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Angel
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| Posted: July 26 2007 at 7:20pm | IP Logged
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I'm only about a year late, but in this last month before the baby comes I am really thinking that a home management organizational system of some sort -- like the notebooks in this threador something similar taken apart and posted on the refrigerator or a bulletin board (or possibly both)-- might be a good idea. My mother and my mil are both coming to help when the baby arrives, and dh has already been taking over in many areas that used to be mine, such as the grocery shopping, so I think it might make their lives easier if I codify my knowledge and our routines and post or collect them somewhere. Then, too, the more children we add the more I am finding that I cannot hold all the tasks that need to be done in my brain every day.
Anyway, I was wondering if those of you who have been using home management notebooks or who made them in response to the blogs of several months (a year?) ago are still using them, if you've tweaked anything, if you don't use a portion of the notebook you thought you'd use... if they've simplified your lives and the lives of your family in the way you expected them to?
--Angela
Three Plus Two
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mellyrose
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| Posted: July 26 2007 at 10:26pm | IP Logged
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I'm currently working on a home management binder . . .
but one thing I did a few years ago was post the details of things right where they happened. for instance, I typed up a description on how to do laundry (mainly for the cloth diapers) and posted it on the wall next to the dryer. This way, DH could do laundry and not tell me he didn't know how (LOL).
I also posted a sheet in the pantry with a rundown of what belongs on what shelf & also used a sharpie to number each shelf on the edge (ie. I keep baking goods on shelf 5, snacks on shelf 2, cereal on shelf 1, etc. etc.) This helped so anyone could help put groceries away.
I labeled the shelves and bins in the playroom, so anyone could help the boys put away their toys.
I don't have a laundry sheet up anymore, but the pantry and playroom labeling are still in use after 3/4 years.
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Melanie in AZ
Colin (11/00), Nate (05/02), Lydia (04/07)
My Little Patch of Sunshine
Pictures of our Life
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marihalojen
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| Posted: July 27 2007 at 7:18am | IP Logged
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I was talking last week with an IRL friend about the Household Management Notebooks and she showed me a different system that she likes as it is easy to delegate to others. Basically she has organized everything in a recipe box and hands out the index cards to various children to complete. All instructions are on the card from materials needed (windex and paper towels) to little hints and tips (wipe vertically inside, horizontally outside).
Just another idea...
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~Jennifer
Mother to Mariannna, age 13
The Mari Hal-O-Jen
SSR = Sailing, Snorkling, Reading
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Maryan
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| Posted: July 27 2007 at 7:44am | IP Logged
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Hey -- both neat ideas! Especially as my oldest starts to read and can read a check off list for his chores!
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Maryan
Mom to 6 boys & 1 girl: JP('01), B ('03), M('05), L('06), Ph ('08), M ('10), James born 5/1/12
A Lee in the Woudes
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: July 27 2007 at 4:55pm | IP Logged
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I'm also interested in hearing from moms who did these way back. Are you still using them? I'm still debating whether or not to take this project on!
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Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and  due 9/10
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: July 27 2007 at 5:37pm | IP Logged
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I only started doing the home management binder in February or so, but it has been an absolute lifesaver several times over. I made mine incredibly basic to start with - that way I can add as I go, rather than have unused sections. I'm going to give it another month or so, then I want to officially label each section and put a nice piece of artwork on the divider page, just for pizzaz.
I started with these sections: philosophy of life/parenting/education (ie Mother's Rule) which included a comprehensive, all-on-one-page daily, weekly and monthly schedule for schoolwork (myself), household cleaning, errands, planned child activities; household care (instructions for each room, cleaning supplies used, other pertinent house information); medical information for myself and my son; financial information (basic outline, included detailed budget - separate small notebook for details and important papers); ongoing list of projects and goals.
I've added a section on "Faith" - this includes a philosophy of sorts which notes why we are Catholic and how our faith permeates our lives as well as a fold-out Liturgical year calendar, noting the primary feast days relevant to our family, as well as seasons and general plans for both seasons and the feast days.
I've also added a nutrition section which still in progress. Ultimately, I want to have menu plans for each liturgical season as well as several week's worth of menus that each month, I can mix up the weeks and have the menus in place along with grocery shopping lists.
The whole thing is definitely still in use. I'm just trying to keep it simple rather than something that is so full, I never use it. Now I just need to find a permanent place for it to LAY open - not closed up and put on a bookshelf, but something that lays open on the counter or other similar location all the time. It's just easier that way than constantly finding room for it.
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ShawnaB
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| Posted: July 27 2007 at 10:35pm | IP Logged
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I absolutely LOVE Melanie's idea of posting directions nearby the place where they are needed! So smart!
I do not keep one homekeeping binder, as I run into the same challege as CatholicMommy in that it takes a lot of room to keep a binder open, and a closed binder doesn't do me much good.
I do keep a number of special binders for specific purposes. My Meal Planning Binderis one that I use throughout the week. I also keep a school planning binder that I reference when I sit down to plan (which I usually do about a week or two in advance) The School Binder has a road map for the year, book lists, lists of ideas and activities for unit studies, etc.
When our "twins" came home, I was blessed with many helping hands. At that time, I sat down a made a list of daily and weekly household chores, and a list of "extra" jobs that pretty much constantly needed to be done (pick up toys, gather laundry, take out diaper trash, etc.). I posted these lists right above our telephone area so that when helpful hands arrived, I could refer them to the lists. They could work on the "uncheck" items.
Now, I carry a clipboard. On it I keep my daily schedule, and a variety of lists, including a running shopping list, a daily to-do list of chores, calls to make, etc., a daily or weekly lesson plan. I don't have a fancy form for each, just a few sheets of lined paper that I can replace as needed. Each night, I try to update my clipboard for the next day, looking over my lists, and making new ones. Its not very pretty, but it is very simple, and it works for me.
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Shawna, wife of Jacob, mom to Abraham 8 Amelia 5 and Jillian & Jonathan age 3 years http://www.psalm121family.com
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Home Management Notebooks Revisited
