Plan With Me- Erin Condren Horizontal

Follow me on

Instagram,Twitter, and Periscope: @awifenmother

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/awifenmother/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annie.awifen...

Blog: awifenmother.blogspot.com



Planner: Erin Condren horizontal, please use this referral code if you would like to purchase one of your own: http://www.erincondren.com/referral/invite/anniesmith0205



On the Go Folio: light pink Color Crush folio www.websterspages.com



Monthly Sticker Kits: https://www.etsy.com/shop/planningmadeperfect



Envelope, Grocery Cart, and Coffee Stickers: https://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetkawaiidesign



Hexagon, Arrow, Birthday, and Exercise Stickers: https://www.etsy.com/shop/libbieandco



Pens: Frixion (off Amazon) and Staedtlers & Sharpie Pens (from Target)



Assorted washi tapes from www.vssweetideas.com, Target, Walmart, and Meijer



Masking stickers: Amazon

Anatomy of a Monthly Page

I find that my monthly section is one of my most valuable sections. Do you use yours to its full potential? Do you wonder how to use it at all? Check out this video for my system, and to get some tips for using a Month on 2 Pages.



Follow me on

Instagram,Twitter, and Periscope: @awifenmother

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/awifenmother/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annie.awifen...

Blog: awifenmother.blogspot.com



Planner: Yellow, Medium, Kikki K



Monthly Calendar Pages: Came with the Kikki K planner



Weekly Pages: Sew Much Crafting Wo2P Personal Size on Etsy



Daily Calendar Pages: http://www.amazon.com/Day-Runner-Planner-Calendar-063-125Y-16/dp/B00WUUSX7K/ref=pd_sim_229_7?ie=UTF8&dpID=51wDfrfuM2L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=018THSASNTSJZ2DSVE3C



On the Go Folio: light pink Color Crush folio www.websterspages.com



Monthly Sticker Kits: https://www.etsy.com/shop/planningmadeperfect



Envelope, Grocery Cart, and Coffee Stickers: https://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetkawaiidesign



Hexagon, Arrow, Birthday, and Exercise Stickers: https://www.etsy.com/shop/libbieandco



Pens: Frixion (off Amazon) and Staedtlers & Sharpie Pens (from Target)



Assorted washi tapes from www.vssweetideas.com, Target, Walmart, and Meijer



Masking stickers: Amazon

Ways to Write Tasks

What sets planner people and organized people apart from everyone else? See my thoughts, here, in this video. Do you agree with my theory?



Follow me on

Instagram,Twitter, and Periscope: @awifenmother

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/awifenmother/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annie.awifen...

Blog: awifenmother.blogspot.com



Planner: Yellow, Medium, Kikki K



Monthly Calendar Pages: Came with the Kikki K planner



Daily Calendar Pages: http://www.amazon.com/Day-Runner-Planner-Calendar-063-125Y-16/dp/B00WUUSX7K/ref=pd_sim_229_7?ie=UTF8&dpID=51wDfrfuM2L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=018THSASNTSJZ2DSVE3C



On the Go Folio: light pink Color Crush folio www.websterspages.com



Monthly Sticker Kits: https://www.etsy.com/shop/planningmadeperfect



Envelope, Grocery Cart, and Coffee Stickers: https://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetkawaiidesign



Hexagon, Arrow, Birthday, and Exercise Stickers: https://www.etsy.com/shop/libbieandco



Pens: Frixion (off Amazon) and Staedtlers & Sharpie Pens (from Target)



Assorted washi tapes from www.vssweetideas.com, Target, Walmart, and Meijer



Masking stickers: Amazon

Planner Set Up in my Color Crush Planner

My very first planner set up video is now live, I'm sorry for the delay.



Enjoy!



awifenmother

2014 Planner Organization

My life has been full of anxiety these last four days. If you follow me on Instagram (and I hope you do because my life is just that exciting... I really need a sarcastic font) you'll know I have been stalking my front window waiting for the UPS man to arrive with my package containing my new planner pages. I'm a die-hard planner and it has been crippling me to be 7 days into a new year and not be able to plan it out. I think I drove my husband crazy whining about them. I would have driven my kids crazy too, but they are 3 years and 2 years old so they don't even care- spoil sports. When my pages arrived late yesterday -FINALLY!-  I asked hubby to hug them with me and call them "my precious". He ignored me. I spent several blissful hours last night organizing my 2014 planner. You can say it, it's a nerd life. 

I've actually have had some sort of Home Management Binder for about 3 years now. I've previously done a series describing my 3-ring binder sized HMB here, here and here. I had varying success with this binder, and used it and other planners off and on the last few years. It is so easy for me to plan- it's the execution of the plan that is so much harder. I felt that every-other-day I needed to tweak or change my system. When you have growing babies- and I do mean babies- life constantly changes. Carrying a large binder was not at all practical for me. I tried spiral bound planners, and apps on my phone and tablets. None of them stuck. And then... I discovered Filofax and the plannerds that love them! I do not (as yet, wink wink) have an actual Filofax, but what I discovered was the world of half-sized planners. 

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Isn't she pretty? I found this Day Runner at Meijer and bought it on a whim. I had no idea how much I would really use it and rely on it. The size allows me to throw it in my purse and leave it open on the counter at home. Here are the gems within:

Tab #1: Day on Two Pages

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My first tab is my most used and important- it's my Day on Two Pages. Filofaxes and Day Runners come with current year planner pages featuring one week spread over two pages- most spiral bound planners do so as well. I went with this for the last few months and it was useful. As a stay-at-home mom I don't have many outside appointments so I always had plenty of room. But I did not like having a separate To Do list and Chore List under different tabs in my planner. I would rather see absolutely everything that corresponds to my day all on one page. So I ordered these gorgeous planner pages! I chose pretty pages because I found out from experience that I am not decorative (another reason to follow me on Instagram is to see my lame attempts at "decorating" my pages). So much of the Filofax cult following includes washi tape, stickers, doodles, and scrapbooking each week to make your planner pretty and useful. After my failed attempts, I thought I'd let the manufacturer make my pages pretty and I'll just focus on actually putting them to use. 

Some things you'll see on this page:

• our hourly schedule, humble as it is.
• the tasks I want to accomplish
• my daily, weekly, and monthly chores for the day
• important notes or deadlines
• dinner notes
• half-marathon training schedule and recorded times*
• the memory verse reference I'm currently working on

The second page on my Day on Two Pages has two functions for me. The purple sticky note has my detailed Morning Routine and the blue sticky has my Evening Routine. These two routines helps me prepare for the next day, and start my days well. I carry these sticky's over each day instead of handwriting these on my schedule.

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I also use that second page as a sort of journal (you can see my entry under the sticky notes. Also, note my manicure. I rarely get one so it's nice to have it documented). A goal I have this year is to keep track of little moments throughout the day. Neither of my kids have a baby book or photo album. Apart from photos on my phone, I have no records of their years. I don't mind this, but I do want to start jotting down cute things they do or say, milestones, and even my own personal thoughts and feelings from each day. I look forward to making notes on these pages.

By the way, having two pages for every day is a lot of paper (one of the reasons I opted to purchase rather than print off my own pages). Currently I can fit 2 months at a time in my planner. I have one tab divided separating January and February. I'm storing the rest until I need them.

*One short month ago I made an easy Exercise Tracker printable to use this year. All I wanted was a place to cross off the days I made it to the gym so I could see at a glance how often I was working out. This was before my sister-in-law invited me to run a half-marathon with her... and I accepted. So for the next 4 months I have to follow a specific training schedule to prepare for this. Thus, my own printable is useless for me right now, haha. I still offer if FREE to all of you who wish to use it. Enjoy!

Tab #2 Month on Two Pages

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Seeing the entire month in one glance helps a lot with planning. You can see which weeks have a lot of activity, or where a vacation is upcoming. I make notes in the margin for tasks that are more open-ended or have less of a deadline. This is where I track:

• reoccurring appointments or events
• birthdays and anniversaries
• sports and extracurriculars
• important events
• pay day 
• vacations
• small groups or Bible studies

I'm the Children's Ministry Director at church so I need to keep track of which week we have children's church (since we only do it twice a month). I mark those weeks with a dark blue "CC" in the corner of the correct Sunday. I also have an entire section for Children's Ministry which I'll get to in a moment. 

Tip: Use a color coding system. I have colored pens for different categories. Some people use washi tape and then write over it, some use small colored dot stickers, and others use highlighters to mark there categories. I say pick a method that works for you and enjoy it!

Tab #3 Menu

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Last month I posted how I organize my meal plans- the easy way! I shared several FREE printables, which are still free and available to you. I continue to use this tab the same way and I have really found this to be the easiest way to plan, shop, and prep all of my family's meals.

Tab #4 Children's Ministry

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I mentioned that I'm the Children's Ministry Director at our church. This tab keeps me on top of my teacher and helper rotation. I'll also note if we need more snacks, play dough, or if someone needs to switch their week. I need to add here, a curriculum log to track which books the teachers are using- but that's for another day.

Tab #5 Blog

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This tab has very little organization at the moment, but as I hope to continue blogging this year I keep this place for notes. I'm sure this section will evolve as I get my bearings. Until then I have room for...notes...and that's what I use it for. Genius, I know (by the way, I misspelled "genius" and had to look it up. Then I misspelled, "misspelled". I need more coffee).

Tip: After my blog tab you can just see the notepad tucked in the back of my planner. This is handy because in order for a planner to work you need to write down everything the moment you think/hear/plan it! I keep a mechanical pencil in the pen loop now so I can jot everything down. If I suddenly think of a household chore, or appointment, or To Do that needs to be done, I jot it on the notepad (to be transferred to the correct tab in the proper color later). I carry my planner with me everywhere and make a note about a possible play date the minute the other mom and I even suggest it. I make a note immediately when someone at church tells me they will be on vacation the day they are scheduled in the nursery- because I won't remember this by the time I get home. Consult your planner for everything! It's like, a brain.

And that is how I utilize my personal planner! I adore peeking into other people's planners, so please, if you have one share a link or picture so I can drool over your personal style.

Home Management Binder- Getting Started & Menu Tab

Up until two years ago I had not even heard of a Home Management Binder. Then I was given a recommendation for the book Large Family Logistics (see where I talk about this book here). At the time I was pregnant with my second child and ready desperate for a little more organization in my life. So I began to put together my own Home Management Binder.

In case you have no idea what I am talking about let me answer this: What is a Home Management Binder? Briefly, it is a book, often a 3 ring binder, that includes any paperwork that helps your life/family/house run smoothly (many are designed to keep your household running and to be "you" if you are gone, sick, or ill with pregnancy; your husband and children should be able to navigate the book in your absence). A HMB may have calendars, schedules, menus, grocery lists, budget worksheets, To Do lists, goal charts, and so much more!

Let's get started...

Supplies Needed: 3 ring binder, dividers/tabs, paper, 3 hole punch
Optional: Markers/Pens/Colored Pencils, zipper pouch, clear pocket protectors, ruler, index cards, post its, anything from the office supplies isle that you couldn't resist buying because it was cute

Step 1: Gather your supplies
Step 2: Decide which sections you need: Remember to tailor this to your lifestyle. For instance, nearly every HMB I have explored has a section for Finances. In our house I don't do any bill paying or financial things. So that tab is useless to me. Another example are school/sport schedules; my kids are too young to be in either so I do not need those. Here is a loooooong list of sections to consider for your HMB (the ones in bold are in my current binder and will be featured in upcoming posts):

• Calendar(s) (daily, weekly, monthly, year-at-a-glance)
• Schedules (family birthdays, church activities, breastfeeding/newborn schedules, school, holidays, sports/extra curricular activities, maintenance logs, medical check ups/pet check ups, gardening, etc)
• Cleaning Schedules (daily list, weekly/monthly list, kids chores, seasonal projects/spring & fall cleaning, etc)
• Menu Planning (weekly & monthly menus, lists of recipes or family favorites, pantry/freezer inventory, ideas for hosting/special events, editable grocery lists, household items refill lists, etc)
• Finances (budgets tracking, bill payment schedule, kids' allowance tracker, anticipated expenses, holiday budgets, etc)
• Kids (current clothing sizes, allergies/special needs, medication tracker, gift ideas, vaccination records, etc)
• Contact info (address book, list of numbers for: doctor, vet, dentist, babysitter, emergency contacts, close neighbors)
• Personal or Family Health (exercise goals, nutrition guidelines, gym hours/upcoming activities, etc)
• Bible Study (reading plan, verse memory sheet, church notes, Thankfulness Journal)
• Personal Lists (books to read, Things on Loan, gift ideas, goals accomplished, movies to see, etc)
• House (work needed on the house, project ideas, decoration ideas, supplies needed, seasonal work, de-cluttering schedule, etc)
• Usernames & Passwords list 
• Homeschool Lesson plans/ideas
• Seasonal Bucket Lists
• Blogging (schedule, ideas, tips)

As you can see, there are many things to consider when making your own HMB. I made my first one in the summer of 2011; since then there have been about 6 revisions. As my life changes and the lives of my kids change, I am constantly adapting my binder to work for me. This is key- a HMB should work for you, not the other way around. 

My first tab is my most used tab: Menu.

Making a menu is key to staying within my grocery budget and making sure I prepare healthy meals for my family. There are dozens of great menu planning printables out there (of which I have probably tried 6-10), with none of them exactly the style that I wanted. So I draw my own on notebook paper. I number the amount of dinners I need to plan for, and have a section on the back for lunches and things I make at home (like salsa, granola, bread, etc). I don't adhere to a daily lunch or breakfast schedule, I just make what sounds good to me at that time. That is why more detailed lists were not my preference. Here are just a few links  to free menu planning printables (seriously, try searching "Menu Planning Printables" on Pinterest and see how many options there are):

Organizing Home Life

The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking

Blooming Homestead

Some suggest using a page protector with your menu planner so you can dry erase each week instead of printing out 52 pages (do whichever works for you).

Several menu planners have built in grocery lists or have color coordinating grocery lists that come with them. I have smaller pieces of paper for grocery lists that I store in a page protector in the back of my binder.

 Other things I include are: a Master List of favorite meals, and Seasonal Lists (favorites for winter, things to cook on the grill in the heat of summer, and so on), Breakfast & Lunch Ideas, and Homemade foods. So far I make homemade bread, salsa, granola, biscuits, and taco seasoning. I hope to add ketchup, yogurt, tortillas and pancakes to this list soon. (I have all of these recipes on my Pinterest boards: The Alternative, and Sides, Sips, and Snacks).

That sums up my first section in my Home Management Binder. Visit me tomorrow for the next part: Front Pocket and House Section.