Getting organized....Part 2

I've been trying to have more structure in my day, and for that reason, have been trying to get more organized.  I went for about a year without really cleaning my house (my house was cleaned during that time, just by someone other than me, thanks to some really generous family members!), and now that it's going to be me doing all the housework again, I'm finding that I sort of lost my "rhythm" of when things need to be done.

In addition to that, one thing they've told us over and over again in our PS-MAPP classes  is that kids who have lived in chaos need structure and consistency.  Over and over again.  I thought it would be easier to put structure in my life now, then alter it as kids come, then to assume that structure will naturally float into place as kids walk through our door (I've heard it doesn't exactly work that way!). 

So, I created a home management binder with customized daily dockets (printed out a week at a time), as well as monthly and semi-annual chores.  I also have my daily to-do's (picking up, Bible reading, exercise, etc) in there, as well as sections with blank lines for meal planning, errands, general to-do list, and a couple of other things.  I can't say that I stay within the binder every time, but it's helped to get a start on structure.  Plus, I am guessing that the more kids we have in our house, the more I'll have to be sure to write everything down that needs to be done!

I got my dockets from MoneySavingMom.com's website. She offers all kinds of free downloads for home management, including the customizable daily docket, daily cleaning lists, chore charts for kids, and more.  Click here to check it out (these forms are under the "Household Management" category.

Maybe someday I'll be one of those super-organized people I've always admired.  Until then, this has been a good way to remember when to change our sheets!