Getting Organized

Keeping track of everything for a family of five is a struggle. I signed up for being the primary parent, but I really underestimated the load.

My planner is key to everything. It fits in my purse, but is big enough for me to put everything on it and tuck important papers into it. I need a physical location for all of it. My planner is my Master Key.

Then, I have the wall calendar. Everything from my planner that the family needs is put onto it. School stuff, doctor appointments, my unusual work schedule, family visits, …

I have cork-boards and a magnetic dry erase board for school notes, permission slips, event notices, check reminders. I regularly look it over and keep it up to date.

I keep a small notebook with all kinds of important information handy. A list of all my bills, the companies, their phone numbers. Special chores or reminders. This has been really helpful for my scattered tendencies.

Recently, I started keeping a medical notebook and sectioned it for everyone in the family. We’re all developing quite the rap sheet and I really hate not being able to answer simple questions for doctors. It fits in my purse and I keep notes on medications, appointments, ER visits, dentist appointments, dates for it all.

I have notebooks just for meal planning and shopping lists. Notebooks just for my knitting projects and patterns. Notebooks for massage notes. Notebooks for random lists, ideas, creations, story starts or middles.

The main things that keep me mostly on track is my purse planner, the wall calendar, and the two pocket notebooks with handy references. The school wall helps a lot with three kids.

I’m learning as I go. Staying organized has been one of those priorities that sometimes triggers my dangerous OCD, or cripples me from doing anything at all. Mostly, all the effort I put in soothes both my OCD and anxiety and leaves me feeling prepared and therefore, less anxious.

Organization, for me and my way of thinking, often looks chaotic. I’ve spent years trying to find what works best for me. It shifts and changes as our needs change, but I think I’ve figured out a good system.

Here’s to an organized 2024!