Differing home teams and approaches to getting organized for 2026

My wife and I prepare for the new year very differently. Once the holiday hustle and bustle comes to an end and the disposition of our home-town teams is in the books for another season, we get a jump on planning for the twelve months ahead of us–and like rooting for our respective teams, our approaches to that task differ.

 

While how we go about organizing our lives differs, our goals align. We both set out to improve the disciplines to which we devote our attention. For Sarah, that meant purchasing a 2026 planner filled with daily, weekly, monthly, and annual chores. She likes to see the items in writing, in front of her as a daily/weekly/monthly reminder of what needs getting done. This helps her from feeling inundated with day-to-day responsibilities (we have four kids under eight!) and she finds value in systemizing the many important, if not urgent, responsibilities we have to accomplish together and separately to keep our household of six running smoothly. For those of you who are list makers, I’m sure you can relate to the sense of accomplishment every time you get to put a line through or checkmark next to some completed to-do item.

 

For me, getting prepared for the new year meant finishing my 2025 spending report and 2026 budget. Reviewing where our money went in the previous year and how we’ll allocate the upcoming year’s cash flow across savings, non-discretionary expenses, and “fun spending” gives me peace of mind and grounds me. I sleep better knowing I’ve thought through the money-in/money-out scenarios, allowing for emergencies, and allocating resources for the experience dividends our fun times together generate.

 

The funny thing is, neither have much tolerance for each other’s organization systems. For me, thinking about future chores ranks right up there with looking forward to a dental appointment. I tend to be more of a “what needs to get done today” kinda guy. Sarah, in turn, feels like she’s already at the dentist when I try to walk her through one (or several) of my spreadsheets. Regardless of our differences, we recognize the value our preparations provide for our family. While we may fall short on our endeavors at times, it’s helpful to realign our trajectory toward ways to contribute to our great lives. Sometimes that’s just in recognizing we each bring our own unique strengths to organizing for the new year.

 

As we launch into 2026, how can we, your trusted financial life planners, help you in your preparations for the seasons ahead? We’re here to take the worry out of your personal finances so you can concentrate on all the other important aspects of your Great Life!