Thought2Action LLC ®

I find that when I arrive home from work, if I resist the urge to sit down, even for "just a few minutes," I can get myself organized to start the next day in no time.  First, if I can run a quick errand before I get home (to pick up dry cleaning, for example), I feel so accomplished!  Second, as soon as I get home I pick up the mail and sort it before anything else, tossing the junk, keeping the items that need attention, and making a note on each about what next step I plan to take.  The keepers go into a basket in the home office to deal with when I have more time.  The dry cleaning goes directly into the closet where it belongs.  What's tossed goes into a recycling pile for the trash pick-up

Next, I take my lunch bag (I pack - what a savings!) into the kitchen, where I refill the bag with food for the next day.  I usually make a week's worth of lunches on weekends so refills are quick.  After a long day at work, I don't feel like starting from scratch!  If I happen to splurge and buy myself lunch one day, I have lunch already made for the following day.  Another bonus.

Finally, when it's my turn to cook dinner (it's just the hubby and me - kids are grown and gone), I usually have something bubbling in the crock pot or thawing in the fridge, so prep time is minimal.  And, don't forget a soothing beverage - I pour a drink during dinner prep or wait until it's time to serve.  Either way, when I finally do sit down, it's to spend a leisurely few minutes at dinner knowing I've already begun getting organized for the next day.  Ahhhh!

More on that "don't sit down" theme:  as I sort through the mail, I often get sample menus from restaurants that would like me to order from their carry-out or delivery menus.  I also get menus and offers when I receive delivered meals (pizza, Chinese, etc.).  

So, I now keep a carry-out/delivery offer folder in my kitchen.  When I receive a new menu or offer, I write the month and year on the outside (so I can keep track of how current it is) and put it in the folder.  

I also glance through the folder at the older items.  If there's one from the same place from which I just received a new menu or offer, I throw out the old one.  

I also throw out menus that are over a year old.  That way, the folder is never filled with expired offers or menus with old prices.

Oh, and I use this habit for the catalogs I get in the mail, too!  There is a handful of catalogs I actually LIKE to receive, so I keep them in one place in my family room.

When I get a new catalog from one of these favorite companies, I sort through my catalog stack and throw away the old one, replacing it with the new one.  All other catalogs go directly to my recycling pile, and I never have too many catalogs in my pile, just the ones I want.