The Notebook-no not the novel...

The notebook that I use is a combination of a few different schools of home making and organization. They are The Virtuous Woman notebook pages (http://proverbs31sisters.avirtuouswoman.org/) where you can find blank printouts for your household notebook , Emilie Barnes' More Hours In My Day and the Large Family Logistics web site.


What you will need are (1) Large 3 ring binder (I have a D-ring binder myself) (2) index cards (colored ones but you can color the tops of plain ones in whatever color you like-that's what I did) (3) tabbed divider pages and blank tabs (4) printer (5)envelopes (6) paper clips and the most important thing- a few hours to sit down and do the notebook.

First off you will need to print off seven of the daily schedule pages from The Virtuous Woman website. Fill one out as to how you would normally spend your day. Now sit down and look at critically-see where you could arrange things for more efficiency, ease or what have you. This is probably the hardest part. Now that you have tweaked you schedule fill out five of the pages (m-f). The last two are for Sat. and Sun  - fill them out how you would like.

Take the tabbed dividers and place about a dozen in your binder. (we'll label them later). Place a daily schedule behind each tab. Now take your index cards and make six equal stacks using one card for each room each day( I have three bedrooms, two baths, kitchen, living room, laundry and deck cards{it may sound like I have a huge house- don't I have a bed/2 bath apartment lol!} On one set write Monday on the back, Tuesday on the next set and so on until you have done six sets. Place the Saturday set aside.

On top of the cards write a room i.e. Master Bedroom, Master Bath, Kitchen, Den, etc. Now decide what will be done in each room each day. For example my Master Bedroom cards read as follows:

Monday- Dust furniture. Vacuum

Tuesday- Blank

Wednesday-Vacuum

Thursday-Wash windows, sills and doorframes

Friday- Vacuum

Saturday-Carpet clean

Set the cards up the way that would work best for you. Now place these in five labeled envelopes and paper clip them to the tabbed pages.

The Saturday cards are for the first Saturday. This day is when all the "heavy cleaning" is done-carpets cleaned, fridge and stove moved to be cleaned behind, etc. Trust me that when I say it's worth it. On this day we order pizzas.

Now type up a simple page for each day that tell basically what will be done that day.

My Monday page says that it is vacuum/sweep and mop day. Tuesday is bathroom day, Wednesday is Laundry day etc.

Speaking of laundry day-definitely set aside a day for that chore. I do all laundry related things on Wednesday-wash, dry, iron, mending, etc. That day's dinner is done in the crock-pot-one less thing for me to worry about. I will do a load on other days if the need arises-it usually does with three active children. J

Put these behind the daily schedule pages.

Print put a stack of the menu pages-fill them out Saturday night for the upcoming week. Place this on the fridge where everyone can see it. That way there will be no surprises when it comes time to eat.

I also have a section entitled “personal” this is where I have printed a sheet and filled out with everyone’s information-name, DOB, insurance, drs, medications, etc. I have a section entitled “contacts” that have our friends and family information so we can contact them if need be. Arrang your notebook howevr fits your life best.

This notebook with some simple everyday chores should help you save time and send you on your way to being a better Proverbs 31 woman.

Blessings

Denise