{#JanuaryJoy - Manage Your Time}

I used to be so organised... when I was at university I had prioritised lists for study topics; I had colour coded charts for all my subjects, deadlines & exams; and regular followers will know how much I love a spreadsheet! 

When my mum died, my dad organised for a coach to teach me how to prioritise and manage my time. I was struggling with university work, and my new role in the house - food shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry etc. It was a lifesaver at what was a very difficult time.

I'm not sure what's happened of late. Well, that's not exactly true... it's probably something to do with the kiddies!!

Well, it's time to get back on track. Today's #JanuaryJoy prompt is 'Manage Your Time', and one of the things I'm hoping to implement is some form of cleaning schedule.

You may think this is a bit OTT, but I reckon it will help me ensure that everything gets done and will no doubt make better use of my time overall. For those of you that don't have kids, trust me - it's a never ending battle. As soon as I tidy something, something else gets messed up!

Anyway, I found a cleaning calendar on Pinterest from FreshMommyBlog and I think I'm going to incorporate some of this into my routine.

Here are my thoughts:

Daily Cleaning

A.M.

Make beds

Empty dishwasher (at the moment my dishwasher is not functional, but I'm hoping to buy a new one next week as I will have some birthday money to put towards it!)

P.M.

Load dishwasher

Wipe down kitchen counters

Take out rubbish bags (unless like me you miss the collection and you have to make a special trip to the tip to dispose of your waste, oops!)

Quick sweep / vacuum / mop

Wipe down dining table

Put away toys

Chore of the day (see below)

Weekly Cleaning

Mon - Laundry

Tues - Dust

Wed - Laundry

Thurs - Clean bathroom

Fri - Clean mirrors and windows

Sat - Laundry

Monthly Cleaning

1st week - Deep vacuum & mop floors

2nd week - Thorough clean of kitchen (clean front of cabinets, wipe down cabinet insides...)

3rd week - Declutter home office & other areas

4th week - Clean fridge, oven and microwave

There are loads of different printables available online, but I think I'll try and design something that works for me that I can stick up on the fridge for ease of referral. I'll need constant reminding until I get into good habits!

I've been using my iPhone to get organised and manage my time... I have loads of electronic lists and use my e-calendars regularly in addition to my calendar which you'll find hanging up in my kitchen.

However, I think it's time to revert back to the more old fashioned methods, and I think a notepad and pen just may be the way forward.

I've started using an A4 diary at my work and so far am loving it.

I'm going to use the same principles for my home life... keeping track of daily goals, tasks, achievements, meal plans etc.

Here's my notepad:

{image source}

PS If you haven't seen on Twitter or Facebook, I have been crowned Glasgow Blog's Blogger of the Month January. Thanks to all of you that voted for me - I really appreciate it :-)