Some thoughts on being organised...

This is what it looks like when I try to get organised... I desperately need to find a better system!
Don't get me wrong, I love planning, making lists, routines, that drew me to the Flylady system, her concept responds with me so much.
But my biggest mistake might be: I do not take the time to plan.
I do my menu planning half an hour before I want to go shopping. I have a strong tendency to write birthday cards and forget to put them in the mail (!), I have birthday cards but no stamps. I pay bills in the last moment because I am the biggest procrastinator ever. A colleague once commented on my great just-in-time-management skills. Yeah, maybe I have them, but this is so exhausting! I am always trying to catch up on things.

And I really want to be organised, I always wanted to be. I have read so many books about decluttering, time management and cleaning:

 

Yes, I have read them all... I especially love the book on the right side, its name is "Praktisches Rezeptbuch" or "Handy Recipebook" and it is from the 1930... Of course it has recipes, but there is also a large chapter about general organisation in a household, how to do the washing (without machine...), how to mend clothes, how to do a spring cleaning. This book alerady has some Flylady rules in it, believe me. Things like evening routine, planning out your day, take care of yourself, they are given as rules for the "modern" housewive.

My favourite chapter is maybe the one about the "Tag der kleinen Dinge", the Day for The Little Things. 

You set aside a special day, maybe once in a month and do things like: Replace buttons on laundry. Hang up a picture. Change the covers of the sofa cushions. Simply do some things that get neglected during the everyday rush.

So, one of my resolutions for August and the summer holidays will be: Make a date with myself, sit down and take the time to plan. Keep and USE my calendar (actually, I have two...) and do menu planning in time.

I hope this will help. I definitely need to feel on top of things, everything else is driving me crazy.

How do you stay on top of things? Any useful tips or ideas are welcome...