Simple Sundays - Purse Cleaning

It has been a rough two weeks for us with illnesses and allergies. But even when times get tough,  I still try to keep up with my routines to maintain simplicity. If I skip routines, I fall behind, and that just creates chaos.

The entire contents of my purged purse

On Sundays, along with making my weekly lists, I also clean out my purse. This task can be tiny for time people and huge for others because what we choose to carry varies. I am a mom, so I usually have snacks and clothes floating around in my bag, especially when we have had an out-of-town trip. I don't need last week's supplies hanging around for this week's business! 

Here is a quick checklist to help you purge the contents of your own bag:

*Remove receipts and file accordingly

*Remove expired and unnecessary coupons and old shopping lists and fliers

*Remove multiples (I found two hand-sanitizers in my bag!)
*Remove trash and anything soiled (anyone else find kids' clothes?)

*Remove anything that you don't have to take with you everywhere you go!
*Check expiration dates on food, medications, and make-up
*Check expiration dates on credit cards, driver's license, and insurance cards
*Check your ink pens to see if they work
*Charge your cell-phone

After an initial purge, it should be easy to keep your purse simplified and always ready to grab. I try to limit myself to just the basics in my bag so I don't have too much to dig through when I am out and so my bag doesn't get too heavy and cause shoulder strain.

Simple Sundays - Planning Ahead

Sundays are days of rest. We need rest so we don't suffer from burnout, especially when we are working towards achieving a more simple lifestyle. In all honesty, transitioning to simple can be overwhelming! So today we take a break and lay out a simple plan for the new week ahead.

Sundays are the days that set the tone for the upcoming week. We want to greet Mondays looking ahead, not feeling like we are already behind. One way to do this is to set up lists to help us plan. They don't have to be fancy or on special paper. You can type them or hand-write them. You just have to commit to making them!

Using one notebook for lists can help keep you organized!

What lists should you be making? As always, let's start with something simple. Today we are going to start with simple activity and meal-planning lists. Activity lists are pretty easy to master - you just have to know where you will be in the coming week. And if you are unsure about some activities, you can jot down reminders about who you need to call in order to confirm your plans. Share your list with your family so they know what is coming even if they aren't involved in the activities!

Our other list is our meal plan for the week. Again, keep it simple! If you eat cereal every day for breakfast, just write down "Breakfasts - cereal." For lunches and dinners, don't feel obligated to assign a particular meal to a particular day. Life happens, and you may forget to thaw the chicken for Tuesday, or you may have a late meeting on Thursday, so you can't make lasagna. Always have a wildcard day for those emergencies.

The most important part of meal planning, besides making the list, is checking to see if you have what you need. If you write down cereal, make sure you have enough cereal. If you don't, add it to your shopping list. Shopping should be included in your activity list because it is something you know you will have to do during the week.

On Mondays, I will be sharing my meal plans for the blogging community's "Meal Plan Monday." This is just another way to share ideas about how to keep life simple and also share some new recipes. If you want a recipe and I haven't shared it yet, just ask!