Organized moms...

[luvmyfam444]

what kind of calendar do you use? If its a specific brand name please share - insearch of all the help I can get!

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I am not exactly what you would call organized but I do have a calendar because we always have to be somewhere. I use a 3x4 dry erase board and update it every month. I use a regular wall calendar to write down the upcoming months events that I cannot miss then each month I transfer it to the dry erase board.

 

[cbmstephanie]

There's an online calendar and note system I use called cozi.com. It integrates with Office Outlook so you can sync them both up with work stuff on your cozi calendar and vis versa. It also integrates with some school calendars so those events show up on there. I print it out every so often and hang in on the fridge. Make notes on that one and then add them to the online version and reprint.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I use a calendar called, "The Mom's Calendar". I buy it every year. I just got 2010 a couple of days ago it was 50% off (reg $15). It has a pocket for papers, stickers, lots of areas for notations. I love it.

I also bought the, "Mom's Plan It Organizer" a few years ago. It has folders for school information, medical, personal, baby-sitter/child care, after school activities, and a built in expandable file. It's nice to have most of the stuff in one place. Very handy.

HTH!

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I just have a regular calendar in the kitchen and everything gets written on it. I tried the color coded pen thing for each kid but I got sick of that quick. I even write kids field trips and if they have to bring a lunch that day on it.

Then I have 1 folder with important papers in it such as room mom's info and other school info I need.

All other school papers are dealt with the day they show up and put in bookbags for turn in right away.

I also have the lunch calendar for the elementary school posted on our fridge. As soon as it comes home, DD marks whether she is bringing or buying on each day for the month and I post it right away. I don't have to mess with that for middle school. DS14 says it's not cool to bring your own lunch so he buys every day. LOL

I hate clutter and papers everywhere. Drives me nuts. Husband is a pack rat too which makes it kind of funny. He wants to keep everything. Blech.

 

[mom2d&b]

I also use Cozi. Love it because you can assign each person a differettn color. We also added "events" as another person. We use this to track reoccuring Bdays for family and friends.

cozi.com

 

[Tinijocaro]

We use iCal (macintosh computers) It meets all our needs. Amazing program.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I just use a regular wall calender where I write appointment, events, etc. Then on Sundays, I list everything for the week on a white board on the refrigerator. Then I cross things off after they happen. I also keep a calendar in my purse that I pull out when making appointments away from home. When I get home, everything gets transferred onto the wall calendar. It's not a fancy system but it works for us.

 

[AristocatFan]

Every year I use the Mom's Family Calendar by Sandra Boynton. It's a vertical grid that has five columns running across the top and days of the month down the left hand side. I list each person's activity on here. I also had DH put up cork board on one wall in my kitchen. This is where all important papers and appt. cards go. There is a column for each person and the last row is where I pin up all those little appt. cards go. Works for us!

 

[beckmrk04]

I love, love, LOVE the FlyLady calendar. It has huge lined squares to write on, plus packets of stickers for things like Dr's appts, errands, dentist, birthdays, etc. You can take a peek at www.flylady.net

PS- if you aren't super-organized (I was NOT born with organizational skills) this is a really good place to start.

 

[Tinijocaro]

ETA: The reason we don't use a paper calendar any more is so that we only have to write (type) it one time. After that, it gets synced to our iPod touches. iCal also prints nicely so if I do need a hard copy I can just print it. The days of writing it on the main family calendar, then making sure it got into my little purse one, and into dh's calendar are gone. Too much work.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I have 2, 1-week calendar, magnetic white boards on the fridge. (Each is about 14 inches wide by 3 inches high.) One is "this week" and one is "next week". When the week is over, I move the bottom one up and clear the other. I actually use 4 colors - one for each of us, plus one for whole family things. Items further out are written on the regular wall calendar (minus the color-coding) and I just add them to the white boards when I shift them.

 

[lewdyan1]

I just use a regular wall calender where I write appointment, events, etc. Then on Sundays, I list everything for the week on a white board on the refrigerator. Then I cross things off after they happen. I also keep a calendar in my purse that I pull out when making appointments away from home. When I get home, everything gets transferred onto the wall calendar. It's not a fancy system but it works for us.

This is my method! My DH laughs at my PPA (personal paper assistant) and really wants me to use a PDA! I love my paper calendar!

 

[kacaju]

I have a 5x7 weekly planner that goes everywhere with me. if I ever lose it I am dead!!

I found it at Barnes and Noble and I love it. It starts the last week of June 2009 and goes through Dec 2010. It is great because by now I have a ton of stuff in the planner that needs to be done in Jan, Feb, March so I am not transfering things from one calendar to another.

I buy it in June, start using it by Aug so when the kids go back to school I am all set for the whole school year. I find that in July it is much easier to transfer things from one calendar to another then to do it this time of year.

I have tried so many different things. This is what works best for me.

At one time I also had it in my computer, which while I will admit it was great, I'd get daily emails reminders. I found it is just a PITA to come home and remember everyday to rewrite it in my computer.

 

[fakereadhed]

Every year I use the Mom's Family Calendar by Sandra Boynton.

I use the same one! Just ordered another from Amazon. We are a family of 5 and I can see everone's activities at a glance side by side.

 

[rszdtrvl]

I found a bunch of 2009 "Mom's Plan-It" calendars at a thrift store for only $1.50. I took small white stickers and made it into a 2010 calendar. I believe this is similar to the one many of you use, with the stickers and space for 5 peoples activities.

So far, it has worked for us.

We also have a HUGE (36"w x 24"h) bulletin board by the door that we put important paperwork, phone numbers, etc. I cannot imagine not having my bulletin board!!

 

[golfgal]

Everything is on my Outlook calendar on my computer. I have a smartphone that syncs with that as well as my work calendar. If it isn't on the calendar, it isn't happening. Everyone is color coded on the calendar so I just have to take a quick glance to see who has something that day.

I used to use the planning calendar from Current. It had large boxes with lines.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I found a bunch of 2009 "Mom's Plan-It" calendars at a thrift store for only $1.50. I took small white stickers and made it into a 2010 calendar. I believe this is similar to the one many of you use, with the stickers and space for 5 peoples activities.

So far, it has worked for us.

We also have a HUGE (36"w x 24"h) bulletin board by the door that we put important paperwork, phone numbers, etc. I cannot imagine not having my bulletin board!!

That's what I use, the "Mom's Plan-It" calendar. One draw back is it doesn't come with the magnetic strip anymore. We have it mounted to a wall. I refer to it quite a bit.

 

[barkley]

i kind of use 3 calendars


(1) i bought some binder paper sized magnet paper at the craft store (kind you can print a photo on one side) and cut it into a strip that is printed with one week, sunday-saturday, undated on. this is kept on the fridge and all the FIXED obligations are indicated via a different color post it for each person. i do this b/c dh's college classes change every 3 months and it offers a fast visual reminder to me if i'm on the phone making an appointment for something.

(2) i have a basic, small month to month calendar that i keep with me whereever i go. when i buy it i look at everyone's school calendars (we operate on 3 different school scheduals) and note the days off/early releases....i only use pencil for this one and it is the 'master calendar' for the household (i also note in it when i make med co-pays, charity donations...anything tax oriented so i know what to look for at tax time).

(3) i have a blank calendar form that i make a monthly calendar on each month. it goes on the fridge and just gives everyone an overview of any appointments we have, days off school, dates major assignments are due....it's primarily there in case dh has to make an appointment and i'm not around to remind him which days/times are out of the question.


OH-in my master calendar book is the regular run of the mill phone numbers, but also the phone and policy numbers for our home owners insurance, and the local motel. we ended up evacuated from our home last winter, and in an emergency you don't want to be without information necessary to find assistance and temporary lodging.

 

[OceanAnnie]

i kind of use 3 calendars


(1) i bought some binder paper sized magnet paper at the craft store (kind you can print a photo on one side) and cut it into a strip that is printed with one week, sunday-saturday, undated on. this is kept on the fridge and all the FIXED obligations are indicated via a different color post it for each person. i do this b/c dh's college classes change every 3 months and it offers a fast visual reminder to me if i'm on the phone making an appointment for something.

(2) i have a basic, small month to month calendar that i keep with me whereever i go. when i buy it i look at everyone's school calendars (we operate on 3 different school scheduals) and note the days off/early releases....i only use pencil for this one and it is the 'master calendar' for the household (i also note in it when i make med co-pays, charity donations...anything tax oriented so i know what to look for at tax time).

(3) i have a blank calendar form that i make a monthly calendar on each month. it goes on the fridge and just gives everyone an overview of any appointments we have, days off school, dates major assignments are due....it's primarily there in case dh has to make an appointment and i'm not around to remind him which days/times are out of the question.


OH-in my master calendar book is the regular run of the mill phone numbers, but also the phone and policy numbers for our home owners insurance, and the local motel. we ended up evacuated from our home last winter, and in an emergency you don't want to be without information necessary to find assistance and temporary lodging.

I use 2.

I have a day runner that I keep important dates & numbers handy. I usually carry it with me when I'm out and about.

Then I have the mammoth family calendar which is our hub.