We've done a LOT of work this month. Especially if you've been following right along with me. However, now our homes are ready for fall, and the winter holidays. Now that everything is planned, decluttered, organized, cleaned, and decorated, it's time to relax and enjoy. Right now I want you to grab your calendar. Go ahead and pick 1 day a week and schedule an hour of "Me Time" on that day. That's your time to be selfish and pamper yourself however you desire. Now, schedule a date night each week. Mine is always on Friday night, but yours can be any night. Date night could be a date with a hubby, significant other, friend, parent, child anyone that you want to spend a little more time with in your life. Last, I want you to schedule an hour of free time once a week. There are always unexpected things that pop-up that you don't account for. This free time is intended to be flexible, so you can take care of those things without stressing yourself out because you have no time. If you are lucky, nothing will pop up and you can use it as family time or additional me time.
Showing posts with label Home Manual. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Home Manual. Show all posts
Me Time, Date Night, Free Time
What's the Homemaking September ShapeUp! all about?
We've done a LOT of work this month. Especially if you've been following right along with me. However, now our homes are ready for fall, and the winter holidays. Now that everything is planned, decluttered, organized, cleaned, and decorated, it's time to relax and enjoy. Right now I want you to grab your calendar. Go ahead and pick 1 day a week and schedule an hour of "Me Time" on that day. That's your time to be selfish and pamper yourself however you desire. Now, schedule a date night each week. Mine is always on Friday night, but yours can be any night. Date night could be a date with a hubby, significant other, friend, parent, child anyone that you want to spend a little more time with in your life. Last, I want you to schedule an hour of free time once a week. There are always unexpected things that pop-up that you don't account for. This free time is intended to be flexible, so you can take care of those things without stressing yourself out because you have no time. If you are lucky, nothing will pop up and you can use it as family time or additional me time.
We've done a LOT of work this month. Especially if you've been following right along with me. However, now our homes are ready for fall, and the winter holidays. Now that everything is planned, decluttered, organized, cleaned, and decorated, it's time to relax and enjoy. Right now I want you to grab your calendar. Go ahead and pick 1 day a week and schedule an hour of "Me Time" on that day. That's your time to be selfish and pamper yourself however you desire. Now, schedule a date night each week. Mine is always on Friday night, but yours can be any night. Date night could be a date with a hubby, significant other, friend, parent, child anyone that you want to spend a little more time with in your life. Last, I want you to schedule an hour of free time once a week. There are always unexpected things that pop-up that you don't account for. This free time is intended to be flexible, so you can take care of those things without stressing yourself out because you have no time. If you are lucky, nothing will pop up and you can use it as family time or additional me time.
Contact Sheets
What's the Homemaking September ShapeUp! all about?
I track all my contact information in Outlook and print it out for including in my Home Manual. I separate out business contacts and personal contacts just like yellow and white pages, it makes it easier because I track different information for family, just ignore the areas that don't apply to that person.
Here's the contact sheets for you! The first page is for businesses and the second is for family and friends.
Email me for the Word Document if you want to adjust it for your personal use.
I track all my contact information in Outlook and print it out for including in my Home Manual. I separate out business contacts and personal contacts just like yellow and white pages, it makes it easier because I track different information for family, just ignore the areas that don't apply to that person.
Here's the contact sheets for you! The first page is for businesses and the second is for family and friends.
Email me for the Word Document if you want to adjust it for your personal use.
View the Guide
Family Information Sheets
What's the Homemaking September ShapeUp! all about?
I started Family Info Sheets on each person within our immediate families so that I can track information needed for gifts and, for very immediate family, medical information. I just ignore the areas that don't apply to that person.
Tamy mentioned that she includes a list of gifts given and received here as well. I do have that information, but in my contact sheets, so I'll have those available tomorrow with those. I'll have that Word doc available as well, so feel free to modify these to suit your purposes.
We're almost done with the Home Manual, tomorrow I'll post pics of my overhauled Home Manual. The only other things I have are my bill schedule, which is simply a list of days of the month and the bills due on those days. And my Perpetual Pantry and Menu Plan Sheets, which I'll share on Monday with Kitchen Organization. I hope this has been helpful in creating your own Home Manual.
Here's a Family Information Sheet for you!
Email me for the Word Document if you want to adjust it for your personal use.
I started Family Info Sheets on each person within our immediate families so that I can track information needed for gifts and, for very immediate family, medical information. I just ignore the areas that don't apply to that person.
Tamy mentioned that she includes a list of gifts given and received here as well. I do have that information, but in my contact sheets, so I'll have those available tomorrow with those. I'll have that Word doc available as well, so feel free to modify these to suit your purposes.
We're almost done with the Home Manual, tomorrow I'll post pics of my overhauled Home Manual. The only other things I have are my bill schedule, which is simply a list of days of the month and the bills due on those days. And my Perpetual Pantry and Menu Plan Sheets, which I'll share on Monday with Kitchen Organization. I hope this has been helpful in creating your own Home Manual.
Here's a Family Information Sheet for you!
Email me for the Word Document if you want to adjust it for your personal use.
View the Guide
Family Calendars
What's the Homemaking September ShapeUp! all about?
There are a lot of family calendar options available if you are the tactile type that has to write something down. Personally, I keep my calendar in Google Calendar. It allows me to have a separate calendar for each of us, as well as a general calendar for family events (birthdays, anniversaries, etc). I even create a Hockey calendar every year for the UND Hockey schedule, so I can tell if we have a home game that weekend.
Every year I update the general calendar and print out a listing for the Family Calendar area in my Home Manual, and then a week before the next month I print out a month view version of the Google Calendars with all events turned on for the Home Manual. I can then quickly jot a new event down while on the phone, without having to check my calendar on the computer.
I have a housekeeping calendar with my weekly, monthly and yearly routines on it. I can share this if there is any interest in looking at it.
I have a blogging calendar that I maintain in Google Calendar, though I don't include it for the Home Manual.
I also have an adoption calendar with various appointments and important dates related to the process.
Each calendar has it's own color code, so I can see at a glance what appt applies to what person. It's really very nice.
Here's a September Calendar for you!
Email me for the Excel Sheet if you want to adjust the routines.
There are a lot of family calendar options available if you are the tactile type that has to write something down. Personally, I keep my calendar in Google Calendar. It allows me to have a separate calendar for each of us, as well as a general calendar for family events (birthdays, anniversaries, etc). I even create a Hockey calendar every year for the UND Hockey schedule, so I can tell if we have a home game that weekend.
Every year I update the general calendar and print out a listing for the Family Calendar area in my Home Manual, and then a week before the next month I print out a month view version of the Google Calendars with all events turned on for the Home Manual. I can then quickly jot a new event down while on the phone, without having to check my calendar on the computer.
I have a housekeeping calendar with my weekly, monthly and yearly routines on it. I can share this if there is any interest in looking at it.
I have a blogging calendar that I maintain in Google Calendar, though I don't include it for the Home Manual.
I also have an adoption calendar with various appointments and important dates related to the process.
Each calendar has it's own color code, so I can see at a glance what appt applies to what person. It's really very nice.
Here's a September Calendar for you!
Email me for the Excel Sheet if you want to adjust the routines.
View the Guide
Submitted to
Emergency Contact Information
One of the most important things in your Home Manual would be your Emergency Contact Information Sheets. Here's the basic information for your Emergency Contact Information sheets, but I know this would be kind of a pain to fill in from the post. So, here's a pdf download of the sheets for you to fill in to make it easier for you:
Emergency Contact Sheet
Home Address & Phone
Address
Phone
Fax
Directions
Wife’s Contact Information
Name
Cell #
Work #
Work (Main Line)
Work Address
Personal E-Mail
Work E-Mail
Husband’s Contact Information
Name
Cell #
Work #
Work (Main Line)
Work Address
Personal E-Mail
Work E-Mail
Emergency Contacts
Primary Emergency Contact
Name
Address
Relationship
Cell #
Work #
Work Address
Personal E-Mail
Work E-Mail
Secondary Emergency Contact
Name
Address
Relationship
Cell #
Work #
Work Address
Personal E-Mail
Work E-Mail
Emergency Phone Info
Police
Fire Department
Ambulance Service
Hospital ER
Hospital Primary Phone
Family Physician
Pediatricians
Poison Control Center
Veterinarian
Health Insurance Agent & Policy #’s
Other Insurance Agent & Policy #’s
Emergency Shut-off Phone Info
Gas Company
Water Company
Electric Company
Repair Companies & Phone Info
Plumber
Electrician
Carpenter
Appliance Repair
Shut Off Info
Water Shut Off Locations
Main to the House
Toilets
Sinks
Washing Machine
Dishwasher
Icemaker
Outdoor Faucets
Water Heater
Water Softener
Power Shut Off Locations
Main Circuit Breaker
Circuit Breakers
Are they labeled in the panel? If not, take some time to label them.
Gas Shut Off Locations
Main to House
Stove
Furnace
Fireplaces
Water Heater
Detector Locations
Smoke Detector Locations
Heat Detector Locations
Carbon Monoxide Detector Locations
Fire Extinguisher Locations
Kitchen
Basement
Garage
Download the Emergency Contact Sheet
Emergency Contact Sheet
Home Address & Phone
Address
Phone
Fax
Directions
Wife’s Contact Information
Name
Cell #
Work #
Work (Main Line)
Work Address
Personal E-Mail
Work E-Mail
Husband’s Contact Information
Name
Cell #
Work #
Work (Main Line)
Work Address
Personal E-Mail
Work E-Mail
Emergency Contacts
Primary Emergency Contact
Name
Address
Relationship
Cell #
Work #
Work Address
Personal E-Mail
Work E-Mail
Secondary Emergency Contact
Name
Address
Relationship
Cell #
Work #
Work Address
Personal E-Mail
Work E-Mail
Emergency Phone Info
Police
Fire Department
Ambulance Service
Hospital ER
Hospital Primary Phone
Family Physician
Pediatricians
Poison Control Center
Veterinarian
Health Insurance Agent & Policy #’s
Other Insurance Agent & Policy #’s
Emergency Shut-off Phone Info
Gas Company
Water Company
Electric Company
Repair Companies & Phone Info
Plumber
Electrician
Carpenter
Appliance Repair
Shut Off Info
Water Shut Off Locations
Main to the House
Toilets
Sinks
Washing Machine
Dishwasher
Icemaker
Outdoor Faucets
Water Heater
Water Softener
Power Shut Off Locations
Main Circuit Breaker
Circuit Breakers
Are they labeled in the panel? If not, take some time to label them.
Gas Shut Off Locations
Main to House
Stove
Furnace
Fireplaces
Water Heater
Detector Locations
Smoke Detector Locations
Heat Detector Locations
Carbon Monoxide Detector Locations
Fire Extinguisher Locations
Kitchen
Basement
Garage
My Weekly, Monthy and Yearly Routines
What's the Homemaking September ShapeUp! all about?
In addition to daily routines, I also have weekly, monthly and yearly items listed. My weekly routine is still based on my last house and definitely needs some modification, it's just not working for me very well anymore.
So I'm starting with Tuesday evening, Wednesday morning is Trash Pick Up so Tuesday will be my Errand/Grocery Shopping/Clean Out the Refrigerator day. Wednesday will be Pick Up Day, it's when I do quick clean as needed and menu planning and grocery lists for the following week based on what was on sale when I did grocery shopping the night before. So, that makes Saturday morning my Quick Clean morning, since it splits the week in half. And one weekend day has to be Family Day, so that's now Sunday. Friday night is always date night. So, that leaves Monday evening and Thursday evening free for either Paperwork Night or Project Night. I'll make Monday evening Paperwork Night, so the bills aren't sitting in transit over the weekend. So Thursday Night is my Project Night. Ok, so now that I've taken you through how I chose my nights, go ahead and allocate your own nights.
Here's my new weekly routine:
Sunday: Family Day
Plan something fun for today, take turns.
Monday: Paperwork and Misc.
File papers
Write letters and cards
Write thank-you notes
Clean out purse
Mend clothes and polish shoes
Pet care (Flea and Heart Meds)
Clean out car and check fluids
Clean laundry room
Tuesday: Grocery and Errand Day
Make sure menus are planned before you go shopping
Check grocery list one last time. Don't forget it!
Grocery Day
Errand Day
Buy gifts and cards
Clean out refrigerator
Put away groceries
Empty all the trash
Wednesday: Pick Up Day
Midweek Pick Up, as needed Quick Clean
Deep Clean based on your monthly routine
Clean cycle for stove, every other week
Go through deep freeze, opposite week to clean cycle
Menu plan and grocery list for next week (using up what was on sale and from deep freeze)
Thursday: Project/Free Day
Work on any projects: paint, pastels, scrapbook, etc.
Friday: “Date Night”
"Date Night"
Saturday: Quick Clean Day
Don't spend more than 2 hours!
Go through magazines and catalogs
Change sheets
Wash Shower Curtain
Follow Quick Clean Lists for each room
Finish any Deep Cleaning
Monthly Routine
If you deep clean 1 room at least once a month, spring and fall cleaning is a breeze.
Week 1 : Kitchen
Week 2 : Dining & Living Areas
Week 3 : Bedrooms & Entrances
Week 4 : Bathrooms & Extra Rooms
If the month has a 5th Pick Up Day move the Extra Rooms to that week.
Yearly Routine
January
6th: Take down all Christmas decorations, leave Winter Decor
February
1st: Plan Saturday before Valentine's Day
March
Spring Cleaning!
4th Week: Spring Decor
April
1st: Easter Decor
Weekend After Easter: Take down Easter decor
May
June
4th Week: Summer Decor
July
August
September
Fall Cleaning!
4th week: Fall Decor
October
7th: Halloween Decor
November
1st: Take down Halloween Decor
Friday After Thanksgiving: Holiday Decor
Saturday After Thanksgiving: Holiday Party
December
This is an insanely busy month, but very personal, so this is all open for you!
In addition to daily routines, I also have weekly, monthly and yearly items listed. My weekly routine is still based on my last house and definitely needs some modification, it's just not working for me very well anymore.
So I'm starting with Tuesday evening, Wednesday morning is Trash Pick Up so Tuesday will be my Errand/Grocery Shopping/Clean Out the Refrigerator day. Wednesday will be Pick Up Day, it's when I do quick clean as needed and menu planning and grocery lists for the following week based on what was on sale when I did grocery shopping the night before. So, that makes Saturday morning my Quick Clean morning, since it splits the week in half. And one weekend day has to be Family Day, so that's now Sunday. Friday night is always date night. So, that leaves Monday evening and Thursday evening free for either Paperwork Night or Project Night. I'll make Monday evening Paperwork Night, so the bills aren't sitting in transit over the weekend. So Thursday Night is my Project Night. Ok, so now that I've taken you through how I chose my nights, go ahead and allocate your own nights.
Here's my new weekly routine:
Sunday: Family Day
Plan something fun for today, take turns.
Monday: Paperwork and Misc.
File papers
Write letters and cards
Write thank-you notes
Clean out purse
Mend clothes and polish shoes
Pet care (Flea and Heart Meds)
Clean out car and check fluids
Clean laundry room
Tuesday: Grocery and Errand Day
Make sure menus are planned before you go shopping
Check grocery list one last time. Don't forget it!
Grocery Day
Errand Day
Buy gifts and cards
Clean out refrigerator
Put away groceries
Empty all the trash
Wednesday: Pick Up Day
Midweek Pick Up, as needed Quick Clean
Deep Clean based on your monthly routine
Clean cycle for stove, every other week
Go through deep freeze, opposite week to clean cycle
Menu plan and grocery list for next week (using up what was on sale and from deep freeze)
Thursday: Project/Free Day
Work on any projects: paint, pastels, scrapbook, etc.
Friday: “Date Night”
"Date Night"
Saturday: Quick Clean Day
Don't spend more than 2 hours!
Go through magazines and catalogs
Change sheets
Wash Shower Curtain
Follow Quick Clean Lists for each room
Finish any Deep Cleaning
Monthly Routine
If you deep clean 1 room at least once a month, spring and fall cleaning is a breeze.
Week 1 : Kitchen
Week 2 : Dining & Living Areas
Week 3 : Bedrooms & Entrances
Week 4 : Bathrooms & Extra Rooms
If the month has a 5th Pick Up Day move the Extra Rooms to that week.
Yearly Routine
January
6th: Take down all Christmas decorations, leave Winter Decor
February
1st: Plan Saturday before Valentine's Day
March
Spring Cleaning!
4th Week: Spring Decor
April
1st: Easter Decor
Weekend After Easter: Take down Easter decor
May
June
4th Week: Summer Decor
July
August
September
Fall Cleaning!
4th week: Fall Decor
October
7th: Halloween Decor
November
1st: Take down Halloween Decor
Friday After Thanksgiving: Holiday Decor
Saturday After Thanksgiving: Holiday Party
December
This is an insanely busy month, but very personal, so this is all open for you!
View the Guide
My Daily Routines
What's the Homemaking September ShapeUp! all about?
This is my daily routine, feel free to copy or add to it. I actually have each time frame on their own pages, so I can check them off.
Cleaning Time
Clean up the house before you go to bed. (30 minutes max – set a timer)
Family Room: Pick up and put away things, magazines, dishes
Kitchen: Do dishes, pick up, run dishwasher
Entrance, etc: Pick up; put away shoes and coats
Laundry: Do a load of laundry, iron, fold and hang all clean laundry
Tomorrow's Prep (Start no later than 8 pm)
Take meat out of the freezer for tomorrow’s dinner or crock-pot prep work
Prepare lunch for tomorrow
Set table for breakfast, put out cereal, vitamins and meds
Set up coffee maker for tomorrow morning
Review Appointments
Start a to do list for tomorrow
Place items to take to work on passenger seat of car
Set-out clothes, iron as necessary
Get ready for bed
Take vitamins and meds.
Quick clean the bathroom
Get ready for day
Take vitamins and meds
Do a laundry swap
Empty the dishwasher
Eat breakfast
Dinner prep, if needed
Check the calendar
Review To Do List, add to it as necessary
Do a laundry swap
Do dishes
Dinner prep, throw bread machine ingredients in and start
Set table for dinner
This is my daily routine, feel free to copy or add to it. I actually have each time frame on their own pages, so I can check them off.
Evening Routine
30 minutes of exerciseCleaning Time
Clean up the house before you go to bed. (30 minutes max – set a timer)
Family Room: Pick up and put away things, magazines, dishes
Kitchen: Do dishes, pick up, run dishwasher
Entrance, etc: Pick up; put away shoes and coats
Laundry: Do a load of laundry, iron, fold and hang all clean laundry
Tomorrow's Prep (Start no later than 8 pm)
Take meat out of the freezer for tomorrow’s dinner or crock-pot prep work
Prepare lunch for tomorrow
Set table for breakfast, put out cereal, vitamins and meds
Set up coffee maker for tomorrow morning
Review Appointments
Start a to do list for tomorrow
Place items to take to work on passenger seat of car
Set-out clothes, iron as necessary
Get ready for bed
Take vitamins and meds.
Morning Routine
Make the bedQuick clean the bathroom
Get ready for day
Take vitamins and meds
Do a laundry swap
Empty the dishwasher
Eat breakfast
Dinner prep, if needed
Check the calendar
Review To Do List, add to it as necessary
Do a laundry swap
Lunch Routine
Do a laundry swapDo dishes
Dinner prep, throw bread machine ingredients in and start
Set table for dinner
View the Guide
Do You Have A Home Manual?
What's the Homemaking September ShapeUp! all about?
We're going to create or update our home manuals this week. What is a home manual? A home manual or home journal has everything anyone would need to run your household. On any given day, someone should be able to flip open your Home Manual and take over your household management in case of emergency. Keep it somewhere handy, I keep mine in a china cabinet drawer in my dinette, along with post-it's, pencil and dry erase marker.
My home manual contains:
Emergency Contact Sheet
Daily Routines
Weekly Routines
Monthly Routines
Yearly Routines
Weeks Menu Plan with Recipes
Grocery List
Perpetual Pantry List
Quick Clean Lists
Deep Clean Lists
Family Calendar
Family Info Sheets
Bill Schedule
Contact Information
My home manual is a 3-ring binder with glossy sheet protectors, and alpha tabs organizing the contact information area. The high gloss sheet protectors let me mark off items as I do them. It is in need of updating, so I'm going to be redoing it this week. If you have a spare binder or folder, paper and a pencil you can create a home manual too. If you're a perfectionist, don't worry about that for right now, you can type it all out and make it pretty later. Right now, it's more important just to get it down somewhere.
We're going to create or update our home manuals this week. What is a home manual? A home manual or home journal has everything anyone would need to run your household. On any given day, someone should be able to flip open your Home Manual and take over your household management in case of emergency. Keep it somewhere handy, I keep mine in a china cabinet drawer in my dinette, along with post-it's, pencil and dry erase marker.
My home manual contains:
Emergency Contact Sheet
Daily Routines
Weekly Routines
Monthly Routines
Yearly Routines
Weeks Menu Plan with Recipes
Grocery List
Perpetual Pantry List
Quick Clean Lists
Deep Clean Lists
Family Calendar
Family Info Sheets
Bill Schedule
Contact Information
My home manual is a 3-ring binder with glossy sheet protectors, and alpha tabs organizing the contact information area. The high gloss sheet protectors let me mark off items as I do them. It is in need of updating, so I'm going to be redoing it this week. If you have a spare binder or folder, paper and a pencil you can create a home manual too. If you're a perfectionist, don't worry about that for right now, you can type it all out and make it pretty later. Right now, it's more important just to get it down somewhere.
View the Guide
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