Planning Day

Hello! Happy New Year!!!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and are all geared up for a great year ahead. I have to say no one loves the Christmas decor and lights and sit arounds, and greenery and garlands more than I. But it is good to see the clean, clear spaces afterward. I love this time of year too because it feels like a clean slate full of promise.

To that end, I like to do a few things to set myself up for success each year. Just like the clean spaces in my home, I also like a good fresh calendar and notebook(s) to plan out the new year.

Here are the areas I like to plan out to help me have a smooth year…..

Budget

I personally use an excel spreadsheet but you, of course, could use a paper and pen. The key is to be realistic. Plan for the expenses you are actually going to encounter…..nails, gym memberships, eating out, trips, books, whatever is your thing. Make a reasonable budget so you can actually stick with it. When you see how much you spend in certain categories, you may choose to make other priorities but at least start with reality.

Prayer Book

I keep a journal of prayers. It helps me to stay focused during prayer time. If you have messaged me to pray for something, it is in this book. It’s quite a privilege to pray for someone, I don’t ever want to rely on my memory. Plus it is a wonderful look back at how God answers. If a particular requests has been in my book for a while, I will do a little status check with folks and see how/if I need to change the prayer.

Gift List

I make a list for birthdays, Valentines Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Weddings, Graduations and Christmas. Under each of those categories I list individual names I need to buy for. When I see or think of an idea, I can pencil in a note. When I purchase it I can write it in ink. This helps me as I move through the year to buy as the year progresses. I honestly do this part before I make my budget so I know how much “gift money” to budget each month.

Goals

I don’t really make resolutions, because I think that kind of ensures it won’t happen. But I do make goals. And then I try to put some practical changes around making those goals happen like setting reminders on my phone, establishing new routines, etc.

Cleaning List

I also got myself a cleaning schedule this year. I bought a cheap editable template from Etsy. I used canva to make it fit my needs. For instance, the template said clean out fridge on Wednesday. Well that doesn’t work for me because my trash pick up is on Wednesday so I moved that to Tuesday. I like to change linens on Saturday so I moved that item. Anyway, I can’t wait to try it. It has things you do every day and also a section of just a handful of things you do once a week. I do enjoy a good checklist so I am excited to use it. If you are interested, this is the one I got.

Whether you need one or all of these plans, just do a little planning now and enjoy a great year of easing through, checking things off and totally rocking 2026!

Here’s to a great year!