What else is out there that's similar to Motivated Moms?

[Kyla]

We will be moving soon to a brand new, never been lived in, house. I have decided to start this house out right. My current one is stuffed full to the brim with junk and is impossible to ever completely clean, so I just don't .

We have already decided that anything that can't be put away out of sight, will not be moving with us, but I need a plan. I do NOT like fly lady, and truthfully, we will already be decluttered, what I need is a plan to stay that way.

I REALLY like the look of Motivated Moms. I like checklists, I like simple broken down tasks, and I like being reminded of little things that I'd never think of like clean my toaster. I am 90% sold on purchasing the Motivated Moms book, but before I commit, I want to make sure there's nothing else out there that I'd like better.

The main two things I'd want to change about Motivated Moms are;

To make it prettier, it is very plain looking, and I'd like something with almost an identical format, (LOVE LOVE LOVE the weekly full page look with the daily tasks on the side with a daily checkmark) but maybe some colour or swirly designs down the side or SOMETHING of visual interest.

To be able to customize it on the computer BEFORE I print it out. I know myself, I will be far more motivated to complete a task that looks official than something haphazardly written in after the fact. It's an odd quirk I'm sure, but something important to me.


Does anyone know of any other systems out there that would work for me? I'm willing to pay extra if it gets me something that suits my needs perfectly

[brittneyscott]

Have you considered making your own binder to organize things? There are a few threads around here for "home management binders" that might help. Then you can make it pretty and customize anyway you want to. Here are some websites with printables:
www.organizedhome.com
www.donnayoung.org
www.chartjungle.com
www.delightinreallife.com

[Kyla]

I've actually tried a couple times, though I'm going to go look through your links right now and see if they have any new ideas for me. I just get very overwhelmed at the idea of figuring out how to organize an entire years schedule like that.

I really liked having everything figured out for me already, but be able to just go through it, make the few changes I need to and then print it all out at once, stick it in my binder and not have to think about it again other than following the lists.

I've written down simple weekly lists for myself often, Monday do the bathroom, Tuesday do the dusting type deals, but I never include all the little stuff and I really want to have all the big chores broken up and spread out without having to do the work of figuring out the schedule myself.

Yes, I really am that lazy

[fancyoats]

i got the motivated moms book printed and bound at fedex/kinko's -- maybe they would have options for printing it on fancy paper or pretty stationery? maybe more expensive, though

[Kyla]

Hmmmm, printing it out on pretty paper is definitely doable. I like that idea, thank you. Now if I can just figure out how to customize it before I print it I will be perfectly happy.

[Kyla]

I'm definitely putting it in a 3 ring binder rather than getting it bound. I do intend on using this as a jumping off spot for a full blown household binder. I've been scrolling through all sorts of beautiful binders on zazzle.com.

[maddymama]

What about printing off your changes on address/mailing labels and then just sticking them on the page? If you printed on a clear label, it might work. Might be hard to check off, though...
~maddymama
p.s. I love MM, despite it's less than beautiful format....

[Kyla]

Dh says he has software that converts PDF files to word documents, so I can convert it, make my changes and print it off from there onto pretty paper and be very happy with the results. So unless I can find another brilliant system that I like better, I think I've found my winner

Thanks for helping me talk it through if nothing else

Though I'm still very open to new suggestions. I will be scouring the internet for the next 2 weeks until we move.

[Kyla]

I found this;

http://www.theprojectgirl.com/tag/weekly-planner/

It looks very similar to the motivated moms format and is completely free if anyone else out there is interested

[craftymum]

I think the Project Girl planner is $12.99.

There are some resources here that might help
http://organizedhome.com/household-n...rintable-pages

And I forgot the lovely http://simplemom.net/ - loads of downloads here, I like her Daily Docket (I think it's called that!).

[Kyla]

oops, I thought it was under the free download section. Sorry. The problem I have with most of the free downloadable pages on those sites is that they require me to know how to fill them out. I need something that just tells me what to do and when to do it and gives me an easy visual to see what I've accomplished over the day and week.

[Knittin' in the Shade]

I put together my own binder/checklist, I call it my brain files. You're free to download and copy/edit at will! http://www.littleturtleknits.com/brain_files.zip FWIW, I now use that same list of tasks, but have transferred it to my smartphone (droid eris, I set the tasks online at toodledo and then the app for it on my phone is Got to Do Lite If you wanted, you could just use toodledo (it's free) and keep the lists online and check off there - it's awesome becuase you can set daily, weekly, bi-weekly and monthly tasks. As soon as you check off a task, it resets for the next due date, so your task list is maintenance-free once you get it all into the system.

[Kyla]

Your brain files are very pretty

[Knittin' in the Shade]

Thanks! I realized that hving it pretty was part of my motivtion - I actually didn't mind looking at it when it was all spiffed up

[Kyla]

I've been looking through all the free printable stationary out there. I figure I can make it pretty for cheap that way But I agree, I need to WANT to look at it in order to consistently use it.

What I really want to do is do each page a different background from the different seasonal pages here http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=h...CcSg_AbctYmECQ but that would be too much work to ask Dh to do and he'll have to print it out at work, and he's limited to black and white anyways, so I'm looking for a nice black and white border now.

[astrophe27]

I use this.

http://www.lets-clean-up.com/

A.

[MommyDOK]

great thread...thanks for posting. I agree on the pretty part and the adding a handwritten note. I never knew other people thought like l did.

Do any of these programs have a place you can add something and it figures it out for you (I don't mind paying a little extra). For example: my dog needs a nail clipping every 3 weeks and I put that in some field and the program adds it to every third week?? DOes that make sense??

thanks!