Here we go another new month and it is safe to say this year seems to be flying by faster than ever in my eyes. May is looking like a very busy month with house projects, birthday's and a holiday however, I am determined to have a productive month like I had in April. The month will no doubt be over in no time but here are the goals I am hoping to achieve...

Fashion

Buy some new shorts

I have come to the conclusion that new shorts need to be purchased. The ones I currently own are very worn and don't really suit the style I want to achieve in the warmer weather so I need to head out to finally pick up a few pairs to see me through the seasons. I have a feeling that the shorts purchased could be from Marks and Spencer's if they fit right.

Clear out more of the wardrobe 

The wardrobe never got changed around in April so I am determined it will be done in May and whilst doing this I want to have a massive clear out so I finally stop holding onto items for the sake of it like I keep doing. There are so many items that don't fit the style I am aiming for so now it is time to make space for new bits that will fit that style going forward.

Rotate the footwear I wear

Last month I sorted out my footwear rotation and now it is finally time to make sure that I am going to get the wear out of all the pairs within the rotation. There really is an option for every occasion in this current rotation so it is about time I started switching things up a bit more. I have everything from trainers to sandals so let's see how this one goes. 

Buy some new chinos

I have taken a liking to wearing chinos again however, the ones I have don't really fit me correctly so I want to pick up a few pairs in May that fit much better than the current options. Again I think Marks & Spencer's could be the go to for these but I might have a look around to see if anywhere else have some a bit cheaper.

Get some basic t-shirts

One thing I am lacking is some nice fitting basic t-shirts for layering spring outfits with so my mission in May is to hunt around and find some nice fitting not see through white and black t-shirts. I have been looking for a while and not found what I needed but we are upping the search this time around and I am determined to add a few of each colour to my wardrobe.

Life

Create a new morning routine

Throughout May I really want to make some changes that are really going to benefit me and one of those changes is to actually create a morning routine that I stick to 7 days a week to really kick start my day the right way. A routine is something I usually thrive with so if I get into the habit of carrying out a morning routine everyday I am hoping I become more consistent towards my goals. We shall see how this one goes.

Create a new evening routine

Alongside creating a morning routine I also want to create an evening routine to stick to daily. An evening routine should help set up for the following routine to flow smoothly and also create habits for me to get enough sleep, get jobs ticked off the to do list and not burn out. I am looking forward to seeing how this develops over the month.

Continue working on the back garden

With the work indoors being out of our hands until the middle of the month the plan is to use the nice weather to finally push towards completing the back garden. Out here we need to finish turning the planters into benches, tidy up the grass and edging area before finally painting the decking and fencing and getting all the furniture back into place. A good few weekends and this could finally be completed and we can enjoy the area properly after 7 years of waiting. 

Finish reading my book

I have set myself a goal of reading 3 books this year and I am not even half way through my first one so in May I am determined to change that and finally get book number 1 complete. Reading will be being added into my evening routine to make sure I am giving myself that break rather than having life 100 mph each day.

Get back to cash stuffing

With the motivation to crack on with house projects I realise I need to start managing my money better than I have been doing lately and that is why a goal of mine for the month is to get back to cash stuffing where I set a budget withdraw the amount needed for each category and stick to what is in each envelope so I know just where my money is going for a change. 

Home

Get everything put on the walls in the hallway

Once the paint has dried on the walls the plan is to crack straight on and get everything up on the walls that we need to before putting the new flooring down just so we don't ruin it. This will include hanging the radiator, putting up the mirror and shelves alongside any artwork we are wanting to go up. 

Put down the wooden floor in the hallway

Once everything is on the walls it is time to get the wooden flooring laid downstairs. This isn't a huge area so I am hoping it goes down quite easily but I guess only time will tell if it does. I am hoping this gets done before our trip away just so we can come back and not have too much left to do.

Put all the coats and shoes into their new home

Once the paint has dried it is a case of cracking on to clear the rest of the house which has been over run with coats and shoes. The plan is to have another sort through the coats and shoes to put away only what we really need and organise them so we actually know where items are for a change as previously items were just dumped all over. It is time to keep the minimal and get the wear out of the pieces.

Start getting prices for our next job

The motivation post hallway work is definitely there and before the end of May the plan is to get the prices together for our next job... the dining room. I am really looking forward to getting this room done as it means we will finally have a dining table back after a few years without one meaning meals can be enjoyed away from the sofa and we are also planning to add a bar area into here. I am hoping the costs for here are reasonable and we can get cracking on in the next few months as I can just imagine summer nights having meals at the table with the patio doors open and the dog running around.

Start moving bits from the dining room into the new cupboard

By the end of May I am hoping to have moved all the board games and books into the cupboard at the top of the stairs so they are cleared out of the dining room ready for when that room is under going its transformation. This is going to free up so much space in the room and will just make life much easier going forward and as we are moving bits we can have another good declutter to make sure we are only putting away bits we really want to keep. No more keeping things for the sake of it.

Fitness

Limit the amount of takeaways we have 

Throughout May the plan is to really cut back on the takeaways as they are doing neither of us any favours and to be honest we haven't really enjoyed them as much lately. The plan is to only have 4 a month which may still seem a lot to some people but for us that will be a big cut down and hopefully get us moving towards our fitness goals.

Cut back on the fizzy drinks

The fizzy drinks have been creeping in far too much lately so those are going to be replaced with sugar free squash or water. There is no need for me to be drinking as many fizzy drinks as I have lately as I know they aren't good for me and my skin is breaking out which I am putting down to this. I am hoping that cutting back helps my skin clear up a bit and makes me feel a bit less bloated.

Go to the gym 4 times

I have signed back up to the gym in the hopes of making some decent progress on my weight loss journey. The plan through May is to make some use of the membership and try get into a bit of a routine in terms of working out and what sort of workouts to do. The gym I am a member at has a pool so let's hope I can get in there a fair few times too as that would be a decent workout.

Run 5 times

During May I would like to get at least 5 decent length runs under my belt. The plan is to try run a 5k without the couch to 5k app to see what sort of benchmark I am at for time wise. The 10k is fast approaching now though so I need to get running and get the distances increasing.

Go back to boxing

In May I want to finally get back to boxing. I am really missing the sessions and I know just how good the progress on my weight loss journey is when I am going here regularly. The aim for May is to attend 2 sessions to try get back into the swing of things before increasing the amount I go to. 

It is time to get the busy month underway and see just how many of these we can get ticked off the list. I am really hopeful for a great month with plenty of productivity so let's see how this goes, let's hope the end of month check in is a good one...

See you soon

Lucy