January 2014 Goals - How Did I Do?

Remember back in January when I decided enough was enough on the disorganisation front?

My Determined to Achieve Goals Face

Well I  decided to set goals with the aim of making my life run more smoothly.

So did it work?  Did I stick to the goals?

Here's a reminder of what they were...and how I did

Here's my goals for January 2014

To make a meal plan for the month and stick to it

           I made a massive six week plan - and managed to stick to it for 4 days

To do one shop and a top up shop each week

          I avoided shopping at all costs - There was certainly a few top up shops

To be school ready before I go to bed each night

          This went quite well for a couple of weeks - then making the dinner was my downfall

To tidy everything away before I go to bed each night

          I think I did actually do this probably 5 nights out of 7

To iron the same day the clothes are washed

        Now this I DID DO!!!!!  Amazingly as I hate ironing with a passion.  Some loads got ironed the following day, but all laundry was washed, dried, ironed AND put away within 24 hours of it going in the washer!!! (So proud!!)

So I achieved one out of five really.  Not good enough and the last couple of weeks have been disorganised again.  Time to pull my socks up for February and try a realistic plan that I can achieve!!

 

Claire

 

PS - Are you still on track with your January goals?   Please let me know, I need hope that it can be done!!

January 2014 Goals

Every month I am setting myself new organisation goals which I WILL stick to and it WILL make my life easier.

 

Here's my goals for January 2014

 

To make a meal plan for the month and stick to it

 

To do one shop and a top up shop each week

 

To be school ready before I go to bed each night

 

To tidy everything away before I go to bed each night

 

To iron the same day the clothes are washed

 

Do you set yourself goals?  How do you make sure you stick to them?

The Only Way is Organised

I'm known for being late, I'm always rushing, usually bad tempered and lose so much stuff it's untrue.

 

And I've had enough.

 

I never find the time to do everything I want to do and don't have the show home I'm arriving to have.

 

So things are going to change.

 

I've looked at what needs doing and the time I have to do it in and also seen how much money being disorganised is costing.

 

And the result is a new blog dedicated to sharing the way I make my life run smoothly on a budget and My Cava Lifestyle will continue but with less of the bossy stuff!

 

On the first of January I will be on a year long journey to getting my life in order (I'm not dying by the way, just going insane with the disorganization).  I'll be posting monthly missions to help myself on track and linking to downloads to make organisation easy.  I'll also be using pintrest (or Pin Interest to a certain bf!) a whole lot more, combining one of the things I want to do with something I need to do.

 

So cheers to 2013 - you've taught me a lot and inspired be to change.

Meal Planning Monday - I'm Pinching Your Meal Plan!!

I've been reading all your lovely meal plans and I think it's about time I tried some of your recipes (hint, hint barenakedmummy re nutella muffins!!)

 

Monday

Chicken Pasta Bake from Utterly Scrummy Food For Families Blog

 

Tuesday

Potato Cakes, Beans and Sausage

 

Wednesday

Crustless Quiche also from Utterly Scrummy Food For Families Blog

 

Thursday

Quick Quesadillas from The Five F's Blog

 

Friday
Fish Fingers, Chips and Mushy Peas (yes possibly from the chippy!)

 

Saturday
Steak in Brandy and Peppercorn Sauce

 

Sunday

Slow Cooker Sunday Chinese Beef and Greens from Mediocre Mum's Blog

 

If it wasn't for Mrs M's Meal Planning Monday Movement I seriously would be eating rubbish all week, so thanks and please do take a look at everyone elses delicious ideas.

 

Oh...!  And thanks to all those who have been leaving comments for me, I have been trying to reply but Disqus just isn't working, so when I get a mo, I will be sorting/working it out

 

 

Organising The Home errr Organising

So, I mentioned last week in this post that I am trying to get obsessive about cleaning. 

 

Not WORK organisation!! HOME organisation!!

 

 

Well I seem to have become obsessed with organising, so I'm sure this is the first step and the cleaning obsession will follow.

 

This really has come from the sheer frustration of not being able to find things and from not knowing when appointments are. 

 

Breaking it down

 

So, being the top organiser I now am, I have split the house into two rooms to clean per day

 

1. Porch, downstairs bathroom, hall, stairs and landing

2. Kitchen and living room

3. Dining room and bathroom

4. Both kids rooms

5. Our bedroom and the car

6. Front and back gardens including Windows

 

And I'll give myself Sundays off I think!

 

The Timing

 

So now in my head it's a manageable chunk, I need to make sure it doesn't turn into something unachievable so I'm spending no longer than 45 minutes on each of my two rooms each day.  So I'm spending no longer than an hour and a half cleaning each day.  That way, nothing else well be neglected and as the weeks go on, the rooms will become more organised and cleaner so my plan is to eventually only spend an hour a day cleaning.

 

Then maybe, I shall have the time to devise ascend discover more money and time saving habits!!

 

Do I sound insane, by the way?

Get Paid To Spring Clean

And I don't mean go and do other peoples cleaning (although that would be a great way to make money !)

I mean go through your house, top to bottom and clear out what you don't use, then sell it.

• Car Boot
• Ebay
• Cards in Shop Windows

Clear your clutter and make money. 

The most important thing I find is not to get precious about things.  Will you really wear those out of fashion jeans?  How often do you use that kitchen appliance?  Have the kids grown out of their toys?

It's a quick and easy way to get some money in for Christmas and if you work on the premise of getting £1 for each item then anything else is a bonus.  I can easily find 100 things around the house that we no longer need or use.  That's £100 quid!!

So get clutter clearing!!

Go for the three pile approach

- Bin (broken and can't be sold on ebay for spares or poor condition)

- Sellable

- Charity (not quite sellable condition but life left)

Another route is the Cash for Clothes (other shops which pay for clothes are available I'm sure, just that the one on our high street is actually called that!) shops.  Personally, I think a charity can benefit more from a bag of clothes I can't sell than me getting 50p per kilo, but if you have a lot of denim or heavy coats then that could be worthwhile.

I'm off to get ebay listing!!

Good luck - and Get it Done!!

Meal Planning Monday - Raid the Freeezer Week

Well, after my success of following my clear out meal plan last week in an attempt to save £80 for a trip to the Christmas Markets, I'm glad to say is was a success with £70 saved!!

Unfortunately, I then realised I need to pay the next installment for a school trip so here we go again trying to save the shopping budget by eating through the freezer.  it needs emptying anyway in time for Christmas!



Meal Planning Ideas

So, looking at my list of what is in the black hole I call the freezer, we are on...

Monday
Hairy Dieters Steak and Ale Pie over a Jacket Potato

Tuesday:
Levi Roots Carribean Curry
(I froze this to not waste some chicken and to use the cook in sauce I got for £1 with a coupon!)

Wednesday:
Fish Cakes, Chips and Peas

Thursday:
Meatballs and spaghetti in home made pasta sauce

Friday:
Bangers and Mash

Saturday:
Takeaway

Sunday:
Fish pie made from the Haddock and Salmon lingering in the bottom drawer


So hopefully all I need to buy this week is fresh veg, milk, bread and potatoes.  Everything else I should have tucked away.  I've saved a small fortune using up baking supplies and dried fruit on packed lunches too.

I'm liking the saving element of this way of meal planning but I feel/fear a really big stock up shop coming.

There's loads more meal plans over At Home With Mrs M - and quite frankly they will be better and more tastier!!

Enjoy your week and let me know how much you save by eating through your stockpile!