Plan to Simplify

I know: you think schedules and routines are for school-aged children. You'd like to think you've achieved a more bohemian lifestyle since your school days. You're laid-back and able to roll with the punches. People who plan out all the details are boring. Here's a question for you: How many times have you arrived at work late and grumpy, because it wasn't until you went to get dressed that you realized your wet clothes were still in the washing machine?

You likely already have a few tasks which you perform at the same time every year. Things like changing your seasonal wardrobe, changing your car tires, cleaning out your eaves trough. You know what the benefits are to doing these things, so it's not such a huge sacrifice when you actually put the time aside to get them done. The same approach can be used when performing daily or weekly tasks.

Schedule time to do personal or business admin. Instead of letting your filing accumulate for six weeks or more, set aside 30 minutes on a Friday afternoon to sort and store everything piled on your desk. At the end of a long week, you can still be productive by performing tasks that aren’t as demanding as budgeting. If you still need to action something, file it in a desktop filer. (I’m not endorsing this product; I  just want to give you an example of what it can look like). You’ll see it first thing Monday morning and be reminded of the task to complete, without your desk looking like a twister hit it.

 If personal admin is where you struggle, try to determine how to make the task more enjoyable. As in a corporate environment, I do still suggest that you establish a routine, i.e. pick a night during the week, or an hour on the weekend that you will address the paper flow and bill payments. Beyond that, you do have a bit more flexibility. If you’ve gone paperless, you can curl up in front of the TV with your laptop and pay bills. Or, if you perform best in the morning, why not focus on admin on a Saturday morning, while the rest of your family snoozes a bit longer.  You’ll accomplish more without the usual interruptions, and by the time everyone is up you will already have accomplished something for the day.

Even laundry has its day. Don't wait until there's one pair of socks in your drawer before you do some laundry. Many people like to designate one day of the week to do all their laundry. For me, that feels like a prison sentence. I don't want to give up a full day of the weekend to be a slave to my washer and dryer. If you have a quiet night during the week, why not designate it as a wash night? You don't have to do all your laundry. Worst case scenario, you may have to do a couple more loads of laundry on the weekend. Better to give up an hour or two over the weekend, then to miss a full day of fun.

Prepare for the next day -- whatever that may mean for you. Nobody likes waking up to surprises. Before going to bed each night, do some preliminary work. Check the weather channel so that you know whether to pull out winter boots or an umbrella. Maybe you need to set your alarm for 15 minutes earlier than usual if you anticipate bad traffic or school bus cancellations. Pack your briefcase, pack your children's knapsacks, put them beside the boots or umbrella at the door. Maybe all you need to do to get your morning off to a smooth start is to prep the coffee maker before you go to bed.

Planning our time is as necessary to being organized as planning a physical space. These suggestions are merely some new habits you can introduce. Once they – or whatever changes you decide to make – are routine, you will discover that chaos and confusion are a thing of the past. You'll find yourself living a simplified life.

More than Tinsel to think about at Christmastime

Doesn’t it sound like I’m going to write about the importance of gratitude and charity? While this time of year does tend to make us more reflective and likely to reach out to friends and family, that’s not the direction I’m heading.

But before I dive into this month’s blog, I have to address those who read my post last month and are expecting Part II on chronic disorganization (CD): with the last shopping weekend before Christmas less than 24 hours away, I couldn’t miss the opportunity to point out some of the things we should be prepared for in the days ahead.  Part II on CD will follow next month. 

So, this is the last weekend that those celebrating Christmas will be able to swarm to the malls. While you may be motivated to brave the crowds to ensure you’ve got the perfect gift for everyone on your list, I can’t pass up the opportunity to draw your attention to a few minor details that may make the following week a bit easier on you.

Holiday meal planning. If you’re planning a big meal, you’ve likely covered all the key components. Remember some of the less-significant parts of entertaining as well. Do you have all the condiments you need? Napkins? Butter? Chairs? Storage containers (so you can offer care packages of leftovers to some of your guests)?

Regular meal planning. With the excitement of party-going, road trips and making merry, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that you will occasionally be home.  When you are, you might not have the time or desire to prepare a full meal. Package and freeze any leftovers.   They’ll come in handy at this hectic time of year, when chaos subsides and you suddenly find yourself needing to feed yourself and your family.

Frozen veggies. Even if this is not something you regularly buy, it doesn’t hurt to have some on hand now.  As I said above, you just don’t know when you’ll find yourself at home. Instead of stocking up on fresh produce that can spoil while you’re out socializing, why not rely on the frozen variety that offers the benefit of an almost indefinite shelf life and the easiest prep imaginable.

What happens behind closed doors. Get your mind out of the gutter!  I’m referring to your daily “personal grooming”. When you’re getting ready to head out to that family dinner at 3 p.m. on December 24, you don’t want to discover that you’ve run out of shampoo, toilet paper, deodorant, or anything of the sort.

Dry cleaning. Be aware of closures. Dry cleaning businesses are often family-run.  They will often close for an extended period of time between Christmas and the new year. If there is something you need to wear over the holiday season, be sure that you’ll be able to get hold of it well in advance of when it’s needed.  

Tis the season to get sick. While this is a time to focus on joy and merriment, the reality is, a lot of people get sick over the holiday season.  It could be a flu, cough, or mild cold. Check your over-the-counter meds to ensure you have everything you need – just in case. Also, try to have clear liquids on hand, such as broth and juice.

Prescriptions.  If you or a loved-one take daily medication, check the quantity currently on hand.  There’s still time to get refills before the drug stores go to reduced hours and you hit the party circuit.

Tape. Despite your best efforts, you still may end up wrapping gifts on Christmas Eve.  Make sure you’ve got enough tape on hand.  Nothing is worse than settling down at 10 p.m. to wrap your gifts and realize there’s no way to get the job done.

Hopefully these tips will save you some frustration over the holidays.  Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Planning Ahead Can Save You Money

For those living in a snowy climate, this is the time of year we long to get away to warmer locales. So many people say a vacation is beyond their reach, but I discovered that with a bit of planning and research, great savings can be realized. Surprisingly, many rewards programs and professional memberships offer significant discounts or the chance to obtain free admission.  For example, we were able to access the Disney parks at no charge, after redeeming our Air Miles reward miles for park passes.

If you plan to stay in a hotel, you’re pretty much destined to eat every meal out and live through the wait times that often accompany dining out. This year we stayed in a villa, an option that was more cost effective than a hotel and afforded us some of the comforts -- and savings -- of being at home.

Travelling to a US destination meant we could purchase anything we needed once we arrived, but realizing we wouldn’t be able to use full packages of everything needed, we threw in a few household items when we were packing. Some of the things we brought along included coffee, sugar, filters and dishwasher pacs. We’d never use full packages of these if purchased after our arrival, and these items were easy enough to pack without risk of leakage or breakage.

If we were really on the ball, we would have packed a lunch on a few days. Maybe it’s a sign of my age, maybe I really do have a healthier diet than I realize, but I couldn’t handle the repeated consumption of pizza and chicken nuggets. We did always pack water for the day. That which costs $0.87 at the grocery store costs a minimum of $2.50 once you’re inside the gates. But before packing your cooler bag, make sure the park you are visiting allows outside food. We learned that visitors’ bags are checked before they are admitted to any park, except on rainy days.  Then it looks like anything goes.

Bon voyage!