From Cindy's Heart

Ready to MAKE YOUR OWN Home and Family Organizer?? by Cindy Rushton

Ready to MAKE YOUR OWN Home and

Family Organizer??

By Cindy Rushton

Excerpted from Time for Tea Magazine. We added this to your Menu Planner so you would have even more ideas for making your Menu Planner great! ENJOY!

Check out our SPECIAL on our Menu Planner HERE

Ready for a bit of help getting it all together and KEEPing it all together for your home?  Well, my friend this companion may be JUST what you have been looking for!

Whether you are struggling with having information around you—ALL AROUND YOU… Or you are struggling with the stress of trying to remember details—ONLY to find yourself slipping on some days…  Or you have had your information organized for some time, but it is simply breaking your back to carry it with you every day… THIS is for YOU! Today, we will make our own Home and Family Organizers!

Wondering what the deal is? Why ONE MORE binder? I found that I have SO much information that I cannot lug around in my “BRAIN-IN-A-BINDER” (aka—personal organizer).  Much of it needed its own “place.” So, here I introduce you to one of my personal helpers!  My Home and Family Organizer!  Mine holds those wonderful details, helps, plans, and ideas that I need close at hand when I am at home whether cleaning, planning, preparing a meal, or even sending out Christmas Cards!  In the middle of our building project, this ONE notebook has kept my head on straight!  I simply do not have the time to run down lists and menu plans while I am helping to run the family ministry AND building supplies!

Talk about a PRICELESS companion! My brain does not need to hold one more piece of information!  This notebook takes the load! And, best of all!  As I add my treasure house of ideas and information, it is there for keeps!  RIGHT where I can find it!  I use this notebook to store away cleaning tips and how to’s.  This binder will become the place set aside for your shopping lists, gift lists, cleaning lists.  You can include your family prayer lists, your family vision, your family wish lists, and your family goals!  Oh, you can include anything else that helps you to manage your home and needs its special spot: menus, organization plans, schedules, travel plans, personal records, OH everything! Best of all, YOUR Home and Family Organizing Notebook CAN hold ANYTHING that helps make your job easier and more fun!  So, ready to set yours up??? Here are the quick steps to Make YOUR OWN today:

Þ Decide on your type of notebook… Everyone has their own preferences. Think through yours. What do you like? What size works nice for you? What type fits your budget…preferences...basic needs?  Since we use vinyl 8.5 X 11 inch 3-ring binders with presentation covers for most of our homeschool studies, we had extras on hand when I needed to set up my notebook. I made my own cover pages on my computer and made it completely “mine!”  One quick hint! Mine is about packed full. I am almost ready to take out those pages that seem to be developing into a notebook of their own. This is FINE! As it fills, divide off the pages that seem to need their own notebook. For example, menus/shopping lists/baking hints may eventually divide off into their own binder. Or…you may be like me and quickly find that your home management section grows and grows with your chore lists, cleaning tips, or organization plans. There are NO rules! Just let this tool be your personal assistant!

Þ Choose your style of dividers… So far, my pick has been the see-thru plastic dividers with indexes for each section. You can mark on them with your Sharpie or print your own set of nice printed labels.  I love these because I can easily thumb through to the sections that I needed. Oh, one more thing! I chose the tabs that are colored so each of my sections could have the “color” that would remind me of that section. Other options include printing card stock pages, laminating, and 3-hole punching.  On those printed pages, you can include neat checklists, prayer lists, bible verses, etc.

Þ Set up your divisions and set up your dividers… Begin by brainstorming through your needs. Think about those papers that are desperately needing a home! Think about those areas that are constantly creating stress. Don’t forget about those areas that you are working on right now. Finally, begin to keep lists that you may make only every-so-often such as travel lists…shopping lists… addresses for family, friends, business associates, or companies…school supply lists… etc.

Þ Add your forms, information sheets, and personal information… Add those goodies that are waiting for their new home. Feel like a never-ending job? It is OK! You will have this helper from now on, so as you find more, add them!  Find information without a spot? Add more divisions/dividers! Make it yours! Let it continue to grow!  Do you need forms to make your notebook more orderly?  We have a whole line of great printables that you may want for your notebook. You can also find great printables in magazines like our magazines, or online at sites like www.donnayoung.org, www.organizedhome.com, http://www.getorganizednow.com.

Þ Find the perfect place for your notebook’s new home… Find the best place for your notebook. Considerations: Be aware of spills…where your information will be utilized the most (by the phone, in the kitchen, at your desk.)…

Þ What goes in it?  Again, make it yours! Here are some thoughts: family calendar, family goals/vision, address book; emergency information, telephone and message section; a divider for church and outside activities; family memory ideas (Christmas, Birthday, Easter, etc.), travel lists and details (we keep our information EVEN after we have gone places so we can always go back for directions, hotel information, or contacts that we may need later); home management (chores, cleaning plans, organization lists, daily/weekly/yearly schedules, etc); finance (taxes, credit card information, banking information, etc), monthly menu plans, pantry lists, grocery shopping lists, medical information for you and your family members (and pets!), gift lists, clothing size charts;  home and vehicle repairs/maintenance, etc! 

Ready? It’s just THIS easy to get it all together and keep it all together! This tool will help you to compile and organize that information that has been right there, but sometimes just, well, out of place! No longer! Your information will now be in its OWN spot…right when you need it!