What life admin / 'sort my life out' jobs should I do this fortnight?

[thelittlestbird]

I'm on the precipice of two whole weeks of annual leave with no arrangements and no childcare commitments

It's my first stretch of leave from work in a few years where I've not had anything tying me to a schedule.

I want to use it to sort my life / s€$t out before autumn starts. 2023 has kicked my ass with bereavements and debt and other big horrible things so I want to be in a good headspace to see out the year.

What would you do with the time? Hoping for inspiration!

So far on my list I have:

• list all too small baby clothes in bundles on vinted
• Get the winter coats dry cleaned
• get winter clothes down from loft
• audit of freezer
• audit of pantry foods
• paint a few rooms around the house
• general declutter

Up to date with medical appointments? Smear, dentist, opticians.

I agree this may not be tye case if you have recently had a baby but maybe a check in with your GP, uptodate bloods.

Wow! I am here for this because it's one of my fantasies!

Do you have 9-5 to yourself and normal family/ dc commitments around that as usual, or are you totally solo 24/7 for 2 weeks??

A financial audit, perhaps? Go through all your outgoings and see what you no longer need or want, haggle for better deals with your phone company, broadband supplier etc. Set up a standing order to pay into a ISA. In general, work on expanding the gap between your take home pay and your outgoings (if you need to).

Sadly not quite full freedom 😂 will still be doing half the nursery runs (only a five min walk at 8 and then again at 5)

Check if your passports need renewing. I've just found out mine is about to run out, which was a bit of a shock, as I'm planning a holiday! Don't be me.

How about your own clothes (as well as baby clothes)? Get rid of stuff you haven't worn for years.

I’m a death and doom and gloom bore at the moment but ….

life insurance and critical illness cover.

a will

lasting power of attorney

pension death in service nominations

check pension record for missing years

Book carpet and sofa cleaning

Tidy garden if weather decent

Definitely check banking and savings rates

Check pension is what you think it should be, and work out if you need to change anything.

Go through all the MSE pages and see if you can save money on everything from
mobiles to council tax to childcare.

Batch cook and freeze (after the freezer / pantry audit).

Create a system so you can wash and put away winter and summer specific stuff alternately, so you free up easily accessible space for things like sunhats and UV suits (summer) and woolly hats, gloves and coats (winter) and don’t have to scrabble around to find them.

If you have a garden, tidy it up.

Anything you need to take to the tip? And after that, the car may need a clean.

Money saving expert money makeover is well worth doing.

Freezer and cupboards audit and plan meal plans.

Finance - savings, outgoings, check DDs and things like do need or not need like Netflix etc. Investments/insurance.

Audit wardrobes and declutter.

• If you’ve not got one already set up a budget spreadsheet with all income and outgoings that you can use as a monthly checklist to ensure you’re fully aware of what’s going in/out of your accounts. Make a note of all contract end dates so you can review them at the appropriate time and switch to save money if possible. Use price comparisons sites and Money Saving Expert when switching contracts. Look at debts and reducing the interest you’re paying where possible. Make sure adhoc payments are included. Check if you’re due any tax rebates for 22/23 or working from home in last 5 years. Cancel any subscriptions you don’t use anymore. Check if you’re entitled to any benefits may not be claiming in Entitled to.
• Have a good clear out. Put old clothes, books, shoes etc on Vinted. Now is a good time to list winter clothes. Put larger items like furniture on EBay or a local selling group on Facebook
• Get up to date with all medical appointments. Make a list of when they are due next. Book any that are due soon.
• Set some personal goals and make a start on them eg try a new exercise class, make a weekly meal plan, start learning a new language, research your next holiday, make a plan for home improvements and research costs and get work booked in etc
• Have a deep clean or organise someone to do it

Replace passport.
Audit dry goods.
Tidy out wardrobe and list what is needed.
Dentist appointment (booked :) ).
Replace under cabinet lights.
Buy shoe boxes and organise shoes.

That's mine, thanks!

Last time I had a chunk of child free time off I sorted through and organised all our photos and sorted the DC’s keepsakes into their own memory boxes.

You could also:

• Buy birthday cards and a supply of bags/wrap for the year. I like the Whistlefish website for this, and I also tend to get some get well/thank you/ sympathy ones etc to have in
• Declutter DC craft things and replenish things like paper and glue
• freezer and larder inventory, then meal plan
• Is your house or car insurance up for renewal? Look at those.

I’d also suggest sorting the garage/shed but I’m actively avoiding doing mine so I won’t

Make sure you have a day or two to do something you enjoy too though. Feet up, binge Netflix, meet friends, a nice peaceful walk, eat cake that you don’t have to share. Enjoy your time off.

Ive just had 2 days to crack on to do stuff, did the following

Check calender buy all cards between now and xmas, plus some spares if dc have school parties, purchased 3 party gifts for upcoming parties

Wrote a few xmas ideas down in diary
And ordered a few bits ( normal start way earlier)

Cleaned out all kichen cupboards, audit if food, bin anything out of date, donate to food bank stuff we had too much of.
Sorted fridge freezer and chest freezer.

Sorted loft, just need to get 4 more storage boxes for some stuff like xmas And Halloween i have got in sales and thrown up there

All 6 of our wardrobes sorted, charity all non fitting items, boxed stuff to grow into into loft ( made note in diary of it so i dont forget) rags for clothes not good enough to donate, ditto chest of drawers

Did a big shop mainly fresh And re stock

Sorted playroom again, broken to bin, charity for decent stuff.

Pulled all furniture out in every room and hoovered behind ( was grim despite doing it at Easter time)

Mowed both lawns, emptied and dried out big pool, put small one up.

Sorted garage which tbh wasn't too bad.

Washed dried labelled and ironed all new school uniform.

Sorted every drawer of random shite

2 tip runs

Plus the normal hoover mop polish

This is my idea of heaven.. Im looking at your lists and thinking what else i can do

Oh wow, the dream!
Pull out the unwanted things that would sell for most out of your wardrobe/cupboards, get them on eBay
Go through direct debits and cancel ones you don’t use
Switch mobile/broadband providers
Print and frame some photos from your phone
Get your chimney swept if you have one
Get annual boiler check

Wow, this is a seriously impressive list. I've just had a week off and achieved a fraction of that.

I did do a mini health MOT, booked overdue dentist, optician, GP appointment.

I was trying to reply to @WheresTheRemoteControl :)

Eeeee these ideas are giving me so much joy! Some fab little jobs and projects. Hadn't considered a financial makeover type thing so will look at MSE - and love the more tactical things like writing cards for a full year ahead !

Been doing some of this this week.

Turned mattresses, charity shop run, deep cleans of all rooms, started Xmas shopping, booked DCs’ birthday parties, washed and ironed new school uniform, blackberry picking for freezer, framed photos to hang on walls (still need to hang), touched up paintwork that was chipped/scuffed around the house, washed blankets from sofas, cat flea and wormer, dusted all skirting boards inc hard to reach places, cleaned all windows inside…

So boring but also so satisfying!

Yes im one of those if its in my head to do i just do it. Don't stop for lunch or anything. Drink, pack of crisps or whatever on the go. And continue after dc home and in bed. Ill go till 2am if it needs doing. Im terrible!

F

Get your hair done

Christmas planning