Family Organizational Binder

I have been trying to become more organized as of late (see menuboard post below).  Via Pinterest, I have found a lot of information on family organizational binders.  So I created one myself!  I think every mom could benefit from getting organized and this binder has helped me accomplish just that!  Here's the binder cover:

Within the binder are a ton of printables I found from various blogs and websites.  For example, here is a printable from a weekly planner that I use:

This particular weekly planner can be found on this site. 

I have divided my family organizational binder with divider tabs (found at any office supply store) and put my printables into the following categories:

1.       Family Info: folders for each person in the family for paper odds  and ends, sizes of each family member, wants and needs lists for each family member,  family goals, family mission statement, etc.

2.       To Do/Calendar/Planner: To Do lists, (daily, weekly, master to do list) calendar and daily planner

3.       Meals and shopping:  weekly and monthly menus, shopping checklists, pantry and freezer inventories, favorite recipes, recipes to try, etc.

4.       Cleaning, chores, and home: Cleaning checklists, chore charts for you and kids, home maintenance list-seasonal, home inventories, DVD/CD/Book library contents

5.       Projects, Crafts, and Blog: Running project list, scrapbook layout ideas, project inspiration, blog topic ideas and blog weekly calendar

6.       Budget and Finances:  Debt snowball, monthly budget, monthly spending tracking list, bills to be paid

7.       Birthdays and Holidays: Party planners, party guest lists, holiday budget sheets, Christmas card list, birthday and anniversary tracker, monthly holiday idea and traditions worksheets

8.       Contacts:  emergency contacts, family address and phone directory, yellow pages for frequently used  business numbers, restaurant and takeout phone numbers and addresses

Feel free to use these categories for your family binder or add your own.  What ever suits you in order to help you get organized!  So, where did I get all these lovely printables for my binder?  I did some research and have found the following sites helpful:

1. For a years worth of checklists on how to get organized go to Creative Organizing.
2. Blog entry about the Life Story Binder at Kim McCrary's Blog.
3. Find suggestions on what to put in your Life Story Binder here.
4. Blog entry about making a family planner at Mrs. Poppin's Blog.
5. Blog entry for Prepared Not Scared Notebook here.
6. Lots and lots of printables from prepared Not Scared here.
7. Lots of printables from Organized Home.
8. Printables from Simple Mom.
9.  Printables from Living Locurto including blog planners here.
10. Blog Topic Organizer from Perideau Designs.
11. Lots of printables from Amy Bayliss.
12. Lots and lots of printables including some for homeschooling parents at Donna Young.

So what are you waiting for?  Get out there and get organized!

Craft Room Ideas From Pinterest

I really want a craft room!  With all my craft supplies and being interested in so many different types of crafts, I really could use a space devoted to crafting and creating.  So I searched Pinterest looking for ideas for my craft room, whenever I get a home with an extra room (hopefully soon!). 

This craft room has bright colorful aspects to it, something I'd like for my craft room.

Everycraft room needs an island like this one to not only store supplies, but to use as a workspace.

I really like all the storage in this carft room, so many options!

A craft room with good organization is a must!

Love this craft room, especially the see-through cabinets and chandelier.

This has got to be my favorite craft room idea because I love the decor and color scheme.  The chadelier is so posh, too!

The above two photos are of the same craft room, two different views.  This room has different stations, an idea I'd like to incorporate.

I'd need a pretty chair in my craft room by my book case full of craft books and magazines and would use that area as a reading nook.

This multifunctional craft space is awesome!

The 3 photos above were pinned from tipjunkie.com and are great inspiration for my craft room.

I will have a craft room!

Craft Storage Ideas From Pinterest

Attention messy crafty people!  If you are anything like me, you have gobs of craft supplies everywhere and no real great storage solutions for it all.  Well, if you are like me, then you get a lot of super ideas from Pinterest on what to make with all these fabulous supplies, but notice there are not as many posts about storage solutions for all said supplies.  I have searched Pinterest looking for such storage solutions and here's what I have come up with.

The picture above is of bead storage from a blogger named Pat Winter in her craft room.

This photo is of a craft cupboard; it's just a pretty armoire decked out for craft supply storage.

These wire shelves are perfect for storing ribbon and small objects in bottles and jars.

This craft room storage wall holds everything neatly in boxes.

I love these staircase shelves with glass jars full of crafty things!

This was a great idea for a DIY Clip It Up scrapbook sticker holder from the Outta This Funk blog.  You can find the tutorial here !

I love how the shelves are covered up with pretty fabric .

This person used IKEA towel racks in her craft room to hang all of her paper punches from.

Here's another good tutorial for a craft paper storage shelf from the Ink It Up blog.  For the directions, click here.

On the right of this photo is this scrapbooker's pegboard display which she uses to hold scrap apapers, stickers, etc.

So, I am getting some good ideas as to what to do with my supplies from Pinterest...stay tuned...more ideas to come!

Menu Board Awesomeness

So I ran across this really cool blog the other day, http://robbygurlscreations.blogspot.com/. Robin of robbygurls is very talented and very organized! She is the original designer of the menu board everyone is pinning on pinterest.com! Robin does a whole tutorial to show you how to make one for your family. You will never have to sit around wondering what the heck you should make for dinner because it has already been decided and the recipe is right there on the board! Also, if you're like Robin and me, you grocery shop for the whole month and then you'll also have all your ingredients ready to make dinner. What could be simpler? Here are a couple of pictures of my completed menu board:

For Robin's tutorial, click here !