Added to the To Do list is a little creativity

One of the blogger ladies I follow - Candy, over at Keeping the Home - opened a discussion about home organization today. When I figure out how to link on here, I will make sure to do so, by the way! I've been a faithful Livejournaler for about a decade now, and obviously have only just made the transition to Blogger, so I'm still trying to figure all of this out.

Anyhow, Candy's organizational flow really resonates with me. I cannot live without my day planner. Because I handle both the "paper trail" aspects of the business as well as the management of our home, I find that I switch gears often. If I don't keep a planner, inevitably I will forget to do something. Naturally, it's usually something important, like filing state taxes or paying the mortgage! Thus, a day planner is my life-line, my connection to the world and all things sane. Business appointments, important due dates, chore lists and even new recipes get written down in my little mahogany book. It's really nice, because I can fit it in my purse, and check things off as I go, whether I am on the road or just walking around my home.

Outside of the planner, however, I have also created a Home Management Binder. This is a wonderful organizational tool I learned from Candy, and something that has literally revolutionized the way I conduct my day. The binder contains essentially everything I need to run both my home and business, much like a miniature filing system. I keep a pouch for basic office supplies, and then several folders that keep important documents handy and remind me of To Do items I complete on a monthly or quarterly basis, such as taxes, payroll and bills. Waking up on Monday morning is not nearly as stressful when there's a planner and binder with directions already laid out.

The best part? There's nothing like checking that final item off in my binder or day planner on Friday evening, realizing the weekend is mine!