Simplifying the Weekend

This concept can be a struggle for me too, but I really believe when I PLAN, it makes for a restful day.


Saturday is a work day around here. Due to home schooling and busy family life, we must use Saturday to catch-up, and if all goes well, maybe get something extra done. Even this day can go awry without a plan. Lists, lists, and more lists are generated. My husband and I usually make a list together. I refer to my notebook where I have probably kept a long running list of things to do all week.


We have separate columns for each child and start plugging in their to-do list for the day. This keeps everyone working, lightens our load, and teaches them responsibility. Even the young ones pitch in.

• So I guess one tip would be never do yourself or have an older one do what a little could do. The older they are the more valuable there time is to me. It would be crazy to have my 18yr. old fold the dish towels when he could be doing something more significant, that in turn frees up my husband.

• At the end of the day on Saturday, we try to make the house "company ready" so we wake up to a beautifully organized home on our day of rest.

• We also keep meals simple on Sunday by having the same meals each week; eggs for breakfast; roast chicken for dinner. In a perfect world, the chickens are thawed, dressed and ready to be roasted the day before, as well as the potatoes peeled. So Sunday prep work is cut to a minimum.

I think lists and meal planning are a huge part of keeping the weekend simplified. Also, enlisting everyones help makes everyones load lighter. This takes some training, but it is so worth it.

This is part of Living Simply Saturday.