I’ve wanted to do this sort of functional plan with me post for a while. I’ve watched many of the “Plan WIth Me” videos on Youtube, but they focus more on the design of bullet journals and planners. This one focuses more on the functional aspect – planning for the upcoming month.
PLAN WITH ME – MAY
Travel:+My work can involve a lot of travel, and the place where the family keeps all our activities and travel documented is on the family calendar on the fridge. So, before the month begins, I double check my work planner (now a blue fabric bound Moleskin Two-Go Notebook) and make sure that all my travel dates are on the family calendar. This month I’m headed to southern IL, Oregon and Maryland.
Other appointments: For me – doctor, jury duty, and the standard 2 week nail salon appointment. Also, I joined the gym last month just so I can go to group fitness classes – I missed them! I went ahead and added to my phone calendar app (Cal), the classes I can go to on the days when I’m home … Bodypump on Monday evenings (because I have a work training every Monday AM for May), and Vinyasa Flow Yoga on Tuesday AM (haven’t done this in ages) – which are the only 2 days I can make classes this month.
Other Family activities & stuff:- Haircuts for my son – every 2 weeks this month. He also has 2 swim meets this month. We also want to go see Avengers: Endgage. All showings were completely sold out last weekend – at 3 different movie theaters! So we’ll try to catch it this weekend. Not much else planned for this month since it’s finals month and there * should be * a lot of studying going on. Which also means May is also the last month of school.
Holidays: Memorial Day in the US – yay 3-day, bank holiday weekend! We’re thinking about having a pool party that weekend – but it’s still tentative. We’ll have the pool opened by then though.
$$$:- I mentioned in #PlanWithMe 2019 All the Planners, Apps and Spreadsheets that I’ve been using a paper calendar to track credit and store card payments, so my monthly planning always involves adding payment dates for the next month. For May, there are less dates to add (yay) because I’ve paid off some store cards and a credit card … but there’s still a few more to take care of.
We also Track Reoccurring Household (E)xpenses Using a Shared Google Spreadsheet – so I go in and update that with all our monthly bills as well such as electricity, gas, cellphones, garbage, etc. May is my LAST CAR PAYMENT! We’re still paying down my husbands car – but it feels so good to have one less bill to pay! But May is also the month when the insurance is due for the year and we pay to have the pool opened. + buy pool chemicals. So a few extra extra expenses going out this month.
Out of / Rebuy:- I use the Google Keep app to keep notes on my phone, and one of them is a “Out of/Rebuy” list. For this month, I went through and added anything we were getting low on – as a reminder to buy. Plus Sephora is having a sale this month – so now is a good time to stock up on some beauty stuff. These things go on my list:
My Re-buy List
- Hand Soap – Bath & Body Works * wait for a sale (I have the app because I buy a fair bit from this store)
- Ivory Clean Body Wash – Walmart (son & husband have skin sensitivities and like this brand)
- Clean & Clear Morning Burst Facial Cleanser Travel Size – Walmart (best $0.98 ever spent)
- Body Scrub – I bought Tree House Shea Sugar Scrub last time, but I’m open to trying something else
- TruSkin Vitamin C-Plus Super Serum – Amazon – this made me a believer in serums!
- Trader Joe’s Coconut Body Butter – (it’s also on Amazon) – loved it in the winter
- Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser – Sephora – I use this in the evenings (I use an acne / salicyclic acid cleanser in the AM)
- MAC Foundation Powder – something about this brand keeps me coming back
Books for May: Usually I would plan out what I’m getting from the library, but I’ve had quite a few audiobooks come in, so those are what I’m going to be focusing on. I already mentioned in Reading Lately [The Audiobook Edition] that I’m listening to The Death of Mrs. Westaway, Ruth Ware. After that I can choose from The Female Persuasion, Meg Wolitzer – Force of Nature, Jane Harper – or Daisy Jones and the Six, Taylor Jenkins Reid. Which should I read next?
Around the House To Do’s:– Hang curtains – they’re already bought … Install remaining alarm sensors (we’re using Abode and HIGHLY RECOMMEND for affordable home alarm system). Keeping it simple this month so as not to spend extra $$.
Blog:- Kim and I use a shared Evernote blogging ccalendar.SinceI’ve been MIA for a while, I added more personal lifestyle-ish posts like this one to the calendar for this month, because that’s what’s inspiring me at the moment.
That’s pretty much it. I usually plan for the next month in the last week of the previous month, and then plan and prep for the next week – I might include some of that next time. Do you plan out your month or week in advance?
// Comments //
Trish @ Between My Lines
My months don’t tend to very a lot! I plan my exercise classes, appointments, and what evenings I’ll spend with my parents. Apart from that I free flow, but I’m pretty predictable in my routine.
Vicki
My two sons and DIL saw Avengers: Endgage last Sunday and love it. I was going to go but had to work. We have Nest home security and love it! We got everything they offered and it was way expensive, but we love having all the camera’s, app notices etc.
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[…] In case you missed it, this week we talked about the Audiobooks We’ve Been Listening to Lately and I shared my Functional Plan With Me [May 2019]. […]