A new month is upon us and I need to take the time to go over my goals from October to see what I was able to accomplish and set up some goals for November. I’m happy with what we got done in October because they were tasks that NEEDED to happen to keep this house functioning. Let’s see how I did!
Goals for October
1. Clean out the front hall closet
I made this one of my first tasks of the month and got it done right away! I was incredibly happy with my purging and organizing results and so far they are working! The kids know which bin their items belong in (even the little guys!) and only have what they need in their bins. This is really helping with the overflowing issue we had. Each kid is allowed one sweatshirt, two pairs of shoes (if they have two pairs), hat, mittens, and scarf in their bin. The little guys don’t have mittens in their bins but the older kids wanted theirs ready to go so I figured, why not. Once the snow hits and coats are involved I’m sure I’ll have a bit more reminding to do about hanging things up but one month down and the closet still looks good. It’s a win!
2. Put away all the summer toys & equipment
Micah and I got our bikes, patio furniture, and a few other random warm weather items tucked away for the winter. The kids bikes are still out because we’ve still had some really nice days for playing outside. I also got rid of a few littler kid items that we didn’t need to keep any longer.
3. Swap out summer & winter gear
All the flip flops, strappy dress shoes, and other summer items are put away! Well, they are all in a box in my closet. I need to find a better place to store them. And we located the bin of winter items but didn’t pull them out and put them in the closet yet. The bin is now at the front of the storage area so it’s easily accessible but I can’t bring myself to actually hang the stuff up yet. I’m not ready for the cold and snow!! But we know where it is so we are ready when it comes. I do need to make sure the big boys have boots that fit though because I have a feeling their feet did that crazy growing thing again.
4. Create a display/storage solution for LEGO Dimensions products
This might have been my favorite project of the whole month! We found great unfinished picture ledge shelves at Menards that we stained then attached to some spare 1×4 boards we had in the garage. Now the figures and builds are out of reach of the littlest hands (until they get really smart and start building things to climb on) so hopefully they stay safe.
My Goals for November
November’s focus is all about Holiday prep! I like to spend December really enjoying the holidays and not wrapped up in getting stuff done. I want to be present as much as possible so I’m spending November getting things checked off my list.
1. Deep clean of bathroom and kitchen
With company and so much cooking over the holidays these two areas need a good thorough cleaning. Potty training has taken a toll on the upstairs bathroom (blech) and three kids have taken a toll on the basement bathroom. And the kitchen is simply used constantly! Wiping down every surface, getting rid of excess, and putting things where they belong will be the goals here.
2. Writing Christmas lists
Family wants to know what the kids want for Christmas so I’ll have the big boys write their lists and I’ll make lists for the younger three. I like using Google docs for making lists because I can see what was on their lists the previous year and then update it as needed. Then I can email family a link and as I edit or think of new things it will keep the document updated. It’s a handy little trick!
3. Shopping!
I want to try to knock out as much Christmas shopping as I can so we aren’t doing the last minute thing. Last year we were still ordering gifts the week before Christmas! Oops. We have a pretty good idea of what we are getting the kids so we should be able to easily knock them out. I’m looking forward to using up the Amazon gift cards we’ve been saving from Swagbucks and our health rewards. I’ve got a post here if you want some ideas for keeping Christmas spending a little easier on your wallet. I like being able to spoil the kids once a year without hurting our budget!
4. Plan out baking/cooking
I need to sit down with all my recipes and figure out a plan for my holiday baking and get my menus for Christmas set. Last year we did a “Chinese buffet” at home with four different types of entrees and a few different sides. It was fun and I prepped most things well ahead of time which meant less work on Christmas day. I’m so excited to plan out a fun and special meal plus get my baking plans in order!
5. Set up the tree
Yes, we are one of “those families” that sets up the tree in November. If we stay home over Thanksgiving it goes up that weekend but if we are gone we set it up the weekend before so when we return from our trip the house is already all decked out for Christmas. We already moved furniture around in the living room to get ready for it so we will take some time this month to put it up while watching a holiday movie and eating yummy treats. It’s one of my favorite traditions!
Keep an eye on the blog this month for some great ideas for the upcoming holidays. I’m really excited to share these with you!
What are your goals for November? Do you like getting ready for the holidays well ahead of time or do you prefer to leave it for the month of December? Any fun holiday traditions to share?