This Life Planner was gifted by Erin Condren. However, all opinions are 100% my own.
Good Morning Friends!
It is the week of Christmas and most of our brains are submerged into wrapping gifts, last minute shopping, celebration preparations, and the coming of the New Year! This is the time where being organized saves me from mental breakdowns and forgetting important things. So what tips does this mom of 4 have for you to stay organized?
1.The LifePlanner
Since I can remember a planner has been a must for me. Through high school, college, and my years as a mother my planner has been my lifeline. With that being said I have tried many planners in my time & had always struggled with finding THE ONE…until I came across the Erin Condren LifePlanner. IT IS AMAZING!!! I owned my first one a few years ago and have never looked back. I am able to organize all parts of my life in one planner. That was key to me, I needed something where I could write down appointments, birthdays, work deadlines, and all the other million things going on in my life.
You can choose from 3 different types of layouts; hourly, horizontal, and vertical (my favorite). Aside from the layouts you have the ability to personalize it, whether it be adding your name or even creating collage covers (which by the way are interchangeable). I love the freedom the LifePlanner provides all while giving me the right amount of structure.
I love the stickers it comes with and you guys the accessories you can purchase are so important, there is something there for all of your needs. You can choose from pockets to dry erase tabs to add your grocery lists, just about everything. I feel like I truly learned what organization was when I first got my LifePlanner. I used all the tools it comes with and made sure to get the most out of my planner.
2.Create a Family Calendar
Right in front of our garage door (which is what we use to go in and out of house most of the time) I have a little command center. I have a dry erase calendar which I update every month and as the month goes on so everyone knows what is happening. That calendar is mostly for my husband and kids. I keep a “paper copy” of it on my LifePlanner and make sure to cross reference it all so nothing gets lost.
3.Meal Plan
I know it seems like an additional task but meal planning saves me so much time and money. On Sundays I sit down and figure out our meals for the week. I check what I have in stock and what I need more of. I also add the meals on my LifePlanner so I can remember to get things started early if need be.
4.To Do Lists
I have 2 versions of this list. One is you guessed it- in my planner. My planner lists consist of personal, business, and household things to do. The other is a dry erase magnetic board on the refrigerator. This is the list for everyone. On this list I add household chores and tasks for everyone to take part in. Whenever someone has a spare minute they can look at the list, pick a task, and cross it off. This is how our whole family pitches in and helps relieve some of the stress from me.
5.Communicate
I found myself in a cycle of thinking everyone would know what I needed help with only to realize no one knew and I was feeling way in over my head. I have learned to ask for help from my family and husband as well as making sure that I am conveying information in a way that everyone understands. This is not just for me, but for everyone to let me know what they need as well and work as a team to make sure everyone has and is doing what they need to do. Another thing is communicating with myself- to do that I journal a bit. I start each morning writing down things I am grateful for and take 5 mins at the end of the day to reflect on my day. I use my Erin Condren Softbound Notebook to jot it all down.
