New Year's Resolutions

It's that time again. I know experts recommend not making too many resolutions. But since I haven't been very productive in the last year or so, I have a whole bunch of 'em.

The first two are fairly simple. It's actually embarrassing that I have to make a resolution about these things, but whatever. I've made plans to get these things under control, I just haven't been able to stick to it, through laziness, procrastination, who knows. Everything else sort of hinges on these two simple things:

1. Tackle laundry, dishes and daily clutter
It seems like I spend hours and hours doing dishes, sorting or putting away laundry, and picking up toys and other daily debris. And yet at the end of the day, the living room is a mess, the sink is full of dishes, laundry is strewn all over the floor and I have no idea what anyone is going to wear tomorrow. I need to find a system to make this work better!

I'm starting off well. All my dishes are washed, and there are NO DIRTY CLOTHES in this house right now. I did a marathon wash because my mother instilled in me a fear of doing laundry on New Years Day (plus she called today to remind me.) None of this clean laundry is put away though...and some of it isn't even dry. Sigh.

2. Have more structure every day
Little things like getting out of bed before 10AM. Big things like actually using my time to get things accomplished. Right now the biggest challenge for each day is getting Oldest to the bus stop 10 yards away on time. Once that is accomplished, I just kind of go with the flow. Until 9PM when I'm scrambling to get my work done, and 1AM when I don't feel like going to bed yet because I don't feel like I've accomplished anything! Subcategory: actually get out of the house on a regular basis. I may even make up some of those weird mommy cards to hand out on the playground.

3. Figure out what I want to do for the rest of my life, and get started doing it!
Because come on, I'm 40 already! I have many ideas: nursing, websites, interior design, project management, a Masters n SOMETHING, writing a novel, etcetera etcetera etcetera. I don't want to be 60 and finally dragging my azz to the Community College for Biology 101. I need a realistic plan! This is fueled by the fact that this might be the year...the year that Hubby actually gets laid off, as he's been fearing and talking about endlessly for the last 7 years, and I may actually have to get a "real job."

4.Make money from home
This sort of ties in with #3. If I can make enough from home, I won't have to get an outside job, and I may actually accomplish doing some of the things I want to do. I plan to apply for one writing job or gig each week, and start one profit making enterprise each month. Again, off to a good start - there's a lull in my copy writing jobs right now, so over the last few days I finished up some old samples, and was able to move them from my "current projects/samples" folder where they've been for the last year or so to a "finished samples" folder. Woo hoo!

5. Lose 40 lbs and get healthier
Sort of self explanatory. It involves giving up Diet Peach Snapple at some point, which I am not looking forward to. I'm not sure how to do this yet, but I think getting rid of the last of the Christmas pie is a good start. I need to get back on the treadmill too. Last week I bought 6 used books to read on the treadmill. Small steps. (Really, it was 7 - I read one on the couch already. )

6. Do something with my house
This is similar to #5, because both my house and myself have been neglected since 2004 - the year I had my 2nd child (within 14 months of the first, both over the age of 35. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!) The day he came home from the hospital, the contractors started work on a 2nd story addition to our home, which took many months and was kind of traumatizing. I haven't had the urge to paint a single thing or do any sort of decorating projects since then, and some rooms badly need help. And I'm still out of shape. Like, really out of shape. It's been nearly five years now, so I really need to get over it.

7. Pay off half my credit card debt.
There are only 2 now. But the amount is ginormous.

What are your resolutions?