These five things are at the top of my to do list every January! They’re five things that I add to my calendar to simplify my year and decrease stress. They’re quick tips for planning ahead so I don’t forget important dates, events, tasks, or traditions.

One
  • Create a family calendar

Creating a family calendar will save time and improve communication. It’s so easy to use a digital calendar on your phone with google or apple. However, if you prefer to a paper calendar then hang it where all members of the family can see and use it. When an appointment comes up, add it to the family calendar so everyone will know creating less confusion.

Two
  • Add all special occasions, birthdays, and anniversaries to your calendar along with the appropriate postage times.

If you use a digital calendar then these important dates can be set to automatically populate. However, if you use a planner like I do, I write everyone’s birthday, anniversary, and special occasions at the beginning of every year.

I take this a step further and buy all of the cards and stamps that I will need for those occasions and plan out when they’ll need to be mailed.

Three
  • Add events and holiday traditions to every month of the calendar in which you celebrate them.

I started doing this because the month or holidays would pass us by and we were not able to celebrate our traditions. Especially during the holidays when the calendar begins filling up with commitments.

I find traditions and annual events so important because they’re the little things that add up and create lasting memories. So, every year I add our traditions to my calendar so we can plan to do them throughout the month or holiday season. For example the month of October includes: pumpkin carving, enjoy fall snack mix, pick a Halloween costume, plan a Halloween dinner, schedule a Halloween movie night, and attend a Fall festival.

Four
  • Decide and plan vacation time or time off from work.

It’s very easy for the demands of work to take precedence over the act of self care. A lot of us have had to learn this the hard way!

Every year we look ahead and at least get an idea of when we could schedule a vacation. Doing this at the beginning of the year ensures that we will take time off to reset and rest. Plus, booking rentals ahead of time will save money and guarantee you’re able to stay where you want.

Five
  • Set reminders at the beginning of each month for organizing and deep cleaning tasks.

I started doing this after I spent weeks deep cleaning and organizing my house. I never want to do that again! At the beginning of each month I pick a couple of tasks to complete for cleaning and organizing. For example January: organize and clean kitchen cabinets, pantry, and drawers.

At the beginning of every year I make a list of cleaning and organizing tasks for each room in my house. Then, every month I refer back to that list and pick a room that I will deep clean and organize.

Final Thoughts

I first came up with these five things to simplify the year during our first year of marriage. Now, it’s something that I continue every year saving me time and stress. The year is still new so why don’t you add these five things to your calendar and see how you can simplify your year!

If you enjoyed this post then please check out my How to Create a Vision Board post here.