My Home Management Binder

Updated: January 11, 2008
April 5, 2009: TO SEE "HOME MANAGEMENT IN A BOX" CLICK HERE.

Resources....Some beautiful, free pages for your own binder can be found by clicking here.

Today I want to share with you MY HOME MANAGEMENT BINDER.

The cover of my binder, which I have shared before, is one I designed myself. Everyone with a HMB or Control Journal, or whatever you want to call it, should design their own cover. It's contents are totally designed to meet your needs, so your cover should reflect that also. My binder is a 2" vinyl 3 ring binder and it has a clear slot on the front to slip a cover page into. All the pages are in page protectors. It sits on my counter on an easel, in easy reach.When you open my binder, you will find a mesh holder containing post-it notes, pens and pencils.

The first section is:

Next is my Calendar. It is a monthly calendar. I won't bore you.

Next I have a section labeled Inspiration and Key Notes. Here I have things that inspire me and pages of notes from others that I want to keep. I have the Prairie Muffin Manifesto, and A Wife's 10 Commandments. (Please...he has his own commandments too).

Next are my Routines. I rarely look at this section because...well, they are routine.

Next is the heart of my binder. My daily list. Now I am going to show you every day. Don't gasp...though I have dust and vacuum the majority of the house on 3 different days, some of those days I just use a feather duster...others it is furniture polish and a deep dusting. The list just tells me "today is the day to make sure this is done." If things are not dusty on Wednesday, I will not dust. Simple. Most days things need some attention. First under this section are the children's chores...then my daily sheets.

Next is Menu Planning and Grocery Shopping. I forgot a pic but it looks just like the other section title pages. Here I keep a master grocery list, blank paper for planning menus, and a list of meal ideas in case my menopausal mind goes blank!

The next section is Here is a monthly plan of all those jobs which need monthly attention, listed on my daily sheets as "Zone missions". Plus a list of "project ideas" (not shown) such as Tackle It Tuesday ideas. If I need a Tackle I can look in this section. I try to take my projects from the category of that day. For example if it is appliances, I try to pick a project in the kitchen. You get the idea. This all needs to be focused around what is best for you and your schedule. Another example is the Refrigerator. On Thursday my daily sheet tells me to clean out the frig, but the Focus Cleaning chart tells me to do it on the 4th Thursday of the month. On a regular Thursday, I will sort through for old food, wipe any obvious spills, etc. On the 4th Thursday, everything comes out, the entire frig gets wiped down and stuff put back.So I don't have to flip all over the place every day, I go through on Sunday and stick a post-it with that day's focus cleaning and project (if any...not everyday has a project) on each day for that week.

Here is where I am updating this post (1-11-08). The above Focus Cleaning was just not to my liking so I have changed this part of my binder. I am leaving it incase it works for you. I have broken my monthly cleaning into sections of my home over a 5 week period. The first and fifth weeks are short weeks most of the time so those are lighter weeks. I will still use the post it's to assign rooms on different days. For example, to deep clean the Family room during the 3rd week of the month, I would schedule that on a day I am normally doing my weekly family room cleaning.

I am going to work on my Seasonal section next. I will update again when I complete it.

The next section is empty as I am still putting it together. Another section I want to add, is Seasonal Cleaning. I am still compiling that list. It will be a quarterly list so 4 pages in that section. I am kind of waiting for Copperswife.com to add her homemaking section to her website. (She has the first part up!!)

In the very back, I keep a notebook for journaling and throw take out menus in the back sleeve.

So that is my Home Management Binder and how it works for me. It is a combo of Messies Manual, Flylady, and Keeping The Home's system. I have been using this or a similar system on and off since the mid 80's. With it I am able to move through my life without chaos and in order. Without it who knows what will happen each day! I am off to plan my Tackle It Tuesday!

Blessings, Bren

I DID IT!!

I have moved beyond a bag and actually made an apron! I figured I would try that before I moved on to the skirt. It really helped me to figure out how to use a pattern...all too new to me. This was quite fun, though I really missed not having a bow whip. I use to have one (3 actually all in different sizes) and I loaned them out! I do that alot and then never get things back. That is another post and I am not going to complain! It was a little more time, but worth the effort. So here is my apron in stages...you will see my beautiful daughter in law, Rachel modeling the final product....
Did you notice that fabric was for a quilt I had planned out a long time ago...pretty nice quilt shop fabric for an apron. I know I have plenty to make a matching apron for Charlotte.
Rachel has begun her skirt and has all the pattern and fabric pieces cut. She just told me she has never used a sewing machine, so a quick machine introduction will be first. This one makes me nervous...after reading the directions, if I can get Rachel through this one, mine will be a cinch!

My mom and sister came by yesterday. My mother started working on some pillowcases. They are beautiful. Good grief, do I look like my Mother!!! Her Lazy Daisy stitch is wonderful! I gave her my floral bag I made, since I have used nothing but the bucket bag Linda gave me. I found my mother's embroidery "stuff" in a plastic bag when helping her declutter. She is usually a very clean, organized person, so when I saw all her floss, needles, hoop and project all thrown in a plastic Wal Mart bag, I was a little surprised. We took care of that with a floss organizer, some cards and the floral bag! She is all organized and stitching beautifully!

Here are some other pictures I thought I would share...just because.

My nephew, Dominic after his ice cream treat!

Miya, all wrapped up in the quilt "Grandma" gave her.
Zach loving on Miya.
Charlotte and TJ watching a movie.

I want to thank everyone for all the wonderful comments. I feel like a blabber-mouth, most of the time chattering about things of no interest to anyone but me! I am getting close to my 100th post, (see...I DO talk alot!) and am planning 2 giveaways...I have many quilters who visit, but also some who are not quilters. There will be a giveaway for both! I am working on some special things to show how much I enjoy you all!

You Lift Me Up!

Karolee gave me this wonderful award. I am quite honored. Really because I find myself smiling when I read Karolee's blog. She has been very inspiring from the way she writes a post, to the way she challenges her readers to examine their relationship with God. Thank You Karolee. Now I am going to share what this award means.

From the author of the award:

The thing that I love most about blogging is that I learn so much about a person just by reading his/her blog. I have met MANY wonderful people with wonderful stories to tell and I am grateful every day for each person whom I have the pleasure of crossing paths in life with. I wanted to create something special for the top ten people who have inspired me through their blogging; the stories they tell, and the lives that they lead with grace and dignity. I visit their blogs for inspiration and encouragement. Although there are MANY people I want to give this award to at this very moment, I am going to choose ten bloggers:Please grab your badge and wear it(with a smile) proudly, and pass it on because you inspire and encourage me, thank you.

So I can choose 10 bloggers to give this award to. Some of them Karolee already gave the award to but that actually frees me up to choose others equally as deserving.

There are 3 ladies who all have wonderful blogs..no wonder..they are all related. I spend every morning with my coffee and Cheryl! She posts almost everyday and when she does not I am a little disheartened. I also read her 2 daughters, Dani and Corin. Both wonderful young ladies and full of their mother's wisdom. So my first 3 are:

Cheryl of Copperswife
Dani of Ex-Goat Milker &
Corin of The Botzy Blog

Next in random order are:

Joni
Linda
Margaret
Darlene
Ann
Meggie
Lily
Libby
Sue

So I counted Cheryl and her girls as one...you will forgive me. Plus I have an honorable mention. It is a new-to-me blog I started reading about 3 weeks ago. I am really enjoying her. Her name is
Amanda and she is at Much Forgiven.
I find myself completely lifted up in my spirit when I read her blog. So here's to making someone feel good! Keep it up ladies.
I could have mentioned SO many more, but there would be no one left for the new award winners to give it out to.