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Dawn
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Has anyone read Sidetracked Home Executives: From Pigpen to Paradise? This book is hilarious! It was written in 1977 by two sisters (known as the slob sisters  ) who reformed themselves from SHEs (sidetracked home executives), into happily organized housewives. They propose an index card system which sounds interesting, and I believe Flylady modeled her system after theirs.
I'm not sure I'm ready to plunge into a whole new planning system, but at the very least it is a very funny read with excellent organizing ideas! 
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Dawn, mum to 3 boys 
By Sun and Candlelight
The Nature Corner
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amyable
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Their card file idea was the only system that really worked around here (when we did it  )
I don't remember much about the book, but it did work better for us than flylady!
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Amy
mom of 5, ages 6-16, and happy wife of 
The Highly Sensitive Homeschooler
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JennGM
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S.H.E. is the inspiration behind FlyLady. Before the internet, S.H.E. and the index cards saved my mother. She had things running in tip-top condition -- the best she ever did in her life. And she was (temporarily) a single mom with 7 children, sold her house, moved from LA to VA and it was so much easier because she had the kids involved in the running of the house and she had a handle on things.
Imagine, having a reminder coming up in the index file to vacuum the coils of her fridge and doing it. I don't think it happened before except when we had to move it!
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Dawn
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JennGM wrote:
| Before the internet, S.H.E. and the index cards saved my mother. She had things running in tip-top condition -- the best she ever did in her life. |
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amyable wrote:
| Their card file idea was the only system that really worked around here (when we did it ) |
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This is very interesting! It sounds like these cards are really effective. Hmmmm ... I DO have a whole bunch of pastel-colored index cards and dividers AND a small file box, Yes, I'm like a little Staples here - love the office products.
Well, I'm only on chapter 3 so I'll keep reading. This just might become my summer project. 
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Dawn, mum to 3 boys
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JennGM
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My mother had some things she would change now. I'll have to ask. It helps her visually to see ALL on one page jobs expected at the same time. The cards only allowed one job at a time.
I've tried to figure out how to use the computer to make the job easier.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Family in Feast and Feria
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Cay Gibson
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I bought and read this book (and the kitchen book) when Corey was a toddler. I'd sit outside in a lawn chair and read while he played. Just the two of us. Gosh, it seems like only yesterday. How I miss those early mommy years. 
I'm feeling so dog-gone melancoly. 
I remember one day mentioning to my sister-in-law that I was preplanning meals. She thought I was nuts!!! 
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
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Dawn
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Cay Gibson wrote:
| I remember one day mentioning to my sister-in-law that I was preplanning meals. She thought I was nuts!!! |
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Ooh, I haven't reached that part, but I like the sound of it! I'm always coming home from the grocery store with *tons* of groceries and only 1 or 2 suppers among them. 
I think preplanning is key (for me anyway). I am so much more efficient when I think of things well ahead - and write them down - when I'm not being pulled in a million different directions and can think clearly. Then when it's suddenly Wednesday and the day is flying at me I have a way of remembering what I need to do today. I may have to make up that page-a-day planner for myself again because I am literally behind on a million different things.
Sorry I've turned this thread into a personal examination!
Cay, I am also reflecting back as I read this book. I love anything from the 70s because it brings me right back to watching my mum take care of us and our home, and oh, that was such a warm and wonderful time. I really wish to emulate that for my family and in my home.
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Mary Chris
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That is a book I need to pull off the shelf again.  I heard them years ago when they were at the LLL conference in DC. They are so funny!
I ordered their planner, didn't use it, I am not much of a planner person. Now I really regret that it is one of the things I purged when we moved. The pages in their planner are so pretty, a lavendar shade with hearts . I also like that the pages are not dated, so if I use it for a month then not again for a year, I don't feel guilty for throwing all those unused pages away and I can just pick up where I left off. I am planning on re-ordering the guts of their planner system. I know I need to get my act together and I do like their system.
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mom to MacKenzie3/95, Carter 12/97 Ronan 3/00 and wife to Jim since 1/92
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Tina P.
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Can someone explain the index card system? And perhaps, Jenn, how we can improve upon it?
I've planned my meals since I realized that we spend way too much money eating out when I don't!
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JennGM
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Tina P. wrote:
Can someone explain the index card system? And perhaps, Jenn, how we can improve upon it?
I've planned my meals since I realized that we spend way too much money eating out when I don't! |
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Tina, I just asked my mother, and her two observations that she remembers:
1) she's a list person, likes to see the whole picture. The cards showed only one thing at a time. I would think if you enter the cards in the computer (somehow), then ran the printout for the day/week/month that can put them all in one printout would work better for me. I'm a list, see-the-big-picture kind of person, too. That's what frustrates me with FlyLady. I WANT to know what comes next. I want to see how this is planned.
2) When we moved, she had coded all the boxes with her codes, but the movers didn't know what K or CR or BR1 meant. So codes don't help if people can't follow them!
That's all I can remember now....
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Jennifer G. Miller
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teachingmyown
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My favorite story in the book is about when one of the authors went to the zoo with her children. She came home to the police in her home, I think a neighbor had seen a burglar. Well, one police officer went on and on about how the burglar had trashed the place,there was stuff thrown everywhere, he had even eaten their food and left a mess. Of course, the author knew the burglar hadn't trashed anything, it was just as she left it!!!
I just can't get over that one, because we aren't far off of that ourselves a lot of times.
The one thing about that book, was the idea that the SHE is a fun-loving, spur of the moment type who is too busy living life to get it all together. When I look at myself, I am not the organized person who can get it together, but I am not out there having a good time either. You would think I could be one of those things. Instead I am stuck in the middle!
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wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
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teachingmyown
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Dawn wrote:
Ooh, I haven't reached that part, but I like the sound of it! I'm always coming home from the grocery store with *tons* of groceries and only 1 or 2 suppers among them. |
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Me, too! It's really quite puzzling, isn't it?
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Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
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Dawn
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teachingmyown wrote:
| The one thing about that book, was the idea that the SHE is a fun-loving, spur of the moment type who is too busy living life to get it all together. When I look at myself, I am not the organized person who can get it together, but I am not out there having a good time either. You would think I could be one of those things. Instead I am stuck in the middle! |
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I agree, Molly! I just read the story about their "born organized" friend Nancy who stops by to get a laugh because the sisters are good for that - complete chaos all around them (the tea bags lining the counter) and they are happily planning a new daycare scheme at their home ...
See, at least I have the good sense to *despair* at my disorganization!
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PDyer
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JennGM wrote:
| I would think if you enter the cards in the computer (somehow), then ran the printout for the day/week/month that can put them all in one printout would work better for me. I'm a list, see-the-big-picture kind of person, too. That's what frustrates me with FlyLady. I WANT to know what comes next. I want to see how this is planned. |
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Sounds like a job for a database in an Excel spreadsheet, or MS Works, or something like that. Someone who really knows what she's doing could create something in Access, but that's way over my head.
This thread and the other household-related threads have been rolling around in my brain allllll day, and if I didn't have people coming over for dinner in advance of our out-going bishop's retirement/anniversary Mass this evening -- in which my son will be serving! -- I'd be w away at my version of the index cards right now. My brain is feeling rather full...
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ALmom
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Well I loved reading her book. It was a real good comedy! I was encouraged by the fact that I wasn't quite that far gone yet (close but I never hid my dirty dishes in the bathtub) but somehow I never did get to the practical aspects - just read the book and laughed and tried to be a bit more organized for a week or two.
My sis and I laughed till we cried as we read it - both of us being sidetracked for sure.
Janet
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Dawn
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ALmom wrote:
| Well I loved reading her book. It was a real good comedy! I was encouraged by the fact that I wasn't quite that far gone yet (close but I never hid my dirty dishes in the bathtub) but somehow I never did get to the practical aspects - just read the book and laughed and tried to be a bit more organized for a week or two. |
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Janet, this is just how I am looking at it! Things might get crazy around here - but never that crazy!
Anyone who has used the card system, can you tell me a bit about how it worked on a daily basis? I'm like Jenn in that I like seeing the big picture but sometimes I wonder if seeing it all kind of mentally overwhelms me and then I feel like I can't possibly do it all, so why start ... Maybe one small card telling me one or two things only would help simplify things.
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shartlesville
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Hi Everyone,
I am new to the group. My name is Krisann, dh is Cris. We are currently in Roswell, New Mexico. We have 7 living children.
Johnathan David is 20, married to Nikki and in the Army. They are stationed at Ft Riley, Kansas.
Alisha Elizabeth Ann is 18, married to James, and mother of my grandson Auston. They live here in New Mexico but about 3 hours away from us.
Lillyann Olivia Louise ^i^
Emily Faye Elvia is 14 and desperately seeking employment unfortunately no one here will hire until 16 even though they can hire at 14.
Kiraleigh Raquel Kathleen (or Kate now) is 13 and loves all things animal, her room looks like a stuffed zoo. 
Julia Sierra Jordan is 12 and loves everything SpongeBob.
Cristobal Emmanuel Samuel Angel is 3 and gets into everything. There is no safe place to hide anything.
Patrick Henry Joseph Antonio Kruz, otherwise known as Jack is 8.5 months and just starting to get into things, lol.
Oops I hit the post button by mistake! Sorry!!
We have homeschooled since Johnathan was in 2nd grade. We unschool now more than anything but every now and then I start to panic and we pull out *gasp* textbooks.
I was reading all your posts about the index card system and FlyLady. I have been *trying* to use these for the past few years but I keep falling off the wagon, mostly because we keep moving. We moved from PA to NM, then 9 months later we had a flood and had to move to 3 br apt for 3 months, then move back into our house, now 1 year later we moved to the other side of the state.
If you subscribe to Flylady and have a Yahoo! account you can use the Yahoo! calendar feature (on My Yahoo!) which shows the whole day's worth of FlyLady info. You don't have to type in anything except your own personal appointments. If you use Outlook (and possibly others) you can also sync the Yahoo! canlendar with your Outlook one. It won't show the FlyLady stuff on your Outlook calendar, but it will add your personal stuff to the Yahoo! one. It is also a good way to back up your contacts in case of computer problems.
Anyway, it is a way to see all the days items in a list form and it shows them by hour.
I can't wait to *meet* everyone and if anyone knows any homeschoolers in Roswell, please let me know!!
YsiC,
Krisann
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teachingmyown
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Dawn wrote:
See, at least I have the good sense to *despair* at my disorganization!
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Exactly!! Where is their shame!
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Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
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Dawn
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Welcome to the group, Krisann! I'm going to move part of your post to the introductions thread so that those members not following this thread will get to say hi!
shartlesville wrote:
| I have been *trying* to use these for the past few years but I keep falling off the wagon, mostly because we keep moving. |
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I keep falling off too, Krisann! But I don't have the good excuse of constant moving. Just laziness (procrastination? perfectionism?) I fear.
Thanks for the Flylady tips - I still love her system too (and her book is next on my list).
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Dawn, mum to 3 boys
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amyable
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Dawn wrote:
Anyone who has used the card system, can you tell me a bit about how it worked on a daily basis? |
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It's been way too long since I actually used the cards (which still sit in a box on my desk, lol - how's that for laziness AND messiness - a true SHE, huh?) Let's see if I remember what I did and how. I know that after I read the book I devised my *own* similar system, so the details of what I say may not match what the book tells you to do. I'll detail a little of what my filebox/card system was like as I talk about how I used it.
My cards are 4x6 in a filebox with a lid designed to hold that size card (I guess you could use 3x5s, I'm not sure now why I picked the bigger size?). I bought a set of unmarked 4x6 filebox dividers. I marked 7 with the days of the week, 31 more with the numbers 1-31 corresponding to the days of the month, then 12 more with the months of the year on them.
They are set up in the file box like this: Say it is Friday June 23rd. I have today's chores (which I'll get to later) in the very front. Right behind that is the card for Saturday and any chores slated for tomorrow, then the other days of the week with other weekly chore cards slotted behind their assigned days. The next card is the June card followed by the days of the month cards in order 1-31 (I always kept all 31 out no matter how many days in the month - see that laziness comment above, lol). The rest of the months followed in order in the back...July, August, etc up until May.
Now to the cards. I think I remember the SHE book having a certain type of color coding (by frequency of chore, I think?) I did *not* use that. I color coded, but by type of chore. Food/grocery related chores were green, household cleaning chores yellow, personal chores (nail cutting, Bible reading, letter writing, etc) were purple. I found a pink one - "filing". LOL, I'm not sure why that is pink.
Each card has the name of the chore and whatever amount of detail I needed about it. Looking back, I should have used more detail to make sure I did each task to completion. I think I decided to use MORE cards instead of more detail on each card, so that if I only got to half of the after dinner clean up tasks I could still put those cards on the next day, and not have to hold back the whole "kitchen clean up" card. Am I making any sense? If I redo the cards (or make ones for my kids) I will definitely add more detail of what a good job entails.
Other than the chore name, each card has a frequency written on it. Daily, weekly, every three days, 2x month, every 5 months, every Wednesday, whatever. That tells me where to put it in the file box after I've completed it (more on that later). I'd really like to add an "approximate duration" time to these, that helps me personally see what to chose when I have, say, 5 minutes to kill and want to pick something appropriate. That would involve me having some idea of how long things take, which I honestly still don't. (other than putting away the clean dishes. I timed it a few times and it's always under 5 minutes )
Now, I'll take you through a typical day to show how it worked for me.
First thing in the morning (or whenever I got a chance depending on baby needs, etc) I go to the box and take off the card that says today's day (Friday) and put it in back of the other days of the week cards (i.e. right behind where Thursday and any Thursday chores should be). There should now be a nice stack of index cards in the very front. These are the chores I need to do today. I usually flip through them for a minute to familiarize myself and order them how I see fit. I pick out a card to tackle, say "unload dishwasher." That's a daily chore here. I put it in the space behind Saturday, since I'll need to do it again tomorrow. Then I go do the chore (this falls apart when I get sidetracked mid chore, but if I left them out they got all messy, or lost, and that really bugged me! LOL). If I have time I go to the card file again and pick another card. I rifle through to see what interests me or what I have time for - this is enough 'big picture' for me.
Say I pick a 2x week chore next. That would go behind a card a few days away after I took it out, maybe Tuesday. A monthly chore gets put around the date it needs to be done in the # cards in the back, in this case 23. If I get to the 23rd and can't do it that day, I move it up.
That reminds me. In the beginning of the day I make sure that any cards from the current week date numbers (17-24th, for example) are in the FRONT under their day of the week. The days of the week are my mental "workspace" and cards I don't get to are put back under the days of the week on whatever day I think I should tackle it, usually just the next day unless that one looks packed. You can also make up temporary cards for one time to-do list type chores such as "go to the card store" or "Curriculum fair!" as reminders. I guess you would just toss them when done unless you know of another time you'd need them, then you'd put them in your file under that time.
Chores done that don't need to be done for several months get filed under that upcoming month you want to do them again.
Ugh, I'm sorry this is so scattered (this is why I need a chore system ).
Really, all it is for the rest of the day is checking the card file when I have a minute or feel overwhelmed. Seeing a finite amount of cards is very reassuring. The children and dh also occasionally liked to check the box - then they knew how to help out. The girls didn't know how to put a card back in when finished but I bet they'd be better at it now that they are a little older.
I'm going to stop here - I bet I've answered some questions but raised a bunch more. I'm happy to answer anything I can remember!
My dh will be happy that I dusted off the card box to answer this question - he really liked the visual and manipulative aspect of the card system. I'm getting inspired to fire it up again. 
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Amy
mom of 5, ages 6-16, and happy wife of
The Highly Sensitive Homeschooler
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Topic: Are you a S.H.E.?
