Home Management Step 1

The printouts! Oh my! I have spent what seems like years but is probably only hours searching the internet for free (because I am cheap like that!) home management binder paperwork...then downloading them...then looking at the ones I downloaded and printing out some and comparing to see what I think will work best for me...and what I might be missing!

So what did I DO with all that paperwork? I got out my trusty 3-hole punch and stuck everything in one binder. COMPLETELY unorganized! Sounds helpful? Well, it kinda is! See, I KNEW this would be a large project for me and would take lots of time so I figured get it printed and get it put away so the grubby paws of my children couldn't ruin it....the piles on the desk would be reduced to organized chaos and so that I could at least know it was in there SOMEWHERE and not have to wonder where it went!

Then I took handy dividers and stuck them in an empty binder...or two....or three. See, I decide that I would not be able to use just one binder...it would be big and I would avoid using it! So...next came the generic process of dividing my printouts. Hey...look...some of these are for MOM and deal with basic cleaning schedules, suggested chores for different ages, decluttering, etc. Maybe it would make sense to make a Mom binder. Oh gosh! Wait! There is too much for ONE binder. Maybe a touch of overkill? Hmmm...lets put the calendars here...and the mentoring study you are working on...and maybe some potential devotional materials for the teens you work with and take all of the cleaning references and give them their OWN binder....along with all of those papers I haven't decided where they go yet!

Oh...wait...all of this stuff has to do with blogging....maybe it should have its own space!

Now comes the generic family related stuff...address lists, phone numbers, gift organization (Hey! I don't want the snoopy girls to see that...I'll put it in my Mom binder and keep it farther from prying eyes!), weekly calendars (as opposed to daily schedules), menu planners, grocery lists...it just goes on and on! Oh well, group them all together and stick them behind different dividers and don't worry about filling them out yet!

Now, I know many, many, many people keep coupons and recipes in there. Sounds like a plan...until I realize that I don't coupon. I don't need more clutter and I get so many generic things and I don't get many coupons delivered and I am not paying for clutter like newspapers to be delivered to my house on purpose! Shudder! So that section just doesn't exist for me! Sorry for anyone who wanted to know how I organize them! I organize them right into the trash!

Recipes! Those I have! Tons and tons and tons! Actually, they have an entire 3" binder of their very own! And I have to admit, it needs tons of work! Right now I have taken page protectors and stuck them in and had my 6 year old (okay, she is 7 now) but when she was 6 I had her take all of my loose paper recipes and cards and stick them in the page protectors and that is as far as I have gotten! I figured since I bought the page protectors for another failed chore project, I might as well put them to good use!

So, what do I end up with after step 1? Four binders instead of one. Hmmm....and I wonder how my clutter seems to multiply? I haven't even begun to add gardening stuff or my home-based business that I am trying to get really serious about into there yet!


 Okay, so you like the concept? You think it is too fussy? Too complicated? Too detailed? Too organized, you could never do that!? Well, look a little closer! I haven't filled out the tabs on most of the binders. (Yes, even the ones you just slip the papers in have the papers just tucked into a pocket on the folder!) I very well might rearrange them another 3-5 or maybe 15 times before I am satisfied! But hey, guess what...I started! I have made progress! And if you never start then you are definitely NOT making progress! Maybe I haven't found the perfect solution for keeping me organized....but I am trying! And the paperwork that was falling OFF of my desk now all fits fairly well into the containers I have here.

Okay, so I am being honest! This is a CURRENT (like I JUST took it) picture of my desk now! Yes, there is still clutter...but you can see the desk...my chai mug is actually sitting flat...my 3-hole punch is able to be used. My pencils and pens and markers are finally all in a pretty container instead of a take home kids cup from Appleby's that is from my daughter who is now 14....so it was in SAD shape! So seriously, this is HUGE improvement! I promise!

I get in this rut sometimes where I want to go from TRASHED to PERFECT instantly! I get online and I see pictures of organized peoples' homes and I wanna be that way. But I am organizationally challenged! I mean, I know HOW...but implementation...yeah, I lack! Big time!

So I am sharing my teeny, tiny baby steps with you in the hopes that if you are like me you will realize that it is OKAY to not get it all done in one day, one week or even one month! Get started...and whatever you organize today....keep it up! Keep that particular thing organized daily until it becomes a habit! Once you are doing that naturally, then move on, pick something else and organize that! Just don't forget where you started! Share your stories here! I'd love to see others encouraging and giving ideas!