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Why do I do that?

(56 Posts)
sunseeker Sun 01-Sep-19 11:10:23

Changed the head on my toothbrush this morning. I noticed it needed changing on Wednesday but thought then I would wait until today (start of new week). Got me thinking, there are certain things I do on certain days

Bills paid on Mondays
Bedding changed on Fridays
Main shop done on Thursdays
Letter to Mum (lives in Australia) posted 20th of the month
Dusting and hoovering on Fridays (yes I am a bit of a slob where housekeeping is concerned!)

Anyone else have certain days for certain jobs?

lovebeigecardigans1955 Mon 02-Sep-19 10:18:02

I do like a routine. I do my big shop on a Sunday morning and park in the same part of the car park each time - I feel a bit put out if I have to go elsewhere. There's an element of security in this for me.

Theoddbird Mon 02-Sep-19 10:16:21

I vowed when I left home in 1976 never to do things on certain days as my patents had. I have pretty much stuck to this....

jaylucy Mon 02-Sep-19 09:56:06

I used to , until I worked full time including Saturdays - day off in the week and housework, washing etc had to be crammed into those 2 days - I got home at nearly 7pm each day, so by the time I'd cooked a meal and it had been eaten, washed up and made my packed lunch for the next day, it was time for bed!
My mother used to have a routine for housework and also for the family menu ! We knew what day it was by what was on our plates!

Philippa111 Mon 02-Sep-19 09:46:57

I think I would go mad if someone tried to make me have routines. I love getting up and allowing the day to tell me what we’re doing. A friend may call and ask if I fancy coffee or lunch, I may decide to mooch around in my dressing gown till lunch time , or read or paint or listen to music or we may go shopping or out to the country for a long walk. If I have too much organised ahead of time I feel hemmed in. I guess whatever a person chooses as s way to live is right for them but the main thing is that it brings them joy and a sense of self nurture. I still get all the bills paid, support the people in my life and have a (relatively ) clean house! My mother used to say about housework.. the dust will be there long after I’ve gone!

Tigertooth Mon 02-Sep-19 09:46:21

I wish I could be organised and have a routine - it sounds lovely, sadly, chaos reigns - maybe when I grow up?

Patsy70 Sun 01-Sep-19 20:20:38

Very much like Ginny! I volunteer at a charity shop on Tuesdays and collect my youngest granddaughter from school and give her tea, take her to gymnastics on Thursdays. I always know what I'm doing the day before, be it shopping, cleaning, gardening, meeting friends etc. I do housework when I need to, and like the house to be clean and tidy, but am no domestic goddess

shysal Sun 01-Sep-19 18:58:08

I shop on a Tuesday because it is the quietest day, go to aerobics on Wednesday mornings and do a country walk with a friend on Sunday mornings. Monday to Saturday I walk variations of the same route around my village, leaving home at exactly 07.40. This is so that on my return I meet my elderly neighbour setting out to buy a paper. This way I know that she is all right without obviously checking on her.
Apart from that I do what I like when the mood takes me, gardening always taking priority over housework.

BlueBelle Sun 01-Sep-19 18:45:18

KatyK that’s me totally, no routine at all apart from the days I go to work I wash when I ve got enough clothes for the washing machine I cook when I m hungry Change the bedding when it’s needed hoover or dust when I see it looks it so no routine at all

sunseeker Sun 01-Sep-19 18:41:29

Barmeyoldbat I used to be the same until a friend bought me a flip calendar - all I have to do is try to remember to change it every day. It sits on my kitchen table and I try to remember to change it when having breakfast

Grammaretto Sun 01-Sep-19 18:37:31

It's one of the hardest things I think, organising your time especially when you are retired or work from home which is what I did and still do to some extent.
Unless I plan the week ahead, I can fall into a very lazy pattern very quickly leaving me depressed and feeling useless.
Sunday evening = local cinema. I must go now!

Barmeyoldbat Sun 01-Sep-19 17:30:16

Blimey Sunseeker I find it hard enough remember which day we are on.

Gonegirl Sun 01-Sep-19 17:28:31

I used to do "Monday work" when I cleaned the whole house, upstairs and down, then it was out of the way until Friday when downstairs got another quick go round. Bedding on Monday's too, and shopping Tuesday and Friday. Town trip Thursday.

Gone are those days. Wish I could still manage it but I can't. All as and when now.

kittylester Sun 01-Sep-19 17:07:52

I have always shopped on a Thursday and get very discombobulated if I can't even though we wouldn't starve nowadays as we might have done when the children were eating me out of house and home.

The only other thing is school run on Wednesday pm but that is coming to an end gradually.

I volunteer on the same day and at the same time in blocks of 6 weeks. That takes some adjusting to when it changes. grin

ninathenana Sun 01-Sep-19 15:14:53

Have food shopped on Tuesdays and Fridays for years as those were the days I took mum.
I don't have any other routines. Washing is done when the basket is full and the weather suitable. Menu varies from week to week. Admin is done when ICBA.

ginny Sun 01-Sep-19 14:12:23

No routine for me other than any clubs I belong to. That’s the best thing about being retired . Housework as and when there is nothing better to do. Big variety of meals depending on how much time I have to cook or how much I feel like cooking ,

KatyK Sun 01-Sep-19 14:06:20

Like wildswan when I was working I had a set routine but since I've retired I honestly do put things off until 'tomorrow'. The house is OK though. I've never been a domestic goddess

Charleygirl5 Sun 01-Sep-19 13:40:34

I am a bit like KatyK tomorrow is another day but on occasions, I have started emptying and cleaning the fridge or a cupboard late Sunday evening or another odd time.

My mother was a staunch Irish Catholic, (none of that rubbed off on me, the nuns saw to that!) we had fish every Friday.
.

Brunette10 Sun 01-Sep-19 13:38:02

KatyK - grin

EllanVannin Sun 01-Sep-19 13:31:23

I must have fish on a Friday-------don't ask me why and as someone mentioned defrosting the fridge-freezer June and December. Those I don't miss out on.

Washing now depends on the weather. I eat when I feel like instead of a regimented regime as mum had.
Sunday dinner too or the day doesn't feel right without it. Why ??

KatyK Sun 01-Sep-19 12:39:53

I have a set day for everything - tomorrow!

stella1949 Sun 01-Sep-19 12:11:07

I did when I was working - I needed to be really organised, especially when I had children at home. Since the children have grown and left home, and I've retired, things can be done at any time. My volunteer jobs punctuate the week, but otherwise I do as I like. No more set routine .

Pantglas1 Sun 01-Sep-19 12:08:47

I was so regimented when I was working as most of my jobs were deadline driven - payroll, weekly courses and suchlike, that it was the only way I could function efficiently.

Now that I’m retired apart from exercise routine most mornings, I pick and choose and change stuff around as I fancy. However, if I promise to do something for someone else, I’d have to be dead (almost) to not follow through.

Brunette10 Sun 01-Sep-19 12:07:10

Beechnut - I think perhaps it was a generational thing with them. We used to joke about it all the time and made mum laugh which was lovely or say 'oh is it Friday already' - when putting pork chops/sausage down in front of us. wink

glammanana Sun 01-Sep-19 11:57:51

I've kept up most of my routine since I stopped working full time,just a few things changed.
The bedding is stripped off on Mondays now and pressed on Wednesday & put away.
Shopping done on Thursday before the week-end rush.
Saturdays I always catch up with an old collegue for brew and put the world to rights & chat about our dogs.
Tuesdays a day out with OH for lunch at a cheap & cheerful pub.
I don't have to set menu's now I don't work we can have anything we fancy which is easy to prepare life has no stress at all.

Septimia Sun 01-Sep-19 11:44:11

I think routines are useful, especially when you're retired. Having a routine helps me to remember which day of the week it is!

Monday is shopping day and washing sheets/towels, also the mobile library every 3 weeks. Thursday I do the rest of the washing and on Friday afternoons I go for a G&T and natter with my neighbour. It's also nice to have a couple of days that we can use to go out if the weather is decent.