Today it’s my turn to share my Sunday routine for our monthly Day in the Life series {if you missed Amy’s post, you can read it here}. While she is hands-down more organized than I am, there are a few things that I have on repeat every Sunday and they do help our week go more smoothly.
Like Amy’s family, we also start our day at church, but when our schedule permits, we like to go on Saturday night because a leisurely Sunday morning is a treat.
When we get home, if I didn’t tidy the kitchen before we left, I take care of that right away. Sometimes during the weekend clutter starts to pile up, so I take a few minutes to empty the dishwasher and trash and start a load or two of laundry. While I’d like to say that I don’t do any chores on Sunday and that it’s truly a day of rest, I find that I usually run at least two loads on Sundays, especially since I usually change the sheets on Saturday mornings.
I also take a few minutes to clear my email inbox and sort any mail that piled up over the weekend. We pay all of our bills online and most of them come to my email address instead of the snail mailbox, so every few days I’ll use our bank’s phone app to schedule bills. Now that I have a system in place, I love the fact that we don’t have tons of paper bills and checks to file away.
My husband and I will often sit down and do what he calls a “calendar scrub” just to be sure that we’re on the same page for the week ahead. Since his travel schedule might be DC one week, then Europe, then Washington State, then Africa, it’s important that I try to keep up with his itinerary. Our daughter’s schedule is pretty crazy, too, although thankfully she and her friends are all driving now; but we also have to work her comings, goings, and doings into the mix for the week.
Sunday afternoons are dedicated to a little bit of relaxation. I’ll spend a few hours reading a book (see my recent favorites here), or take the dog for a walk downtown, or even take a quick nap, although I’ll admit that it often takes me so long to fall asleep that it’s not worth it!
Like Amy, I’ll usually take the time on Sunday to plan our dinners for the week, and then I’ll shop on Mondays. I do most of my shopping at ALDI and my daughter loves to go with me, so I usually wait until she’s home from school to go (she’s done at noon since she has several online classes).
My husband loves to cook and doesn’t have time during the work week so he usually cooks Sunday dinner, which is a huge treat for me. That’s when I sit on the couch and write my post for Monday, or make my menu and shopping list. I have a three ring binder of our favorite family recipes and nothing goes in there that we don’t cook often and love. (If you’re like me and always looking for great recipes, check out my “Recipes: Tried and True” board on Pinterest)
Depending on my daughter’s schedule (junior year is no joke!), we try to eat together at the table at a reasonable hour. If she gets home after nine or so, we’ll sit and talk with her while she eats. If we have leftovers, we might pack some up for my husband, although some days he’ll fast until dinner. My daughter cooks her own lunch at home after school since she’s done so early. It saves SO much time not having to do lunch prep!
We’re all in bed by 10 or 11, although I often stay up reading or working for a few hours on my phone. Our Sunday routine probably isn’t very exciting or glamorous, but it works for us. The bottom line is that if you take a little bit of time on Sunday to plan your week (or Saturday or Monday, depending on your schedule from one week to the next), things will go so much more smoothly.
Please share your best tips for an easy week, and thanks for stopping by.
I NEED TO GET ON BOARD WITH THE RING BINDER OF FAVORITE MEALS! IT DEFINITELY WOULD SAVE TIME AND WHEN I HAVE MY PICKY SON AND FAMILY OVER ALL I’D HAVE TO DO IS PICK ONE!
I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF GETTING MORE ORGANIZED! DOES IT SOUND AS THOUGH I NEED HELP? LOL
It really is a lifesaver. I started with a binder of recipes that I had printed or torn out of magazines and wanted to try, but a few months ago I went through and pulled out every one that wasn’t tested, tried and true. Now I have a notebook of go-to recipes where I know that everything is going to be delicious.
And don’t be hard on yourself; getting organized is a continuous struggle!
Our Sundays also involve morning church & 3 Sundays a month our church has lunch together so I bring a crockpot one week and a side dish another which I made ahead on Saturday. We get home around 1:30-2 & it’s nice to not have to cook and clean a dirty kitchen. Also I never do laundry on that day, so when it does have to happen it really annoys me. I straighten up the house, change into comfy clothes & look at my calendar transferring all the events & appts for the week into my planner. Then I plan out my weekly responsibilities, exercise & wardrobe according to which days I’ll be “in” & schedule errands on “out” days. I like to limit my out days to 2 but the older I get the more events I’m out for. Then I check emails & catch up on blogs & read. Lots of weeks we go for an afternoon ride or watch a movie as a couple or take a walk in the evening. I have Lyme Disease & other health problems so even though I want to go full throttle on Sunday & shop or sew or visit friends it destroys my week if i don’t intentionally rest physically & mentally.
I loved reading about your routine, Pamela, and that’s so nice that your church does lunch together so often! You are wise to listen to your body and give yourself a day of rest; we would all be better off if we did the same. I love your idea to exercise on your “in” days and I might have to borrow that; I’ve not been very good about working out these past few years and that would make it much easier for me since I don’t like to go “out” in my athleisure clothing. Thanks for the great tips, and take care!
Christy