Organized

In part of my ongoing attempt at being well organized and having my house run smoothly, I have come up with something new. I call it my Home Folio. Basically a 3 ring binder, loaded with everything it takes to keep my house running. I have it broken down into 5 basic categories, home organization which has a Where can I find page that has a list of where to find things like the first aid kit or fire extinguishers, things that usually would warrant a "Mom" or "Honey, where can I find....?" This will also come in handy if we ever need to have a babysitter come in. Next in this section is a rough schedule that I try to keep the kids on during the week, to keep them busy and me sane. I have my daily to do's, outlining what chores should be done on what day, for instance Friday is my kitchen day, I wipe the counters and keep up on dishes daily, but on Friday I take everything off the counters to clean, toss out anything questionable in the fridge and sweep and mop. Following my daily to do's is a breakdown of what things need to be done in each room on its cleaning day. Lastly in this section is a clothing needs section so I can keep track of what kids need what clothing for each upcoming season. My second section is menu planning & grocery organization, in this section I have a copy of the food pyramid that is appropriate for each member of the family since we all have different caloric needs, a menu calendar for the current month, a master list of meals we have, a list of all grocery items we buy by store and food type and lastly a shopping list, this way its in one place not on several scraps of paper. My third section is education organization. I have a sub-section for each child in school that includes a calendar of the current month so that we can write in upcoming projects or important test, school shows, etc. this way I can keep tabs on what they need to be doing and if they have a project due I am aware and can give them a nudge or a push to get moving. There is also a folder where papers I need to look over or need to be signed and returned can be put so they are not misplaced. The fourth section is for extra curricular also with sub-sections for each child with a calendar marking all of the activities they are participating in and on what days/times and any needed information. The fifth and final section is for contacts, again so the husband and kids can look and find numbers and addresses themselves without yelling "MOOOM."