Thursday, March 31, 2011

Home Notebook - Our Life: Binder

I've been working on my Home Management Binder for quiet some time now. Honestly, it's been a project that's been a couple years in the works! Can you believe that? I think with a new baby, I needed the structure that my binder will provide. It's funny how often I refered to the printables I made even before I printed them!! I'm so excited about this binder!! And I can't wait to show you what I've created. Truth be told, there are more printables that I'm working on and some are actually already completed. But the printer is down to it's last ink droplets so they will live on my laptop until a new cartridge is installed.

So do you want to see my binder? I'd love to show it to you!

I picked up this pretty binder at Target just a couple of weeks ago when we went to visit my family. Oh how I miss living close to a Target! But that's another post in and of itself.....



I decided to call my binder an "Our Life: Binder". It's a theme I carried out on most of the pages. Below is our cover page. I inserted each page into a sheet protecter rather than just hole punching the pages. I love this system much better! It's keeping my pages nice and clean.




After the cover page, I created a Daily Schedule. If you've been around my blog for awhile, you may have seen a similar version that I created awhile ago. I've since revamped it for my lifestyle at this point. In a later post I'll expand on my daily schedule further and explain why I decided to change it up a bit. This section will also include my Weekly, Monthly and Annual Cleaning Schedules. I'm busy working on those!



Our Daily Home Blessings. I want to strive to complete these blessings every day.



This portion of my binder took a few weeks to complete. I created for myself an entire calendar system. I was stuck with trying to find a calendar that I really liked so I decided to create my own. I love it! It works so well for our lifestyle.




 [Blogger is being ridiculous with their formatting so sorry if this gets a little wonky on you. Grr!]

The next page is dedicated to Birthdays and Special Events. It's a two-sided sheet that keeps track of all the special birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and special events in our life. It's a quick at-a-glance kind of thing.




I purchased some dividers to insert inbetween each section on my binder. I have yet to actually label the sections (with my labeler I got for my birthday!!) but will soon. I am short a few dividers so once I purchase those, I'll get my label on! But these divider are great because they have pockets on both sides of the divider. I bought them at Walmart in the States...I'm hoping they have the same ones in Canada!


My next section is dedicated to our Emergency Information. I've sort of cut off the top half of the page because it has our address, phone number and directions to our home. Can't be broadcasting that all over the internet can we? ;)

I have two seperate sections for phone numbers. I've added spots to fill in for the police, fire department, poision control and others. There is even a spot for Bear Wise - the phone number to report bear sitings. And believe me, we've had to use that number before. I definatly want to make sure it's handy!




Directly following the Emergancy Phone Numbers is a sheet of Medical Information for each person in my house. Since there are three of us, I have three sheets printed. It contains each person's basic information but also includes their Health Card Numbers and Social Insurance/Security Numbers. I've included sections for different medications (including vitamins) that each person is taking along with dosage information. There is a spot for allergies and a health history. I've also included doctor's information for each person as we each have different physicians.




The next section of my binder gets into the Home Keeping aspect of my life. I made these next printables awhile ago and decided to keep them in my binder. These sheets are for home projects that I'd live to complete. I've labeled each column with a different room in our home and on the lines below it I will list what all I'd like to accomplish in that room. There are little check boxes next to each line. Boy it will feel good to put a check mark in each and every box one day!




The next section is related to all things Food and Recipes. This will eventually be going into its own binder but until I get that one going, I've put the printables inside my Our Life: Binder.


Do you see this pocked that's been added to my divider? I purchased these from Walmart. They are made my Avery and are quiet handy little things! It's a repositionable pocket - complete with a tab - that you can put pretty much anywhere. Here I'll stick loose coupons that have not yet made it into my coupon holder. What a handy little bugger!


Next I created a Pantry Staples sheet. It's a list gathered from The Reluctant Entertainer's book. I'd like to try and keep thse things on hand so that I can easily and quickly make some meals. I added and deleted some of my favorites to her list to make it my own.



I also included Fresh Staples.


This is a sheet I can't wait to use! It's my new and improved Grocery List. I had created for myself a nice grocery list before and it worked great. But as a new mom, I can't be expected to remember write down every little thing we need. I just don't have the time! So instead, I wrote down each and every thing we usually like to purchase/eat and made this grocery list. I even got specific with each fruit and veggie. Of course there is always room to add other items on another sheet but for the most part, this covers our food life! I plan to have this page laminated and stuck on the fridge so we can easily put a check mark next to what we run out of or what we want to eat that week.


Here is my Menu and Meal Planning page I made a couple of years ago. Why mess with a good thing? It works for us!


I also created this Freezer Inventory sheet. Just like with the Grocery List, this will be laminated and stuck to the fridge as well. We will be easily able to see what is in the freezer at any given time.


The next section is devoted to our pups. We've got quiet a pack of dogs right now. Three full grown English Springer Spaniels and four two week old puppies. We definatly need some organization when it comes to them! We own our own kennel - Starbury Gun Dogs - and this section will quickly expand once I work up some more printables. For now I have a Pet Care Instruction sheet. It has a space for each dogs feeding allowances as well as a space to fill in their routines.



Another section is devoted to all of those little things that clutter up our brains. Things we want to remember but just don't. I've created pages for Books To Read, Movies To Watch, Things I Want To Buy, and Gifts To Give Others. This section will expand too to include things like a Travel Checklist and some other goodies.




The next section is for inspirational items. Currently I have a really great devotion that inspires me printed and placed into a protective sleeve.


Can you believe that I don't have a cell phone? My husband doesn't either. So, we rely on a good old fashioned address book to keep us in the know. This section is for Friends and Family and following that is for my husbands dog owner friends. It's labeled Cockers and Spaniels as those are his favorite dog breeds. That section also includes a section for each persons email address and website. You don't know how many little scraps of paper I've come across with people's contact information on it. Now they will have a home!





And last, but not least, is a sheet for our favorite Take-Out Phone Numbers. I've also included another Avery pocket to stash coupons and menus. Yum!!




So there is my Our Life: Binder! I'm so excited about this binder! I love it to bits!!



To download free copies of all of these documents in printable form, just click here: Home Notebook

To download free copies of the updated 2012 calendar, click here: 2012 Calendar




I'm hooking up with Jenn at IHeart Organizing. AMAZING BLOG! It's full of all kinds of organizing goodness. Check her out. You won't be disapointed!



And for more organizing love, check out Delightful Order. I'm hooking up there as well!


61 comments:

Mindi Hoellein said...

WOW! I really NEED something llike this! Unfortunately I have ZERO time or patience for creative something from SCRATCH like that. Anyhow, great job and thanks for sharing! :)

Nicole said...

This is amazing! It looks so good!! Anyway to make a generic available for download ;)

Bonnie @ The Boatwright Family said...

Love it! Great job!

Stephanie said...

so i'm pretty much in love with the whole book!
i am dying to know.. did you make ALL the templates yourself?? and if so.. ummm how?? i really want templates like those to make my recipe book but am computer challenged!! would you email me some info & advice?? i'll facebook you my addy ;)

Jami said...

Uh, Mandi!! WOW! You are so talented! I bet you could make a few of those and sell them on etsy for some $$$. I'd definitely be someone who would buy because my mind cannot begin to process what it's like to be organized. I especially love the inventory of the fridge and freezer and pantry. lol I'm the girl who buys planners and never fills them in. Having a baby is going to kick my bootie! LOL.

Emily S said...

Wow, I really love the format you made for all of these! Very clean and easy to read, and beautiful! Great job!

Emily
Deviantly Domesticated Team

PS - The "Special Dates" chart gave me an idea for a challenge on our site. If you want to check it out you can find it here:

http://stephaniehillberry.com/2011/04/april-challenge-celebrating-those-you-love/

Holly said...

I absolutely love all of your templates! The fonts you used are so cute! I think that's what has me going gaga over your binder :)

Balaskas said...

AMAZING!! Love ALL the details, very simple and easy to read. What program do you use to create all your awesome pages? Do you have downloads available to print? Great post and ideas!!

According to Ashley said...

I'm going through the links in the "linky party" and just HAD to comment on yours! Your binder is amazing! I love that font and use it on my blog. :)

LisasFitLife said...

Your charts are too cute! You should really sell them on etsy!!

queenbeaz said...

Your pages are so gorgeous! Awesome work! I'm definitely using them as inspiration, but you should totally offer them as a free OR paid download. Thanks for sharing your binder! :)

kristy.lynn @ kristy.makes said...

holy cow! you are super duper organized! i'm totally jealous...

Jenn said...

Hi, I only just found out about the binders so haven't created one myself but decided to peruse around and see what everyone came up with and get some great ideas!

I liked the addition for the inspirational items :)

Bethany said...

Hi Mandi...just discovered your blog via Kelly's Korner. This home notebook is such a great idea! I am going to implement this in our family. Thanks for the great organizational how-to. :)

the nichols' family said...

WOW! I am impressed! Love your ideas! :)

*Kelly* said...

Your book is wonderful. You created those pages yourself???

Our book is more "generic". I printed the pages off an organizing website and they are a bit plain.

Thanks for the tips!!!

Audrey said...

Oh I love! The whole binder is fab and so so functional. Amazing! If by chance you are willing to share, I'd be very grateful and it would help tremendously in my quest to organize my own life! : )

~aj~ said...

I am in AWE!!!!

Kelly said...

Oh my goodness! This binder is so amazing. I am absolutely in love with it and I am pretty sure I am going to have dreams about making my own tonight. I have a lot of these lists but not in one place...what a great idea!

I would love to know how you made those templates! I will be finding myself a binder very soon. Thanks for the tip.

Oh and I am visiting from Kelly's Korner....

Alexis said...

That is BEAUTIFUL!!! And after all the time and effort you put into it, I can imagine that you're very faithful to it. I NEED something like this. I blame my lack of organization skills entirely on the fact that I don't have that book. GREAT WORK!!!

I'm just visiting from Kelly's Korner, but if you do offer this as a download, PLEASE let me know. :)

Erin Branscom said...

Love it! I am working on my houehold binder too! :) Erin

www.healthybranscoms.com

Sarah said...

I have a binder for our family too! I love it! I got some new ideas from you! Thanks! One thing that I have in mine is a budget/bill pay section.

I would also love some of your forms as cute printables! Mine are not that cute!!

Tara said...

I LOVE this. I think I am going to have to put one of these together for myself. Thank you for sharing!

Danae said...

I made a binder like this earlier this year and now I don't know how I ever lived without it. Sometimes having it makes me feel like I am crazy, but seeing that other people have it to makes me feel a lot better!

Unknown said...

I love the idea. Not sure i can keep organized enough to use something like this, but I love the pantry staples and freezer list. Great ideas. Thanks for sharing!

Kelly said...

I love this!!! Great job. I would love to know how you did all the templates. I would like to do one for my family.

Let'sMakeADifference said...

Hi, I'm visiting from a Hop! You have some great ideas! I LOVE the notebook! Have a great Easter! Would love for you to visit my blog and follow back!

Unknown said...

I am glad to hear that you might open an etsy shop. I would love the grocery lists and what not. I have not idea even how to start on this, so a simple one that someone else created is the best place to start. Thanks!

holly said...

that is a very impressive binder. i love that you designed it yourself to fit your family's need but also because the design is consistent and adorable :)

Heritage of Home said...

Love your binder!!! I have been using your meal planner and grocery planner for about a year now! Love them!!!! I don't want anything else! Thank you for them and thank you for sharing your binder on here it is lovely! God Bless You!

Anonymous said...

This is awesome, and I too would love to purchase some downloads!!! If you decided to offer them please, please email this OCD mom:)))))) palmer_s@verizon.net

Anonymous said...

What font is your cover page, the words - Our Life? I love it

Anonymous said...

Love all the ideas! Love the font you used! Can you tell me what font you used for "Our Life" on the first page?

Chasity @ Haute Mommy Blog said...

Oh WOW, so pretty! I'm going to steal some of your ideas.

Anonymous said...

I keep trying to find something I like that is comparable to you have done here, and I can't! I hope you are able to upload these soon so I can begin creating my own life binder!

La Bella Vita said...

Thank you so much for making this something we can all use everyday!! I enjoy things like this and I do have to say, you put this together very well! I have looked for yrs for something just like this and thought I would never find something! Again thanks for sharing!! =) BTW what font is this that you used? I LOVE IT!!!

Mindy Erickson said...

Can I ask what fonts you used on your planners?

Unknown said...

Great job Mandi.

That's Sew Crafty said...

Love the binder! There are a lot of cute things in yours that some people just can't seem to realize are needed in life! Quick question, how do you use your inventory sheets? Doesn't it get really annoying to write down everything you put in there? And what is the actual purpose of it? I see that a lot of people do this, and I wanna try it, but I just can't wrap my head around it.

-Jess @ That's Sew Crafty

Gail said...

Great binder, thank you for sharing it. I will need to create something like this.

portlocke said...

This is really cute!!! is there any way i can download these?

Jillian said...

Like everybody else who's commented, I LOVE this planner/organizer!! Would you consider sharing/selling a PDF copy?!

Mandi @ Sweetly Home said...

Hi everyone! Thank you for your sweet comments! I have updated the post with a link to my printables. I've also included the link to the 2012 calendar. I hope these documents help you and your families! Thank you so much for your sweet compliments!! - Mandi

Unknown said...

I decided to update my home management binder after setting it up 5 years ago.
I actually found my way back to your binder through Pinterest. You've got fans girl!

Charlie McRaven said...

I still can't get the download to work for the weekly schedule thing...no print icon comes up. the link to the pdf produces a 404 error

cathyb.typepad.com said...

This is beautiful - what a lot of work - do you mind if I include some of the pages in my handmade journals - I will absolutely give you credit

Brittany W. said...

The whole time I read through your binder I thought... WOW! You are a great example of a Proverbs 31 wife. Thank you for sharing your God-given gift of organization with us all! I'm excited to attempt to create one now.

Cody Doll said...

Thank you so much for the printable. I love your design!

Kelli said...

Thank you for all of the printablbles. These are exactly what I'm looking for. They are so clean and crisp. I was downloading the pages and noticed that the "Home Projects" page is nowhere to be found. Is it possible to get that download? Our home project list is ever growing!

Chelsea Ruffino said...

This is AMAZING! Would you consider making a finances section template?

Dina said...

I know a few people have asked but what font have you used for the title? It's adorable!

http://mylittlehappies.blogspot.com said...

Thank you so much for blessing me with these printables and inspiring me with your own daily home blessings/things to accomplish today. I just wish I could read them all! If you are open to sharing them, I would appreciate it. I could sure use them! Thanks again so much for being willing to share your creativity with everyone!

Mich said...

You are amazing! Thank you for sharing these pages for us. I am trying to be a good keeper of the home, and seriously have trouble keeping organized. Bless you!!

Unknown said...

i love this! would you be able to update it for 2013? or make a blank version we could fill in the dates in?

Miss Kida said...

Are you going to update for 2013? Just found you on pinterest. Maybe it would just be easier to do blank calendars so ppl can date it themselves

Miss Kida said...

Are you going to update for 2013? Just found you on pinterest and I love your calendar. It might easier for you to just leave the calendar blank of dates so ppl can date it themselves

Unknown said...

I love this! Do you have a calendar for 2014 yet???

Unknown said...

Do you have the download link for the home projects sheet?

Raquel said...

I came across your blog on Pinterest. This is such a great idea!

SlowSally said...

Your digital work is awesome!! I'm looking for a 2014 printable calendar....any chance of doing it and I'll even pay!

Kristi said...

Hi Mandi-
This is awesome! Thank you for sharing this! I think others have asked, but didn't see the answer. What is the name of font of "Our Life" on the cover page?

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