A Weekly Replenishing Routine Makes Me Happy and Grateful

By the author of The Ultimate Guide to Frugal Living and What to Eat When You’re Broke

A while back, I started a little routine on Sunday evenings that really starts my week off well. I call it my Weekly Replenishing Routine, and it’s how I prepare for the week ahead.

Part of the reason that I think this makes me feel so good is that I am mindful while doing it. We’ve talked a lot about gratitude (here and here are a couple of examples) and this is a way to make your gratitude take a bit of a physical form.

While you are replenishing and restocking, focus on how glad you are that you have the supplies available to do this action. Be grateful that you have the ability to refill that sugar dish or map out your meal plan for the week ahead, because we should never take this for granted. If you want to, you can take it a step further and express gratitude in whatever way your spiritual belief indicates, whether that is prayer, meditation, or offerings.

I know, it sounds a little woo-woo and out there. But this has made a real difference in my life, and maybe it will make a difference in yours too.

What is a Weekly Replenishing Routine?

First, I like to set the stage. I light a pleasant-smelling candle, fire up the diffuser with some lemon and rosemary oils, and open the windows, weather permitting.

I start in the kitchen and work my way through the house.

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• I pull apart my coffee maker and wash all the parts.
• I refill the pod container for my Keurig with fresh K-cups.
• If my sugar dish needs washing, I do that, then refill it to the brim.
• I pull dishwasher pods out for the week and plop them in the little canister that lives above my dishwasher.
• I refill my large Brita.
• I put drinks in the fridge for the week ahead.
• I clean out anything from my refrigerator that has gone bad. (Hopefully, there’s nothing to throw out, but sometimes you miss something!)
• I plan my menu for the week.
• I put my prescription medications in the organizer for the week.

Then I move to the bedroom.

• I put fresh sheets on the bed.
• I tidy up my dressing table
• I make sure all my laundry is put away and that I have what I need washed and ready for the week. If it’s not, I add a load of laundry to my day.

In the bathroom…

• I restock the bathroom spare toilet paper shelf and make sure there’s a roll on the holder.
• I refresh the kitty litter box.
• I check all my bottles of body wash and shampoo to make sure I have plenty for the week. If not, I refill them from my larger containers.
• I put out fresh towels for hands, hair, and body.

In the living room…

• I tidy up the sofa pillows. (It’s down – this is a workout!)
• I lint roll the furniture. (Pets. Need I say more?)
• I put a crossword puzzle book and whatever craft I’m stitching on in the basket beside where I like to sit.
• I make sure my pens work and replace them if required.
• I put away anything that doesn’t belong in the living room.

Basically, the task is refilling anything that needs to be refilled and refreshing anything that needs to be refreshed, all the while feeling glad that I am able to do this.

Why do I do a Weekly Replenishing Routine?

I started doing this one day after I found myself annoyed at being in a hurry and having to go to the pantry for more sugar for my coffee. I was so irritated, and it was completely unnecessary since I had plenty of sugar. I decided that taking the time to refill things every week would not just save me time and aggravation, but that it could be a practice that made me feel grateful for the things that I have. I wanted to always have soap in the dispenser, a clean towel to dry my hands, and a positive attitude. As silly as this might sound, this routine feels lovely.

Does it actually save me any money? Well, yes and no. It doesn’t save me money outright, but it does help me stay organized enough to notice when I’m nearly out of something, so I can put it on my list before the item is gone. The reward for me is the good feeling while I’m doing it and the ease of my week when everything is set up and ready to go.

Do you have any similar practices to my Weekly Replenishing Routine?  Do you have any small steps you take that you can combine with gratitude to make your week go more smoothly?

Let’s discuss it in the comments section.

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