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!

Me too - I think it’s the satisfaction of physically crossing things off!

@wondering7777 - yes, I totally agree! If I have a day at home by myself I'll often write a list that includes regular every day things like emptying the dishwasher, have a shower and prepare dinner just so I can see them ticked off

@Lurleene - thank you for the Whistlefish recommendation. I've just bought nearly all my cards for January to September from there. I thought these were really good value and if you use email10 it gives you another 10% off on top of the sale prices.

I have a virtual whiteboard here:

miro.com/

It’s split into columns for To do, Do Next, Doing, Done and Won’t Do.
Then rows for Small, Medium, Large and Blocked.

Any time I think of something I need or want to do, I stick a (virtual) post-it in the To Do column, or if it’s urgent in Do Next.

Then I check it regularly to work out priorities, decide what I will spend time on and plan what I’ll need to do/buy/book to get something from Do Next to Doing.

I have lists on my Apple phone that syncs across all devices.

Alexa can add to the shopping list, which I have in folders - Fruit & Veg; Meat; Dairy & deli etc.

I also have a list for insurance renewals & car servicing. What is due, when, along with previous year's prices. That has been the biggest change for me as we have several properties / relatives to organise.

The best tip I've seen recently relates to online filing.

I used to have separate folders where I kept emails relating to gas, elec, tv license, car insurance etc. But it was always a faff to find the relevant email when I needed to renew, check last readings etc. The folded we're getting so full of old policies, renewal quotes from companies i didn't renew with etc.

So now I have a folder labelled 2019. It contains all bills etc relating to anything incurred that year. It's so easy to find insurance docs, mot due dates etc.

My mum has a note of everyone’s birthday and she goes and buys cards in January got everyone, writes them and adds a stamp then when it shows on the calendar she just takes it to the postbox. We have a joint bills/food shopping account and save whatever is left at the end of the month. Unexpected bills, appliance breakdowns etc are covered. I also save the two council tax payments in the ‘free’months (this gives us about £300).

At the weekend I make sure all clothes for the week ahead are washed (ironed if needed but I try to avoid ironing) and hung on a hanger ready to go. Put my keys in the same place every day then they are always where I expect.

I love these types of threads!

Ironing is done and house is cleaned ready for the start of the new school/work week. Uniforms are washed and ironed, shoes polished, PE kits ready to go. I remind DC to charge their laptops and phones daily and to leave their lanyards & diaries in their backpacks. I decide what I’m wearing for work the night before and leave the entire outfit on the back of the bathroom door.

I am going to back to a paper diary this year as digital ones do not work me. I find I remember things once I have written them down rather than saving as a reminder in my phone.

I love the idea of choosing one DIY/house thing each week and will be using that this year. Saving up the jobs just becomes overwhelming and nothing gets done then. I have a Moonpig account and will spend some time this week organising cards for the year ahead.

I loosely follow TOMM and find this really helps with making my way around all the rooms decluttering as I go. I use a timer all the time especially for jobs I have been putting off! Amazing what you can get done in 10 or 15 mins when you are against the clock.

I’m joining this thread - brilliant ideas so far.

I’ve just read page 3/11, so will have to catch up later this afternoon.

I buy a few presents for kids' parties when it's 3 for 2 or 3 for £10 at The Works. Then go in Card Factory for cheap cards and wrapping paper suitable for any age (adult or child e.g. spots or stripes) then I always have a present ready.

All school uniform washed on Friday so it's ready to go on Monday.

Load of washing done and put away every single day.

Use the time while the kettle is boiling do a quick job eg empty dishwasher, clean hob or sink.

I also photograph school letters, hospital appointments etc

Thanks for thread.

Have spent last two hours reading it, have written lots of lists on Cozi and bought all family birthday cards for year

I also have one day off a week with DS (3) so have written a list of places I can take him, split by cost bracket

top tip: school letters etc.... I scan all these onto my phone then they're saved into a folder on my google drive that is shared with DH. Then you can throw the paper copy away and you will always know where the letter is for info when needed. (plus technically it means DH has the same info too but will still always default to asking me what is happeneing )

This is a simple one, but we do a separate list for about 2 weeks leading up to busy times eg Christmas, going on holiday, split into each day, with a column each for me and DH and the things we need to do each day. We include things like buying a bottle of lemonade for non-uniform day, going to the school play, buying certain gifts, big jobs like the Christmas food shop, the holiday toiletries shop etc and it just stops us becoming overwhelmed.

I've just got my gym bag out and thought of another - I keep a £1, a 50p and a 20p (at least one) in the front pocket of my gym bag for lockers at the gym and various leisure centres when I take DC swimming.

Great tips on this thread, thank you!! Just bought all cards for the year on Whistlefish, great value.

just read whole thread and so many great tips. I was inspired and have just been on moonpig and ordered birthday cards for Mum(plus flowers), Dad and sister and a mother's day card for Mum and preset the delivery dates so now they will all just get sent and I dont even have to think about it! Result!! Very tempted to order next years Christmas cards for them too (only do cards to them, dont really do Christmas cards to anyone else) This may be the first year ever all their cards arrive on time and they may die of shock!!

Home Bargains and Card Factory do very cheap cards eg 29p. I stock up on those for children's party birthdays.

Place marking here. I found putting my wrapping paper and cards in one place really helped this year. I'm now going to buy cards and add them
Accordion files? Which shops do them? Might pop and get one today - sounds a great idea

Great ideas, I’m thinking of trying the bullet journal, anyone else do this?

I also have a list on Cozi of all the birthdays we buy gifts for, in date order. When a gift is bought we tick it off, when it's sent, move the name to end of list ready for next year.

A trick I learned many years back from a work colleague to help with any "to do" list -

When writing the task (example, de clutter kitchen cupboards) always commit to a time which you also write down. So in this case maybe a half hour.

Then make sure you only spend that time or less. Great if you're the type who aims for perfect when "done" will be sufficient. Having the times written down means when you find yourself with say 10 minutes free and you want to do something useful you can easily pick a job that fits and get another item ticked off

Great tips on here , I'm place marking so can read all posts later .
I love being organised!
I read a similar thread last year so I already use chip was handy just put the odd £5-£10 in didn't notice then if I wanted to go hairdressers say or a unexpected bill money was there . Also Asda Christmas card I saved £140 this year but plan on saving £5 a week this year . I think you can top up online now which is good as sometimes I forgot .
I'm also thinking about park does anyone use it ?
I also hardly ever spend money at work I bring my own lunch I think that has saved me a fortune. I've just got a coffee machine which comes with a cup so can have a nice takeaway coffee when I go out instead of buying one .
I'm looking into putting some money into a isa what are the best ones ?

Will be back to read through shortly
But in the meantime can someone recommend a good family diary/organiser
We do use our phones but I'm better with a planner on paper but not a calendar if that makes sense

We use the app picnic which Dh & teens can put their things on and I can add them things plus having colours for the other kids so we can all see where each other will be /needs to be. Also who has younger children!

@needanewnamechange I used Park last year, saved £20/month towards a pre-paid MasterCard - you can use it anywhere you would normally use a card, online or in shops. Meant all the Xmas pressies were bought without really 'feeling' the hit. I've already set up to do it again. I've tried saving into a separate account but this year in particular it would have just been transferred back at times of need and I'd have been no better off come December.

@WeKnowFrogsGoShaLaLaLaLa thanks I've just downloaded the Park app .

I know that these phone apps are the most logical and clever ways to do family organisation... but I just love a family calendar (which I photograph and send the up to date copy of to DP regularly) and a bullet journal for list keeping/to do lists. I enjoy writing it and making it pretty so it makes me actually want to do it