Planning for Your Family’s Year Ahead

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Are you a procrastinator like me? I’m organized with certain life details, but others get pushed aside until the very last minute, if they get done at all. Recently, my husband and I decided to create a ten year plan in order to stop procrastinating when it comes to planning big life events. As a part of this plan, we are starting each year by mapping out the year ahead. This is new for me, but I am already feeling more organized and prepared for next year! 

All you need is a calendar or planner, pen and extra paper for notes to get started. I also created a binder for our ten year plan. Here are some of the life events that we mapped out:

  • Big Events
    • Birthdays- How old will each person be? Are there big birthdays that require extra planning?
    • Anniversaries- Is anyone close to you having an important anniversary this year? 
    • Hosting – Do you plan or want to host any major events or holidays?
  • Travel– do you want to go somewhere fun next year? Maybe the year after? This can help you outline logistics, how far in advance you need to budget, and who’s coming with you! 
  • Financial goals/ Upcoming expenses– Are you planning on moving or trying to pay off student loans? Maybe you want to start budgeting for a kitchen remodel or that cool trip to Alaska.  
  • Doctor’s appointments– Map out yearly check ups or other doctor appointments so you can schedule them in advance. 
  • Extras:
    • Word of the year- It’s fun to have each family member pick a word of the year. This is a positive word that represents how we want to feel that year. You might also choose a family word of the year. For 2018, my word was THRIVE.
    • Create a Family Vision Board- this is a fun activity to do as a family. All you need are magazines or printed pictures, paper, scissors and glue/tape. Cut out images that represent things you all want to do or things you love and create a beautiful collage that represents your wishes for the next year.
    • Bucket list for the year- What are some fun things you want to do together as a family but didn’t get time to do this year?

Do you have tips for planning ahead? Share them in the comments!