Do you have a home manager binder - Page 9

[MommyMichele]

Originally Posted by momofmine

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

Yep!

[sabrinat]

Originally Posted by 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.

I think the key is to figure out and tweak it so it works for you. It can be as complicated or as simple as you want it to be. I find that liberating. I might not put my Homeschool stuff in it...but then again, mine is big and I have sections for every family member.
I can just say that my book has changed and expanded over the course of my using it. I keep post it w/it and when I think of things that I want to add or change I make a note of them.
You might try streamlining your paper and seeing if some things can work for more than one thing.

[MyOcean]

Does anyone use a palm pilot? I like the idea of being able to download stuff from it to my computer. I am not good with paper. I have a huge box of stuff that needs to be organized. I also like being able to carry it in my purse so I have it when I'm making a appointment at the doctor, etc.

If you have used one before is it hard to learn? I am only slightly computer literate

TIA

[Justmee]

Yes, I do. I really like ie. Can't really expand more now, but I'll try to pop in tomorrow.

[sabrinat]

I noticed a few recent people asking about home management binder so I thought I'd give this a bump.

[KTinNYC]

Exciting ideas!

I'm in the process of going through the Getting Things Done Fast seminar mp3s and forms, which has been great for helping me relax a bit about all the STUFF I have to accomplish. An HMB ties in well, I think. I've already got some of the supplies reclaimed from old school binders (do I really need to hold on to those histology lecture notes???). I'm also going to be doing the 43 files system, although I need to find a space for my filing cabinets that is accessible.

Next step: Create my desk! It is literally walled in with a bookshelf and a wardrobe, and is now home to my turntables, which I've only gotten around to using maybe 1x/year since I got them. Without a space for *me*, there is no space for any of my organizational materials, because they just won't stay put. Ah, the joys of living with other people. But, I have a plan, so it WILL get done!

[PatienceAndLove]

I started a HMB, but then things got crazy with me and school, DH and school, LO and custody, packing to move, etc...
I am thinking that I am just going to let the HMB go for now and institute it when we get to the new apartment- which will be a vastly smaller space, so I will NEED the HMB.

[captain crunchy]

I had a home management binder and never used it So now, I have a simple notebook with sections that I jot down things I need to do, or remember etc. I open the book and use the sheet on the left and right (when opened) and put "for the week of ..." Then I keep a highlighter and a pen. I don't have a chore list or anything, and do things pretty much as needed -- but I will put reminders in my notebook.

I also have a dry erase calendar I created that is on my fridge which works well with my notebook.

So for example, it may look like:

Meals for the week <-- highlighted
meal
meal
meal .. etc (with a reminder on the dry erase board)


or.... So and So's birthday 6-15 send card!

Highlighting subjects such as meals or a date to call someone during the week helps me see things at a glance -- and doing it just weekly helps me stay organized because I don't have such a busy life that I can't stay on top of one week at a time kwim?


things like that-- it is sort of a weekly to-do list by week. I am probably not explaining it clearly, but it works for me better than a big binder with lots of stuff.

For the other things I don't need every day, we have an accordian file folder that I file things in, but that is myday-to-day system.

[MommyMichele]

Originally Posted by captain crunchy

..I have a simple notebook with sections that I jot down things I need to do, or remember etc. ...

That makes a lot of sense to me! I've been struggling with USING the notebook. Another plus to your notebook method, if I understand it, is that you have a journal of your life too. Journaling is important to me, so I would use it to write down things I want to remember that the kids say or do. As unschoolers, I feel the need to record things as they happen.

Thanks for sharing!

[meandk0610]

Originally Posted by KTinNYC

Exciting ideas!

I'm in the process of going through the Getting Things Done Fast seminar mp3s and forms, which has been great for helping me relax a bit about all the STUFF I have to accomplish.

do you have a link for this?

[captain crunchy]

Originally Posted by MommyMichele

That makes a lot of sense to me! I've been struggling with USING the notebook. Another plus to your notebook method, if I understand it, is that you have a journal of your life too. Journaling is important to me, so I would use it to write down things I want to remember that the kids say or do. As unschoolers, I feel the need to record things as they happen.

Thanks for sharing!

Cool thanks...

Yes, my binder was beautiful but never used! This works so much better for me!

[ikesmom]

My HMB turned into my coupon album. I put the baseball card plastic insert things and dividers for each section, items ect. I keep the sales ads in a sleeve.

I have had 4 people stop and ask me where I got it and I laugh. Its just a blue binder with inserts. I still keep all my contacts info, a calender, b-day list, pencil case, stamps, ect. It's funny when someone says I wish I had a pair of scissors and I whip out a large and small pair.

[KTinNYC]

Originally Posted by sarahlyao

do you have a link for this?

Mmm... rrrrrr.... no. I'm on SoulSeek though

[PatienceAndLove]

MY favorite comic ran a funny sunday panel on having a clean house.
Enjoy!
http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=2840

[momofmine]

I am back because I still need help with paper! I just have so much paper that is sort of "in process". Things that I need to refer to plan for the week, month, etc. How would you set this up?

I have tended to use the notebook system like captain crunchy was talking about. I just write everything down that I need to remember in a notebook, but the problem is that I have lists or running projects that go beyond a week at a time. For example, we homeschool, so lists of things my older child wants to do (like items currently on his list are: have a lemonade stand, learn about aerodynamics, and enter this photo contest). Lists of books to check out from teh library, or ideas for math games.

Then there is planning stuff, like planning for my 4 yr old's upcoming b'day. I need to make an invite list, keep track of people as they RSVP, plan food, keep track of what I need to do, etc. Or planning ahead for things like home improvement projects, lik epainting the bathroom or sanding the deck.

Then there are schedules like rehearsals and soccer and upcoming camps, etc.

Then there are notes to myself that I just eant to refer to later. Like, for example, I was reading on MDC about healthier, organic pillows, and I wanted to make a note. I'm not ready to buy a pillow, but I have been thinking about getting new pillows, and I want to refer to it when I need it, so just a quick note about the type and the website. Or health issues that I am researching.

meal plans for the week, shopping lists

Then there are notes about my part time work (I work from home), ideas, goals, etc, about things I want to accomplish in that.

Aackk. I really don't think it would be that hard, if I just had a better way to keep track of it so that I oculd put the piece of paper/note in the right place from the start, instead of having a bunch of random notes all over creation.

Please, someone help me! I'm in a state of paper confusion!

[sabrinat]

I'm no expert, but here's what I'm doing and it seems to be working. First off I have 2 notebooks. One for the kids (all their stuff, schedules etc.) and one for everything else. I found that separating them was very helpful to me, especially since I have 4 kids and it was getting to be a lot of stuff.
Also, look at the tools you use, I'm big on forms and subject dividers. I have a monthly calendar, a weekly one, a daily one and then a list for long term projects and a date to try and finish them. I also have a master shopping list, a weekly meal plan sheet and a master house cleaning schedule. I guess in my mind my notebook is more about organization than paper reduction. Every paper I have in there helps me stay focused and organized. I have tweaked it and tweaked it. When I realize I need something I add it, when I don't need something, I take it away. If you checked out the early post that links to the blog with all the notebooks, you'll see that some of them are huge.I think you probably just need a system for how you have it organized and all to decide what forms/papers you really need.
I don't think it should be hard...in fact at this point, I find the notebook easy and invaluable.

Originally Posted by momofmine

I am back because I still need help with paper! I just have so much paper that is sort of "in process". Things that I need to refer to plan for the week, month, etc. How would you set this up?

I have tended to use the notebook system like captain crunchy was talking about. I just write everything down that I need to remember in a notebook, but the problem is that I have lists or running projects that go beyond a week at a time. For example, we homeschool, so lists of things my older child wants to do (like items currently on his list are: have a lemonade stand, learn about aerodynamics, and enter this photo contest). Lists of books to check out from teh library, or ideas for math games.

Then there is planning stuff, like planning for my 4 yr old's upcoming b'day. I need to make an invite list, keep track of people as they RSVP, plan food, keep track of what I need to do, etc. Or planning ahead for things like home improvement projects, lik epainting the bathroom or sanding the deck.

Then there are schedules like rehearsals and soccer and upcoming camps, etc.

Then there are notes to myself that I just eant to refer to later. Like, for example, I was reading on MDC about healthier, organic pillows, and I wanted to make a note. I'm not ready to buy a pillow, but I have been thinking about getting new pillows, and I want to refer to it when I need it, so just a quick note about the type and the website. Or health issues that I am researching.

meal plans for the week, shopping lists

Then there are notes about my part time work (I work from home), ideas, goals, etc, about things I want to accomplish in that.

Aackk. I really don't think it would be that hard, if I just had a better way to keep track of it so that I oculd put the piece of paper/note in the right place from the start, instead of having a bunch of random notes all over creation.

Please, someone help me! I'm in a state of paper confusion!

[stayinghome]

Here's how i organize. Each girl has their own folder. All of their papers from school, activites, sports, etc goes into them. I also have a wall calender which has our appts on it, like dentist and such. I need more space then the daily square on the calender provides though, so every sunday i sit down and make a weekly calender on the computer. I add some clip art to make it cute, like say a pumpkin in october. I'll check the calender for appts that i need to make note of, check the girls folders for any important dates, and also check in with dh to check his schedule and write that on. There is also a spot for meals for that week and a to-do list spot, where i write down things i need to get done that week. This paper goes on the fridge, where we can all check it.

As for grocery lists, i have a small notebook that has a little pocket where i can put coupons. When i notice we're out of something, i write it down in there. Dh does too.

The only issue i have yet to figure out is how to make appts outside the house. Like if i am at the doctors and need to make another appt. the wall calender is too big to lug around everywhere, but pocket calenders are a pain too because i would have to write everything from the wall one to the pocket one. Seems like a waste of time.

[momofmine]

Originally Posted by sabrinat

I'm no expert, but here's what I'm doing and it seems to be working. First off I have 2 notebooks. One for the kids (all their stuff, schedules etc.) and one for everything else. I found that separating them was very helpful to me, especially since I have 4 kids and it was getting to be a lot of stuff.
Also, look at the tools you use, I'm big on forms and subject dividers. I have a monthly calendar, a weekly one, a daily one and then a list for long term projects and a date to try and finish them. I also have a master shopping list, a weekly meal plan sheet and a master house cleaning schedule. I guess in my mind my notebook is more about organization than paper reduction. Every paper I have in there helps me stay focused and organized. I have tweaked it and tweaked it. When I realize I need something I add it, when I don't need something, I take it away. If you checked out the early post that links to the blog with all the notebooks, you'll see that some of them are huge.I think you probably just need a system for how you have it organized and all to decide what forms/papers you really need.
I don't think it should be hard...in fact at this point, I find the notebook easy and invaluable.

Okay this is what I needed. Thank you so much, and I just saw the pics on your blog too. I was trying to keep my calendar/contacts/planner book separate, but then I would jot down random notes in it and you know how that goes. Nothing would get written down in a place that it needed to be to use it. This is what I needed to hear though. I need to write things down so that I will actually use it later, like the lists of books to get from the library or the homeimprovement projects I want to tackle. If I don't have it organized in a way that I can use it for planning, it will never happen.

Do you take your notebook around with you? I was using a separate planner that I could take around with me, with my calendar and contacts and daily agenda, but it sounds like you don't have a seperate thing for that.

I'm amazed actually that you have that much in there, I was thinking all that would not fit!

Thank you. I'm going to get to work on it tonight!

[sabrinat]

Originally Posted by momofmine

Okay this is what I needed. Thank you so much, and I just saw the pics on your blog too. I was trying to keep my calendar/contacts/planner book separate, but then I would jot down random notes in it and you know how that goes. Nothing would get written down in a place that it needed to be to use it. This is what I needed to hear though. I need to write things down so that I will actually use it later, like the lists of books to get from the library or the homeimprovement projects I want to tackle. If I don't have it organized in a way that I can use it for planning, it will never happen.

Do you take your notebook around with you? I was using a separate planner that I could take around with me, with my calendar and contacts and daily agenda, but it sounds like you don't have a seperate thing for that.

I'm amazed actually that you have that much in there, I was thinking all that would not fit!

Thank you. I'm going to get to work on it tonight!

You're welcome

[JERENAUD]

Originally Posted by momofmine

For example, we homeschool, so lists of things my older child wants to do (like items currently on his list are: have a lemonade stand, learn about aerodynamics, and enter this photo contest). Lists of books to check out from teh library, or ideas for math games.

Perhaps your child is too old for this, but I'll share what we've started using with my nearly 5 year old. Whenever we come across an idea (from a book, from her head, an idea of mine, anything) I write it down on an index card. The index cards are stored in a name tag holder from a conference that has two sections. The blank cards and those requiring materials we don't have (yet) go inside. The 'active possibilities' ones go in the outside pouch. She can choose whichever of those she wants to do each day. Every so often I go through the hidden away ones and make lists of things that we need (ie ingredients for baking) and then those activities get moved to the front.

It makes sense in my head... let me know if I didn't write it out clearly enough! The idea was both to remember things that she's said she wants to do and to make sure that we have necessary items for said projects.

Erica