Monthly Tasks

I’ve found that having moved away from home there’s certain things I have taken for granted and never really thought about having to do, so it helps me to have a little checklist for things to do every month – the x2 would be to do twice a month. Obviously lots of people may have their own specific things but this is just some of what I do.

Update Budget – Keeping on top of your budget is so important but it’s easy to get behind so I always try to catch up at the end of every month! If you haven’t got one already you can easily make a table on Excel or download one of many apps to help you manage your budget.

Wash Bed Linen (x2) – I know everyone has different routines for washing bed linen and it can often be a lot of effort if like me you are tight on space to hang things up to dry so I try to do mine every 2 weeks, although I have to admit sometimes if I am busy I might put it off for another week. Either way, even if you are a messy student you should really be washing your bed sheets once a month at the very least!

Clean Fridge/Freezer – Inevitably as you move things in and out of the fridge or put leftovers back there will be some kind of mess left behind. It’s really important that you don’t let this build up over time so I try to wipe down all of the shelves in the fridge or tidy up any obvious mess every month.

Add To Savings – Having savings set aside are so important for any kind of emergencies that may occur, whether it’s car troubles or your phone breaks it’s always good to have a safety blanket just incase. Based on the fact that most people get paid on a monthly basis I find it easiest to put money aside every month as soon as I get paid in order to avoid spending it all!

Wash Towels (x2) – Similarly to bedding it is important to keep on top of washing your towels. When you use them every day it might be easy to forget about washing them alongside your clothes but making the effort is essential to staying hygienic and also keeps them smelling fresh instead of damp! You should try to wash hand towels once a week, but depending on the size of your household you might choose to do it more or less often, body and hair towels I would try to wash once every two weeks.

Sort Paperwork – After a couple of weeks I find that all kinds of paper get set aside and begin to pile up. Receipts, post and other pieces of paper can easily build up so every month I always try to sit down and go through things before the get too disorganised.

Flat Clean (x2) – Lots of people will do a full house clean every week but that can take up a lot of time, especially if you work full-time and only have your weekends free so instead I try to keep on top of any messes as the come, wiping down surfaces and hoovering up any obvious mess, I then do a proper clean once every two weeks and have found this works for me but obviously everyone will be different and especially if you have a bigger household you may find that messes build up a lot quicker.

Clear Out Purse/Bag – Once again I end up compiling loads of receipts in my purse and bag alongside gum wrappers and other bits and bobs. At the end of every month I empty my bag out and clear out any rubbish so it doesn’t continue to build up.

Evaluate Year Goals – If you’re going to take the time to sit down and do some organising it’s a good opportunity to reflect on your year goals/resolutions, have you been keeping on track or do you need to change your strategy a bit?

Set Next Months Goals – Alongside these tasks everyone will have their own monthly goals, maybe you have an upcoming presentation or someone birthday you need to prep for? Take the time to look into the next month and make a note of the things you need to do.

Schedule Appointments – Similarly I plan my upcoming month by writing any appointments or big events in my planner.

Update Hard Drive – Just incase my phone or laptop break down I always back up all my photos and files on an external hard drive, but I have also recently started using OneDrive so whatever your preference it’s much easier to keep on top of things by updating it on a regular basis.

Fold & Sort Clothes – Everyone has that pile of clothes that have been worn but you don’t want to put in the wash yet and again this can build up and up so I make sure to go through this pile and try to organise the rest of my clothes at the same time if I have things falling off hangers or my draws are messy.

Clean & Clear Out Car – It might not bother everyone but when you’re in and out all the time in any variety of weather your car will get dirty so quickly. Equally you can end up with food wrappers, empty water bottles and plastic bags all over the place. If you have a handheld vacuum this is the easiest and quickest way to clean the inside of your car but whatever you have access to you can clear out any rubbish and drive through a car wash.