Cut out the crazy (in my life)!
2017 was such a crazy year for me. Probably one of the craziest I’ve ever had. Some of the crazy was good, and other parts were disastrous. What ultimately happened is I found myself running on fumes, struggling to get by each day with my head still attached. As 2018 began, I decided that I needed to make some changes. I needed to take the time to seriously reorganize my life, from top to bottom!
First, I took a step back and really evaluated my life. The crazy is still there. I am a single mom, and like other single moms, I feel like the craziness is just a part of life. However, I am ready to take steps to control the crazy. The best way I can do this is to get myself organized. It is my goal to work each day on staying organized. I understand that this will take some time to accomplish. I have devised a hardcore plan to get me (and my house) organized.
Step 1: Begin using a daily planner. I have been using the calendar on my phone for a while now. When I have appointments or school activities, I put them in the calendar and use an alarm to remind me of each event. But I still found myself forgetting things, and just sort of floating through each day. This is the purpose of a daily planner. I now can plan out my week, and give myself some direction for things I need to accomplish. This seems to be working much better than just using a calendar in my phone. I have a simple planner that was inexpensive that I purchased at my local dollar store. It is serving its purpose for me. I use the planner for things like: meal planning, school activities, appointments, social media scheduling, writing scheduling, etc.
Step 2: Begin using a journal. There are some things in my life right now that I want to document, so I try and write a journal entry on the matter each day. It is just a few lines most days. I purchased a hard back journal with lined paper and a spiral spine. I got my journal at my local dollar store.
Step 3: Get my finances in order! I began to feel like my “mommy brain” was taking over my life. I was forgetting to do tasks that I normally would never forget to take care of! Even with the use of my calendar on my phone, I was having a hard time remembering to get my bills paid on time. Or, I would find myself mid-month wondering if I had remembered to pay the electric bill. Even if I could remember where I had placed the actual bill, I still couldn’t remember if I had paid this month or if that was last month that I paid. This was just no longer working for me. I needed to find a better option. The day that I had got my daily planner and journal, I also found the neatest thing! It is a home finance and bill organizer. It is a spiral type of folder with a semi-hard plastic cover. Inside there is a tab for each month of the year. Each month has its own folder and spreadsheet. On the spreadsheet you are to write in each expense you have for the month: utilities, loan payments, credit card payment, etc. There is a column for each expense, the due date, amount, and completion. The monthly folder has been very handy because when I receive a bill in the mail, I now automatically place it in the monthly folder that it is due. I also write down each expense, amount, and due date. Once it has been paid, I place a check mark at the corresponding line.
Step 4: I began using dry erase boards and lists! I have a dry erase board that is a monthly calendar, as well as a weekly calendar. I have been using these to help me stay on task and remember important dates. I have a magnetic paper tablet that I use on my fridge. When I run out of something at the house, I jot it down on the list. This way I have an ongoing grocery list to use. It has worked out much better than trying to remember everything that I need the day I go to the store. I also snagged some colored pens that I have been using in my planner and journal that I love!
These are the steps I have used for getting my daily life more organized. I have also decided that my home needs a major overhaul in the organizational department. Confession: I have a few boxes still packed from when I moved into the house in 2014! Those boxes can probably just be moved straight into the “donate” pile. I figure if there is nothing in those boxes that I’ve needed in three and a half years, I probably can get rid of it all! When I think of organizing my entire home in a more efficient manner, it quickly becomes overwhelming. In order to keep my mind at ease, I have devised a plan that will make this a more attainable goal. I am going to sit down and write out a detailed list of EVERYTHING in my home that needs to be organized, decluttered, sorted, etc. I will write everything down onto a calendar and will complete one task per day. My goal is to have my entire home more efficient in one month. Some of the tasks I have in mind include: organize spice cabinet, go through clothes, sort kid’s toys, organize garage, etc. I am hoping that by this time in February I will have my house looking totally different! I hope that I can have a much less stressful 2018. I hope that my mind will be a little clearer since I have organized and streamlined my life.
Hi, I'm Miranda! A small town, country girl from Oklahoma, who is trying to figure out newly single-mom life. I have a passion for family, football, and food! I love to write and travel. I am always up for an adventure and I live on sweet tea and Dr. Pepper. I refer to myself as the Queen of Clerance because I hate to pay full price for anything. I have a Bachelors and Masters degree that I have yet to use. I enjoy crafting and love the holidays...Christmas is my favorite and I listens to Christmas music every day of the year! I proudly wear a "mom bun" daily and is the reason why I chose my blog name Mom Hair, I Don't Care! I am the proud momma of two young daughters and they are the one true passion in my life!