A huge part of my job as a wife and mother is to run an organized home.
But this is one area where I really struggle. I want to be more organized, but sometimes I really feel completely lost in getting the job done.
I guess you could say, I’m a work in progress. And progress is definitely a good thing, right?
After all, I am much more organized than I was just a couple of years ago.
I’ve read a lot about keeping a Home Management Notebook and while I think it is a great idea to have everything that you need to manage your home stored in one neat little binder, having one just didn’t work for me. It was never used as it was designed to be. I didn’t go to it when I needed information and it just sat on a shelf, collecting dust.
What has worked for me, instead, is having several smaller notebooks placed in strategic locations around the house.
I don’t need a notebook for my calendar and schedule. I’m saving some trees by keeping this on my Google Calendar, which I LOVE and highly recommend.
I have one notebook that serves as my prayer journal. It sits in a basket with other Bible Study materials by the couch where I have my quiet time.
Our family phone book is in another binder in a central location. This houses the phone numbers of family and friends (all penciled in because we are an Army family), restaurant take-out menus and phone numbers, rosters, and emergency numbers.
I have a separate binder for digital scrapbooking and blogging. These reside in simple wall mounted magazine racks by the computer where I do most of my scrapbooking and blogging. In these notebooks I write down ideas and notes for scrapping and blogging projects. They also house tutorials and articles that I want to keep for reference.
And I also have a kitchen notebook that is in another wall mounted magazine rack in the kitchen that is filled with recipes and menus.
Having each of these binders in easy-to reach locations around the house is helping me to keep my home more organized. It’s Working for Me!
Kristen at We Are THAT Family is hosting a special “Back to School” edition of Works for Me Wednesday today. Be sure to head over there to get some great ideas for the upcoming school year. I know I will be as we are gearing up for the start of EA and MC’s preschool year at home!
Sandwiched says
Great ideas! I have a phone book binder, and a recipe binder, which is sorely in need of a makeover.
I had plans to make a binder with warranty info and directions for all our toys and appliances, but that never quite happened….
angie says
thanks for sharing your take on a household journal I have had one for quite some time
Nikke says
What a great idea. The household management notebook has never worked for me either, maybe I need to try this!
oh amanda says
This is a great idea. I keep trying to do the home management notebook but it gets so big and crowded. This might be a better idea for me!
Glennda says
I like your idea! The home management binder didn’t work for me either. My problem was I simply didn’t want to take the time to open it, lol. I went with a “command center” where I have a white board for notes, a calendar and report covers with various information in them. I like the idea of separate binders, though. I think I’ll have to do that for a prayer journal and recipes!
Sharon says
Great idea! I’ll have to remember to pick up some binders while they are on sale.
Jennifer @ Clutching to the Vine says
This is a good idea. I really like your graphics on each of your binders, too.