Part 3 - Every Mom's Guide to Getting Organized - making the most of your errand day! -

We're already in Part 3 of getting organized at home! In Part I, we addressed making a weekly schedule that can keep your house running smoothly, and mentioned that Monday is Laundry day for us. In Part 2, we talked about getting organized in the kitchen, and planning your meals – my meal planning, shopping-list-making, and all things paper are done on Tuesday at my house. On Wednesday, we run errands – and that's why I'm always glad to have my menu and shopping lists planned before I go!

If you're still struggling with meal planning, here's a resource I put together for you that includes blank printables, PLUS a new 2-week Trim Healthy Mama meal plan (just posted last week!) with a shopping list already made for you!

Click here to download the Two week THM Meal Plan: Download

and here to download the free shopping list that goes with the meal plan: Download

and please don't forget to read the recipe tweaks in instructions in this post that go over all of the 2 week menu recipes.

~~Remember, at the end of this series I'll be giving away a FREE ERIN CONDREN LIFE PLANNER! So stick with me as we get organized, then you'll have a chance to win the ultimate organizing tool.~~ (Giveaway is now closed)

Moving on, though – let's say you follow a similar schedule and assign one major task to each week day. After you have your office day, and plan out your shopping lists and meals (or maybe use one of the pre-made menus or meal plans here on workingathomeschool.com!), it's time to run errands. On Tuesday night, we make sure everyone's weather-appropriate clothes are laid out for the next day. Homeschool moms, we do school Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, but take Wednesdays off so we don't have to worry about schoolwork while we're running around.

Here's what our Wednesday looks like:

8:00am – Mom wakes up, does devotions, and exercises (I use one of these programs)

8:30am – Mom wakes up all of the kids and makes breakfast

8:45am – Everyone eats breakfast

9:15am – After breakfast clean up

9:30am – Everyone gets ready to leave

9:45am – Leave the house, double check to make sure we have library books to drop off, packages to mail, snacks, etc.

10:00am – Piano Lessons

11:00am – Errands (post office, grocery store, etc.)

3:00pm – Home for naps, start the crockpot

5:00pm – Leave for Ballet

6:30pm – Home again for dinner

This is a simple schedule that we follow on our errand day. Working out of the house moms, I'm sure you run errands whenever you can, but I still highly suggest assigning a task to each day, like we talked about in Part I. If you missed it, there are free printable menus and meal plans in Part 2, and live now are Part 4 (with free printable freezer cooking menus and shopping lists!), and Part 5, with free printable chore cards and free printable cleaning schedules!

If we're running around to a lot of places, I mapquest a route to make sure I'm making the most efficient use of my time with all of these kids in tow.

Eating Trim Healthy Mama style means that my Wednesday crockpot dinner needs to be on-plan and easy. I've already shared my Easy Freezer Cooking Method for THM, but in my next post – talking about Kitchen Day – I'll talk about how I easily prep for a week of THM meals, and I'll share my tried-and-true Freezer Cooking Menu with you. Freezer meals have been a HUGE key to making Trim Healthy Mama a success! I can't wait to share these freezer meals with you, so keep watching for next week! Following that, I'll be sharing free printable chore and routine cards to make your days go as smoothly as possible.