Monday, April 11, 2011

Keepin' It All Together...

I've kept a household notebook for some time now.
It's something I first learned about on
the website for organizing junkies
It's a tool for keeping everything home-related in one place.

One of my resolutions this year was to update it.
Thanks to Jen, over at
I have been able to give it a fresher look.
This makeover was waaaaaaaaaay overdo.
I'm so grateful for those who share their gifts with others.


I had a large binder lying around, so I just consolidated
what I had from three smaller notebooks into this one.



I did purchase dividers with pockets.
These are handy  for storing stuff you need to file
in the section, but can't get to right away.
Our family binder will have sections for
home, garden and crafting.



The family information section contains things
about insurance, doctors, dentists,
and neighbors' contact numbers.



There's a page for children's schedules.
This would work great for kids who do a lot
of extracurricular activities.
Also great for kids who have therapy appointments
or scheduled playdates.



Here's a place to write down 
ideas for a blog.
Not sure I'll use this.
I'm a write it when you feel it
kinda gal.



Here's a place to keep track of any maintenance
done on the house.
Things like A/C, electric, plumbing
which may be serviced through the year.
It gives me a place to consult those
tasks which are only done a few times a year.



This helps to keep things on track
and serves to gently remind me what needs to be done
to keep our home running smoothly.
As we hope to sell someday soon,
it gives me a place to focus on those tasks
that can get us the price we need to move on.



A place for business cards is always handy.



I've collected articles in the past on
food shelf life and monthly household tasks.
Also here are my recipes for my homemade cleaners.
I like having one place to reference these,
and not on the refrigerator!
I haven't decided if I want to leave them
in this form or scan them for uniformity.




We have some passes to local museums and
other activities.  I keep 'em in this pocket.
I can see them all with just a glance.
We also have a pocket for take-out menus.




Here's an inventory for our vehicles.  It's a good idea
to keep track of what you've done to maintain
your vehicles.  Not just for yourself, but when
you plan to sell them, folks seem to be willing to pay more
for vehicles that are well-maintained.



I combined my gardening notebook with this binder,
so now I have a whole section dedicated just to gardening.
Here is a plan for a planting bed out front.
I am working on making spreadsheets
for planting times, fertilization records and
a plant list inventory of the natives I've acquired.




Our newspaper has great information
about what to plant when,
so I clip those articles
and keep the information for handy reference.



I also keep garden designs or particular plant information
in a see-through pocket.  It's great to have a visual
source of inspiration.


Along those lines, I keep a separate section
 for ideas I hope to implement in our new home.
Saving paint colors and projects I'd like to attempt
are one way to make the vision come to fruition.



Then there are those makeovers I've seen in
magazines that just speak to me.
Those get saved.
The bonus is that you don't end up keeping a stack
of magazines,
ya just keep what you need.



There's a seasonal project pocket.
Fun projects to do with kids or
some special holiday decorating ideas
that I've done or would like to give a go.






The third notebook about crafting has been added
to the household notebook. 





We belong to the CrimeWatch group in our neighborhood.
Here I keep all the pertinent information
and contact numbers for members.


Now I have one big
binder where things are centrally located.
One place to go to search for ideas,
get inspired, or obtain needed information
about our home, vehicles and activities.

I may be adding future sections,
and I have plenty of room to do just that.
I'm planning on creating an area
for our family's favorite recipes
that correspond with the menu-by-the-month plan.
I'll know that the boys won't starve if I'm not here.

A household binder can simplify your life
by having one go-to place for information
about your homestead.
One place where everyone can find
what they need to know.
I'd love to hear about how you keep track of
all things homesteading.










ABFOL One Project at a Time


6 comments:

  1. How I keep track of all things homesteading? My Head. And trust me, that is not a good place. I MUST get one of those binders. Must! Yours is so well organized and an inspiration!

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  2. Jane-I stopped relying on my memory a while ago. It's just easier to develop a system, write it down and know where to find it. Let me know if you need any help putting your binder together.

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  3. You are soooo organized, girl! I do keep two binders...one with ideas for the house and one for the garden, but I need to create one that helps me keep up with household stuff. I have little bits of paper and notes here and there...stuffed everywhere in a drawer. If I needed it, I'd never be able to put my hands on it. Thanks for the idea.

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  4. Susan-Thanks! It just keeps me sane having everything in one place. I think it'll make you feel better to get it done. Cheers!

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  5. I have had a binder for years too but no where near that organized. Thanks for sharing that link. One of my goals for this year is to get much more organized (something that doesn't necessarily come naturally to me). ;-)

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  6. Heather-I just loooooove Jen's blog. She has put a lil' fire under my bum and I'm gettin' stuff done! Glad you found it helpful.

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Thanks for taking the time to leave your thoughts!