Works For Me: The Notebook
If my house catches fire, I'm getting the kids first, and this little tool second:
There's no offical name for this--around here, we just call it The Notebook. And we say it in a reverent whisper. Basically, it's where I keep all the catch-all papers it takes to manage this family of six.
On the cover you see a photo of my little darlings (in real life I promise they DO have faces).
Inside the front cover I have taped an assortment of important
information, like social security numbers, combination to the padlock gate in the backyard, and the right way to set a table (it's my dirty little secret: no matter how many tables I set, I cannot, CANNOT remember where the napkin and spoon go without a cheat sheet.)
I keep a three-ring hole punch in my kitchen, and any important piece of paper that darkens our door gets punched right away. Any papers that will be referred to regularly find their way into the The Notebook. It is NOT for filing papers that I might use once or twice a year (like birth certificates). And I don't use it for keeping track of documents to be filed, like paid bills or health insurance statements. Those documents have a much less glamourous fate awaiting them in the garage filing cabinet.
My notebook is divided into the following tabs:
- Pending (for papers that I'll be working on in the next week or two)
- Contacts (my phone list)
- Groceries (where I keep blank forms for this little system)
- Church
- Adam--school (these next three tabs hold classroom information I refer to often, like snack schedules, phone lists, etc. Keepsake-type school papers head out to the filing cabinet)
- Stephen--school
- Joseph--school
- Computer (where I keep all my passwords and ideas for blog posts--a very short list at the moment, by the way)
- Soccer (I have two boys who play; this is where we store rosters, schedules, etc.)
- Scouts (I have two boys in Scouts, too; this is where we keep up with the bazillions of little papers and projects it takes to participate)
- Ideas (Just a random catch-all place to write down my great ideas that never come to fruition. This is a LONG list.)
- Notes (Because you have to keep blank paper somewhere, right?)
This has really helped me keep track of all the paper a busy family can accumulate!
If you want to share your great idea, please include your Works-For-Me Wednesday Link below. Guidelines, should you need them, can be found here.
Oh, and one last thing...Jeana and GreenGenes won my little grammar contest yesterday, with the prize being (oh-can-you-stand-the-excitement) an honorary featured position in today's WFMW post. SO, you must go and visit them first, because it is a fine, fine thing when a woman knows how to hyphenate.
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Congrats Jeana!
Shannon, I'm guessing you have labels on your handy-dandy notebook too, don't you?
I'll have to post about the new label-maker I bought because of one of your recent WFMW's. But first, I need to figure out how to work the darn thing...
Posted by: Pass the Torch | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 12:09 AM
I love your notebook idea! I may just have to borrow it. :)
Now, I'm off to go visit the blogs of Jeana & GreenGenes!
Posted by: Overwhelmed! | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 12:10 AM
Shannon, that is the best idea. I need all the help I can get, and I just happen to have a really special notebook with scrapbook covers available.
Thanks!
Posted by: Rebecca | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 12:12 AM
That is a really good idea. I lOVE anything that gets me organized!!!! I am excited...sad huh??
Posted by: Shannon in Arizona | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 12:13 AM
Sounds like a great way to keep organized!
Posted by: Trisha | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 12:15 AM
What a wonderful idea!! Not only is our tip up, but we are also hosting the Carnival of the Vanities today, check it out if you get a chance!
Posted by: MamaDuck | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 12:34 AM
Love this idea Shannon. I love reading all the tips but I especially LOVE the organizing ones....go figure..lol. Laura
Posted by: Laura | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 12:55 AM
I love organizing tips. I never seem to practice any of them, but I love 'em! Thanks!
Posted by: Susan | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 01:26 AM
Love the idea!
Posted by: Faith | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 01:46 AM
Excellent Idea! :-)
Sorry about the double linkage! I hadn't seen that someone had posted for me! :)
Posted by: Mieneke | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 01:59 AM
Looks like we both had ideas for binders this week! Great idea, I'm gonna have to use this when I start my family!
Posted by: Larae | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 02:22 AM
I love my binder. We had freinds over a few weeks ago, and a couple of the guys came across mine. They were so funny- almost in awe of how "organised" I am (tee hee hee). I didn't have the heart to tell them that without that book, nothing would ge done.
Posted by: Kelly | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 03:14 AM
That sounds better than my current method, stacks of paper around my computer. I even have a couple of spare 3-ring binders around. Thanks!
Posted by: Magi | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 05:06 AM
I'll have to remember this when we have kids. I need all the organizing help I can get.
Posted by: Aubrey | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 05:26 AM
Oh, the household binder - I so need to do this! What a great tip. Thanks!
Posted by: Beck | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 05:57 AM
That is a great idea. I have a notebook with sections for menus and to-dos, but I really should use it for much more.
Posted by: Dianne | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 06:02 AM
What a great idea. I tend to leave papers on the kitchen table until the pile falls off in the floor, and then I just throw stuff away, which I later often regret.
Posted by: Jan | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 06:26 AM
A great idea! I have a file folder for some of that kind of thing, but some of the others are just in a stack on the desk. Where do you keep your notebook?
Thanks also for the grocery list idea. I've been pondering making some kind of master list, but haven't quite worked it out yet. It was interesting to note the date on that post and realize WFMW has only been going a few months!
Posted by: Barbara H. | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 06:30 AM
The notebook sounds like a great way to keep all the information you need organized! Thanks for the idea.
Posted by: DivaP | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 06:38 AM
Wow, what a great notebook! Thanks so much for sharing!
Posted by: Lindsey | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 07:18 AM
Great notebook idea!! Sorry about the double post, this is the first WMFW that I am participating in!
Posted by: T. | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 07:19 AM
wow, I really like that ! My filing is bad and back dated. Hope I can do a good job this week.
Posted by: Mums Talk | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 07:28 AM
WOW! Look at all these WFMW'ers! Gosh. Leave for a month and come back and WOW.
Ok. Mines up.
NoteBook Lover here.
How could I ever live without them again!?
Great choice to share.
Ty Shannon--for hosting this every week.
:)
Posted by: LammyAnn | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 07:36 AM
Oohhh that rocks! I'll have to start something like that ASAP since Sarah's set to start grade 1 next week! AAACK!
Posted by: Julie | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 07:38 AM
I started a notebook like this a while back after reading another WFMW tip, but you have some other ideas I'm going to incorporate into mine...including passwords! What a great idea.
Posted by: mom2fur | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 07:51 AM