Raising a Family on a Budget

Home Economics for Real Life

Getting Organized: Revisiting the Household Notebook

It seems that every January, I decide that I want to get more organized.  Last year, I started utilizing a Household Notebook and it made a big difference – while I was using it.

For 2012, I have decided to revamp the Household Notebook and am interested in hearing what you keep in yours.  I know I need to update my calendars and my daily schedule, but I also want to include my gardening schedule, my children’s school schedule, and price book.

My plan is to take January to get on track for the rest of the year, and start implementing everything in February.  More of a slow roll out instead of doing it all at once.  My focus for this year is to not take on too much and burn out which would not be good for anyone.

How do you plan on getting organized this year?

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).

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.

Creating A Household Notebook: Part 1

 

Originally posted January 2011.

I have been spending the last few weeks researching household notebooks, and all of the things that people tend to put in them.  Depending on just how much of a Type A person you are, you will either love or hate the idea of a household notebook, but there are bound to be components of it that will work for you and your family.

What is a Household Notebook?

A Household Notebook (also called Home Management Notebooks or Family Organizers) is a command center for an entire family.  Therefore, what works for one family, may not work for another family because each family is unique.

What do you include in a Household Notebook?

Anything that helps your household run smoother can be included!  The idea is to have a centralized reference guide as a way of answering the biggest questions about your household and family.  A few possible suggestions:

  • Calendar/Planner
  • Daily Schedules
  • Blank Notepad
  • Weekly/Monthly Menu Plans
  • Shopping Lists
  • Freezer/Pantry Inventory
  • Take-Out Menus
  • Important Phone Numbers
  • Important Dates
  • Baby-Sitter Info Page
  • Medical Information Sheets
  • Church Bulletins
  • Volunteer Obligations
  • Carpool Schedules
  • Sports/Extracurricular Schedules
  • Homeschool Lesson Plans
  • Home Management & Finance
  • Home Repair Records
  • Automotive Repair/Mileage Logs

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.

End of Part 1 Homework:

Think about what sections you would like to include in your Household Notebook.  Each notebook is going to be different based upon the needs of your family.  If you are on Weight Watchers, you may want to include the Point values for your favorite foods; or if you love to entertain you may want to include a wine list to keep track of what you like and don’t like for quick reference before a party (also good if anyone ever offers to pick something up for you to have a quick reference); or if you are “cookie mom” or “popcorn mom” for your child’s scout troop you may want to keep your inventory lists and sales records with your Household Notebook.  Brainstorm the possibilities, but remember not to include everything.  Your goal is to have a concise reference guide that you can quickly go through, find what you need, and move on.  A 3-inch binder that is bursting at the seams is no more of a resource than War and Peace is a beach read.