Organisational tips and tricks to start in the new year

[WireBrushAndDettolMaam]

Do you have any?

I’m going to set up a standing order for £10 a week to save for Christmas next year.

I’m also going to save £5 a week into and ASDA card to help with the Christmas shopping next year.

I’m going to mark all the birthdays/anniversaries/whatever on the calendar and have a box with cards, stamps etc ready to go.

I’m also going to have a huge declutter and donate/sell as much as I can to get some much needed space and organise what’s left.

Any other ideas gratefully received!

Would you believe it- my friend gave me my xmas present and part of it was a 2020 wall calendar!

never ever a shop card account, even ASDA. In a proper bank, you can even earn a smidgen on interest. And absolutely no hamper schemes either.

slash Christmas next time; no adult presents, spend limit for kids. Save for something more useful.

Meal plan and bulk buying here.

I want to be 3 months ahead with gift giving. So in the January sales I'll have bought everything gift wise til March.

We have a weekly calendar with a column for each of us. I go through it for 10 mins each Sunday with the DSs after dinner. We just check who's got what on, who needs to be where, who out of me and DH will take them etc. Saves last minute panics! Will definitely continue this in 2020.

This year I've decluttered so much. Can't recommend it enough as a way to stay tidy.

Read Maria Kondo to maximise your declutter.
To be more organised read how to do everything and be happy by Peter Jones.

I use Google calendar on laptop/phone which syncs automatically with my husband's phone - this way he can always check himself what's coming up without me worrying about reminding him.

It's also useful for setting reminders every time something pops up - MOT due? Then I automatically set a reminder for next year to start popping up a couple weeks beforehand. All appointments and school letters get photographed and stuck into the calendar immediately.

Hand-in-hand with this, I've finally got around to organising a 'money envelope' system using a Microsoft spreadsheet.
All annual costs - school uniforms, winter coats/boots, birthdays, Christmas, car maintenance have their own slot and an annual cost.

Then I've opened up a new bank account purely for 'Annual Spends' and set up a standing order to go into this to meet the monthly cost of each.

I've set up a small weekly amount to go into my Paypal account, and this is for all the frittering I do (usually small household/child stuff we need - new can opener or sippy cup, or stickers for reward chart, etc), so as to put a cap on that too.

Meal planning sounds like another great contender for 2020!!! Might start planning that next.

Got a fab new diary (a Busy B one) with a work and a home section so I can get super organised. Also a family calendar. Looking forward to filling it up

Merry Christmas

So I am ok on the daily cleaning but never seem to get around to deep cleaning or stuff like the windows.

Is the TOMM app good for this? Or the Flylady thing?

I also want to sort out one small DIY/house improvement issue every week.Anything from re-sealing the bath to painting the kitchen. 52 house improvements will make a huge difference.

I was off sick for a few weeks earlier this year and set myself a task to do each day. It was brilliant, even small things made a big difference.

Loving the 2 week menu idea

OK My first DIY job will be resealing the bath. I have been dying to do it for ages. I'm going ot watch some youTube videos on how to do it, then pick up the sealant and do it in the first week of january.

I've also ordered Mari Kondo's book and a Boxclever Family Planner for the kitchen. Both are supposed to be arriving today.

@SleepDeprivedElf - Flylady is quite good for those deep clean jobs. She gives you a 'zone' each week and you do a small jobs in it each day (eg hoovering under the furniture or cleaning the windows of a given room) that over all prevent you needing to do a massive spring clean of the entire house

Thanks for the expanding file tip. I've done the Mumsnet post envelope tip for years but I'm going to give the expanding file a go in 2020

Wolf I use the expanding file and find it so helpful.
To answer a question upthread; if something comes in ahead of time e.g. Panto tickets bought in September, they go into the December slot so that they are to hand when I need them. (I also put a reminder in my phone to tell me that's where they are -just in case).

May I ask- what's the "Mumsnet post envelope tip"?

Duchess the first a5 envelope letter you receive in the month keep the envelope, write the month and year on the front. Every piece of post you need to keep for that month goes in the envelope, then you file the envelope.

Ah I see Wolf thank you- that's what I do with my accordion file.

I thought it might be a system of "money envelopes" to forward plan for holidays, uniforms, birthdays etc.
Anyone have a good system for that?
I guess I could put an envelope in the appropriate month in my accordion file ( i.e. an envelope in August for school books and uniforms) and put away my few quid/spare change each week

Oh I love the accordion file idea.

Can’t wait for January to get it started 😆

Best ride I've seen in ages.

I also love the idea of buying cards in advance.

I probably only buy half a dozen cards per year so really I could get them all at once and they’re there ready and waiting!

Brilliant thread. Thank you

Can anyone suggest a reasonable place to buy nice cards. Maybe I'm getting old but they seem so expensive these days!

@peoplepleaser1 Every year I do a large card order from Whistlefish and received this year's order just this morning. They have a great sale on at the moment. Lovely cards that work out at 80p each at the moment.

Fabulous thank you. Will check it out!