Getting organized can be a real chore. A good step in the right direction is a household organization notebook. This is simply a notebook where you have pages with the important information you need to help you be more organized. I’ve seen them in bookstores selling for way too much money. It’s so easy (and inexpensive) to make your own.

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All you need is a notebook and a little time. Check out OrganizedHome where you can find directions and free printable pages to make your own household notebook. From calendars, to often used phone numbers, to holiday and craft planning this site has the printouts you need for a successful binder. For a great introduction to what a household notebook is check out this article from the OranizedHome website.

One of the planners I’ve found most useful is the cleaning schedule. This can often be an overwhelming task. But keeping your home clean and organized does not need to take hours each week. If you use planners to outline what needs to be done, and break it down to a few simple tasks per day, with perhaps a semi-major task on the weekend it can really de-stress keeping up with the day to day chores. You can also plan for the other cleaning/redecorating projects you may need to do. Keeping a list of them, and removing them as they’re completed gives a great sense of accomplishment. Instead of just thinking about all those "things" you need to do - get them in writing, break it down, and you’ll soon find it’s not so hard to begin doing them and being proud of the results.

The next time someone is ill, you’ll have the physician’s phone number right at hand. In fact, creating additional pages with medical history such as allergies to medicines or the medications different family members currently take is another great step. If ever there is an emergency, you’ll have all the information right at hand.

From listing your favorite restaurants, to daily/weekly/monthly schedules you can include the pages that will make your life easier. If something doesn’t work for you - then remove it and try something else. If a particular page isn’t laid out quite the way you’d like, you can use a simple word processor or spreadsheet program to design your own. Be creative, use it to the best advantage for you.