Do you have a home manager binder - Page 8

[AidynElyMama]

Subbing for some great ideas. I have had a HMB for awhile now, but I'm looking to expand it further this year and I have a feeling this thread is going to be a lifesaver!

[CeciMami]

Just found this thread and I have a feeling that a binder is in my future!

[AidynElyMama]

I've been working on mine all this last week, revamping and updating. I already had my own version of The Brain Files, but I loved the idea of using a dry erase marker to simplify them. Now I never forget where I'm at or what's been done. I added sections and folders for each member in my family (including the dog), and even let the kids help me personalize the covers of theirs with some sweet drawings. Even my DH has gotten involved and when he was looking for a document went straight to the binder for it without *gasp* asking me where it was.

Right now I'm trying to find a great template online for meal planning. I want one with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack entries for an entire week. So far, no luck, so I may have to just work one up myself on Excell. Do any of you know of one that's good?

[greenmansions]

Originally Posted by AidynElyMama

...
Right now I'm trying to find a great template online for meal planning. I want one with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack entries for an entire week. So far, no luck, so I may have to just work one up myself on Excell. Do any of you know of one that's good?

There is one a mama posted here on MDC awhile ago that is quite good. I'll try to find a link, but maybe someone else remembers who posted it. I saved a copy in Word to use (with her copyright mark on it still) so I could email you one if you wanted it... PM me with your email if you're interested.

[sabrinat]

I'm really thrilled with mine and so glad I started using it. I think I will work on posting it on my blog this week. I've tweaked it within an inch of it's life, lol!

[Miss Information]

Originally Posted by AidynElyMama

I've been working on mine all this last week, revamping and updating. I already had my own version of The Brain Files, but I loved the idea of using a dry erase marker to simplify them. Now I never forget where I'm at or what's been done. I added sections and folders for each member in my family (including the dog), and even let the kids help me personalize the covers of theirs with some sweet drawings. Even my DH has gotten involved and when he was looking for a document went straight to the binder for it without *gasp* asking me where it was.

Right now I'm trying to find a great template online for meal planning. I want one with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack entries for an entire week. So far, no luck, so I may have to just work one up myself on Excell. Do any of you know of one that's good?

Maybe you could use this for an idea (I don't know if you've seen this one), and modify it?

http://delightinreallife.com/delightfuldinners.pdf

[ashleep]

I dont know if this has been posted yet, but this site is awesome for printable lists and pages. http://organizedhome.com/printable-p...eworks-planner

I just got my binder and materials yesterday. I am very hopeful this works for me. I was never taught how to run a home as a child/teen b/c my mom was a single mom w/ 2 jobs and poor organizational skills of her own. I always saw people w/ their act together and secretly mocked them : for spending so much time cleaning, etc and not having fun. When in reality I spent more time cleaning (and it never looked good b/c I am not efficient/organized!) and less time doing fun stuff. I want my kids to learn to be efficient, so I need to learn to be too.

Kinda rambly today. lol

[momofmine]

Originally Posted by ashleep

I dont know if this has been posted yet, but this site is awesome for printable lists and pages. http://organizedhome.com/printable-p...eworks-planner

I just got my binder and materials yesterday. I am very hopeful this works for me. I was never taught how to run a home as a child/teen b/c my mom was a single mom w/ 2 jobs and poor organizational skills of her own. I always saw people w/ their act together and secretly mocked them for spending so much time cleaning, etc and not having fun. When in reality I spent more time cleaning (and it never looked good b/c I am not efficient/organized!) and less time doing fun stuff. I want my kids to learn to be efficient, so I need to learn to be too.

Kinda rambly today. lol

Thanks for that link! There are a lot of good pages to print out there. I feel the exact same way. I feel like I never really learned how to be organized, or how to run a home. In work situations in the past, I have been capable of being efficient and productive, so why can't I do it at home? I think it's because in a work setting there was always an external structure for me, and so now I have to create that for myself in regards to being a mom and being in charge of stuff at home. I say it's because I'm spontaneous, and I want to be able to do things whenever with my kids, etc, etc, but really being disorganized costs me more time putting out fires and searching for lost papers. I am really going to work on this! It is not going to just happen!
Thanks!

[sabrinat]

Originally Posted by ashleep

I dont know if this has been posted yet, but this site is awesome for printable lists and pages. http://organizedhome.com/printable-p...eworks-planner

I just got my binder and materials yesterday. I am very hopeful this works for me. I was never taught how to run a home as a child/teen b/c my mom was a single mom w/ 2 jobs and poor organizational skills of her own. I always saw people w/ their act together and secretly mocked them for spending so much time cleaning, etc and not having fun. When in reality I spent more time cleaning (and it never looked good b/c I am not efficient/organized!) and less time doing fun stuff. I want my kids to learn to be efficient, so I need to learn to be too.

Kinda rambly today. lol

Yes it has, but it's worth posting again. I'm all for the free printables.
I really think you'll find that the binder is helpful if you use it. Keep it out somewhere where it's accessible to you every day. Don't be surprised if you have to revamp it a few times. I'm on my 3rd revision of a few of my items. Plus I find some things I needed to add to work for our family.

[CitizenStar]

Great thread! Tons of ideas!!!

subbing....

[unlegal]

:

[Momma2DoubleCuties]

Ohhh...I've gotta get some ink for my printer so I can get started on my book!!

[viking]

update us on your new homemanagment-binder, please :)

how are the binders working out for those of you who started using them the last couple of months?

would you mind updating us on how the process has been for you? personal experiences, individual twists, ups n downs, tricks n tips for others reading this thread, etc

[aratiaw]

I am using the meal planning section a bit, mainly for storing ideas. The routines and cleaning sections get a look in; they are good to refer to when I feel up to planning ahead. The sewing section just has my to do list, but again, it's good to know where it is when I need it. I know where to find a stamp next time I need one. Building a HMB that really works efficiently is a slow process, I'm finding, but the little parts I am using are still worth it.

[Miss Information]

Originally Posted by viking

how are the binders working out for those of you who started using them the last couple of months?

would you mind updating us on how the process has been for you? personal experiences, individual twists, ups n downs, tricks n tips for others reading this thread, etc

I know exactly where I need to go to find my family calendar - and I have MS Publisher so I have been putting appointments, school schedules, etc on the calendar so that I know what already is booked up.. I use that part a lot.

Also, I have telephone numbers handy there too (like for the doctor's and school's phone numbers etc).

As far as cleaning schedules go, I tend to hit the areas that need help most rather than do them by a prescribed day. I'm simply not at a point where I can go systematically through things. But, I do follow my morning and evening routines that I have listed - those are the bare minimum essentials that I need to do in order to make the day function at a minimum (ie - don't go to bed before running the dishwasher, throw at least one load of clothes in the washer in the morning - that kind of stuff).

I do like my activity tracker - a combined list of things to do/what I have accomplished. It shows me on one page what was going on that day that I couldn't get done what I had to get done. I think that is the most useful form I created.

I find it hard to remember what I did two days ago, but having it written down tells me, oh, yeah, I went back and forth to school 4 times, and I ran my dd2 to her neuropsych appt, and that's why I didn't accomplish much.

Since today is Sunday, it would really behoove me to plan meals for this week in advance. I have 2 neuropsych appts, and knowing me, if I don't think about what to make tomorrow and Thursday, most likely I will probably be struggling to throw something together at the last minute or getting take out (which I hate to do).

[sabrinat]

Mine is working pretty well and I plan to do a blog post on it as soon as I finish up some sewing projects. I love it and although I'm not perfectly organized, I'm finding the running of my home much easier.

[momofmine]

I started making a HMB, but my energy faded, and I think I am trying to make it too complicated. I just have SO much paper to keep up with. I thought about making several different binders, but I wonder if I am making it too complicated. Is anyone including homeschooling stuff in their HMB? I have so much paper related to that (notes of things the kids want to do, books to get at the library, activities like a recipe for homemade play dough just as an example).

I am wondering how to divide it up. I was thinking about having a binder that is more for household business and the running of the home, and then one for homeschooling.

What do your sections look like? And does anyone have several binders for the different areas of their life? I also work from home, and am thinking I need a binder for that too.

[MommyMichele]

I've been making several notebooks. I have these:

Planning (for homeschool)
Family Health (for articles and info)
Current Events (to store papers for current projects, like shopping for something new, or making notes about something)
Places (where I store directions I've printed out to various locations)
Coupons/store info
Education (articles I printed out when I was researching homeschooling that I wanted to save)
Numbers (phone, addresses, etc)
and a few others I can't see at the moment

I'm still working it out!

[alcabel05]

This has been so helpful!

[momofmine]

Originally Posted by MommyMichele

I've been making several notebooks. I have these:

Planning (for homeschool)
Family Health (for articles and info)
Current Events (to store papers for current projects, like shopping for something new, or making notes about something)
Places (where I store directions I've printed out to various locations)
Coupons/store info
Education (articles I printed out when I was researching homeschooling that I wanted to save)
Numbers (phone, addresses, etc)
and a few others I can't see at the moment

I'm still working it out!

So do you mean you have a separate binder for each of those?