Home Management Binder: Crafts and Projects

Update: this post now contains links to download the printables shown here.  To see all my free printables available for download go here.

Welcome back to the Home Management Binder Series!  I am sharing my process of creating a home management binder, and hope to pass along some inspiration to others for managing their household.  For those of you just joining us, here is a quick rundown of the schedule for this series.

8/24 - Introduction
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

Feel free to follow along (or jump in and out depending on your needs) and make your own Home Management Binder as I whip mine into shape!  Many of the organizational tools and tips you''l see here can be used in other types of home management systems as well, if binders aren't your thing.

This week I'll show you how I plan out all my various crafts and scrapbooking in this week's Crafts and Projects section.  In order to successfully execute a project from an idea in my head to actuality, I have found it extremely helpful to plan everything out from start to finish.  Previously I would just do this on random scrap paper.  Unfortunately, this means they would get lost or worse, end up scattered around unorganized and taking up precious space.  With this new section in my binder, I will be able to plan all my various crafts and projects in one convenient location.

In the beginning of this section, I have multiple blank project planning pages.  I plan to always keep a couple extra blank pages in here for whenever inspiration strikes.

Download here

On each project planning page I have a spot for sketching my idea I have for the project.  This can be anything from painting a piece of furniture or designing the layout of picture frames I want to hang up.  I am a very visual person, so it's easiest for me to understand the direction I want to take a project if I have it drawn out in front of me.  This makes it possible to get all the jumbled ideas out of my mind into a clear and precise goal that I am working towards.

I also have space for me to list all the materials I need to complete the project.  This way I won't get halfway through a project without realizing I still need another color of paint or tool to finish what I began.

Finally on each page is a place for me to write down steps to complete the project.  This will be most useful in breaking down what may seem like a huge project into smaller, easier to tackle steps.

After my project planning pages, I have a sub-section specifically for scrapbooking.  In the past I have dabbled here and there trying to start scrapbooks, but I usually loose steam because I don't have clear direction for what I want to do.  With this new organization, I hope to start scrapbooking more and put together scrapbooks to preserve commemorate all my family's memories and special occasions.  I also plan to introduce scrapbooking to the blog to share my attempt to begin scrapbooking my life.

In this section I started with a couple of informational printouts.  I included two lists of beginner and advanced scrapbooking tools.  I by no means have all these tools, but the lists give me an idea of what I need and where I should begin to expand my collection since there are just so many products out there!  After the lists I have scrapbooking tutorials to help me pick up the basics as I'm still a beginner.  All of this information I got from this site, which has invaluable information for scrapbookers of any experience level.

After those informative pages, I have another page similar to my project plan page, for planning out my scrapbook pages.

Download here

These pages have all the same aspects as my project page, except I added a spot to write in which scrapbook the page I'm planning goes in.  Since I have multiple books I want to make sure I can keep straight what goes where.

Finally, I keep my full scale page plans in here.  As I said, I'm a very visual person.  So after I sketch out my basic idea for a page, I like to have a full scale and as close to realistic copy of my page as I can before I begin.  This helps me get an idea of scale for my page and choose exact colors and papers before I start to cut any paper or glue down any pictures.

So what do you think of my Crafts and Projects section?  How do you organize and plan for all your various house projects or crafting?  As always, I'd love to hear any ideas you all have.

Next week I'll be showing my finished vehicle section.  This is where I hold all this car related, including maintenance records and diagnostic reports from mechanics.  I hope to see you all here next Friday!