Most Sunday nights, I try to do a few things to make the start to our week a little less stressful. It's not much, and it's not so much organizing us for the week as it is clearing our minds of clutter.
Some Sundays I do more than others, but most I do my best to do a few things, so when we walk up the stairs for bed tonight, we leave a fairly clean space behind us. And Monday morning when we walk down the stairs and are greeted with that decluttered space, it makes a BIG difference in how we start the day.
Oh yeah, and it stays like this for about 15 minutes into Monday morning, but it still is important to me. ;)
I clear the island and kitchen table of the clutter that piles up during the week:
I make sure there are no dishes in the sink. I try to wipe it down as well, but if I can at least get it cleared out, that's good enough for me most Sundays:
I love the hum of the dishwasher. It is a relaxing sound to me for some reason -- probably because it's the sound of technology doing the work for me, and that ROCKS:
By putting away toys I mean, throw them in any bin, bucket or container possible so for one evening we aren't endangering our lives by walking around them. :)
I'm pretty good at keeping things off these stairs, but as I pick up on Sunday evenings, I tend to stack. By the end of the night, I need to have every. single. thing. gone so when I walk up for the final time, there's nothing left for me to worry about:
And as I sit and blog, the coffee table is cleared, even if it means everything is just thrown into the basket:
Have I mentioned baskets rule?
Not all of these things happen every Sunday evening. And I only focus on the living areas on our main floor. Sometimes I do more, sometimes much, much less. But even if it's a clean sink or coffee table, it changes my outlook on Monday morning.
Starting the week with a clean slate is what starts my week with a clear head. What do you do to prepare for the week?
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I really need to this throughout the week. It seems like things just pile up and up and it takes me hrs to put everything back into place and clean. If I worked harder to pick up during the week I think it would make my life MUCH easier. Right now I have dishes in the sink, a crock pot that needs to be cleaned out, and crafts the need to be put away.
ReplyDeletehttp://domesticprincessintraining.blogspot.com
Okay, now it's 10:47 and I'm inspired to clean....lol. Wow, you have some serious Mojo. Thanks for your blog, it's seeing me through a major relocation! I was an NYer for years and have moved South. Our home is a teensy bit more spacious than our NYC studio in Hell's Kitchen :) Thank goodness for Goodwill, ReStore & Thrifty Decor Chick!
ReplyDeleteI agree--it helps to start each morning off with a clean slate.You are always so open with sharing what works for you. Thanks for all of your tips.
ReplyDeleteCheri
It is amazing how just doing a few small things like that, helps our demeanor the next day!! I know for me when my home is too out of order I can be "not nice" to be around :)
ReplyDeleteI love this. I do something similar on Saturday nights and it is so refreshing to wake up to a tidy house. I love your big basket on the coffee table. Baskets are the only reason my house stays picked up at all.
ReplyDeleteFootball and cleaning.. Exactly how my Sundays go.
ReplyDeleteI love to start my week with a clean home! I totally agree with yoU! Your home looks so nice and tidy - good job!
ReplyDeleteI am a big fan of baskets and buckets too! I also prefer a tidy house on Monday morning!
ReplyDeleteHope you have a great week!
Baskets & buckets rule. It helps that Sunday night I leave my house, head to my Mom's til Weds. So I leave Hubster w/clean surfaces. Weds, I leave Mom w/clean kitchen & bath. Keeps both houses on track... at least for a few days.
ReplyDeleteI feel the EXACT same way! It is wonderful to see someone else feels this way,too. I do this on MONDAYS. I clean and clean, and I dEcLuTtEr, because girl, I just NEED to declutter by Monday. Yeah. I am such a messy person, but I feel like I can hide that pretty well if I just do my job on Mondays. And I TOTALLY agree about the baskets. Anything looks better in a basket. Amazing. Thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteI so LOVE this post. Seriously it's Awesome! and So true. When there is no clean and clutter everything goes better. It's 10:15 pm here and now I want to clean :)
ReplyDeleteI do this too, there's something about starting a day without a sink full of dishes and toys strewn about the floor. As soon as my little girl goes down, I clean up all her toys and do my best to tidy up the house. I also hate having the dishwasher to unload in the morning, so if possible, I try to unload it before I go to bed, that way the dishes don't pile up in the sink in the morning. :)
ReplyDeleteSarah, I am the same way, I HATE to wake up to a mess...even when the boys were young I tried to not go to bed until dishes were done and a quick pick up happened...its sanity saving to not wake up to yesterdays or last weeks, mess!
ReplyDeletehugs
Barb
Ugh! I was so going to go to bed, but you are right. I really need to put a few things away to make the morning go more smoothly!
ReplyDeleteGreat post Sarah. I CANNOT seem to find the time to clean lately, so things just pile and pile up, but I need to JUST DO IT! Sunday night seems like a great time to stop and enjoy a clean slate. Thanks for sharing your routine!
ReplyDeleteLayla
I've been relaxing all day but I really should get my butt in gear just for 30 minutes and it really would help me get a great start to the week. Thanks for the pep talk :)
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on clearing the stairs. I'll pile things on them on the weekend but I always clean them up Sunday nights. Its so nice having them cleared and waking up to a de-clutter housed on Monday mornings!
ReplyDeleteI also try to plan my meals for the week on Sunday nights so I know what to cook for dinner each night and can pull out any frozen meat to defrost.
I feel the same way. If I get up to a clean house I feel so much better. If I get up and there are dirty dishes in the sink. I turned into a lunatic! I hate to start the day with dirty dishes in the sink! Great Post!
ReplyDeleteI try to do most of my major picking up for the next week on Saturday night so Sunday is just a super relaxing day. But each night I try to make sure the dishes are in the dishwasher and once it is full I unload it the next morning. I got this tip from Joy at JustOrganizeYourseld.blogspot.com. That little tip has trully made a huge difference in my ability to keep my house clean. It seems that as long as my kitchen is clean the rest of the house stays clean. Love you blog and super cute ideas. Thanks for your inspiration.
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right!
ReplyDeleteThings tend to gather and multiply around here and I always think I don't "see" the clutter after awhile. And then I get around to cleaning up and I feel as though that proverbial great weight has been lifted from my shoulders and I realize how a mess-free home does translate to a clear, calm mind ... at least for awhile.
I'm with ya! Having somewhat of a clean slate each night makes Mondays (or any day, really) that much more bearable to wake up to and do it all over again! :)
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is AMEN!!!!!
ReplyDeleteTired, but inspired...I'm currently surrounded by clutter, and too tired to do anything about it. But, I wish I could start my Monday like you did, but it's too late. SIGH!
ReplyDeleteIt never ends for us Mom's does it! LOL! I loved reading this! Can you come over to my house on Sunday nites?!
ReplyDeleteActually, I try to do much of the same in our house. It does make the mornings go sooooo much smoother!
Have a wonderful week!
BTW, I looked back at the posts I've missed in the last few days (molding, fall decor, etc.), and I'm thinking that you should try out for HGTV's Design Star...seriously!
ReplyDeleteThis inspired me to do a quick post on my latest "amazing discovery," which is that I don't have to do everything "all or nothing" style. A little housework most mornings (10 minutes max) (I work in the afternoon/evenings) and I am managing to stay on top of things much better. I used to refuse to clean until I had time to clean the entire house top to bottom all at once, which was NEVER.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of the idea of the basket on the coffee table! I need that to throw the remotes, magazines, and notepad that I constantly have on the table!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I'm a new follower to your blog and I absolutely LOVE it!!!
ReplyDeleteSecond of all, I'm so glad to know I'm not alone!! Before I go to bed EVERY NIGHT I have to make sure my countertops are spotless, mail and papers are put away, dishes are done, toys are picked up, etc. There's just something about going upstairs to bed knowing that the downstairs is squared away!
Hi again. You were included in my fav 5 blogs for the Sunday Blogger Spotlight! Thanks for all your inspiration.
ReplyDeleteOh, if you want to check it out - http://MuralMaker1.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI do the SAME! Nothing riles my morning like seeing the "little" things scattered around and hearing the crunch of biscuits past under my slippers. With a one year old underfoot the vacuum has become my BFF!
ReplyDeleteCyndi
Call me crazy, call me neurotic, but I do this every night. I simply CANNOT face the day with a to-do list already running off my page. And, yes, baskets RULE!
ReplyDeleteIm the same way with clutter! If I come down the stairs ANY morning and find it messy, it just starts my day off on the wrong foot. I hate having to clean a space BEFORE I use it, ya know?
ReplyDeleteIm new to your blog and just starting out on decorating my new home for the first time.
I loved this!! I thought I was the only one who does this on Sunday nights! Perfectly said!
ReplyDeleteI have always tried to make sure things are "picked up" by the end of the day. It makes things run much more smoothly in the mornings, and I find on the days when I do "deep clean" it goes MUCH faster. Sundays are our LAUNDRY day.
ReplyDeleteI try to do this every night, but don't always get it done. I do make sure I put the toys away every night though, baby steps! I love baskets as well, and our toy box "coffee table" that my grandpa made for my dad when he was little! =)
ReplyDeleteMy Sundays are very much the same, but I love it! Cleaning and getting ready the new week. It's kinda comforting to me. Have a good week!
ReplyDeleteKrista
I totally agree, that Sunday are the day to prepare for the rest of the week. I do ALL the laundry on Sunday. I might do a load or two during the week, but with my schedule it isn't always possible. So laundry and cleaning as much as possible. I always try to do this every night, but it isn't always successful. It makes coming home from work so much more enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree about starting the week with a clean slate! If i come down on Monday and the counters are cluttered and the sink is dirty it just makes me dread the week ahead.
ReplyDeleteRandom question -- the round baskets that you put your toys in...would you mind sharing where you got them (if you can remember?) I love them!
I totally agree with this too! I also appreciate making sure everything is in the dishwasher and at least making sure all the laundy is washed. It doesn't always get all put away on Sunday night, but at least I go to bed knowing it's clean.
ReplyDeleteLoved this post! My mom never really did this when we were growing up so I learned from other friends.
ReplyDeleteWe try to do a Sunday night dinner pow-wow. With two teenage boys it helps if the four of us talk through our week, it's amazing how many scheduling mishaps this prevents. It also helps that our large family calendar is right next to our kitchen table.
Your post was great because you remind us that it doesn't have to be perfect, or happen all the time, but when it does...ahhh-it's worth the effort!
I love your website. Spray painted everything I could find this weekend. I am so inspired to re-do my whole house.
ReplyDeletethanks for the inspiration
Your house looks so clean. It made me envious!
ReplyDeleteHave to love giveaways, especially vinyl!
ReplyDeleteBaskets are my BFF!
ReplyDeleteHappy new week to you! :)
I love starting the week with a clean slate! I do the same thing with my studio!!
ReplyDeleteI have to mention... love your rug... I have the same one! :)
Great reminder! I love to start a day with a clean slate, and that goes for a week, too!
ReplyDeleteStop by my blog if you have a chance--I'm celebrating the publication of my 100th post with a fun giveaway. Since my blog is small, your chances of winning will be quite good! :)
You had me until you said 'vacuum'. I like to tidy up Sunday night too, and like you my favaourite is hearing the diswasher. But vacuuming ... no way ... that is just too much like work :-)
ReplyDeleteYowza! I need to take lessons from you. :) I know it would make such a huge difference in the mornings if I took care of the kid clutter the night before. :)
ReplyDeleteWe just happened to clean the house yesterday (Sunday) instead of the usual Saturday -- and it was WONDERFUL to come downstairs to such a clean/cleared out space this morning!!! May have to switch our chore day :)
ReplyDeleteI usually clean up on Sunday afternoons, but yesterday my daughter had a game and we were out late celebrating the win. This morning I walked into the kitchen, where I have been painting, with stuff strewn (sp?) everywhere. It made a huge difference in the way I felt. I will definitly find the time next Sunday to clean up before bed!
ReplyDeleteWe are so much alike.. But instead of Sunday night, I have to do this every night.. It is just like yoiu said.. I feel like I can breathe!
ReplyDeleteI wanted to ask you where you got the black sink dish thing.. (like my technical term) I have been looking for one but either it is not black or it doesn't have the sponge holder!
Thanks!
I completely agree with you, an organized Monday can set the stage for a productive week. I have to wake up at 5:00am on Mondays to be at the office by 6:30. This is hard, so my main thing is to use the evening to organize the house, and get the bunnies (which are indoors and treated like dogs)room ready for them so on Monday am, all I have to do is give them a snack...
ReplyDeleteI like how you do things! I pretty much do them the same way around here- counters have to be cleared, fur has to be swept away, pillows fluffed. With one go-go-going toddler and two 80 lb labs, this routine is a must, or we'd all go crazy. Love the use of baskets!
ReplyDeleteThis is probably a sign of a sicko, but I would rather have a neat house than a clean house...if that makes sense. I can handle some dirt here and there, but I like neatness...like everything put away neatness. It doesn't stay that way and after a while of things piling up, I feel like throwing it all away because it stresses me out so badly! Pathetic, I know. My mom kept our house VERY clean when I was growing up, but it was always SO cluttered...papers and stuff everywhere all the time. I think she made me this way. (Makes me feel a little more sane to say that anyway).
ReplyDeleteI do the same thing with throwing the toys in bins, buckets and baskets! : )
ReplyDeleteYou have to or you end up drowning in Hotwheels some days!
Monday is garbage day for us so Sunday night we gather the trash and I make sure everything is picked up and taken care of so I can start the week fresh ~ wish I felt fresh when I get up though on Monday mornings!
ReplyDeleteI am the same exact way! I always pick up on Sunday night to start the week without so much chaos. The clutter comes out throughout the week, but my kitchen has to be clean for me to go to sleep. :)
ReplyDeleteOooh, basket on the coffee table... I like it! Why haven't I thought of this before???
ReplyDeleteSo in your 5th picture down...have you put molding on your stairs too!?! ;-) Would love to see some additional pictures of that!!
ReplyDeleteI know this post is over a month old but like Amy, I'm interested in the source of those round espresso colored baskets you use to put toys in as well!
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