Home Management Binder: Introduction

About a year ago, I started seeing a ton of home management binders around blogland.  This idea was so up my alley I couldn't wait to get started on making my own.  I mean, what's not to love?  Organization, binder, sections, records...my head was spinning I was so smitten.  I loved the idea of having all the information needed to run my home in one, easy to access location.

So I ran out and got all my supplies:

• 3" Avery Heavy Duty, One Touch Binder
• Avery Clear Pocket, Clear Label Tab Dividers (5-tab for main sections)
• Avery Clear Pocket, Clear Label Tab Dividers(8-tab for sub-sections)

I started with just those three things, knowing I could always run out and grab other stuff as the need came up.  I ended up needing three packs of the larger 5-tab dividers, and two packs of the smaller 8-tab dividers.  I also eventually got some fun multi-colored Sharpie pens (which I absolutely adore) to add some fun and color to my binder pages.

Anyways, after I got all my supplies, I began making my own binder.  I got the whole foundation made for what I want out of my binder.  But eventually I lost steam (I tend to bite off more than I can chew) and put the binder aside.  A couple of the sections were usable but it wasn't as all-purpose functioning as I had intended.

So to get my behind in gear and finally finish up my binder, I'm going to share my binder and my process with you guys.  I hope that having the accountability of sharing the binder with my readers I'll be able to complete my home management binder and be that much closer to a smoothly run home.

For the next couple of weeks, I am going to take you through my home management binder as I complete it section by section.  You can work along with me, making your own binder, or just take some ideas to incorporate into your own home management system.  Feel free to skip any sections that may not apply to you and your home, then pick up again the next week.

Here is the line-up of posts for the Home Management Binder Series

8/31 - Schedules

9/7 - Family

9/14 - Pets

9/21 - School

9/28 - Cleaning postponed

10/5 - Home

10/12 - Finances

10/19 - Food and Grocery

10/26 - Health and Fitness

11/2 - Beauty

11/9 - Crafts and Projects

11/16 - Vehicle

Here is a quick rundown of each section so you know what to expect each week.

Schedules

This section will house all my various schedules and calendars so I always know what I need to do and when.

Family

Each family member (Melissa and I) each have our own sub-section to store personal information such as medical information, to-do lists and other personal documents or records.  I was very excited to find a two mommy clip-art to use for the divider of this section.  All its missing is a black Pomeranian!

Pets

Dakota gets a whole section to herself.  Here I store all papers associated with Dakota and her care, such as vet/health records and care routines.

School

I use this section to keep me organized with all major aspects of college.  I keep records to help track my class requirements and grades.  I also store important records or letters from the school.

Cleaning

This section will hold all information needed to clean my house.  It will have cleaning schedules for each room of the house, as well as checklists so I can check things off as they are completed.  This helps keep me motivated and helps me to remember what still needs to be done.

Home

The home section holds our home inventories and housing records.  This is also where I will plan out the decor and projects for each room of the apartment

Finances

This section holds all my financial information.  I keep track of my personal finances, so I know where my money is being spent.  I also track bills and payments so I make sure to never miss a deadline.

Food and Grocery

This is where I will keep all things food related.  I hope to start regular meal planning in my home, and those papers would go in here.  I would also love to start having regularly updated food inventories, so I always know what I have on hand and what I have run out of.

Health and Fitness

This section will serve as a place for all things health related.  I hope to have diet, health, exercise and first-aid information corralled in this section.  Hopefully this will help me to finally begin an exercise regime and eating healthy.  These two areas of my life could use a serious overhaul.

Beauty

This section will hold all my beauty routines and regimens, as well as any make-up tutorials or tips I find during mad Pinterest binges.

Crafts and Projects

Here is where I want to store all my information for projects I'm currently working on.  I want to have a basic form to fill out all the needs and steps for each project I tackle.  I always have so many projects going on at one time, I think being able to physically see what I'm currently working on will help me to remember and finish more projects.

Vehicle

My last section is for all car-related information.  This is mainly repair work summaries and emissions results.  I'd like to have a uniform repair and maintenance log to keep track of all things car upkeep.

And there you have my complete Home Management Binder.  I will go more in depth into each section during the designated post date for each section.

I personally love the idea of a binder as an organizational hub for the home, but it may not work for everyone.  Luckily, many of the information I keep in my binder can be used in any other system you may have set up for your home maintenance.  So feel free to take from these posts whatever you like and tailor it to your specific home needs.

However you organize and manage your home, I hope you'll enjoy reading along with me as I create my dream Home Management Binder!  I'd also love to see your home organizational systems, so please leave a comment linking to your home management binders or systems.  Stay tuned for the complete Schedules section next Friday 8/31!