My Home Management Binder

Despite Mike's valiant efforts to help me embrace all that this digital age has to offer, I'm just a paper girl at heart. I guess it's just how my brain works. I do take advantage of technology. I read books on my kindle, although I still have a hard time finding the page I want if I need to go back and look at something I've already passed, and I use the calendar feature on my phone, mainly for the reminder alarms; I never could get into the habit of checking it every day to see what's on the agenda. So, even though I can Use the technology, that is not what comes naturally to me.

Something I've learned about myself: if it's too fancy, it's too hard to maintain and I'll stop using it. This is true of organization, discipline, communication, technology and just about everything else. So I'm going back to something I know I'll use: a planner that I can write in and erase and highlight!

This year, since I'm in a big push to purge, consolidate and organize, I thought I would try making a "Home Management Binder" like some of the ones I've seen on Pinterest. There are some great products on the market, but none of the ones I saw in the stores had the layout or categories I wanted. Erin Condren even offers attractive personalized planners on her website but I couldn't rationalize spending $50. If you are on Pinterest, there are LOTS of links to sites with free printables. Some even have tutorials on how they put their binders together!

With so many options available for free, it hardly made sense to spend $30-$50 on something I could create to be exactly what I want. I looked around a bit and decided that I liked the printables available on Organizing Homelife the best. Ginny not only had dated monthly and blank daily pages, but MANY extras like menu planning, chore lists and maintenance record pages and title pages for the various sections. Even so, I still added a few pages of my own, which I will type up to look nicer eventually.

She also had some good ideas to make the binder work a little more efficiently. Here are a few that I used:

Problem1:
Wasted paper & ink and possibly a Really big binder if you have daily schedule pages and weekly menu planning pages, etc.
Solution:
Print out enough pages for one week and put them in page protectors. *Use WET erase markers, rather than dry erase, to prevent items from accidentally being erased or smudged.
Note:
It may be the type of page protectors I used but the markers didn't want to write well on the pages at first. They worked better after I had wiped down the pages. My mom suggested using waxy artist pencils as an alternative.

Problem 2:
If you use page protectors, the dividers don't stick out far enough and get lost in between the pages.
Solution:
Cut a sliver off the edge of a page protector and put the divider inside with the tab sticking out! Why didn't we think of this before?
The pictures are of the first one I did, so it wasn't too pretty. I made the others a little neater. The sheet protector is a little hard to see, you know, being clear and all, but you get the idea.

Line up your first divider with how it would be once inside the sheet protector.

Snip the edge on each side of the tab, then cut out a narrow strip in between them.

Then all you have to do is slide it in! I didn't label the tabs themselves. I put the title pages in the same sheet protectors as the dividers, so I felt it was unnecessary.
My final divider fix:

Problem 3:
What do you do with all of the little schedules, calendars and invitations you get from various sources?
Solution:
A non-tabbed divider with pockets at the end of each section. I used clear ones so they wouldn't distract too much from my section dividers.

Here is how I organized my binder:

First is a pencil pouch for pens, wet erase markers, etc. I discovered that "Window Markers" from Crayola work just as well as the Vis a Vis wet erase markers and you can get a box of 8 for about $4 at Walmart. The only drawback is that the package does not include black. I also included a small notebook in case I need to write a quick note to J's teacher.

Section1: Schedules & To-do List

In this section, I have a daily chore list and enough blank daily schedules for the week, both of which I downloaded from Organizing Homelife. Here is a sample of what mine usually look like.

Section 2: Menu Planning

The first page in this section is the weekly menu planner from Organizing Homelife, which has three spaces for each day. She also has sheets for "Recipes to Try" and "Freezer Inventory". I wondered why there wasn't a planning/shopping sheet to list the ingredients for the recipes you are planning to cook, so I just added a sheet of notebook paper for that. I also made a Pantry Inventory sheet and a sheet of ingredients that need to be used soon for the freezer and the pantry. For now, I just used notebook paper. I'll make a prettier version later. I keep the school's menu for the month and a grocery list in the pocket at the back of this section to help with menu planning.

Section 3: Calendar

Obviously, this is where the calendar is. ;)  At the front, I put the birthdays and anniversaries sheet from Organizing Homelife. Then the 2 page per month calendar. In my calendar, I color code appointments and events by family member, church (since I'm on several teams) and horses (since that's my "job" and needs to be well documented). At the end, I put my school contact info, health & insurance info and babysitter info. And I keep invitations, sports schedules, and any other calendars in the pocket of this section.

                                  As you can see, I'm just getting started on filling it all out!

Section 4: Maintenance

For this section, I just used the printables at Organizing Homelife. I used the one that shows all of the home maintenance things that should be done, broken down into quarterly assignments. She also has a sheet for auto maintenance, but Mike keeps track of that stuff on his computer, so I'll leave that to him. I'm going to include home projects in this section, but have not made up sheets for them yet.

Section 5: Goals and Projects

I don't have any official pages in this section, just notebook paper so I can scribble ideas and plans.

The best thing about making your own binder is that you can tailor it to your own needs. I used the Avery brand since it was inexpensive and offers Boxtop points for the school. There were a lot of printables that either didn't have what I needed or had things I did not need. I also made some of my own sheets. It doesn't take very long to make your own excel sheet if you cannot find what you want. I made my own School Contact Info sheet and will be making some for my Menu Planning section. 

One last thing. I do not intend to carry my big binder everywhere. I will keep it at home as a reference. I have a 5x7 inexpensive planner that I carry in my purse so I can write down appointments, etc and then I can transfer them to the big binder when I get home.

So there you have it. That's my Home Management binder. Feel free to use or ignore any of the ideas you want. Just do what works for your family/life/schedule.

Bite Sized Pieces

I wrote a post on my main "Time to be Mom" blog about breaking large projects and goals into smaller steps.  The two main reasons are so that you'll actually be able to finish something soon and feel like you've accomplished something, which gives you momentum, and so that the size of the overall project/goal doesn't overwhelm you before you get started.

One of my goals has been to organize my house. Not just clean, organize. The reasons are simple; if we know where everything should go, we won't have to waste a lot of time thinking about where to put stuff when we are cleaning up (and hopefully it will be easier to clean) and if we can find the things we have, we won't buy duplicates.

Of course, taking on the WHOLE house is a BIG project, especially since I'm behind on basic cleaning after having been off my feet due to a knee issue and having a baby. Looking at the stacks of things to be sorted and stored has indeed been overwhelming!

After several attempts to tackle the stacks on a counter where we habitually drop stuff as we come, I was getting more and more frustrated. The stacks kept reappearing!  Today, I finally got smart and decided  to work on something I could actually finish.

Our coat closet has all sorts of miscellaneous stuff in it: shoes, coats, backpacks, hats, gloves, umbrellas, flashlights, blankets, soccer cleats and shin guards, etc. Many of these were on the floor or propped precariously on the shelf.  Even the items on hangers on the door were falling off because there were too many on each hook!

The Fix:
-I added another row of hooks just for hats at the top of the door. Now Josh and Bree will each have a row of hooks for backpacks and coats until they can reach the hangers.

-Since it is no longer soccer season, I moved the cleats and shin guards to the bedroom closets.
-I took out the baskets which were too small to be of much use and replaced them with larger bins for those miscellaneous items on the shelf. I also took out some of the extra items.

-I put a flashlight and a few other emergency supplies in a backpack that will stay in the closet for easy access.

I wish I had taken a before picture, but here are the after pictures. Not everything is in there since the boys are off at school and work.

I feel so much better after having actually completed something and having at least one clean/organized spot in our home.
Now... what to work on next?

The Beginning is in Sight

Originally posted November 14, 2010 on Time to be Mom

I know, it's supposed to be "the end is in sight," but for me, the end of my office job means the beginning of getting my life in order.

Our team has processed the majority of work and the only ones left are those which require outreach to customers for more information. I'm hoping we can get those calls made (and responded to) before Thanksgiving.  I'll be gone the following week, so it is actually possible that I will either be done or only have a few more days of work once I get back.

I had mentioned before that I needed to take the time to really set my priorities in order to decide how to make my schedule.  I read a couple of great articles about priorities and time management by Crystal on the Money Saving Mom blog.

She is a Christian as well and pointed out that she makes sure to spend time with God every day and when she prays over her day, she asks him to bless it and "multiply" her hours.  She said that, when she does that, she is always amazed at how much more productive her day is.  Starting out the day with God not only creates a better relationship with and understanding of Him, but it also gets you in the right mind set to deal with whatever challenges the day will bring.

Another thing she mentioned was that one of the things most of us leave out when we get overloaded is sleep.  We try to stay up one more hour, get one more thing done.  Funny thing is, getting enough sleep can help us get more done in a shorter time because we are more alert and our rested brain is able to process things better and faster.

Crystal also brought up the idea of a "Time Budget".  Most of us have a budget for our money and can clearly see how that makes sense.  You start with the money you have coming in, then take out money for things you need/want to pay for.  You can't take out more than you put in without going into debt.  Why don't we do this with our time?  When making schedules, we usually start with a list of all the things we want to do and try to cram them into our day, whether they fit or not.

We go into "debt": usually paid for by lack of sleep, wasting money and health on fast food and cutting out time with our families.  What we should be doing is starting with our 24 hour day and taking out sleep and other necessities.  Only put other tasks on the calendar if there is actually room for them.  Setting your priorities first will help you decide which items need to be left out.  Don't forget to leave some wiggle room for unexpected things that come up (Crystal suggests 2 hours).

In this last week or two of my office job, I'm going to be looking at what my calendar should look like once I don't have that on it any more.  I'm going to start with making sure I have scheduled enough time for sleep & quiet time with God. .

Take 5

Originally posted October 28, 2010 on Time to be Mom.

It's amazing what just five minutes can do.  In five minutes you can:
-load the dishwasher
-start a load of laundry
-water your houseplants
-say a prayer
-read a chapter in the Bible
-get really upset
-sit in a quiet spot, take some deep breaths & calm yourself down

  My time has been so limited lately that I have felt like I couldn't get anything done, so I often haven't done anything.  Since my schedule hasn't changed yet but I want to go ahead and start catching up on things, I have been trying to think of what I CAN do.  So, I'm going to take five minutes; in the morning, when I get home and before bed to get three things done.  That may not seem like much, but it's three more things than I have been getting done.

Importance and Immediacy

Originally posted October 26, 2010 on Time to be Mom.

Once upon a time, I was a business major.  Scary, I know.  However, I did learn a few useful things amidst the hours of sheer boredom.  One of the lessons that has not completely left me is that of importance and immediacy.  Of course, as with many other useful tidbits, it had been filed away in the deep recesses of my somewhat foggy memory until this weekend, when I was trying to make a plan to get things done and torn between two things that both needed to be done.
  The basic idea is that you rate things not by one scale, but by two.  You rate things that need to be done on importance: high = MUST be done, medium = Should be done, low = Not necessary (even if it's something you'd like to do). You also rate them on immediacy: this scale you can adjust so it's easy for you to think about.  An example would be; Now, Soon & Later or Today, This Week, This Month.  Once you have rated everything on both scales, you can easily choose which tasks to prioritize.  You can even put them in a chart for an easy visual.
  As I remembered this organizational tool, it occurred to me that this can be a TREMENDOUS help in trying to get control of my chaos.  I can use it for scheduling, for making a plan to keep the house clean, for planning long term goals, etc.  I plan on using it alot. I hope it helps you as well.

Where does my Help come from?

Originally posted October 23, 2010 on Time to be Mom.

  The other day, Psalm 121:1-2 got stuck in my head- all day! Of course, it started with hearing the song version on the radio, but the words stuck with me.  "I lift my eyes up to the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord- Maker of heaven and earth."

  It got me thinking: what would that help look like?  We know that he can give us peace in our distress and clarity in our chaos, but what about practical help?  When Jesus walked the earth, he offered physical help. He fed people who were hungry and healed those who were sick.  If God is the same now as he always has been, then He must still offer practical help, not just emotional.

  As I pondered, it occurred to me that he often uses his people to meet needs.  When forming the church, he designed it so that all of the people, who have different strengths and weaknesses could work together to make the church fully functional. Without the business-minded people, the budget would never be made or held to.  Without those called to study and preach, we would not learn more about God than what we can discern for ourselves.  Without the creative people, there would not be music to worship to.  The church needs all kinds of people.

  I'm wondering if He designed not just the church, but families to work this way as well.  In my family, Mike is the detailed, logical one, so he does the finances, and I'm the organizer (Funny, I know, when I'm having problems with chaos), so I schedule appointments and organize the house, etc.

  If I look beyond my home, my mom is the creative one and she actually enjoys cleaning!  I also have a working student who enjoys gardening.  Perhaps we can help each other.  I can help my mom organize her schedule and craft supplies and she can help me deep clean (after I've gotten the mess under control).  and maybe I can have my working student do her work in the garden rather than in the barn.  Together, we'll have 2 clean organized homes with beautiful gardens and my student will enjoy both her working time and the riding time she earns.

  How can you pool your resources with others to help enhance everyone's life?

Getting Organized

Most of us know that being organized can save time, money and stress.  At the same time, many of us don't feel like we have the time to get organized.  If that's you, think of it this way:  How many times have you rushed out the door because it took you forever to find your keys only to realize that you had forgotten something else?  How many times have you gone to the store and bought something thinking, "I could have sworn I had one of these somewhere"?  This is not forgetfulness.  This is disorganization.

I will bet that it will take you less time to get and stay organized than it takes you to find all your misplaced items everyday.  My mom and I realized that we spend at least 10 if not 20 minutes every day looking for things when we are disorganized.  I know that the initial clean up will take longer than that, but you can do it a little at a time and then, once it's done, that 10-20 minutes is enough to keep up with it.  So the time may end up being the same but your stress level is much lower.  And that's not counting trips to the store or back to the house for missing or forgotten items.

Organization is one of those things that we all want and, if we think about it, we know how to do.  The problem is that many of us put things off until there is suddenly a massive pile of stuff to deal with and we just don't know where to start.  The key is to break everything down into bite-sized pieces.  I'm going through the same thing at the moment, so I'm right there with you.  I will be more than happy to share any helpful ideas or information I find and would love to hear any of yours.

This blog will inevitably have some duplicate posts from Time to be Mom in the Home but I will try to keep posts about organizing on this page and those with tips on cleaning, decorating, etc on the other blog.  As with my other blogs, all posts are available on Time to be Mom and I will repost those that apply to the blogs on individual topics.  Thanks for your patience while I restructure to make the information more accessible!