Sunday is our family day, as it is the only day my husband is home with me and my son. We like to spend our Sundays doing simple, fun things at home like gardening, playing in the yard, going for bike rides, or going to the park. Sunday is also the day I do a reset so we are ready for the week ahead and we aren’t rushing around on Monday morning trying to get ourselves together. Here are some of the things I try to do each Sunday to be ready for the week ahead.

1.) Laundry– I feel like we have SO much laundry in this house, and we are just a small family of 3! On Sundays I try to make sure everyone’s clothes are clean and put away for the week so they have everything they need. My husband wears a uniform, so his outfits are planned for him. As for myself, I like to plan ahead and put aside my outfits for the week on my lower closet bar. Less thinking in the morning makes my life easier. My toddler just needs all of his clothes clean so he can “help” pick his clothes in the morning.

2.) Grocery Shopping- I usually go grocery shopping in the evenings after my son has gone to bed. This way I can spend the most time with him as possible while he is awake 🙂 This also gives my husband some time to watch his muscle car shows while I’m out and the baby is sleeping. It’s also a nice time to shop because the grocery store is usually less crowded. I treat myself to a Starbucks as I shop, so the chore is a bit more enjoyable. I make my list for the week based on what I plan to make for dinner that week, lunches for everyone, and breakfast food usually is the same week to week. I also try to stick to $100 budget and pay cash. Paying cash helps me to stick to my budget. Grocery shopping tends to be a place I over spend, so by paying cash I am hoping this makes me focus more on how much I’m putting in the cart.

3.) Coffee- Ok, this is a nightly prep, but I absolutely make sure to clean the coffee pot and get the coffee ready to go for the next morning. I set my coffee to auto brew 5 minutes before I wake up. This helps me SO much in the morning! The very first thing I want when I get up at 5:00 AM is a nice cup of coffee, and if it’s there waiting for me, I will get out of bed SO much easier! If I forget this step I tend to linger in bed and not want to get up. I will lay there and try to telepathically convince my husband to wake up and make coffee. He wakes up later than I do, so this almost never comes true. I’m working on my mind powers though. Coffee prep is a must to get me going especially on Mondays!

4.) TIdy the House– The week just runs smoother when the house is clean. I try to do a complete sweep of my house to make sure everything is back where it belongs so we can find what we need for the week. I also rotate out my son’s toys on Sunday evenings (more on this in a later post.) I vacuum and dust all the surfaces in the house and clean mirrors. I like to think to myself, if a neighbor were to surprise me right now and come over, would I be embarrassed by my house. If the answer is yes… I fix it. If the answer is no… well done me! We get out the door faster when we can find things easily so I make sure everything is in order for the start of the week.

5.) Gas up the Cars– Have you ever been running late on Monday morning, hop in the car and realize you are on empty? I have… way too often. This causes Monday mornings, or any morning to be so stressful, because not only are you late, but now you need to take extra time to stop at the gas station. I like to gas up the car on Sundays so it is ready to go for the week and it’s one less thing to think about. I just switched my car to a Prius, so maybe I won’t need to be doing this as often 🙂 If you missed it, catch my post about why I downsized and purchased a Prius here.

6.) Check Calendars and Planbook– On Sunday evenings I take a look at what events lie ahead for the week and note them on our family message board in the kitchen. I post things like birthdays, days off from school, special events, etc. This way we are all aware of what is happening that week, and there are less surprises. I am an elementary school teacher, and even though on Sundays I do not want to think about work yet, I do take a peek at my planbook just to remind myself what I am teaching for the week. This way I can mentally prepare for my lessons, and set anything I may need to take to school by the front door the night before. This eases my stress a bit in the morning if I have already set everything I need out the night before. Planning out and preparing for the week’s events on Sunday evenings makes me feel prepared and ready to tackle the week.

7.) Treat Myself– After a jam packed week and a fun filled weekend with my boys, I like to take a little time for myself on Sunday evenings. I am a busy, working Momma, and after my home is ready to go for the following week, I need a little “me-time.” I am a BRAVO-holic and love to watch anything on BRAVO. Sundays after everything is done, I make a cup of my favorite tea, grab some chocolate 🙂 and settle in for some Bravo drama. My latest obsession is Dirty John… so scary, but so good! Taking some time for myself makes my life feel balanced, and I am ready to give my all to my husband, my son, and my class in the week ahead.

What do you do to reset for the week? Any other great ideas? I’d love to hear in the comments below.