Household Notebook: Part 2

Originally posted in January 2011.

This week we will start to put together our Household Binders so that we may begin using them as a resource in our daily lives.

Did you do your homework, and brainstorm a list of ideas for what to include in your family’s notebook?  If not, take a few minutes now to read over Household Notebooks: Part 1 for some ideas.

What materials will I need to get started?

You will want to start with a 3-ring binder (smaller is better and will keep you from going overboard), some tabbed dividers, and clear page protectors.  These are the basics.  Look through your child’s unused school supplies, and you may find everything you need right there, otherwise check out your local dollar store to see what they have before hitting up your local big box store.

I found a 2 inch binder filled with stuff I don’t need any more, so I am going to repurpose that to be our Household Notebook.  I have some tabbed dividers and page protectors ready to go, too.  Now to begin assembly & filling all of those page protectors with useful information.

Remember simplicity is key.  If you fill your Household Notebook with so many resources and pages that it is bursting at the seams then your family will not be able to utilize it as a resource because you will be too overwhelmed.  Less is more in the beginning and you can add more sections later as your family gets comfortable utilizing this new resource.

My Household Notebook

I have decided that for our family the following sections will be included in our first Household Notebook.

1. 2011 Planner – This section will include calendar pages for each month in 2011 that includes important events, appointments & holidays.  I will also have year at a glance pages, and yearly planning pages in the back of this section to use as a quick reference.
2. Daily Docket – This is a customizable daily checklist of what needs to be accomplished.  Each day is its own page, and I plan on having 1 week’s worth of dockets filled out in a page protector at a time. Here’s a sample as to what my Daily Docket looks like.
3. Chore Charts – This will include my daily & weekly chore lists, my monthly/semi-annual chore chart, and chore charts for the children.
4. Menu Plans – Each week will be its own page.  I hope to get in the habit of planning breakfast, lunch, snacks, & dinner for each week in advance of the start of the week.

For now, I only plan on these four sections, but I know that as I get more comfortable using my Household Notebook and get myself and the family into a routine this will evolve.  I plan on reevaluating the layout, form, and function of our Household Notebook once a month, for the first few months, to make sure it is still meeting my family’s needs.

I can already see the possibility of creating new sections for coupon insert schedule, price book, coupon policies of my favorite stores, sales trends, website topics, wishlists, and for my Mary Kay business.

Printables for Your Household Notebook

It’s time for you to fill your family’s household notebook with all of the things that you need to keep your family organized.  To save you some time, here are some printables for you to use.  Each item is available as a PDF.  You are welcome to use these for your PERSONAL USE.  If you are a blogger, you are welcome to link to this feature on your site (please do not make the download available on your site).

• 2011 At-A-Glance
• 2012 At-A-Glance
• 2011 Yearly Planning Sheet
• Daily Docket Template
• My Chore Chart
• My Monthly & Semi-Annual Chore Chart
• Weekly Menu Plan Template
• Grocery List

As I create more pages for my binder (or that I think may be helpful to others) this list will be updated & reposted.

Additional Resources

There are so many websites out there dedicated to helping you set up a household notebook.  Here are a few that I have used as a reference while creating my own Household Notebook.

• Organized Home – Great articles about putting together a household notebook, what to leave out of it, and printable resources
• momAgenda – You can purchase customizable, ready-made organizers or got to their printables page (link on left side bar) and download pages for your household notebook
• Money Saving Mom – Crystal’s video blog about her very simple Homemaking Binder.  Proof that simple is better.
• Keeper of the Home – A tour of Stephanie’s Homemaking Binder.