Weekly Home Organizing Routine: From Chaos to Calm

Break out your menu planning binder (or app!) and plan the entire week's worth of meals, utilizing freezer and pantry items. Focus on recipes that use ingredients you already have. **Implementation Intention:** If it's Monday morning, then I will spend 30 minutes planning the week's menu.

“break out my menu planning binder and plan the entire week's worth of food”

Empty everything from the fridge and get rid of old leftovers and wilted vegetables. Check expiration dates and make space for new groceries. **Behavior Change Goal:** Throw away at least three expired items.

“I empty everything from the fridge and get rid of all the gross leftovers”

Assess pantry needs and do a little reorganization. Note which items are running low and group similar items together for easy access. **Loss Aversion:** Forgo your usual afternoon snack if you skip this task.

“look in the pantry and just take an assessment of what we need”

Go to the grocery store with your shopping list and menu plan. Resist the urge to buy items not on the list. **Reward Points Redemption:** Use points earned this week to treat yourself to a healthy snack.

“go to the grocery store armed with my shopping list and my menu plan”

Put away groceries in the cleaned-out fridge and organized pantry, placing new items behind older ones. **Implementation Intention:** Immediately after returning from the grocery store, I will put away the groceries.

“put everything away and i love this because the fridge is already cleaned out”

Strip the beds of all linens. Gather all bedding and linens to prepare for washing.

“we strip the beds”

Wash all the bedding and linens, paying attention to recommended washing instructions for each item. **Social Comparison:** Share a photo of your freshly made bed online and inspire others!

“dedicating one day a week to just do linen and bedding means that you're not forgetting and letting it go and getting it skunky”

Put fresh linens on beds, creating a comfortable and inviting sleep environment. **Reward:** Enjoy a relaxing cup of tea in bed after making it.

Empty out the action file and sort everything into categories: bills to pay, documents to file, and items to shred.

“empty out the action file and i sort everything”

Pay bills online or by mail to avoid late fees and maintain a good credit score. **Loss Aversion:** Visualize the consequences of not paying bills on time.

“i pay the bills online or if i have to mail something”

Shred unwanted documents and file necessary documents in their designated folders. **Social Support:** Enlist a friend or family member to help you organize your files.

“i shred anything that i don't want to keep and i file anything that needs to be filed”

Whole family tidying effort to put everything back in its place and clear off surfaces. Assign specific tasks to each family member. **SMART Goal:** Reduce clutter hotspots by 50% this month.

“my whole family has to like take part and we tidy like the queen is coming”

Add some dusting when clearing surfaces to improve air quality and create a cleaner environment. **Reward:** Order takeout for dinner as a family after completing the reset.

“i do add some dusting in here so when i'm clearing off surfaces i might give it a little whoop and a swish and a whoosh”

Pick up random clutter and wipe off the counters in the kitchen to prepare for a clean start the next day.

“picking up random clutter in the kitchen wiping off the counters”

Tidy up the bathrooms to ensure a clean and relaxing start to the morning.

“tidying up the bathrooms”