5 Easy Steps to Streamline Your Day
5 easy steps to help you streamline your day to stop feeling overwhelmed, simplify your life, and make time for what matters most.
Life can be overwhelming.
There is so much that daily calls for our attention.
Laundry. Meals. Cleaning. Errands. Work. Husbands. Significant others. Children. Grandchildren. Social Media. Blogs. Parents. Grandparents. Friends. This list could go on and on.
Let me start by telling you that I don't have it all together. I am not superwoman. I am a mommy to three precious children who fails at that job. A lot.
I fall. I get up. Brush it off. And try again.
Maybe you're there with me.
Maybe I'm not alone in this.
Hopefully.
5 Easy Steps to Help You Streamline Your Day
Make a plan
There is nothing more stressful than going into a day without a plan. It might not go exactly as scheduled, but at least you have an idea of where your day will take you. Although it could completely take a detour and your day will look absolutely nothing like what you planned out.
But at least you tried.
Sit down with your calendar at the beginning of every week and review any appointments that have been made, date nights, concerts, play dates, etc. Make sure to review your calendar every night so you know what has to happen the next day.
My favorite calendars to keep me organized are my Erin Condren's LifePlanner and Emily Ley Paper, Inc.'s Simplified Planner. Seriously, they are my lifeline. Without them, I am lost and letting life happen to me. They help me be intentional with my day.
You could also make a meal plan while you are in planning mode. I don't make meal plans enough. I love the weeks that I do. It's definitely less chaotic. I'm not standing in front of the fridge trying to figure out what's for dinner with four ravenous children at my feet begging for food. It's not a pretty picture, but very common.
Make a plan.
Simple and Budget-Friendly Meal Planning List with Printable
To get you started on your meal plan, check out this gluten and dairy-free meal plan, these four delicious soups, this collection of gluten-free meal plans, and these FRUGAL REAL FOOD MEAL PLANS.
Do One Load of Laundry Everyday {Wash, Dry, Put Away}
This is KEY to maintaining the stress level in my house and my sanity. If I'm behind on laundry, the house is also a wreck.
Basically, I want to throw everything away and start over again.
Seriously. At those times, my house is not my happy place. I am on edge. Everyone is walking around on eggshells.
I recently started my new laundry system. It's actually working for us, and it makes tackling laundry kind of fun. As crazy as that sounds. I can usually wash and dry all of our clothing (affiliate link) and then put it away, for the most part. Sometimes it still ends up sitting in the laundry basket or our dresser, but those times are rare now.
Put Everything in Its Place Before You Go to Bed
Waking up and coming downstairs to a messy Living Room and Kitchen is not a great way to start your day.
Tripping over toys.
Stepping on toys.
Moving dirty dishes around on the counter trying to find a “clean” space to put your cereal bowl.
You're setting yourself up for failure. Don't do that. Before you go to bed, clean up. I don't mean pull out the vacuum and dust from floor to ceiling {unless you just really want to}. If there are papers on the counter or side table, put them away. There should be no dishes in the sink. Empty the dishwasher so it's ready for your dirty breakfast dishes. Put the shoes away. Clothes need to be in the laundry room. Everything should have a place. If it doesn't, make a donation or yard sale pile.
Wake Up Earlier
This one is hard.
I struggle with this.
While I love the early mornings before my family gets up, I love my bed too. I just can not seem to make myself go to bed early. I've tried, and something always happens. The vicious cycle seems to be that I stay up way too late and then am too tired to get up in the morning. I usually blame the caffeine.
But after two horrible days in a row where no one got along and there were LOTS of tears, I have made it a point to get up before my kids.
Wow. The difference it has made in our day.
Is it hard with a nursing baby? YES! But oh so worth it for some sanity in my day.
It's a top tip in figuring out how to streamline your day.
Don't Neglect Your Time With the Lord Immersed in His Word
This should be number one, but I didn't want you to forget it.
You can never be too busy to spend time with the Lord.
Never.
That is a lie straight up from Satan.
Those days that I think I'm too busy are the most chaotic, stressful, unpleasant days. But the days that I take the time to spend with God. Wow. What a difference. Everything may not go as planned, but I have more patience. I am more kind and loving. I tend to show more grace. Those days are just better all around. Try it and make note of the difference. Be mindful.
So here are the 5 ways I've streamlined my day to stop feeling overwhelmed.
What have you started doing to help streamline your day? What helps your day run smoother?
Don't forget the coffee ;).
Great tips! Laundry is my #1 headache! It’s the one chore you can’t escape!
Hi! Stopping by from Mom Bloggers Club.
Have a nice day!
Thanks for stopping by and letting me know :). It’s nice to know I’m not talking to empty space.
Great tips! I know I need to be better about how I plan things and actually stick to it.
A lot of times it’s easier to make a plan than actually stick to it. So start with small doable tasks with your plan. Maybe even have a reward attached to do. “If I get this completed then I can go get Starbucks or a yogurt, or whatever you would choose.” It might give you the motivation you need.
My friend used to make them. If you want one, I could ask her if she’s still making them. They were her fundraiser for her adoption.
Oh I wanted to add that I like the mug in your picture. I adore cute mugs and that is my moms favorite verse. 🙂
When I switched to doing one load of laundry a day, I couldn’t believe how much it helped. It is less overwhelming to fold and put away one load a day instead of having a HUGE pile of laundry to do one day a week. 🙂
I recently started staying on top of the dishes. If the dishes in the dishwasher are clean, I put them away. Then when I (or one of my boys) uses a dish, we can immediately put it into the dishwasher instead of stacking in on the counter. This has kept my kitchen fairly clean throughout the day and it definitely helps my days run more smoothly. 🙂
It really makes a huge difference in how our day goes. Glad to know I’m not the only one :). By having the clean dishes out of the way, I’ve noticed my kids are more likely to put their dirty dishes away. It’s great! Thanks for sharing!!
AGREED!! 🙂 great post!
These are seriously great tips!!
Pinned this also 🙂
Thanks :)!
Hey Whitney! I found my way over here via the Pinterest Link-Up Party. Thanks so much for this post. I was literally just telling my husband that I need a better routine for my day. It just feels way too chaotic for my liking. Thank you for sharing and I’ll be sharing with others via Pinterest 😉
I hope they help make your day a little less chaotic! I know they help me when I actually implement them :). Thanks for letting me know you stopped by! I love having visitors!!
Hey Whitney! I love this post…really need it!! I’ll be sharing this week with my readers. I’d love to add that I have a meal plan library at http://www.RealFoodWeekly.com to help with meal plans. I also donate 50% to a Christian ministry. 🙂