Living in an orderly fashion

flipper_72

I am a planner and list writer, if I wasn't I doubt we could all do our hobbies on top of work, school and home life.
I plan evening meals, lunch and breakfast isn't planned as such, I buy a selection and it is eaten in whatever order as long as before the use by date.
I keep a list next to the front door of who needs what on what day eg football kit, maths homework, music, packed meal, everyone knows to check the list and get what is on their list (youngest is 6).
I send a schedule weekly to DH, my dad and myself so we all know who is where and if they need to collect/drop anyone that week.
I shop on the same day each week and use the meal plan to buy the food, if there are reduced items I may add/change things but not always.
I try to get all my cleaning done on the same day each week, this used to happen but not so much lately so I am going to try splitting it up a bit more.
Even at the gym I have a plan of what I am going to get done whilst there before I go otherwise time gets wasted dithering over what to do next and my time there is precious due to DH working long hours and having to get kids to clubs, bed etc. Both kids have sports etc, one does 7 sessions a week over 5 days plus an instrument, the other 4 sessions with a 5th about to be added (their choice, not a pushy parent, just the enabler).
I love my life and would probably find lack of organisation and planning very stressful, but I know it wouldn't suit everyone (or many others probably), I have friends who laugh at my structure
I think starting with something simple like meal planning is a good idea and if that works for you think about other areas where a simple schedule would help.

justme111

Mr.Toad , I know people around the world are good and not scary , I got to see them .
Suppose as your work was in different places , you never had household or children to be responsible for daily life of and you had/have enough money you are in a peculiar position. I wonder if toothbrushing before bed counts as a routine

I have moved 25 times in my lifetime (ones that I could remember !) and I think we all will agree that optimum amount of routines is somewhere in the middle with that middle being in different places depending on character and life circumstances. I welcomed my routines when I finally was in a position to establish some as they allow me to get things done and give me reassuring and comforting feeling of predictability and something to look forward to.

PS. What is your signature about if I may ask ? I like it . Curious about lostinrates signature as well

Mr_Toad

justme111 wrote: »

PS. What is your signature about if I may ask ? I like it . Curious about lostinrates signature as well

My avatar and my signature is one of those odd coincidences that occasionally happen.

I own an a apartment in an old Medieval Manor house, when I first moved years and years ago, in my friends started calling me Mr Toad and it Toad Hall.

My work involved fixing and support of large databases, we looked after Banks, government stuff and military as well as private sector stuff.

My specialty was databases built using software by a company called Oracle and my weapon of choice when delving into their workings was piece of software called.

Tool for Oracle Application Development or TOAD for short.

I was the company TOAD expert and they too called me Mr Toad but for completely different reasons to my friends.

My avatar is an armoured penguin, the penguin represents the Linux operating system .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tux

Most Oracle databases run on Linux servers and if you look carefully the armour says Oracle on it.

Childish I know, but it appeals to my sense of humour. My signature about the penguins stealing my sanity is an in joke and a reference to the years of my life spent wrestling with Linux and Oracle.

lostinrates

Mine most certainly means something to me.

But...
I'm not going to explain it. And the reason for that is it has been interpreted differently and sometimes delightfully and in a way that has brought smiles and memories to people, so like apiece of art, my phrase is for your interpretation. And it won't stay for ever. When my mood changes so will it.

Mr_Toad

lostinrates wrote: »

Mine most certainly means something to me.

But...
I'm not going to explain it. And the reason for that is it has been interpreted differently and sometimes delightfully and in a way that has brought smiles and memories to people, so like apiece of art, my phrase is for your interpretation. And it won't stay for ever. When my mood changes so will it.

It makes me smile, and I will explain why.

We met a couple in Thailand, on one of our trips many years ago.

We were in a small hotel and had just finished eating when a taxi pulled up and a very tired, bedraggled and travel stained couple got out and staggered into the hotel. We sat them down and ordered them some food and drink they obviously had a tale to tell.

They'd heard about a monkey sanctuary in he North near the border with Burma and Laos and set of to visit. They regaled us with the story of the two weeks of trains, buses, walking and hitch hiking it had taken them to get there.

It was a long tale and they had been beset by many problems and obstacles but had eventually arrived.

It was at this point that the girl said "Yes and when we finally got there there we no bl**dy monkeys!"

Apparently a couple of days before they arrived the sanctuary had reintroduced its entire population back into the wild and hadn't had any new arrivals yet as they were refurbing the compounds.

It then took the couple another ten days to get back south. Or as she kept repeating, "A month on the road and no bl**dy monkeys!"

At least you got to see them.

lostinrates

Oh how funny mr toad.

Thank you for sharing it!

Its tales like this that keep me from sharing the story behind my Line, and yes, I got to see them....more than once and will again....

System

I don't really have any routine, i clean my room once a week (live in a shared house, communal areas are cleaned once a week), and put on a load of washing twice a week. That seems to do me just fine.

Spirit_2

Through ill health I have recently retired early and as my illness means I cannot get out independently I am focusing on home making and rehabilitation.

Three days a week I have a physio visit me at home. the days change and most sessions begin at 9.30 so that sets time by which I have to be dressed, downstairs and breakfasted, I also empty the dishwasher before I breakfast, just because I feel better about it.

As I limit my journeys up and down stairs that also determines when some tasks are done. I wipe the bathroom over after my shower. then before I go downstairs I make the beds and empty bins into one to carry down when I go.

I do a couple of loads of washing most weekdays, water the greenhouse everyday, and hoover and wash the kitchen floor a couple of days a week. I polish on Fridays.

The goal is for the house to be up together for us not to have chores at the weekend. We now meal plan on Thursday and shop on Saturday at local shops and a supermarket if needed.

My OH bakes bread three times a week, I bake at weekends and cook an evening meal everyday.


I needed a routine when I was a busy working mum but never really got one that covered every thing, just meal planning and shopping oh and always filling my car up at the weekend ready for the week. Now the routine helps me get things done or lets the other members of the household know what they need to do (like Lone Wolf I cannot complete all tasks by myself)Our life is greatly improved by the increased organisation, but I think it takes great skill to get a routine going when you alsp work fulltime

Mrs_Ryan

With me, stuff gets done when I'm well enough to do it or when OH has time.
Shopping is always done Saturday morning, washing usually Saturday afternoon. Housework, as I say, gets done when I'm feeling up to it. Since I've been diagnosed with fibro routine is impossible

pollypenny

Blissfully glad to say no routine any more.

There's just the two of us at home now. I'll Hoover when needed, usually once a week. Clean bathroom sinks etc most days. Wash kitchen floor a couple of times a week.

I do have lots of washing though. And now that we use top quality heavy Egyptian cotton bedding I have to iron duvet covers and sheets.

I couldn't live with disorder, though. When OH worked shifts, I try to do all housework on Saturday, preparation on Sunday, then I'd be ironing shirts at 9pm.
Thank god for the end if shifts and my wonderful cleaner!