This is the second part of fall goal plan post. If you haven’t read the first part, click here.
I read somewhere that success is not measured by doing the things that bring you happiness, but by rejecting the things that do not make you happy. Anything outside the plan will be considered as “nice to have” or “I am not going to bother this time”.
Let us continue to draft the game plan for the quarter going through these factors.
Workout plan
I can use the gym at work, but I am bad at working out in winter, even though it’s in the same building. I have downloaded some quick 15-minute workout plans from Pinterest. I am usually awake before 5 am and can finish my workouts first thing in the morning. Let’s see how it goes this time!
Vacation Plan
We have no big travel plans this year, but I am adding this for you guys to consider. Take some time and plan. Considering using travel cubes like this one if you are not using one already. You may want to check out my travel tips for traveling with children here.
Putting away seasonal clothes
The summer clothes are slowly going to get washed and put away every week in storage bins as of the beginning of October. Don’t forget to categorize and mark them. I didn’t think the stores would have any clothes for winter already, but they are way ahead of me. I found some warm clothes at Target and pulled out some light sweatshirts and warm clothes from storage. We’re all set for fall now. The winter jackets were dry-cleaned and put away in storage bins last year, so I’m going to go through them once to see if we need any new ones. We don’t always end up using our old clothes, but I wanted to purchase new clothes by choice and not because we can’t find the old ones.
Planning for family holiday photo shoot
We have a plan to do a family photo session this winter with all of us wearing in winter-themed clothes. I have texted our photographer. She does a wonderful job and gives me every shot she takes in the time frame that we are shooting for (at least 40 pictures). The kids have been having a shoot like this every six months. But this year, I’m going to include the whole family, since I am planning this one ahead of time.
Buy and wrap gifts early
This is a hard one, but I have an idea so it can be even done during lunch break at work. I am going to rely on Amazon and Etsy for this.
Meal Planning
I have been planning our meals every week since the beginning of the year, and I have a good list of meal ideas stocked up. So, for the first time, I am going to plan for the whole quarter. We may not stick to it, and that is okay. But having a plan is helpful.
Seasonal Decorations
This stuff is packed in storage boxes after the season ends. I will pull them out just in time and use the ones I already have. I will go to the store later and add more stuff if I feel like it. I am a big fan of using essential oils for the holy spirit. I am using cedarwood oil and tea tree oil. Nothing can beat the smell of fresh cedar in the fall.
Christmas activities
This is new for me. I have always run around like headless chicken during the season. I never had time to plan holiday activities, but I made it a priority and I will be reading about it. I will add what I find on my Instagram. Stay in touch for this. But if you have some tips, leave them in the comments below.
My friend is an expert. I partner with her and do some easy, fun activities together while the children have play time. She made holiday pajamas in 45 minutes last time. We are going to pack and deliver gifts to community and social workers together. We are also planning to bake cookies for the neighbors. We might also watch some movies while the kids enjoy play time together.
Take lots of pictures for next year
This is the best one. This year I’ve committed to taking pictures of all our family activities so I can have a visual reminder of everything for next year. I can go through those pictures later and just focus on the happiness, while adding things and reducing the stress-causing ones.
All the above planning can be done on plain paper, but if you love printable like me, you can get it here. Use this planner to discuss your plan with the rest of the family to get them all on the same page.
What are some of the things you’d like to do to make this holiday season happier?
