[TrinMama]

Originally Posted by mom2chrisnluke

I really want to do a Home Notebook but I am way to scatter brained to sort through all the ideas. I am also a very visual person and I am wondering if anyone would be willing to take a picture of their book? Maybe some of the pages and how you organized it? Also what sections would you say are most important to start with? I am thinking of building one a few sections at a time. I am very unorganized when it comes to papers, bills, school work, ect. It is just all over the place. I really want to work on this problem this year. I am hoping this thread will motivate me!

I am super scatter-brained, too. It's been all I can do today to just focus on the 4-6 pages I worked on today for my planner. I feel looney now and will probably actually turn OFF the computer soon, for the night. That is something I never do.

Anyway, I'll take a picture tomorrow. But I am starting with these most important things that I always wish I had more organized:
**contact #s, both emergency and frequently used, which will just be in the front for easy reference;
**important dates for our family (birthdays and anniversaries)--this is something that will be filed with my 'family' section;
**a master grocery list for everything we need regularly to keep our fridge, freezer, and pantry stocked--will be referenced often as I check what I need to buy soon--and a weekly grocery list that has the staples I buy every.single.week with room for extra additions (this will be kept with my food section for menu planning and recipes to try);
**a section for keeping our $$ matters organized (like credit card info incase they are stolen)
**a section for our medical info
**a section that will change based on current needs, and right now, that will be moving information

Originally Posted by monkeylicious

mom2chrisnluke - i had bookmarked the first blog entry for reference in making my home notebook... the others i just found doing a search - tons out there and also lots of sites with printables.

http://growinginpeace.wordpress.com/...eeping-binder/

http://homekeepingheart.xanga.com/49...ping-notebook/

http://suchtreasures.com/2006/06/29/...hold-notebook/

now I have more to look through!

Originally Posted by KatieMae

I think a good first-step is deciding what you really need to access on a frequent basis. Bills that have been paid can go to the depths of my filing cabinet, for example, but I need a "favorite meals" list so it's easier for me to meal-plan each week.

Just start in one area & build up from there

Yup, I'm with you on the favorite meals bit, and the easiest meals, too. I have recipes scattered in so many places, I really need them in only one or two. Right now they are in a binder, on loose papers, in my bookmarks folder on the computer, in my email folder for recipes, and in a binder. Oh yeah, and the magazines I have stashed away. It's a wonder I can plan for a month, much less a week, in less than 4 hours!