Household notebooks

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

[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!

[Codi]

Making and sticking to a home notebook is one of my main goals in 2010.

[TrinMama]

Here is a site with pretty good printables for free! This makes it really easy for anyone who doesn't want to do their own.

http://delightinreallife.com/pages/printables.htm

---------- Post added at 09:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:53 PM ----------

BTW, when I've done more on this tomorrow, I will take a picture. It took up way more time than I expected today.

[ncsweetpea]

Subbing

[Saphirah]

Have you seen this form? I've been using it for a few weeks.

[Gentle Journey]

I wish my stuff was on this comp, but it's on my desk top with no internet, or I'd show you guys. I make all my own sheets in excel. I used stuff from www.keepingthehome.com when I first began. Now I kinds just do my own thing. Once you do it once, it's just tweaking really.

[jblairosu]

[Naxi]

Is everyone aware of this thread, too? http://www.gentlechristianmothers.co...85#post2795685

N

[TrinMama]

So now I'm having a hard time filling it. I had planned to put medical info and vehicle info in it, for example. But right now these are kept in our filing cabinet. I am wondering now which is best...keep them in the filing cabinet, or move them?

Originally Posted by TrinMama

So now I'm having a hard time filling it. I had planned to put medical info and vehicle info in it, for example. But right now these are kept in our filing cabinet. I am wondering now which is best...keep them in the filing cabinet, or move them?

I have our car stuff in the filing cabinet b/c we only touch it three times per year - when we pay the semi-annual insurance & get updated paperwork on that, and when we get new registrations. (The titles are separate though - in our fireproof safe.)

Medical info, on the other hand, is referenced more often so that IS in my binder.

[TrinMama]

I think it's time for me to evaluate what I *really* need in there...before I was pulling ideas from other sites. Altho, I think when we move I'm going to want a whole lot more in it so I can have it with us all the time.

I am sooo unorganized!!! I'm so glad I found this thread... I'll be putting one together too... Thanks for the great ideas!!!

[ArmsOfLove]

I have mine--and I have been meaning to get it reorganized for 2010. The thing is, dh is doing most of the housekeeping stuff and he is as clueless as I was when I was trying to organize with 5 children I got organized and can do it all without the notebook now--but he has to do it and I have been frustrated with him for not being able to do it as well I realized this last week, when I stepped back and looked with clarity, that I don't have to make it be as hard for dh as it was for me. Rather than resent the fact that I can't do what I worked so hard to be able to do--I can equip him to do it and he can build on what I started (and possibly make it even better )

[Maggirayne]

Originally Posted by Katydid

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2008/...g-journal.html

Here is the idea that has really spoken to me. I can be rather flighty and I also have perfectionist tendencies, so this has worked out really well for me so far.

That is gorgeous! I would relax looking at something like that. but would feel icky taking time to do it. But, my BFF in college made one, and I loved looking at hers. She's single and might enjoy making one for me.