Annual organization

[momee]

Let's say you were trying to keep a gardening calendar (when to plant what)

and

keep track of lawn fertilizing needs

and

want a schedule of when to pay what bills

and

want to keep track of what to make for dinner next Thurs night for guests

and 

want to note when you should start christmas shopping

and 

when to buy easter candy

 

 

Would you put ALL THAT on your google or iphone calendar (or paper planner if you use one)?

 

I guess I feel like I just end up overloading my calendar.  I have had times where I've missed things because my phone was constantly sending me reminders and I ignored some important ones, lol.  I'd like to get more organized so that I'm not reactive/but proactive regarding maintenance, filter changes.  I am just not sure how to balance those details with our regular busy family of 7 details.

 

Also, have you found something app wise or software-ish that has helped you become more organized that might help a super busy family?

Edited February 14, 2016 by momee

[Anne]

:lurk5:

 

Following.....

 

Anne

[Carol in Cal.]

I find that I have to have everything on one calendar or else stuff falls between the cracks.

I'm currently using my outlook calendar, and not accessing it on my phone because I hate my outlook app.

I go on the computer daily so it's not a hardship.

What I like about it is that I can put recurring appointments on in one action, and also I can move appointments that get changed to another date easily, again in one action.

What I dislike about it is that I don't have a record to look back at quickly, unlike with my paper calendars, but the convenience makes up for that.  And I CAN look back if I'm willing to scroll slowly.  This came in very handy when I was working on DD's application to B and M high school.  I went back through two years to get a list of the field trips and special events/camps/workshops that she had attended--it was quite an impressive list.  I was actually pretty surprised myself.

[happi duck]

I like my old school index cards for this kind of stuff. It's the system from the book Sidetracked Home Executives. I use it for chores/maintenance reoccurring things and then use a calendar for classes, appointments and deadlines.

[Ellie]

Let's say you were trying to keep a gardening calendar (when to plant what)

and

keep track of lawn fertilizing needs

and

want a schedule of when to pay what bills

and

want to keep track of what to make for dinner next Thurs night for guests

and 

want to note when you should start christmas shopping

and 

when to buy easter candy

 

 

Would you put ALL THAT on your google or iphone calendar (or paper planner if you use one)?

 

I guess I feel like I just end up overloading my calendar.  I have had times where I've missed things because my phone was constantly sending me reminders and I ignored some important ones, lol.  I'd like to get more organized so that I'm not reactive/but proactive regarding maintenance, filter changes.  I am just not sure how to balance those details with our regular busy family of 7 details.

 

Also, have you found something app wise or software-ish that has helped you become more organized that might help a super busy family?

 

I would not put all that stuff in my electronic device. I'd use a paper planner, such as a Franklin.

 

I would also (and I do) utilize the "activity notebook" as described in "File--Don't Pile!" by Pat Dorff.

 

[Carol in Cal.]

Although...I'm tracking some things on facebook now, in private notes on my own page.

For instance, I want to document when I harvest fruit from my trees, so that I can figure out where the harvesting holes are and fill them in. 

So every few weeks I note the date and what is ripe then--for example, 10/16 first persimmon, crunchy but good, and then 2/10 still harvesting kumquats, limes were finished two weeks ago because they were falling off the tree but lemons are still good, oranges nice and sweet but starting to dry out. 

Stuff like that doesn't really work in an outlook calendar.

 

Also I'm writing a little bit about every book I read this year the same way.

[regentrude]

Let's say you were trying to keep a gardening calendar (when to plant what)

and

keep track of lawn fertilizing needs

and

want a schedule of when to pay what bills

and

want to keep track of what to make for dinner next Thurs night for guests

and 

want to note when you should start christmas shopping

and 

when to buy easter candy

 

 

Would you put ALL THAT on your google or iphone calendar (or paper planner if you use one)?

 

No. I would not - because most the things you mention are not things I would plan out in a calendar at all.

I would buy Easter candy the week before Easter or whenever I see it in the store, and I have never forgotten Christmas and start shopping when I see things I would want to give as presents or shop in the two weeks before. I don't need a calendar entry for either of those. Do people really forget without?

Dinner guests? Decide the day before when I am at the store and see what looks good.

Bills? Set up automatic bill pay or pay immediately when bill arrives.

 

I find the easiest organization for me is to schedule only things that need to be scheduled in advance (doctor's appointments, concert tickets, work commitments, and trips) and take care of everything else as it comes along.

 

I am using a paper planner because I find the electronic reminders incredibly annoying. I made the mistake of programming recurring commitments into my phone (when I was excited to figure out the calendar function), and now I am constantly hitting "ignore" when it reminds me of all the stuff I remember already multiple times a day.

Edited February 15, 2016 by regentrude

[Kristie in Florida]

Tickler file?