2013 Goals

My word for 2013 is "discipline." This year I want to be more disciplined in how I spend my time, take care of my body, and spend my (our) money:

1. Work fewer hours.
This year I'm reducing stress and making more time for family and exercise. I currently work 50 hours a week at school.With a 6 classes a day and no assistant, it's very difficult to leave when the bell rings at 2:45, especially when I have lessons to plan, books to buy, emails to answer, etc. However, in 2013, my goal is to leave at 2:45 at least 2 days a week, so I can go exercise before I pick up Savannah. In order to make that happen, I will need to maximize my planning period, utilize my parent volunteers and Junior Librarians whenever possible, and probably take some school work home.

2. Exercise.
By leaving work at 2:45 a couple days each week, I'll be able to work out at the Y for an hour, pick up Savannah, and still get home around 4:30 (which is the time I usually leave school). Plus, I'd be thrilled if I improved my cholesterol and dropped a few pounds, too. :)

3. Pay down debt.
Over the last 5.5 years, Tal and I have paid off $72,000 in debt, which consisted mostly of school and car loans. We're still paying off Tal's grad school loan. Our goal is to be debt-free (except for our mortgage) within 1.5 years when Savannah starts kindergarten in July 2014. We've been paying $1,100 a month towards our debt for the last 5.5 years. It hasn't been easy. It hasn't been fun. However, Tal and I are encouraged that our goal of financial freedom is almost a reality. In 2013, we're determined to stick to our budget and throw extra money (from tax refunds, overtime pay, etc.) towards paying down our debt faster. 

4. Scale back home improvement/decorating projects.
Tal and I have set aside some money for several big ticket purchases/projects in 2013:

• lay new sod in our front yard
• repair several pieces of rotten siding on the exterior of our house
• buy new bedding for our master bedroom
• buy new bedding for Savannah
• buy a new recliner for Tal's man cave in time for Tal's 40th birthday (Tal's current recliner doesn't recline.)

Overall, however, Tal and I plan to do fewer/more inexpensive projects this year. That way, we'll have some extra money each month to put towards our debt payments. Plus, by doing fewer or less time consuming projects, I'll have more time for exercise, relaxation, and family...which are my top priorities this year.

Before I tackle any new projects in 2013, I intend to finish some leftover projects from 2012. I have the supplies for these projects, but I didn't get around to finishing them last year:

• put "welcome" decal on yellow garage entry door
• paint stripes in garage entry hallway
• hang Savannah's wooden ruler growth chart
• hang new ikat curtains 

Another goal is to focus more on organizing than decorating this year. Now that Tal and I have lived in our house for 2 years, we have a better idea of how we use each space. And frankly, some spaces aren't working very well. For instance, in our kitchen, all of our cups and glasses are crammed into one small cupboard. This year I'm looking forward to getting organized and staying organized. For that reason, this year my goal is to purge, simplify, and organize the following areas, so our home will be more functional:

• Savannah's toys
• Savannah's clothes
• Savannah's bedroom
• party supplies
• craft supplies
• kitchen cupboards and drawers
• kitchen office and cubbies
• coupon/junk drawer
• my junk corner of the garage
• upstairs loft area
• bathroom vanity