For those of you who use a planner/binder/notebook/home organizer...

[melissel]

Do you have a main organizer at home and carry a smaller version with you? I really want to have everything in one place, but I need to carry something with me. I don't see a way that I can put what I need in anything smaller than a full-sized three-ring notebook, and I simply can't lug that around with me!

 

So, do you carry a smaller planner around to make notes and record things that come up (new plans, things you need to remember, whatever)? If you do, do you spend some time transferring each day? Everything I read about organizational systems says that you shouldn't make it so you have to transfer between two calendars, but I don't see what my other options are.

 

TIA!

[Sunny]

Maybe a Palm Pilot type of thing would be better? That way, you take it with you. Download to the computer, and then you can print out calendar things if you want everyone else to be able to see it.

It holds so many other things too. And, much smaller than a 3 ring notebook :)

Otherwise, I just use a small spiral notepad that I take notes in or jot down things, and come home and write them into the appt. book, etc..

I don't consider that doing it twice, I consider than notetaking to make my brain remember, and then putting it down where it is permanent.

[Peela]

This was an issue for me too. I usually have had a calendar with big spaces to write in, on the wall next to my desk. And since everyone could see it, and not my personal planner, I dropped the personal planner.

Since we have changed the room we homeschool in, my desk is more available for everyone to walk past. I bought myself a planner, its about 8" by 10", and it is spiral bound and lays flat. It stays open on my desk. I looked everywhere for this particular style because it has vertical columns for each day, a week to a double page spread, with a section for notes at the bottom.

So its all I use now, and I gave my wall calendar to my daughter to learn to use.

I use it as a normal planner. I do everything in this one book. I use pages I havn't used from parts of the year I am on holidays, to write up homeschool plans, booklists, anything. I plan my menus in it, (when i get around to doing that!). I put all my Flylady stickers in it and write notes to myself regarding cleaning etc.

The book is slim. I find it easy to take places when I want to. It has a flap at the front and back I can slip bills or notes, but I tend to just pin them on a pin board at my desk.

Its been a revolution to me to be able to use a planner for so many things, but it has to do with the days being in vertical columns lined up next to each other. Somehow that just works for me, and no other planner really has. The size feels really reasonable. However, I do also carry a very small handbag , with a small notepad in it, and sometimes i write notes in that, to transfer to my diary, but its not often.

hth

[angela in ohio]

I carry my 1 1/2" binder around with me. It sits on the front seat of my van, unless I need to take it in somewhere (meeting, etc.) It fits into my big shoulder bad when I go into the library or am waiting for dc somewhere and want to work on things.

[Julie in CA]

I really like the size I have. It's half the size of a 3-ring binder, so I can fold regular sized papers in half and tuck them into the pocket part. It's really helpful when I'm at a meeting to be able to tuck handouts into my day-planner. I have another really weird reason that I like that size...

I'm left handed, and I hate writing/taking notes on paper that's in a ring binder because I have to contort my hand to get around the rings. With my day-planner, I tuck the back cardboard part of the jr. legal pads of paper into the left side pocket of the day-planner. It's just easier for me to write with the paper on the left. The jr. size pads are also cheaper than the "special" day-planner paper pads, and I make a *ton* of lists. The size I have fits into most of my purses & handbags too, and is not so huge as to be totally obtrusive when I carry it around without putting it in my bag. I put a card holder inside, and my driver's license and credit cards, etc, are in my day-planner. My cash lives in an envelope inside the back pocket. It's pretty handy to be able to just grab my notebook when I rush into the store, and know that I have my I.D., my $, and my shopping list all in the same place. Lol, it also makes me *appear* very efficient when I see someone out in town, we decide we'd like to get together, and I don't have to try and remember to call them--we just make a date to get together then because I'm able to whip out my calendar in a single (well-worn) motion!

My entire family knows that the main "control panel" is my notebook, so they consult that when they need to. Each of my dc has a calendar in their room, and I do transfer dates that will be pertinent to each kid onto their personal calendar. My kids (& friends) know that my day-planner is the final word on where we'll be at any particular time, and sometimes my friends will tell me, "go put me in your notebook for tomorrow at 2pm," etc.

Because of the size of my planner, I'm able to easily make up my own specialized forms on my computer, print them 2 to a page on regular paper, and then just chop them in half--perfect fit.

One of the best pieces of advice I've heard regarding day-planners is to buy one you think you'll like, open it up, and toss out half of the pages inside. Really. Only keep the ones you know will be useful to you, and toss the rest. Definitely don't keep carrying the extra pages that you don't need, they'll just clutter your notebook (and maybe your brain!)

God forbid that I ever lose that thing...it has my brain inside!

~Julie~

p.s. Expect that there will be a "learning curve" in setting the habit of using the day-planner. It takes a little while.

 

One thing I wanted to add:

I'm kinda picky about the closure on my planner. I don't like the velcro or the zippered kind because they're a little loud to open sometimes, and I go to some city council/library meetings where I like to be unobtrusive. I like the magnetized closures or the snaps as long as they're loose enough to snap quietly. I never tuck things in between the pages of my planner, so I don't have to worry about things falling out that way. Whatever I need to tuck into my planner goes in either the front or back pocket.

[Liz CA]

I really like the size I have. It's half the size of a 3-ring binder, so I can fold regular sized papers in half and tuck them into the pocket part. It's really helpful when I'm at a meeting to be able to tuck handouts into my day-planner. I have another really weird reason that I like that size...

 

 

I have the Classic size by Franklin Covey (don't know the dimensions off hand) and I carry it around with me. What really helps is having it all in a zippered binder so you don't lose anything that you may tuck between pages, etc.

[Amy in Orlando]

I carry my 1 1/2" binder around with me. It sits on the front seat of my van, unless I need to take it in somewhere (meeting, etc.) It fits into my big shoulder bad when I go into the library or am waiting for dc somewhere and want to work on things.

 

This is what I do as well. I tried to keep a mini-version for awhile and I just did not work for me.

[Susan in IL]

I have the Classic size by Franklin Covey (don't know the dimensions off hand) and I carry it around with me. What really helps is having it all in a zippered binder so you don't lose anything that you may tuck between pages, etc.

 

This is what I have also. I also put the important stuff (appts., trips, meetings, etc.) on the bigger calendar in the kitchen for everyone to see. I stopped using it for a while and felt totally lost. Once I started using it again, I feel more organized and get more done. At my age, I start forgetting little things.

[fishnoises]

I got tired of looking for the perfect planner and have yet to find one. they are either too big or not geared to my needs or too expensive! (Or requie batteries and my impatience with the stylus pen for the Palm!)

So I made my own 1 1/2 binder and have it all separated the way I like it. it is still a little too cumbersome. I will work on it over the summer.

Please keep sharing ideas!!!!!!!!

Croline

[Frontier Mom]

That is the very reason I got a Palm Centro Smartphone. I just couldn't keep everything organized but now it is all in one place, on my mobile phone. Saves my life!! I call it my "brain."

[EarleneW]

I have tried so many things. I loved having a "paper" planner, but I just couldn't keep up with one more thing. I got a BlackBerry and it is awesome. I always have my phone, so now I always have my calender too. I set alarms to remind me and it works great. I can sinc it with my computer and my outlook. It's great!

[profmom]

Maybe a Palm Pilot type of thing would be better? That way, you take it with you. Download to the computer

 

This is what I've done for several years -- first with a Palm and now with a Windows PDA phone. I have Outlook on the PDA and it sycs with my computer. Since I'm home more often than not, I use the Outlook on the computer as my main calendar, but it's nice to have the info on my phone for carrying around. I can enter new calendar items on my phone too, and they will transfer to my computer. I agree, though, that it's less convenient to enter things using the phone. Even though I usually use the old Palm graffiti, my phone has a keyboard that could be used -- something to consider if you don't like writing with the stylus.

 

When I'm rushed, I just put a note with my check book to enter into my computer's calendar (because I enter checks into our financial program at the computer). This method could work for you with one paper calendar that gets left at home. You wouldn't be able to tell people right away whether you could meet at the park on a certain day, but this could work to your benefit too -- more time to think things over.

 

ETA: Earlene reminded me about the alarms and reminders -- very helpful! So, I use my calendar for appointments and also for to-do list reminders that pop-up on the right days, such as "mail bookfair pre-registration," etc.

[melissel]

I got tired of looking for the perfect planner and have yet to find one. they are either too big or not geared to my needs or too expensive! (Or requie batteries and my impatience with the stylus pen for the Palm!)

So I made my own 1 1/2 binder and have it all separated the way I like it. it is still a little too cumbersome. I will work on it over the summer.

Please keep sharing ideas!!!!!!!!

Croline

 

You sound just like me. I can't deal with the little PDA things (which is kind of funny, because I've worked in an IT-related field for 12 years now, and all my colleagues always have the newest and hottest equipment). I really need everything in one place--lesson plans, meal plans, planner, to-do list. Maybe I'll experiment more with getting everything down to half-pages. I guess I don't have to print the weekly lesson plan out as a week--I could probably do the daily plans instead. Hmmm...

 

I'll have to keep thinking.

[mysticamethyst]

I only wish I could come up with some thing to keep me organized. I have tons of little purple post-its everywhere. In my purse, on my desk, on my cupboards, breadmachine, you name it there is a post-it stuck to it with something I am supposed to do. I am up for a new phone so I might take ya'lls advice and really upgrade my phone, but the cost always gets me.

[profmom]

Maybe I'll experiment more with getting everything down to half-pages. I guess I don't have to print the weekly lesson plan out as a week--I could probably do the daily plans instead. Hmmm...

 

I'll have to keep thinking.

 

I'm like you in that I have to make myself use technology sometimes (and I worked as a CPA for many years where I used a computer all day). I've been able to use this PDA/computer system for several years with my calendar, but for lesson plans, I go back and forth between trying to use Homeschool Tracker and handwritten plans. I don't have to report to anyone in my state and I always think the computerized system is surely better -- only to later decide that it's taking me longer to use the computer than it does to write them on a grid-type sheet.

 

Anyway, I like the 1/2 size binders too! You can cut cardstock in half and add stick on tabs for dividers. For lesson plans, you could still see one week at a time on half sheets by printing the page on landscape with some extra space in the middle for the binder rings and then cut the page in half (so the week's plan would span two pages with the binder rings in the middle). In a pinch, I've just folded a page in half, punched it, and stuck it in my small binder. I have one adjustable hole punch that I keep set for the small binders. My kids also use them for our morning Bible time with tabs for memory verses, etc.

 

Here's a link for a printable household notebook: Organized Home.

[Wildiris]

I've use the inexpensive, old fashioned, daily, paper planner from Whaley for years. I've tried switching, but I am so use to the format of this planner that I keep coming back to it. It's 9' x12', spiral bound with 8 or 4 subjects. I have one for each student. I find it easier to block out subjects for six weeks or six months. Since I write in pencil, I can go back and rewrite my plans if we change course. I keep a separate calendar for appointments and only record the days off for the child in their planner. There are six of us so to have a calendar and planner integrated would be too confusing.

 

I also write down the books we've used for the year for future reference and the books I want to use next year on the blank pages at the end of the planner. It is on these blank pages that I sketch out my plans for the next year.

 

Home School Tracker looks like an interesting possibility. Have you looked at it? If I had more power to run a computer all day I'd consider it, but we have an ailing solar system that requires generator back up. I loath to listen to generator for more than is necessary.

 

Good luck,

Wildiris

[Ellie]

in takng my whole big homeschooling notebook with me everywhere I went. Why would I need lesson plans while I was out???

 

I used a Day Runner (and, later, a Franklin) for its calendar and telephone directory. I never left the house without it. At first I used the "classic" size but later went to the smaller one.

 

At home, I finally settled on Gregg Harris's Complete Compulsive Person's Organizer (not its real name, but certainly that's what it was, lol). Not once did I ever need it away from home.

[riada]

I've use the inexpensive, old fashioned, daily, paper planner from Whaley for years.

 

This link isn't working. Can you tell me more about Whaley please? I can't find it by googling.

[Linda in NM]

I have a Palm One; I color-code places we need to go (baseball is yellow, hockey is green, doctors are purple, etc...) I also have a small metal notepad (since I prefer hand-written notes to notes on the PDA...)

[Dayle in Guatemala]

I make reduced copies of my calendar and to do lists and keep them in my purse. I don't take the time to write everything out again, I won't do it because it'll take too much time and I'm kind of stingy about my time!!!!

[ClassicMom]

I use the Keepers at Home 3-ring organizer at home, but I carry a Franklin Covey Classic with me. I usally keep it in the car like many of the others and only take it in a store or work with me if needed.

 

I try not to duplicate what is put in the notebooks. If I need information for both, I will make a copy.

 

Hope this helps.

Blessings,

ClassicMom.