I didn't know what to put for the subject but wanted to get a discussion going. I am wondering how everyone is doing this school year with staying organized with everything.
So far, I am doing well. That is not unusual - I am always great at the beginning and then lose it and scramble for the rest of the year. So, my goal is to keep it up and remember how much it helps to just stick with it all along.
One thing I did was get a dry erase wall calendar that I put in between the living room and the kitchen. It has all of the kids' events, when I will get home from work, the days doug has pick up, etc. That is helping. I am also putting bills on there as I go because I always drop the ball on that as well.
Something else that I've done is really used google calendar. Doug and I both have access to look at it and add things and that has helped a ton. I have dinner scheduled on there everyday and am putting what we are having on there so that doug can check and get things started on my later days. Google calendar is awesome too because you can add alerts and so it alerts me before a bill is due, before a school event, etc. I am putting Gavin's important dates on there as well - when reading log is due, when PTA is due, that kind of stuff. It's so much to remember without some help!
I've also been able to keep up with making lunches at night and laying out clothes as well. It makes such a big difference, I don't know why I always stop doing it and rush in the morning trying to get everything done.
I'd love to hear other tips and tricks and just share some ideas to help make the school year go a little bit easier. :)
I use the dry erase calendar to in my kitchen. I think I'm the only one that looks at it (although there was a :( on the "first day of school" so I'm thinking DS1 is looking at it too ). I do keep it up to date and hope that one day my DH might look at it. He is so immersed in his schedule, etc. that he just relies on me to verbally tell him what is going on.
I also use the calendar on my iphone with reminders for nearly everything. I tried google calendar but I just couldn't get into it. (Di posted something about using it on her phone so that prompted me to start using mine religiously). I still haven't entirely given up my paper calendar in my purse but I'm getting there. Maybe in 2013!! Like you I put everything in there - field trips, deadlines for any and everything.
I don't lay clothes out the night before. But what I am trying to do is stay up on keeping the laundry put away so there is no drama in the a.m. looking for clothes.
I guess I really don't do much the night before to prepare for the next day (other than going through backpacks and lunch money if needed). jake is going to want to start taking his lunch more - so maybe I will make it the night before.
right now i'm spread a little thin and in multiple directions - ihave a dry erase board (not a calendar) in the kitchen where i write my lists for the weeks...then i have an old-fashioned day-book which i keep on the counter and refer to that as well. i also have the "to do map" (iphone app) which is nice - you organize stuff by priority and color. the only prob is that it's not a calendar format (this works for me though - my stuff is more by week than by day, with my job).
factoring sitters into the picture has been tricky for me but i'm pulling it off so far. everyday i'm a little nervous about actually pulling off the day's tasks, but i'm still just getting used to being back at work, etc - i'm sure i'll settle in.
We have a dry erase board in the living room, and also use Google calendar - I love that I can sync my calendar with Joe's (although I chose not to because it ports his entire work calendar over and I have *no* interest in going through that, but also it's what my program director at school uses, so I can sync the school calendar to mine in a matter of seconds, and not have to port everything over individually, and we get ready the night before. I wish I had more to offer, but most nights I get to see everyone after school for about 15 minutes, so unfortunately I'm still totally frazzled most of the time, regardless, lol.
right now i'm spread a little thin and in multiple directions - ihave a dry erase board (not a calendar) in the kitchen where i write my lists for the weeks...then i have an old-fashioned day-book which i keep on the counter and refer to that as well. i also have the "to do map" (iphone app) which is nice - you organize stuff by priority and color. the only prob is that it's not a calendar format (this works for me though - my stuff is more by week than by day, with my job).
factoring sitters into the picture has been tricky for me but i'm pulling it off so far. everyday i'm a little nervous about actually pulling off the day's tasks, but i'm still just getting used to being back at work, etc - i'm sure i'll settle in.
right now i'm spread a little thin and in multiple directions - ihave a dry erase board (not a calendar) in the kitchen where i write my lists for the weeks...then i have an old-fashioned day-book which i keep on the counter and refer to that as well. i also have the "to do map" (iphone app) which is nice - you organize stuff by priority and color. the only prob is that it's not a calendar format (this works for me though - my stuff is more by week than by day, with my job).
factoring sitters into the picture has been tricky for me but i'm pulling it off so far. everyday i'm a little nervous about actually pulling off the day's tasks, but i'm still just getting used to being back at work, etc - i'm sure i'll settle in.
to do map?
color coded lists?
genius
off to download.
did you get it? i love it - but i can imagine that it might not work for everyone - i think it totally depends on the types of things on your list. it lets you code by color, so for me, R=purple, C=pink, my work is blue, my writing is red, my appts etc are green, sitters are orange, etc. then if you say something is priority #1, then it shows up as the biggest in the map. once you delete it, the others reconfigure by priority. very handy.
). I do keep it up to date and hope that one day my DH might look at it. He is so immersed in his schedule, etc. that he just relies on me to verbally tell him what is going on.
