Since everyone else is posting resolutions for the new year I figured I should too. My theme for 2009 is to prioritize and organize.

When it comes to different areas in my life, I think I’m doing the best I can.

I work full time, go to school almost full time and still manage to get my kids off the bus, make dinner, clean house (sometimes) and incorporate exercise at least four days a week.

What could I do better you ask. Organize!!!

I’m hoping to tighten my schedule a little so that I can have more leisure time. It seems that with all the things I’m pursuing, a lot of stuff gets left behind, piled up or just plain forgotten because I’m not organized enough.

1. I’ve purchased two calendars and was given two more. I have a carry-along calendar that the City of Auburn gave me. I plan to post interviews and important work dates in that. I also have a wall calendar and a desk calendar at work to remind me of my weekly work and personal schedule. This also helps my coworkers to know where I’m at if I’m out on the run doing interviews and such. And lastly, I purchased a wall calendar for my home so my family knows what to expect each week. This is also where I put important holidays, birthdays and school-related events.

2. I bit the bullet and created Excel Spread Sheets for several personal areas of my life.

A. I created a weekly meal planner to help me incorporate a variety of healthy and gluten-free foods into my diet. This can be a difficult task with food allergies. I’ve been making weekly meal planners for about 10 years now, but the spreadsheet offers me the benefit of counting my calories as well.

B. I created a weekly meal planner for the rest of my family. Since they don’t have the same food restrictions as me, two planners works best.

C. I created a weekly shopping list that’s categorized. This way, I can look at my meal plans and only purchase the items on my plans. This not only saves money, it also saves time at the grocery store.

D. I created a weekly fitness training program for myself. Planning my workouts ahead of time saves time and motivates me. This also encourages me to look up new exercise ideas to incorporate each week.

1. Make an Excel Spreadsheet of daily house chores for everyone.

2. Purchase filing folders.

3. Box up 2008 receipts, shred 2005 receipts, and make a new 2009 filing system.

4. Gather all 2008 tax documents.

5. Create a clean-the-clutter plan in Excel. This will motivate me to do one thing at a time rather than getting overwhelmed with the BIG picture. For example, plan to organize one closet each week, one kitchen cabinet each day and delegate other responsibilities such as the garage, kids drawers, etc.

6. Donate kid’s summer clothes, clothes I haven’t worn in six months, and Craig’s unworn clothes and shoes.

7. Organize school work, bills and other documentation. I start at UGA in a week and I want to have important documents all in one place so I don’t have to search for them.

So, the theme for 2009 is prioritize and organize. A lot of the stuff I’ve posted already happens, just not in an organized fashion ... more in a clumsy, get-it-done- somehow-Allie way.

This year, I want a place for everything. I want the clutter out. I want to find things easier, have documents at the tip of fingers when I need them, I want consistency and cleanliness. Maybe not perfection, just a system that works.

1. Only eat meat once a week at most ... (already do this, but want to be more strict and only allow fish or chicken on the one day)

2. Lay off the rice noodles and Pad Thai ..this is a hard one.

3. Give up French Vanilla Creamer in my coffee. (Not sure if this one will last. I’ve been addicted for about 12 years now. I plan to use flavored coffee with skim milk and try to have hot tea twice a week instead of coffee. If I can do this, I’m saving myself about 350 empty calories a day that can be replaced with fruit or veggies!!)

4. Read about two books a month.

5. Spend more time playing with my kids (basketball, soccer, cards, board games, pool)

6. Revise a short story I wrote and lengthen it to a full novel.

7. Start planning for a trip to Italy.

8. Get all A’s

9. Be more organized at work

10. Try something new ... hope to start martial arts, kick boxing soon!

That’s about all I can think of right now. I’m sure I’ll think of more as soon as I hit "Post Blog"

Feel free to comment and tell me your resolutions for 2009. It may seem cliche, but the only way things are going to change in 2009 is if you do something different than what you did in 2008.

~allie