
As a result of cutbacks at work, I have every other Friday off unpaid. And although it has been an adjustment to the reduction in salary that came with it, having the extra time off has definitely been a plus. I thought my Fridays off would be a great chance to spend some time with my son and get some things done around the house, and they have. But surprisingly, many of them filled up with visits from friends and family and other activities that sometimes still leave me wondering on Sunday night, "where did my weekend go?" Some weekends have been filled up with errands and cleaning, which leaves me grumpy. Some weekends have been filled up with fun activities, which leaves me stressed the rest of the week because I'm trying to fit in laundry and groceries and errands after work. With a little planning and organization, though, I think I've figured out a few ways to help maximize my weekends:
Weekends (or any time off from work) are very important for any family. It's the time to reconnect and recharge our batteries, as well as accomplish necessary tasks to make the work week go more smoothly. And even though the weekends never seem long enough, even if they are 3 days, with a little planning and balance, I can maximize my time off and make the most of it.

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was going to spend a day organizing my basement and I'm happy to report it was a success. I didn't get everything done that I had hoped, but I made significant progress and my basement is now in a much more useable and organized state. At the end of the day, I had two bags full of items that I dropped off for donation, two bags of trash and a stack of recycling. And now my husband and I can walk through our basement without tripping over boxes and find what we need down there.
There were a few things that I think contributed to the success of this organizing project:
I'm glad I set aside a day to tackle my basement and get it organized. I find I feel less frazzled when my house is organized and I can find what I need. And it's easier to keep it clean and straightened up once I've taken the time to get it organized. Next time, I'll work on organizing our home office!

When we lived in a small apartment in Boston, I did a pretty good job of not accumulating "stuff" and getting rid of things we weren't using anymore. But now that we're in a house with a basement with lots of storage, I'm less vigilant about staying organized. I noticed lately that the pile of "stuff" in our basement has been growing and growing and I'm less likely to let anything go. So I decided that it's time to get rid of some stuff and get organized again. I have a day off from work next week, so I'm going to spend the day working on it. One day is not a lot of time, really, so I've come up with a game plan to make the most of my time:
It's easy for me to just shove something in a closet or the basement so I don't have to deal with it right away, but the long term result is a big pile of disorganized stuff. Not only does it make my basement and closets a mess, but there are lots of good, usable items going to waste that someone else might need. I'm looking forward to my organization day; I'll be sure to let you know how it goes!
Marla
My name is Marla, and I'm a working mom with a wonderful husband and a very active toddler. With my hectic schedule, it seems like I always put... Read More |
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