planner bright colour

Sunday Evenings, Jammies & Planner Peace

After a weekend of play parks, snack negotiations, and wondering if I can convince my toddler to retire his bat costume, Sunday night is my time. The house is finally quiet (ish), the living room looks less like a creche, and I get to sit down with a cosy blanket and a clear head. My Sunday night routine as a mum isn’t fancy or flawless – but it works. And it might just work for you too.

💭 Why I Needed This Routine

Before I started this ritual, the week ran me – not the other way around. We were always winging it, promising to “get it sorted next week.” Mealtimes were a last-minute scramble. It felt chaotic.

Creating a Sunday night planning routine gave me back a little control, a little calm, and a lot of clarity.

📒 My Sunday Night Routine (Real Mum Edition)

✨ Step 1: Set the Mood

Cosy jammies. Messy bun. Netflix on in the background. My drink of choice? A crispy cold Diet Coke.

🧠 Step 2: Weekly Brain Dump

I grab my planner and jot down everything: meal ideas, blog goals, appointments, birthday gifts, Tesco bits, even thoughts like “check if wellies still fit.”

Getting it out of my head and onto paper brings instant relief — and it’s the foundation of my weekly reset.

📆 Step 3: Sync the Family Calendar

We use the TimeTree app to share family plans (highly recommend — my husband actually uses it!). I sync it with my paper planner to avoid toddler party/MOT scheduling disasters.

🥘 Step 4: Meal Plan + Shopping List

This isn’t about fancy meals. I’m all about slow cooker wins, leftovers, and reducing mental load.

Tip: Cross-reference your plans – if you’re out one night, that’s one less meal to plan. I also do a quick stock check and work from what we’ve already got. Budget win!

🧩 Step 5: Plan the Week Ahead

I pencil in blog work, toddler activities, errands, and yes, self-care (a fresh set of nails totally counts). Then I check in with my mum group chat to fill in any gaps. Happy toddler = happy mum.

🎀 Step 6: Make It Pretty (Optional, but Fun)

Stickers, washi tape, colourful pens. I colour-code just because it brings me joy. It’s organised chaos – just like life.

🛠️ Tools That Help Me Keep My Life (Kind of) Together

This section contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend what I use and love.

💛 Final Thoughts

You don’t need a perfect plan to feel in control. Even just 30 quiet minutes on a Sunday night can bring peace and structure to your week.

If you’re a fellow mum navigating wild days and wee humans, I see you – and I promise, a little planning magic goes a long way.