How To: Home Management Binder

 

Each day you wake up, pick ip your phone and wonder if the dishes from last night were ever done...

2013 was a long year and a lot occured. Last month I succeeded with a pretty big goal: My Home Management Binder. Assuming that all of you are as OCD about organization as I am, you've heard of it.
Before we moved I had a binder which was used quite often but was an eye sore, i.e. ugly. I kind of threw it together as resources were limited. I've been dangerously flirting with the ideam of revamping the binder and finally accomplishedit in late December.
Admitedly, I had a rough start but was reassured to spare no expenses as this would be the backbone of my familt's home system, so let's go!

Supplies:
Dividers
Filler Paper
Clear View Binder
Tabs
Clear deviders
Sharpies
Stylish printable
Patience!

Advice #1: Take timeout to get an idea of your personal style and organization preferences. Roughly draw out designs ou like and write out how you'll set it up.
Look online for Home Management Binders and bookmark a few you absolutely love, noting the design and set up. Read their accompaning blog post, some bloggers have/sell printables available for instant download! Save a few photos to your phone, make a list of the supplies you'll need and get your buns to the store.
I shopped at Staples, Office Depot and Wal Mart. I reall liked the Martha Stewart for Avery line, but the blue dividers were too small so I had to get bigger ones at Office Depot.

Advice #2: Take your damn time, Leisurely walk down the aisles of your chosen store(s) and only purchase the items that fut into your binder's theme, no ugliness!
Once you've gotten all of your supplies, and laughed crazily, return home and prepare for set up. Be sure to set aside enough time to design and organize your binder, I recomment 2 hours.

Advice #3: During set up, leisurely fill your binder with the goodies and get creative, really make it your own.
Okay, final step: Set Up!
Fill your binder with the printables,. Some can be placed inside of clear dividers to write on with markers so that you can just wipe them off and reuse the same printable. Now, which order would you like the sections to go in:

Home
Schedules
Meal Plan
Contacts
Maintenance
Accounts
Profile

I use the smaller Martha Stewart tabs as sub tabs to keep my sections organized.
Example: Contacts>Restaurants

Remember, the purpose of a Home Management Binder is to be effortlessly organized... and to have something pretty to look at.
Breathe, design and try different systems until you find one you love!


In grace,
Kendra