Day 19. Run Fewer Errands....

Today, create a box for errands.  You can use a great-looking basket, plastic tub, or shopping bag.  Whatever works.  Keep it by the door and fill it with film to be developed, shoes to be repaired, purchases to be returned, and papers to be taken to the copy center.  On errand day, take the box in the car.  When you come home, it will be empty.  What a feeling! (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 123)

OR for serious simplifiers only...

Run errands just one day a week.  Designate a particular day and write it on your calendar.  Obviously, some errands are urgent and cannot wait for Errand Day.  Learn to discern the difference between urgent and non-urgent errands.  To run fewer errands, look for the underlying reasons behind your errands.  Then eliminate the reasons! (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 130)


When I began homeschooling, one of the first things I realized was that I had to be HOME if I wanted to homeschool. I also realized we had set ourselves up to live on one income...and back then, it was a rather meager one. So, I learned to try Nd make all my trips into town on e a week. As time went on, and my older kids were involved in more outside activities, I found myself on the road constantly. I put 26,000 miles on my car the first year I owned it!! Those were all driving kids back and forth to swim practices, art
Lessons, music lessons etc. This year our lives have taken a turn to the calmer (I hope) as the older kids are all in college or working in the field with daddy....and my younger kids are re-settling into a home lifestyle...which works better for me. I had run myself ragged and physically exhausted....I like being home.

Anyway, I keep 2 baskets by my front door. One is a collapsible cloth shopping basket...and another big wicker basket. Both have handles and are pretty to look at. The wicker ones hold gloves, hats and scarves in the winter, and sun caps, sunglasses and other stuff you grB Shen leaving the house. My shopping basket holds anything that needs to be given back to its rightful owner, toys other kids left here...their socks, sippy cups, books etc. I also keep su screen, a few dollars in the zipper pouch, my sunglasses, and anything else I need to grab on my way out. In the summer, I grab the whole basket on my way out. I pack it with sunscreen, goggles, towels and off to the pool we go....

I also have a cloth library bag that hangs from my coat rack. As we finish our library books they go in there. On my way out to the store, I grab the bag....


So, anyway....my older ds blew the engine in his car...and now the only days I have for errands are either Tuesdays or Thursdays...so Thursdays it is! All week long I have a pad and pen on my kitchen desk...and as we use up...I write it down. As I find a need ...I write it down. On Wednesday, I make up my itinerary for the next day. I try to include a trip to the library....and I also take my kids out for a light lunch. It breaks up the chore parts and we have time to chat. This week we have about 9 stops...so we will quickly do our Bible story and reading...then off into the world! I will try to make sure I get all that we need in that one trip.....anything else dh will have to pick up during the week....and that is always hit or miss.

I find being a list Akers makes it so much easier to get organized and be productive. ....

More later.