Keep A Family Calendar
It’s hard to keep life simple while trying to juggle dozens of appointments and commitments, especially when your children are involved in activities outside the home—sports, recitals, orthodontics, birthday parties, play dates, and lessons of all kinds. One universal truth about parenting is that if you don’t write it down, you’ll forget it. Fortunately, our phones now days come equipped with their own handy, little calendar and reminders to keep us on track. Along with the basics comes a plethora of calendar apps to choose from for all your smartphone needs. Oh, how we rely on those devices, and how lost we would be without them? Although I think phone apps are a great tool and should be utilized by all families, I can not compromise the importance of the need to ‘Keep A Family Calendar’. I’m talking about a REAL calendar, the old fashion kind, the one you actually write on and hang or place in a centrally located area in your home. I like to call this ‘The Command Center’! At my home, we are an app-loving family and I will share in a future blog post which one we use to keep us all plugged in and synced with each other. But our central command center, the family calendar, is conveniently located on the front door of our fridge. This is great when you have young adults and children …. they always seem to be hungry, so how convenient to have the family communication board right in their sight as they’re going after that cold pizza in the fridge. This leaves little excuse for not using the command center to communicate to your fellow family members.
Just prior to or on the first of each month, take a few minutes to write out the activities or appointments for that month. If there is a scheduled activity that covers a period of weeks or months, write those activities in as soon as you get the schedule. If you keep a work-related appointment book, personal planner, or use an app on your phone, be sure to coordinate activities from the family calendar with your personal schedule or app as needed. Then, as flyers from school arrive, birthday invites, appt. cards, or soccer games get scheduled, immediately make appropriate entries on the calendar and TOSS the notices. Not only will this help you avoid conflicts in scheduling, but if you list the time, address, name and phone number for each event, you won’t have to save the invitation, or go digging through miscellaneous scraps of paper and torn envelopes when you have to cancel or postpone. This is also a good time to use your reminders app on your phone for last minute details you may need.
If you have a large number of people in your household, you may want to consider using a different color pen or highlighter for each person. This is not as impossible as it sounds. Keep the pens in a nearby space, and make it a household rule that no-one can remove a pen except to make an entry on the calendar. Not immediately returning the pen to it’s central location is a capitol offense, punishable by one week of hard labor. I keep a tube of White-out next to our pens, as well. Things get cancelled, and using White-out keeps a nice clean look.
Some other things to consider:
1. At the first of the month, look realistically at the calendar. Don’t schedule anything too tight that will cause you or a family member stress and animosity. As much as we’d like, we can’t be at 2 places at once.
2. Don’t schedule early appointments unless you are extremely detailed and on the ball. You’re probably not, so best to steer clear of the 7 am slot.
3. If at all possible, schedule appointments and activities so you have to drive only one to two days a week. Create a team effort, carpool with other parents. After all it takes a village … they want a stress-free system just as much as you do.
4. Teach your children (and hubby) to check the calendar before they commit themselves to an activity you may not be able to get them to, or during an already scheduled event, and NEVER without consulting with you first. This is their responsibility, no if, ands, or buts! This includes hubby’s golf invites, as well. Check with the BOSS first!
5. Look at the family calendar the night before. I actually like to look at the calendar Sunday afternoon to be able to ‘wrap my head around’ the weeks agenda. Always be mentally prepared. Again, no room for stress.
6. This step may be the most important. USE the Calendar! Enforce consequences for your children if they are not using it properly. But remember, you need to be the role model. The most diligently and decorated calendar in the world won’t do you any good if you are not using it on a day-to-day basis in the way it is intended for.
Personal Planner
Utilizing a personal, daily planner is a great resource to have for your own personal agenda. Very few people have the brain capacity to store and remember every day-to-day event, appointments and tasks. Consequently, we forget important to do’s and that is where the daily planner comes in to act as our reminder. Everyone can benefit from having a daily planner.
The Bottom Line
Although I could not live without the organization app on my phone, when it comes to my personal business, I would be lost without my planner. I tried going paperless for a period of time and my organizational abilities suffered. Once I resumed utilizing the combination of: The Family Command Center, the app on my phone, and my personal planner, my organizational abilities fell back into place. I stay one step ahead of the game, complete my tasks and in all honesty it frees up more time because everything is all laid out for you. If you are feeling frazzled, in disarray, and like your losing your mind & MEMORY, you may want to assess the methods you are using. I belive in the concept, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. But I also believe, when something is NOT working, it’s a cry to be fixed.
‘Failing to Plan, is Planning to Fail’
Calendar | Highlighters | Planner | Pencils | Notebooks and love these ones | Journal Journal Journal | Pocket Notepad | Paper To Petal – coffee table book
Amy Henson
01/19/2016I’m usually pretty organized; my kids are older and need less activity coordination, but my work schedule is complicated, working at 3 sites and I use planners/phones/sticky notes, anything to help! Maybe that’s the problem! Anyway, my biggest organizational challenge is taking the time to purge: I still have items from another household in (albeit) neat boxes, clothes, etc. Help! Inspire me, lol!
Nina
01/19/2016Hi, I would like to see a post on how to keep all “office supplies” organized in a fun and stylish way. I always find a way to just leave it unorganized haha, and that takes away all my motivation. (sorry for my bad English). That would be awesome Tracy, Lots of hugs from Sweden!
Robin Nicholson
01/19/2016Hi, this is Robin Nicholson, robbyrob718. I’d love to see posts on your makeup storage…I’m intrigued by your rolling cart. Jewelry storage and organization is another great topic. Finally, I am somewhat of a perfectionist about my house and feel that I am always cleaning. What type of cleaning schedule do you have? Thank you. This is an awesome giveaway. I so enjoy your blog and snaps!
Elizabeth S.
01/19/2016I would like to see how you keep your closet organized especially with girls that want to borrow everything. I love this post! I need to go buy a big calendar like yours 🙂
Monica erre
01/19/2016Your blog is beautiful and instructive i’d like put in order the accessories and jewelry. Thank you so much Tracy
amanda
01/19/2016closet organization!!!! I would love to see a blog about that. as most women could prob agree, we have above and beyond what we need! how do you stay organized in the closet? thanks for the giveaway!
Christine V.
01/19/2016Hi Tracy, I enjoyed this blog post! I’d love to see more on how you have organized the family dynamics in your house, as far as chores for the whole family, etc…(my kids are younger and I’d like know how you’ve accomplished this). I would also like to see a closet organization post! Thank you
Jessica
01/19/2016Hi Tracy:
I would love to see more organizational posts about closet organization. Any closet would do, really. It can be clothes closet, coat closet, lining closet, pantry, etc. This would be especially for smaller homes that have limited closet space. I would also love to see more organizational posts about planning a trip as well.
Keep up the great job. You’re my daily inspiration.
Lucy Ladley - Luscious Fibers
01/19/2016Sweet Tracy,
I would love to see a post about how you get your brain storming that happens when you are out & about (when you least expect it) —- into your calendar. I get thoughts when I am in the shower or out walking around the neighborhood & by the time I am near my calendar, I ask myself, “Now what was that brilliant idea that I never wrote down?” We need to bring more of our great thoughts into actual fruition. Thank you & Rifle Paper company for the beautiful & most useful giveaway!
Sara
01/19/2016Would love to see a post on any tips for journaling or reflecting? One of my resolutions this year was to do more self-reflecting and I’d love any tips you could offer in that area! Do you keep a personal journal? You always have the cutest notebooks, I hope I win so I can start!! 🙂 Keep up the great work- your blog is awesome!
Chelsea Hart
01/19/2016Love, love, LOVE Rifle Paper Co. Super cute stuff, I have used some of their notepads for my wedding planning 🙂 I would love to see some recipe and workout inspiration!
Elizabeth Fullerton
01/19/2016Hi Tracy!
I’ve been obsessed with this company ever since you showed how you organize you Christmas gift lists using these note books! They would definitely come in handy while I re-organize and plan my new blog! (just moved from WordPress.com to WordPress.org and doing it all myself! It’s turning out to be quite the undertaking as you can imagine. But I’m learning a lot!)
I could definitely always use any tips and tricks for staying organized and how you prioritize your days! There is it doesn’t ever seem to be enough hours in the day! I run out of daylight before I run out of work to be done almost everyday.
I would also be interested to see how you balance work/ blog life with social and personal life. The lines are getting to be a but blurry for me. 🙂
Also, I would love to see your whole vitamin routine. What you take and why. But I think you’ve been asked this already. We’re all just itching to know!
Love your blog! Looking forward to your what I eat Wednesday.
🙂 Liz
Grace Hales
01/20/2016Hi!❤️ I would love to see a blog post about when to plan and how to stay motivated to plan!!💘 Thank you! I hope I win the giveaway!!😱
Elaine
01/20/2016Good morning.
I would like to see a post about how you and your husband find time for each other with such busy schedules and a household full of kiddos.
Thank you
Elaine
Erica
01/20/2016Hi Tracy! I would love to see a meal planning/prep blog post. Do you plan weekly, bi-weekly or how do you plan out your meals for you and your family? And I agree on the closet organization!
Deanne
01/20/2016I love Rifle Paper Co.! Their things are beautiful and so functional. I would like to see menu planning and closet organizing, also!
Ashley
01/20/2016Hi Tracy! I would love to see how you organize your bathroom with your beauty/ hair products and tools. I feel that is the hardest thing to keep organized on a daily basis. Love your snaps and the blog is so informative and helpful!
Katie
01/20/2016Hi Tracy! I would love to see a desk organization blog post. I would also love to see a closet organization blog post!! Thank you!!
Joey
01/20/2016Hi Tracy! I love all of your tips and tricks. You always take things one step further, and I LOVE IT! Who would think to save the container of your teeth whitening kit for travel purposes! SO SMART. Basically, I love everything you post. It’s always fun to see how you get your family involved. God bless!
Amanda
01/20/2016I would like to see how you organize your beauty products. I always have so many and it really makes me not use things because they aren’t accessible or other things are in front of them.
Also I would like to know about closet organization and how you store your shoes. Every solution I see just takes up so much room.
Maggie C
01/20/2016I have just started doing all this planner stuff and trying to be creative w/ them as well. Youtube has really inspired me. I love your blog and keep up with the great work =)
I love to see more recipes … really love what you have shared so far.
Rebecca
01/21/2016I would like to see how you pack and store all your holiday decor. You seem to have a lot and must have a great system. Also closet and jewelry organization are good ideas as well. Thanks for another great post!
Laurie Peterson
01/21/2016Hi Tracy!
I would like to know if you have any tips on how to refresh make-up & hair when going out at night after having the make-up on all day.
Thanks! I really enjoy your snaps & the blog! Thanks for the inspirations you share.
Angela Newsome
01/23/2016I’d love to see ideas for time management!
Julie Waldron
01/23/2016I would like to see a post about meal planning.
Erika J.
01/23/2016Great blog post & I appreciate your creativity. I do plan on implementing the color coding system to mine 😉 I need to keep things simple yet more creative personally so this was an enjoyable read plus something I think I can do!! I think you’re right about not planning too much into one week, at the time it might look do able but in reality burn-out will come.
I’d love to hear how you organize & store all of your decorations & how you pair down clutter in the home (books, gifts, makeup, clothing, etc.). Office/desk organization & beauty organization would be great also as I think both areas can get so out of control!! Also do you stick to a budget~or do you plan extra spending for seasons, sales, or just monthly, etc.?
Do you do meal planning for your family on a weekly basis or even kitchen organization? Your supplementation routine would be excellent as well!!
Sorry I could probably go on & on 🙂
Jenny
01/23/2016A post about how to get inspired to organize cheaply. Thanks
Karen Savoie
01/23/2016Hi Tracy , I have enjoyed each of your posts and have recommended them to other women. I’d be interested in a post menu planning ,where you find good deals on groceries. I would also be interested in knowing if you use coupon apps to get discounts on clothing , shoes, purses and other accessories.
Kathy K
01/23/2016Hi Tracy,
Id love to see a budgeting post on your blog. Thanks!
Julie Donahue
01/23/2016I love this idea. I am supposed to be creating a family calendar like this.
I need tips for organizing everything!
Tasha Wilkerson
01/24/2016Meal planning tips would be amazing!! Im 35 weeks pregnant with my third child and Im so scared of trying to keep up with my crazy family!! I subscribed to emails (tashamwilkerson@gmail.com)
Hannah
01/24/2016I would love to see how you organize your refrigerator and pantry. 🙂 mine seems to look nice for about a day, and then is completely destroyed the next. Also how you organize cleaning and chores.
Rachael
01/24/2016I need to learn to organize student work in my classroom!
Lisa Vanhook
01/24/2016I need help learning to organize pretty much every thing in my kitchen. Any advice would help..
Amelia Drew
01/25/2016I love that the calendar is so pretty and I dont mind people seeing it!
susan smoaks
01/25/2016i am a newsletter subscriber, instagram follower susansmoaks and pinterest follower susansmoaks
i would love to see you talk about organizing media on the computer.
rachel
01/25/2016Id love to see your closet! I’m having a lot of trouble keeping mine organized, especially shoes!
Nicole
01/25/2016I would love to see how you organize to do list! I’m always curious to see what you’ve written when you do your snaps.
Robyn H
01/25/2016I need major help with organizing! I use to be pretty good with everything but since becoming ill, I feel like I’m a complete mess. I’m not sure if it’s something you would post about but I would love to see creative ways to organize my daughter’s shoes. She is always losing them and so far everything I have tried hasn’t worked for her.
latanya
01/25/2016organizing a small kitchen
Melinda Atwell
01/25/2016Room by room organization tips- especially kid rooms! Also recipes are much appreciated.
Tara S
01/25/2016I need help organizing a small kitchen and home (double wide) with very little closet space!
Patricia Owens
01/25/2016I would like to know how you keep focus during chaos and with so many people around. And, this may be a difficult subject, but how do you keep focus and keep on your goals when other people or personalities are getting in your way, sabotaging your efforts, etc.? Thanks and the website looks great! Substantial content, as always!
Cara R.
01/25/2016Thanks for the giveaway. I’d love to see a post about underbed storage.
Diedra Brownell
01/25/2016I would love to see your bedroom, bathroom and closet organization. Also, please do videos showing how you apply your makeup. It’s always perfectly stunning!
Fiona N
01/25/2016I would love to see more posts about the closet, and bedroom organization!
Thank You for the chance
Pam C.
01/25/2016I subscribed. I would love to see a post about the pros and cons of combining or not planners for work and home. I have two planners and it just seems overwhelming.
Jenna O
01/25/2016I would love to see decorating related posts 🙂
Christina
01/25/2016Hey Tracy,
I would love to see what’s in my purse or closet organization. Those are two things I am working on at the moment.
By the way, I love your blog posts and following your stories. You give great advice for women of all ages.
Great job!! I look forward to seeing your new posts and snap stories.
Margaret
01/25/2016following!
Bloglovin: nelly
Twitter: nellymegs
I am going to get ahead of my work and be on time by setting my watch 5 min fast!
Meghan B
01/25/2016I would love to see about bathroom storage
Taryn T.
01/25/2016I need some help organizing kids rooms and adult bed rooms. Especially clothing and toy storage, as well as general storage. I am following by email and twitter, @taryn221.
Birdiebee
01/25/2016I follow on Bloglovin, I follow on Twitter and would love to see a post on how to keep up on all of the personal paperwork (bills, filing, etc.) at home as I am doing it for 3 different individuals and feel totally overwhelmed by the amounts of paperwork.
Laura
01/25/2016How to organize kids clothes!!
Finoon
01/25/2016Hello Tracy
Living in New York is hard especially since I used to live in Ohio. The adjustment from house to studio was tough, maybe some smart organization that double as something else.
Also I would love to see a closet tour and what’s inside your pantry.
Toni
01/25/2016I would love to see a post about handling the mountains of appers that come home from school every day!
Joey
01/25/2016OH I would also LOVE to see what you buy at Aldi!
Leigh Peterson
01/25/2016Makeup Storage!!! Menu planning! Thanks Tracy❤️,
wen budro
01/25/2016I am an email subscriber wendyalaska333@aol.com
I follow on pinterest as wlburro
I follow on You Tube as wen budro
I would love to see a post about how to get over the feeling of being overwhelmed by the clutter needing to be organized. Maybe a list or step-by-step guide to starting and finishing. I always get overwhelmed and then my motivation is gone.
Debbie
01/25/2016I would like to see some ab workout ideas and your favorite healthy restaurant.
Leigh Anne Miller Borders
01/25/2016I would love to see more posts on how to organize quickly and on a budget.
Jennifer Clay
01/25/2016This is my first time on your site, but I would love to see something telling me different ways to organize my children’s rooms.
Brenda Witherspoon-Bedard
01/25/2016a entry closet organization tips might be good
following:https://www.bloglovin.com/people/beewbedard-1079059
Keri
01/25/2016I always enjoy your healthy meal planning tips and supplements. Thanks Tracy!
Erica Klunder
01/25/2016You are my FAVORITE snap chatter. I am 23 years old and would love to see a post about how you budget and also I would love to see an Aldi haul!
Catherine Anne K.
01/25/2016Love love love the Rifle Paper Co. Love your blog!
janet
01/25/2016awesome prize:) I would like 2 see tips on organizing every room of the house. I’m so unorganized and need lots of tips and pictures. gl all on the giveaway:)
Monica
01/25/2016Hi Tracyy!!! Thanks for being so great! I’ve learned so much from waching your snap stories! You are truly an inspiration! I would love to see a blog on budget planning and on your fav 2015 products! Also.. Do a makeup tour! Anddd could you do a blog on how to keep a closet organized? Thanks! 😘
Becca
01/25/2016Would love to see a pantry organization post for a pantry that is not a walk in pantry.
Courtney
01/25/2016Hi Tracy! Love the blog, love your snapchat! I like how you have a notebook for Christmas every year. A lot of the gift ideas must be the same or similar for year to year; do you copy a lot of the information into a new notebook every year?
This is unrelated, but I have really liked your ideas for home fragrance! I’ve purchased a couple of your suggestions and they are just great!
Lisa Hannum
01/26/2016Tracy,
I am winner — that is great news to start my day! I am so excited to try this planner and notebook out. Of course the pencils will just make it that more fun, how cute.
I really enjoy your blog and snap chat stories. I think it is great that you are bringing us women information that we all can use. Most of us are crazy busy and can use some advise.
I look forward to more blogs and whatever you bring to us.
tracyhensel
01/26/2016Thanks You so much Lisa! And again, congratulations! xo
Ronda Geldean
01/26/2016And here I was so hoping I was a winner!
Congrats! Lisa
Sharon Oliver
09/05/2017Hi Tracy – I am responding several months after you posted this, hope you see it! I love your family scheduling and was wondering what kind of planner you have pictured above, I really like that format. Most planners are horizontal. I love the Morning/afternoon/evening layout! What kind is it? All the best, Sharon
Sharon Oliver
09/05/2017P.S. I didn’t see it on any of the links you provided. Thank you
tracyhensel
09/06/2017Hi Sharon! The planner above is called the Happy Planner. You can get it at Meijer stores (if you live in the midwest), Hobby Lobby and Michaels .. I believe. Thank you for reaching out to me. I am happy that you were able to find some valuable tools from this blog post. Happy Planning!!!
Adrienne
10/01/2017I would love to see a post about the transition of older children leaving home.Whilst still having younger ones at home. How to cope and adjust for us moms and dads and their siblings. How to keep it all together when they are away at university.
tracyhensel
10/02/2017Fantastic request, Adrienne! Thank you for sending. have a great Monday!!
Trisha
10/18/2018Love this! I had a calendar a while ago that worked like this and I just got off track. But I’m picking it back up.
Question, do you use a family “color”, say you have a family outing or trip and want to highlight that.