"Busy At Home"- My Home Management Binder

So, I promised a post about my Home Management Binder like 2 years ago but I never got around to it.  While reading my OYOL blog, she asked anyone if they had ever used one & if they had blogged about it.  This lit the fire again & so, here it is!

I must admit that I really love my binder.  I made it purdy so that I might actually use it & it has really helped!  I have gone from a 2" binder to a big fat 3" binder though.  I store a bunch of stuff in it.....but it is doing the job of my brain while the real one is taking a hiatus.  It really helps to have a central place to put stuff.  I new it was a winner when my husband asked me where the referral the doctor had written him (6 months earlier) was & I walked right to my binder, turned to his pouch & pulled it out!!!!  Before the binder it would have been lost in one of the 50 piles that magically appear around my house.

I used many different sources when coming up with the perfect binder for my household.  I will list a few at the end of the post if you are interested in building your own. 

Without further ado......the contents of my binder.

Zipper Pouch

Super Mom vs Abiding Mom

Family Divider-

• Clear sleeve for each member of the family.  Put things like birthday invitations, doctor's notes, a running list of their personality, likes/dislikes, etc. at different points in their lives.  Basically anything I want to keep for that person.  Much of the time I will move the things in those sleeves over into their personal file but that is a good temporary place to keep things.
• A sleeve for business cards, phone lists, etc.  
• My master address list.
• A running list of random phone numbers/addresses.
• Our medications (Name, RX #, Dosage, What pharmacy & a pharmacy phone #)
• A list of accounts
• My wish list

Meals Divider-

• 30 Meals Plan master list
• Menu plan blanks in a page protector
• Fun ideas, random interesting food related articles
• Coupon clipping information
• Pantry Inventory (which is still blank.....I keep thinking that if it stays in there it will eventually get done)
• Menu planning information

Schedules Divider- this section is completely out of date in my notebook.  With so many kids being born in the past several years I just haven't gotten to a place where I have a consistent schedule to type up.

• My Daily To Do Checklist
• My Daily Schedule
• Scheduling articles

Home Divider-

• Paint chips with the name of the room
• Plumbing, cable etc. receipts
• Organizational tips & tricks, articles, etc.
• Decorating stuff
• Cleaner recipes
• Stain removal guide

Calendar Divider- I could probably actually take this out now that I have a smart phone.  I did use it before that time though.  It just contained a monthly calendar that I printed from outlook.

Gardening Divider- This is one of those wishful thinking, for the future dividers.  I would love to one day have a garden, so right now I am storing ideas, articles, tips, tricks, pictures, etc.  Eventually, when I actually start the garden I plan to have my garden plan, my seed packets, my time journal, etc. included here.

To Do Divider-

• Daily Docket
• Weekly Goals
• Master Cleaning List
• Blog Topics List
• Master Household Running To Do List
• Any paperwork pertaining to something on my to do list

Kids & Training Divider-

• Children's Bible study info
• Character Qualities chart
• Activities for kids
• Developmental guidelines

Holidays & Gift Giving Divider-

• Birthday planning pages
• Christmas gift list
• Holiday activities for kids
• Advent list
• Contents of gift closet

Crafts, Sewing, Etc. Divider-

• Inspiration & ideas from magazines
• Project list

Faith & Ministry Divider-

• Prayer request list
• Weekly prayer sheet
• Handouts or sermon notes that don't really have another place
• Ministry ideas
• Mission newsletters

Budget Divider-

• Blank copy of the budget worksheet
• Current budget we are using

In the back are the 3 to a page photo sleeves where I will eventually (hehe) put all my 30 recipes & some blank notebook paper.

Resources:

I use so much of Simple Mom's stuff.  I use many of her downloads & have printed many articles to put in my binder.  She has a ton of great information on her site.

This is basically where I started & every idea I got branched off, in one way or another, from this post.

Also, you can take a look at my Busy At Home board on Pinterest for some additional resources.