Imagine it’s Monday morning. You’ve got a jam-packed week ahead of you with a million different events and obligations. What if you look around your house and see that everything is in its place? And what if your fridge and pantry are fully stocked with a meal plan at the ready? And what if you glance at your calendar and see every single opportunity and potential conflict listed so you have a full picture of who needs to be where and when? You are starting to get the picture!
One of the best things you can do to manage the chaos each week is to let the magic of a Weekly Reset work for you. Dedicating a couple of hours each week to systematically restoring order to your home can save you stress throughout the week—and can help you set aside some of the mental load that goes with keeping your busy life buzzing along.
As you think about what you should include in a Weekly Reset and when to get it done, consider the ebbs and flows of your week. For many of us, it makes the most sense to work through our Weekly Reset on Sundays, but do what feels right to you. Read on for a few of the key areas we like to include in a Weekly Reset, but feel free to ignore the sections that don’t make sense for your unique life or to add in areas that will set you up for success each week!
Whatever your Weekly Reset looks like to you, make sure you have a checklist for each area so that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel each week.
Kitchen Reset
The kitchen is arguably the most important space in the home, and taking the time to reset it each week will save you time, money, and frustration. Here are a few tasks we put at the top of our Weekly Reset list:
- Fridge, Pantry, and Freezer—Take a few minutes to scan each shelf for spoiled food, items that need to be used sooner rather than later, and inspiration for your meal planning this week. Toss out anything that needs to go, put anything that’s out of place back where it belongs, and add missing staples to your shopping list. We recommend keeping a running shopping list that your whole household can access so that as things run low, they can be added to the list.
- Countertops—Return appliances, food packages, and other items to their storage places, sort through mail and other paperwork, and deal with those items that tend to stack up near the sink, like water bottles and travel mugs.
- Meal Planning and Prepping—Meal planning is the key to eating well on a budget, with minimal waste, and without the daily drama of figuring out what’s for dinner. Once you’ve finished your Calendar Reset (below), you will have a much better idea of how many meals will need to be prepared this week, how many people will be eating, or whether any of the meals need to be super quick or eaten on the road. Some of you might also find that meal prepping, in addition to meal planning, will help your household have the best possible week. Prepare individual servings of grab-and-go healthy snacks, layer salads in mason jars, create homemade Lunchables, and divvy up leftovers into microwave-safe containers for quick work lunches.
Calendar Reset
We sometimes wonder how we would get anything done without a shared Google calendar. Between work and school, social gatherings, quality time with the extended family, rehearsals and practices, volunteer activities, and community events and opportunities, we are guessing your lives are as full as ours are! It’s a blessing, to be sure, but it’s also a lot to manage. That’s why you need to include your calendar in your Weekly Reset tasks. Make sure you chat with every member of the family so that everyone’s activities are accounted for, including:
- Regular work shifts as well as irregular work events
- School days, field trips, tutoring, dress up days
- Extra-curricular practices, games, rehearsals, performances, lessons
- Family and social events, birthdays, get-togethers with extended family
- Infrequent obligations like oil changes and dentist appointments
As you are filling up your calendar, don’t forget to block out time for things that are important to your wellbeing but tend to get left behind, like scheduling in time for exercise or a date night with your sweetie.
Laundry Reset
As you prepare for the week ahead, you not only need to be sure that you have the regular clothing and linens for the week, but you also need to be ready for any special clothing needs. After you’ve updated your calendar, you will have a better handle on whether and when you need specific uniforms, dress clothing, costumes, or favorite outfits for the week. The goal is to avoid those last-minute searches for a missing jersey, spirit day outfit, or the need to do a midnight load of laundry to wash that irreplaceable clothing item for the next morning!
Household Reset
Just because YOU are the one reading this blog doesn’t mean that YOU are the one who has to reset the whole house! Get everyone involved in figuring out how they can set themselves up for success each week. This will look different for every home, but here are a few ideas to get your started:
- Reset your own bedroom, closet, dresser, and nightstand
- Make sure bathrooms are stocked with whatever they need: shampoo, toothpaste, toilet paper, and other items
- Clean out your email inbox and other places where you receive messages
- Do a quick cleanout of your purse, briefcase, or backpack
The Weekly Reset is key to restoring order to your home and life before the next week begins. Taking the time to prepare for the week ahead can help clear your mind as well as your home. And, as always, if you need help developing a Weekly Reset routine that works for you, call in the Bees!
