Talking ’bout a Resolution

newyear

I’m no good at sticking to resolutions really, so this year I’m giving myself some guidelines to follow, that way I won’t feel such a failure when I look back at them and inevitably have achieved nothing. I’ve split them up into me/home/blog.

Home (I plan for these to be joint with Sam of course!)

  • Empty the dishwasher when It’s done so dirty stuff can go right back in.
  • Empty the washing machine and put away clean clothes right away instead of dumping in a pile on the floor. If I can manage these two things I will SO much happier as I won’t be navigating round piles of stuff on a daily basis!
  • De-clutter every room once a month and donate/give away things we don’t need/use. I want a simpler, cleaner life.

Blog

  • Be more consistent with my Stuff on a Sunday posts, do them at least fortnightly if not weekly.
  • Do a monthly Siblings post as I have been doing, but to start doing a ‘me and mine’ family photo post too.
  • Continue running the #WhatMyKidDid link up on the 1st of the month, and to write more about both children.
  • Say “No” more. I’ve been doing this a lot more since Arlo arrived and will continue to do so. I’m going to evaluate every review offer/campaign to ensure that what I get out of it is worth my time/effort and valuable to my readers too. I’m not happy with the ratio of own posts to commercial (review, paid, guest posts etc) and want to even it out a bit and also lessen my workload as I’ll be finishing maternity leave in my day job soon too.

Personal

  • Find some time for me each month. A haircut, yoga class, country walk, lunch with friends. Just some time without kids. Hopefully as Arlo gets a bit older Sam and I will be able to have a date or two too but at the moment he won’t settle without being breastfed!
  • Read 60 books. My target was 30 for 2015 and I read forty, so for 2016 the target is going back up to fifty like it was the year before! You can view my 40 read books here, it’s a pretty varied list!
  • Keep a diary past mid February… I just threw out my 2015 diary, it was empty past February apart from a one week stint in July…
  • Get less angry. Today I threw an orange at the kitchen wall, I am finding myself getting wound up by the smallest of things (like not being able to peel a sodding orange, although that was the final straw that broke the camels back) and want to stop. I know that being exhausted doesn’t help but I don’t want to set that sort of example to my children, so I will be muttering my ‘this too shall pass’ mantra (might even tattoo it!) and taking a lot of deep breaths!

What are you planning on doing/changing/starting in 2016? Please leave any links below and I’ll come and give you some encouragement! Oh and if you’ve done any sort of roundup post for the year then please join in with my Share your Year linky

 

17 thoughts on “Talking ’bout a Resolution

  1. Great resolutions! I like the tidying as you go idea, I know that with a young baby everything just ends up in piles around your home! Also the de-cluttering, a constant battle with my husband – every time I throw something out he fishes it out of the bin and puts it back, argh! My resolution this year is to learn to play the piano, have wanted to do this for years!!

  2. They sound like realistic resolutions to me. I’m also going to be saying ‘no’ more often and I’m going to try and read 30 books.
    Good luck with them all… Maybe stay off the oranges for a while 😉

    Lyndsay xx

  3. Ooh great guidelines. I particularly like the ones about decluttering every month and making some time for yourself. These are both things that I definitely need to do as well. Happy New Year.

  4. Great resolutions, especially finding time for yourself. I think we all find that hard as mums! I get really cranky when I’m tired too and things get on top of me.

  5. These are great resolutions! I am the same with the dishwasher thing! It makes life so much easier just getting it emptied straight away so all dirty things can go back in and keep the kitchen looking a bit cleaner! 🙂 I think allowing yourself some me time too is great! Everyone deserves a little pamper/chill out time 🙂 All the best in 2016! x

  6. This is SUCH a positive and inspirational post Lauren!! Love it 🙂
    I have *so* many ideas for the new year — I wrote my resolutions on the 3rd this year, so I’ll be doing the same next year too 🙂 Gives me a couple of days to work out what I really want from the next 12 months!! I totally urge to you get involved with Me and Mine — we’ve just completed our second full year and it’s SO lovely to look back over the pics of us as a family. So worth doing!! Happy new year to you and your family! xx

  7. Wow-40 books! Sounds like heaven 🙂 I think I need to take on your washing goal for this year as this is an issue in my house too. Good luck with all of your resolutions! Happy New Year!

  8. I am totally with you on the washing resolution! Think I’ll add that to my list. Also I love the idea about doing a monthly clear out and donating to charity. I think I may do the same. Xx

  9. Yes yes yes! I need to do all of these things too. I was terrible for not using my diary properly last year. You did well on your book challenge! I read about 5 books last year which is actually loads compared to the year before. Pre kids I would read 5 a month though! I hear you on the angry feelings too, I get like this a lot x

  10. They sound pretty manageable! I wish I was better at decluttering too…

    I’ve decided not to go crazy on resolutions this year, but there are a few things (like running) that I want to try and keep doing in 2016.

    Liz x

  11. I am rubbish at keeping resulutions so I don’t bother, I have things like you that I want to acheive or try harder at but I don’t like the pressure of making sure I do these things. No stress if I don’t acheive them! I want to try and get more organised with my blog and the house, I want a place for everything!

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