.
Some ideas you can try:
- Acrylic Pour Painting
- Napkin Decoupage
- Ornament Making
- Jewelry Stamping
- Tie-Dye T-shirts
Doing these crafts together as a family is not only a beautiful way to make memories, but you will have a keepsake in the end, as well.
Indoor Picnic
This is a favorite in our house. Whenever we order takeout, we put out or blanket on the floor in our living room and have a little indoor picnic. It’s a nice change of scenery from sitting at the dining room table all the time.
Combine this with some other Family Fun Night ideas to make a whole night of it! Pick a movie to watch while you eat, play a game while you enjoy your picnic, etc.
Outdoor Picnic
If the weather is nice and you want to get outdoors, pack that dinner up and take it outside for a real picnic.
Make it a theme night like a beach party, or bring a variety of gourmet meats and cheeses to enjoy a sophisticated snack under the stars.
You could also make it a BBQ picnic or if allowed have a little campfire to roast weenies and marshmallows!
Virtual Travel Night
This won’t be as fun as going to visit, but it can be a fun way to learn about a new place or culture while connecting with your loved ones.
Pick a place as a family. Have everyone be in charge of learning something interesting about that area to share with everyone else. Prepare food ahead of time from the region or buy one if you can. Find a couple of videos to watch together to learn about the area and discuss it.
Ask each other questions. Where would you want to visit first if we went here for vacation? What would you be most excited about? Get everyone engaged in the conversation.
Hot Cocoa Bar
A warm cozy afternoon inside during dreary winter weather is best spent with a cup of hot cocoa. It’s just a fact.
Set up various mix-ins like marshmallows, peppermint, and chocolate shavings to top the hot cocoa with.
Family Cooking Night
Pick a recipe that everyone will enjoy and come together as a family to prepare it.
A few good options that we love to make together are, of course, Pizza, but also, tacos, and nachos, even make breakfast for dinner together.
Build A Fort
Spend some time and build a nice sturdy fort! Once you have the base of the structure built with whatever you can find to use, the possibilities are endless for play.
If you can, use the fort for more than just playing. You can eat dinner around it if it’s in a common space. We always build ours in the living room so we just make a picnic around it sometimes.
Comedy Night
Have everyone take turns telling their favorite jokes! Treat it like a stand-up comedy show! Play a game in which the last one to laugh wins and have each player take turns trying to make the other laugh.
Or pick a funny movie or movies to watch together! Pick a specific comedic actor to watch a few of their movies or shows.
Make Dessert Together
Pick a recipe that everyone likes and spend some time making together. You can break up tasks for each person or go through the steps together. Whichever works best for your family.
You can combine this with some of the other ideas here to make a whole evening out of it!
Board Game Night
We love to grab a few of our favorite board games or card games and play for a while. It is such a great way to bring the family together and have a really fun time.
If your interests align, you could grab a movie-themed board game and play while you watch the corresponding movie together.
Science Night
We regularly spend some afternoons playing with baking soda and vinegar making volcanoes. It’s such an easy little activity, but B has so much fun with it. We like to add different color food dyes to it and watch the color combos happen with the reaction.
You can make this a simple DIY type thing and use what you already have or purchase a kit. There are a lot of options out there for kits containing multiple different projects that are so fun as well.
Thank you for taking the time to read through this fun-filled list! I can’t wait to hear about your Family Fun night ideas too! Jump on over to my Facebook page or leave me a comment here!
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25 Days of Christmas
Hello there, friends! It is that time of the year again! It’s time for one of my favorite lists! Our 25 Days of Christmas list! YESSSSSS!!
Until I became a mom, I was an absolute Grinch at Christmas time. I couldn’t stand the holidays. But since I became a mom, I am the complete opposite. I start to think about Christmas earlier and earlier every year now. And we do more and more fun activities!
We have been doing “25 Days of Christmas” lists for the last few years and always enjoy them so much. They are one of my favorite things to put together for our family. It’s even more fun when we all get together to partake in the day’s activity to build the Christmas spirit!
We do at least one Christmas-related thing every day. These things can range from a simple Santa coloring page for the kiddos to the bigger things, like getting a Christmas tree.
I usually plan about 4-5 “big” things that include all 3 of us. Then a handful of activities are just for Barrett and the rest can be done with anyone or all of us together. This way, if Dada can join us, we can adjust plans on short notice.
We do use this list to help with holiday prep and tasks as you will see below. Some stuff we are going to be doing anyway, but I make sure to factor that in so that I don’t plan too much for us! Gotta have that downtime around the holidays too!
Table of Contents
25 Days of Christmas 2023
- Make snowflakes for the front windows and sliding glass doors. We are going to be using coffee filters and washable markers to make these. Just make some marks on the coffee filters with the markers, whichever colors and designs you want, and drip or spray some water on them, enough to make the colors run to your liking, then let dry. Once they are dry, just use them as you would a normal piece of paper, fold, make cuts, and unfold.
- Make a list of people for treat baskets and plan treats for the baskets. We take time as a family and plan out our Christmas gift baskets for our friends. We usually plan to drop them off at our library, doctor’s office, and some of our friend’s houses.
- Go supply shopping for friends Christmas treats baskets and Christmas Eve baking. We compile a giant list of everything we are going to need for the baskets and baking, put on our Santa hats, and head to the store. It’s usually half day’s worth of shopping and stores, but we have so much fun with it.
- Go shopping for a Christmas tree and set it up. Last year we got a real tree and as much as I loved it, I do not want to deal with that mess again. So, this year, we are going to get a prelit, fake tree and I am completely okay with that.
- Get out the old Christmas decorations and sort through them. Decorate with what we have and toss the mess from years passed.
- Shop for new decorations and then put them up. Every year I try to freshen up some of our Christmas decor so I buy just a few things new each year.
- Make ornaments. Every year we find a new DIY ornament idea and make it as a family. Here are some that we have made in the past!
- Hot chocolate Bar party with friends. We are planning on setting up a hot chocolate bar with all the fixings and having a brunch playdate! I found some cute ideas at https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/hot-chocolate-bar/. Can’t wait to give this a try!
- Make some Christmas decor. Along with buying a few new pieces of Christmas decor every year, we make some as well!
- Make wrapping paper for family gifts. In years past, we have just used kraft paper rolls from the dollar store for the paper. We take stamps, shapes, markers, stickers, or whatever else you want, and use them to decorate the paper and let it dry. Once it dries, it’s a super unique paper that family and friends will love to see their gifts wrapped in.
- Donate old toys and clothes. Leading up to the big day, I work on cleaning out some of our old stuff to make room for the new toys that are bound to take over our house soon. We use this opportunity to donate to local families that may need a little help at the holidays.
- Christmas craft kit. We pick these up every year from the dollar tree and always have a great time making them. Here’s last year’s Felt Stocking Craft that turned into a whole lot of decorations for us.
- Christmas Movie Marathon! I’ve usually watched most of my favorites a few times already at this point, but we save a few to watch as a family. We try to pick a newer Christmas movie to watch as well, not just our old faves. It’s nice to shake things up a bit.
- Go see Santa! Our local library hosts Santa and Mrs Claus every year. They are the best! This is one of the things I look forward to the most! And I am so happy that we have been able to see the same Santa every year!
- Mail Christmas Cards and Christmas treat baskets. This is usually just a fun little trip for Barrett and me. We put on our Santa hats and head to the post office.
- Deliver local treat baskets to friends. We shall again put on our Santa hats and spend some time delivering the baskets around locally to our friends.
- Go to the holiday light maze at Local Homestead with friends. We have done this for the last few years and the boys always have a blast together. There’s a ton there to do so if you’re local to my area and haven’t gone yet, DO IT!
- Pick and local cause to donate to and go shopping for them. Deliver. Every year we pick a local cause to help out for the Christmas Season. We usually like to pick a local charity that is doing a food pantry or meals for people who may otherwise not be able to have them. Once we pick, we go shopping for the donation and then deliver them.
- Gingerbread house decorating. We keep this one easy and just get a kit, but it’s still fun.
- Christmas Scavenger Hunt. I have put together a fun little Christmas-time scavenger hunt for our family to do one evening. You can make your own for an indoor or outdoor hunt that your whole family is bound to enjoy doing.
- Purchase books for Little Free Libraries near us. This is something we do a few times a year and it’s a favorite of mine. We usually purchase them from our local library so it helps them out as well.
- Virtual Family Gathering. All of our family is pretty spread out, on both sides, so we don’t usually see them for the holidays. A virtual gathering is a great way to get everyone together instead!
- Drive around and look at Christmas lights. One of my favorite Christmas pastimes is looking at Christmas lights. I remember riding around with my grandparents and doing this as a kid. I make sure this is one thing that doesn’t get overlooked during the season.
- CHRISTMAS EVE! Make Santa Claus’s Cookies. Christmas Eve Box for Barrett. Family movie on the couch.
- MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
25 Days of Christmas 2022
1. Make Window Decorations- Cut out shapes from cardboard or cardstock. Cut out the center of the shapes and place a layer of contact paper on the back. Fill in the sticky part of contact paper with tissue paper, glitter, stickers, etc. Once all of the sticky part is covered, decorate the rest as you would like. When done, hang in the window.
2. Decorate Santa’s beard page with crayons and fill in the beard with glue and cotton balls.
3. Go shopping as a family for some new Christmas decorations.
4. Make paper lanterns for windowsills (we will be making 4)- Use construction paper, fold them in half, and cut slits along the crease of the folded side. Unfold, turn the paper so that the slits run from top to bottom. Then roll it into a cylinder, and attach the ends together with a stapler. You can add a handle to the top with another piece of paper if you would like. Decorate how you want. We use a combo of stickers and crayons usually. Finally, when these are decorated to your liking, place on the windowsill and add a battery-operated tea light at the bottom.
5. Make Snow Globes are one of my favorite Christmas crafts. For a walkthrough on these in ornament form, check here. I actually found the blanks to make actual snow globes this year, so we are going to try that out instead of ornaments this year. The globes are a little bit bigger than the ornaments so we will have more options to decorate them on the inside. We use all Dollar Tree stuff for these as well.
6. Get Christmas decorations out of storage and put them up around the house.
7. Make Wrapping paper for family gifts- I get a roll of brown Kraft paper from Dollar Tree, some small wooden shapes, and Tumbling Tower pieces (these are a miniature Jenga block game that Dollar Tree sells). Hot glue the wooden shapes to the ends of the blocks and let dry. To set this up : Lay out the Kraft paper (protect your surface underneath if needed), set out paints, and let the kiddo(s) stamp the Kraft paper with the shapes and paints. These are another super versatile craft and can be done using many different types of mediums and decorations. Once dry, cut to the desired length and wrap the present as you normally would.
8. Make treat bags for baked goods- Follow the same steps as for making wrapping paper. You can use brown paper bags, small plastic treat bags, or small canvas gift bags. The possibilities are endless.
9. Make foam window decorations- These are a kit purchased from Dollar tree.
10. Get a Christmas tree.
11. Decorate the Christmas tree!! Movie night! and hot Cocoa.
12. Make Christmas gifts and cards for grandparents.
13. Mail out Christmas Cards.
14. Make ornaments- I don’t have these planned out at the moment but I will update you when I plan them out.
15. Wrap Christmas presents for the family.
16. Bake cookies and treats for the family.
17. Package up and mail out Christmas presents and goodies for family.
18. Shop for Christmas family donation stuff- Not quite planned yet, but will update this when we have decided what we will be doing this year. In the past, we have shopped for non-perishables to donate, purchased or donated toys for other families in the community, etc.
19. Christmas family donation drop off.
20. Drop off Christmas cards and goodies to local friends.
21. Bring coffee and Christmas treat goodies to our local librarians.
22. Wrap dada’s Christmas present and make him a card.
23. Drive around and look at Christmas lights while listening to Christmas music.
24. Bake cookies for Santa, Christmas Eve box with movie, pjs’ and hot cocoa, family Christmas movie!
25. ITS FINALLY CHRISTMAS!!!
And there you have it, friends! We plan to get ready for Christmas. There is always a ton of other holiday stuff that we do, but this is planned out so that we have at least one Christmas Activity per day. I will be posting updates and pictures on the blog’s Facebook page so be sure to follow along with me here! And share your lists and creations there as well!! Until next time, friends!!
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Easy Weekly Cleaning Routine
Hello there, friends! I hope you are well today! I have been just catching up on some health stuff so I haven’t been writing as much. I’m still around though.
Since my time has been a little more limited lately with some extra appointments and playdates for Barrett, I’ve had to streamline how I do some things around the house to keep up.
My cleaning routine is the main thing to fall apart first as we get busier. So I decided to try and fix that first. I came up with a relatively quick and easy weekly cleaning routine to help speed up the process without cutting corners.
This schedule takes me no more than an hour each day besides the laundry. Because, let’s be real, that never gets done in one day, let alone in an hour. That would be sorcery!
I thought I would share it in case anyone out there finds themselves in a similar extra-busy season and needs a routine shake-up too.
I do have it broken down by floors instead of chores. This is because, If I have to go up and down the stairs while I’m doing a specific chore, i.e. all the windows, it’s probably not gonna get done in a timely manner. If I can just stay in one general area, it also helps me from getting too distracted by other things that I need to get done in other parts of the house.
I’ve included some cleaning tips at the end of the article that I have implemented around the house that have made a huge difference for us.
Table of Contents
Weekly Cleaning Schedule
Monday- Upstairs
- Dust. Everything gets dusted to start. Every surface, wall, and blind. Every nook and cranny.
- Wipe down all surfaces. I wipe all the furniture, window sills, door handles, etc. in the bedrooms and bathrooms with a non-toxic cleaner and a microfiber cloth.
- Clean all windows and mirrors. I use regular old store-brand window cleaner and a microfiber cloth for this.
- Clean bathroom. I mix 1 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup blue dish soap, and a little water in a spray bottle and use that to clean our bathroom fixtures. It’s really great at cutting through the hardware build-up we get here.
- Vacuum and sweep. We have a German Shepard, Miss Boozie, that sheds like crazy. So we are constantly sweeping and vacuuming, even with a robot vacuum going once a day. But I use this time to do a deeper clean. I get all the baseboards, crevices, and cracks.
- Change all sheets. I strip all sheets and pillowcases from all the beds, wash them, and remake them. If I ever remember to do it, I like to vacuum the mattresses before I remake them.
- Change out all towels. I change out all bathroom towels, wash clothes, and household hand towels and wash them.
- All trashcans are dumped. I empty all trashcans in the upstairs area and put fresh bags in them. Another “if I remember” tip is to put a little essential oil on a cotton ball and toss it in there before the new bag goes in. It’ll help it smell nice and a little fresher.
Tuesday- Main Floor
- Dust. Dust it all. Kitchen and living room, top to bottom dusted.
- Clean out the fridge. All the leftovers that I promised to eat finally get to meet their demise. I take this opportunity to organize and wipe the inside of the fridge a little as well.
- All trashcans are dumped. Tuesday is our trash day so I use this time to collect all the trash bags from throughout the house and take them out.
- Kitchen cabinets and counters are wiped down. I just use a non-toxic cleaner and a microfiber cloth for this. I like to get the insides of the cabinets with the vacuum too, if I remember.
- Kitchen appliances are wiped and cleaned out. I wipe down all appliances, clean filters, and wipe the insides down with non-toxic cleaner.
- Clean the 1/2 bathroom. I use the same mix to clean this bathroom, it’s just less work than the big bathroom.
- Clean all windows and mirrors. Our dog is constantly at our windows barking at the neighbors and smudging up these windows. I usually clean them 3 times a week, but this time I just do a much deeper, thoroughly clean around the whole thing, not just the glass.
Wednesday- Laundry and Floors
- Laundry. I like to start a load in the middle of the week so that there is less to do on the weekend. We used to do it all on the same day and it was just too much.
- Sweep and mop all floors. I do a nice deep sweep and vacuum of the floors, getting all the nooks and crannies. Then I use another non-toxic cleaner and mop both upstairs and downstairs.
Thursday
- Finish the laundry. (maybe). Usually, I fluff it at least 3 separate times before I will even think about folding it.
Friday and Saturday- Catch-up
I just use these days to catch up on anything I am behind on around the house (it’s the laundry) or do nothing at all with that time. These are a blessing.
Sunday
We do laundry and food prep usually. Josh is usually helping with any chores we have as well.
This schedule will look a little different for everyone depending on your home and family needs.
Cleaning Tips
- If you have multiple floors, stash cleaning supplies on each floor. This helps me if I have a quick second and can do something, I have the supplies already with me so I don’t have to go and get them.
- Use microfiber cloths to dust and wipe surfaces. Rinse and throw in the washer. It saves a ton on paper towels. Many other alternatives out there are just as cost-effective.
- We wipe the kitchen and dining room after each time they are used.
- Break your tasks down into smaller pieces to make them easier to do. If it’s less daunting to start then you are less likely to procrastinate.
- We use a mix of natural solutions and chemicals in our home, it’s the best of both worlds. Use whatever works for your family.
- Include your kids/family to make the tasks more enjoyable and to share the workload.
- If you are making your own schedule, don’t forget to give yourself some space to breathe on the schedule. I love having those catch-up days to fall back on so I don’t get severely behind. We all know that burnout is real.
Thank You so much, friends! I am sure you found something helpful in this article and I can’t wait to hear how it’s helping you in your home. Jump on over to my Facebook page, here, and share your easy weekly cleaning routine!
