Sunday Prep

Oh, glorious Sundays — the day to relax with a good book or to take on a few tasks that will make your life easier during the workweek. We've rounded up some pretty simple things — from cleaning out your wallet to deleting old email — that you can do now that will make a world of difference come Monday.

• Plan your work wardrobe: Save time during the week by planning out your wardrobe for work on Sunday — figure out what tops and what bottoms you are going to wear and what needs ironing.
• Get a head start on Spring cleaning: It's never too early to get ahead on the scrubbing. Start by making a checklist by room of everything you want to clean, what needs extra cleaning, and what should be your priority.
• Plan your afterwork activities for the week: So that the week doesn't fly by, make an effort to set aside which days you will dedicate to certain activities — when you'll go to happy hour with coworkers, which day you'll take a couple of hours to finish up a book, or how many times you'll hit the gym.
• Get over the Monday blues: Think about what you can do to actually look forward to Mondays. That includes treating yourself, meeting up with friends, and listening to your favorite podcast in the morning.
• Pick a place for essentials: It might seem like a no-brainer, but designate a place for your must-have items so you save time in the mornings and — worst-case scenario — avoid a day without your phone or ID.
• Delete the unnecessary documents: When you're prepping ahead for the workweek, clean out your computer to start afresh. That includes deleting any emails and documents you don't need on your computer and emptying the trash.
• Get rid of your old magazines: If you have a pile of magazines that's growing bigger and bigger in your home, use this Sunday to finally tackle them for good — first tear out any tips you'd like to keep.
• Disinfect your phone and laptop: Germs, be gone! Leave your gadgets sparkling clean for you to use on Monday by cleaning them appropriately, whether that be with a liquid or air can.
• Clean out your wallet: Stop the junk from building up by removing any notes, ticket stubs, and receipts. Also be sure to throw away the ones you don't need, while filing away the ones you'll want for later use.
• Get your mail ready: Whether you need to fill out insurance forms to file claims or write checks for bills that need paying off, take Sunday to catch up on your mail and prepare the letters you need to send off.

The weekend is a time for you to refresh and reset your body. While many people let loose on Friday night and Saturdays, Sunday is usually a prep day for the workweek. Save time during the week by planning out your wardrobe for work on Sunday. This is so you won't be rushing and scrambling to throw an outfit together in the mornings.

Figure out what tops and what bottoms you are going to wear and whether you're going to reuse something. Then once you have figured out your outfits, start ironing them so it's one less task you'll have to do on the weekdays. Then hang the work outfits where you can easily find them, perhaps in one corner of the wardrobe.

This weekend, get ahead on some Spring cleaning (or finish up your New Year's resolution to clean — however you want to look at it). Instead of tackling a major project all in one day, break it up. Start today by making a checklist, by room, of everything you want to clean, what needs extra cleaning, and what should be your priority. Then make an inventory of all the cleaning products you have so you know what you need to buy.

Final tip: ease into the cleaning by doing a little bit each weekend. For example, next weekend, start off by dusting and organizing small items so you get that out of the way and don't feel like you're taking on one giant task.

By now, you've probably already attended a handful of holiday soirees, but we still have some big events yet to come. Even if you know what (or whom) you're bringing to each one, what you're going to wear might be a different story. How you dress to your family dinner is probably much different than what you'll don at your New Year's Eve party.

Take today to start planning your outfits so you have one less thing to worry about when the special occasion hits. Chances are you can put a look together based on what's already in your closet, but with some foresight, you'll know what's clean and pressed for Christmas Day and if you need to pick up any extra accessories, like tights or a statement necklace, to ring in the New Year.

Take some time this Sunday to create your gift list, if you haven't already done it. Some people are done with their Christmas shopping, because they took advantage of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales to buy gifts. But if you're behind, the time to start is now! Write out who you're giving gifts to on paper or on an Excel sheet just to make things more organized. Note the name of the recipient, your budget for each one, and the gift ideas you have for each person.

Once you have your list, you can start doing research on where to get the gifts.

Before the shopping madness descends upon you this Black Friday, get rid of some items you've been meaning to return (but haven't) today. This includes in-store and online items.

Did a shirt not fit right? Are you planning on returning some electronics that you changed your mind about? Get all of these unwanted items out of the way today, but first make a list on a sticky note of the things you're planning on returning. And if you missed the deadline for a return, make a note on your list to reach out to the retailer by phone or email to see if you can still get a refund or if there's an alternative you can both agree to, such as receiving store credit instead of a cash refund.

Start on it today, or you'll find yourself make excuses for yet another week!

When the workweek flies by quickly, we tend to think of it a good thing — but hey! Not so fast. Sometimes the whole week escapes us, and we haven't gotten to everything we wanted to professionally or socially.

This Sunday, make an effort to set apart which days you will dedicate to certain activities: when you'll go to happy hour with co-workers, which day you'll take a couple of hours finish up a book, or how many times you'll hit the gym. If you plan ahead, you'll finish off Friday feeling like you've accomplished a lot, and your leisure life will thank you.

The Monday blues: we all get them, and who can blame us? Going back to school or work after two days of fun and relaxation can be pretty tough. But there are ways to actually look forward to Mondays if you know what to do.

Tease it out. On Sunday, listen to a good podcast or watch your favorite TV show on DVR — but only half of it. That way, you'll have something to get excited about when Monday rolls around. And if you make time to do so in the morning while you're getting ready, that will keep you from hitting the snooze button.

Treat yourself. There are things you do after you've had a hard day, right? Like grabbing takeout from your favorite restaurant, picking up some dessert, or buying that scarf you've been pining for. Well, Monday is a hard day, after all. On Sunday, choose how you plan to indulge, but just remember not to go overboard.

Catch up with friends. Grabbing drinks or going to a sit-down dinner on a Monday might be too soon after the weekend, so use Sunday to set up something different. Schedule a video chat with a long-distance friend or a weekly visit with a neighbor.

Hopefully these tips will give you a great start to the week and you'll keep them in mind every Sunday!

Monday always seems like it comes too quickly, and in that morning rush, it's easy to forget the most important things that get you through the day. It might seem like a no-brainer, but remembering to take your essentials with you by having a designated place for them will save you time and — worst-case scenario — a day without your phone or ID.

• Wallet: If you know you're going to be swapping purses on Monday, make sure to transfer your wallet, too. That includes taking out IDs and credit cards from the clutch you used on Saturday night.
• Cell Phone: Charging your phone in the morning will not only guarantee that it has enough power to last you through the day, but it also means you'll have a regular place to keep it. Before you leave, make a mental note to grab it from the charging station.
• Keys: Find a place by the door where you can place your keys as soon as you walk in. That way, you'll know just where they are when you head out. Consider buying a wall-mounted key rack so you never forget.
• Sunglasses: It'll be hard to forget your shades if you keep them next to something that you wear every day, like a watch or your favorite pair of earrings.

You might not be able to live without other items like lip balm or headphones, and the trick here is pretty much the same: when it comes to having a place to keep them, consistency is key.

When you're prepping ahead for the workweek, clean out your computer now to start afresh next week. Delete any emails and documents you don't need on your computer and empty the trash. By cleaning out the documents you don't need, you'll be more organized, and your computer may run faster since you're freeing up disk space.