Order Challenge #3: Get it together

We have so many aspects of our lives that need ordered. Its the home, which involves different categories of care from meal planning, deep cleaning, decluttering, chores, maintenance, etc. Its coordinating all the activities of each family member, with school, church activities, hobbies, friends...etc. Its the things we have to do, errands to run, bills to pay ..its alot of stuff to organize and get in order on a daily basis.

We all have different needs to meet in this area, as well as different ways to handle it. We all have our own methods of keeping it all together and while one thing works great for one gal it may be a cause of stress for another.

The important thing to is to figure out what helps you the most ..is it a calendar on the fridge with different colors representing each family member? Is it full of cute stickers to remind of you of certain things?

Is it a DayTimer full of tabs and color coded markings, or a pocket book planner with one think it in because you bought it with the best of intentions? :)

We all need different degrees of order, but I think of all of us need a way to see all our responsibilities in one place.

I have talked about using a Home Management Binder, or a Stress Less Journal. These are great tools for keeping different aspects of your responsibilities in order. I have added to my tabs to include updated info on character training tips for my kids, ideas for projects, ideas of decorating my new home, etc. One thing I have changed is that my calendar is no longer in my SLJ.

I found that I needed that more in front of me. I have moved my calender to both the wall and the fridge. I use the one on the fridge as basic month-at-a- glance organization, and the dry erase one on the wall for my daily prayers, to do lists, reminders, etc. I have one that has an area to the side for notes, and I use it for my weekly prayer focus, my "honey please do" list, my weekly deep cleaning focus, my daily reminders (drink water, bible study, etc.) ..it is all right there out in the open.

I use the calendar portion and different colors to mark birthdays, daily prayer focus (that is where I note who I am praying for at the red lights :), meals planned, our Mommy and Me playgroup activities, etc. I can change it easily, and its all right there together.

I have found that having all those little things that need doing in one place where I can see it all at once is a great help.

So, for this challenge ...

Find a method that works for you that helps you get an idea of everything that needs doing at once..be it a dry erase board, the fridge calendar, a paper list or some effective system that uses all of them!

Being able to see all of it in one place helps us to order and prioritize more effectively. Seeing what can be put the side, what HAS been put the side, what needs doing now and what areas we need to work on.

What do you do that has helped you keep all of it together?