More on Seasonal Planning (and The File Crate)

In a comment left after my last post, Jennifer asked: 

"Do seasonal binders mean the end of the file folders??"

It's a very good question, Jennifer, and one I asked myself, because I do try to limit the number of "systems" I use to keep my household on track. But for now, the answer is no, the planners will not replace the file system - but they will, hopefully, complement it. 

The seasonal planners are mainly places for note-taking and strategizing. Throughout the year, events, activities and projects come up that need more than a simple reminder - they need some detailed attention.

So, in the Winter this might be a mid-year review, a new hobby (bread-baking) or an impromptu unit study (wolves). In the Spring this might be Easter or a new garden plan or a First Communion celebration. In the summer this might be a vacation, a summer reading plan or a shell-collecting bag I'd like to make. In the fall this could be a home project, a bake sale or a Halloween party. And of course it goes without saying that the Holidays (November and December) bring major plans between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

It's all part of the job description of course. ;) As a full-time mother, this is what I do - I plan these kinds of things out for my family, and it's both a huge blessing and an enormous responsibility! But since I don't do well "last minute" and I don't have a lot of (any) extra time on my hands, I know that if I'm going to pull something off, I really need to plan and prepare ahead of time. I need a place to hash things out - to write my notes and make my lists, and unfortunately, the file crate isn't really the place to do this ...

It would be great if it could be - it would obviously make things simpler just to have the ONE place where ALL plans and information and reminders are kept. I tried to make it work - but keeping planning pages inside the folders was just a mess. Even making up special folders for holidays didn't work (out of sight, out of mind). I realized I really need to keep timely projects front and center - hiding them in the file folders didn't do that. 

So how do I decide where something goes? Well, let me try to briefly illustrate the difference.

If I get a reminder card from the orthodontist (or the vet or the eye doctor) in the mail, I pop it in the appropriate file folder (i.e. the week the appointment is scheduled). If I find a coupon for a special sale or a flyer for an interesting class, I do the same thing. An e-mail reminder for an upcoming field trip would also go in a folder, as would an invitation to a party.

All these things warrant a brief mention on the calendar or maybe an action or two on the to-do list.

But let's take something more complex, say something like Easter. A holiday that means so much to our family, to our children in particular, takes some planning and forethought. There are books to read, crafts to make, special food to make, baskets to prep, Masses to attend and of course, a big family dinner to host. For an event like this, I need lists (how I love lists!), and clippings and space in which to work it all out. An "Early Spring" planner filled with plenty of paper and pockets for storing clippings (etc.) seems a good place to do that. 

Does any of this make any sense, lol? :)

I plan to keep the current season's planner out and about in my workspace so that it is always at my fingertips (in other words, the most timely projects are fresh in my mind). The rest of the binders will sit on that shelf I showed you in my last post - still close by, but out of the way. As I think up a new project or when a new event pops up, I will start a planning page in the appropriate binder and mark the project (event/activity) on the index page. 

I hope this helps clear things up a bit for you all. Thanks to Jennifer for asking the question and getting this ball rolling. :) I will be revisiting this topic again before long, I am sure, so please don't hesitate to leave me more questions if you have them. I certainly don't profess to be a home management expert (by any means!) but I keep trying to make things work a little bit better for my family. To my mind, we can all use a fresh idea now and again - you never know when it might be just the ticket!

Well, I hope you all have a good Wednesday. We are fighting a cold here and an snow-ice storm is moving through the area. Very wintry, indeed. 

See you all again sometime soon!

Comments

[Jen Lynch]

I too love lists! I even have lists of my files that contain lists! The day planned out before me makes me feel strong, having plans for the future makes me hopeful. Hip. hip Hooray for your lists!

[stephanie]

This helps me immensely! I've been using the file folder system for 9 months or so now and it's working great, but I was finding things getting buried in the folders. Ie., projects I wanted to do a Christmas were filing in the week that I wanted to do them, but I was forgetting about them until I pulled out that folder, thus leaving me little to no time to prepare and pull anything off. Have a set place to put seasonal things that I find (and to return pages to after the season has passed and the activities are done) I think will be invaluable! Thanks for this idea. :)

[Patty]

Thinking about how your systems work together, and how I could improve my own...

You use your folders the way I use my calendar. Anything calendar-related goes directly on/in my calendar planner. I use this one )http://www.momagenda.com/products.cfm?cID=17&pID=58I) so it's big enough that I can clip papers to it and not end up with a mess. I do wish though that my purse was bigger. I have the perfect summer bag for my lift, but my winter bag leaves a bit to be desired. But that's a project for another day!

I started a Dawn-inspired notebook journal in November and I use that for thoughtful moments, to record daily notes and quotes, but I also paste seasonal ideas from magazines in there (intending to pull it out for reference later). My husband commented about how I smile when I'm taping and gluing pictures in my notebook. :-)

It sounds like you intend use your binders the way I hope to use my Dawn-inspired file folders. I keep page-sized ideas (rather than clippings, I mean) and my Dawn-inspired monthly themes list in my file folders.

I'm still working out how to make the best use of everything together. I did however buy a pretty toile file box to hold all the files. :-) Now that I read your post I see I have bits and pieces in different places. Maybe it would be better to consolidate ideas a bit.

Please keep posting your organization ideas. It is so helpful! I just noticed the heavy use of the adjective "Dawn-inspired" in this comment, but I'm going to leave it. LOL Thanks for all you share!

[Lisa]

This is excellent and timely for me! I've been trying to work out a better way to keep on top of all the myriad of things that come along with the big holidays. My December file this past month was too cram-packed to make sense of things and be aware of dates in time to move on them (Totally MISSED St. Lucy this year, f.i.) Your notebooks idea may just work for me to fix this! Thanks, as always, Dawn! You're a tonic for the organizationally challenged!

[Michele]

Would you be willing to show some of the pages of your planning binders, if it's not too personal? It would be neat to see how your family celebrations evolve. Now that my daughter is two and is more aware of the holidays and seasons, I am interested in starting something similar.

[violingirl]

Thank you for this idea! I've been trying to figure out how to keep track of the seasonal ideas that I want to use in the future and this seems like just the thing to work. I had been creating files on the computer but it wasn't helping- I think having a physical book of ideas will help me tremendously.

[Kathryn]

I am so inspired. I actually do well with last minute, but my husband does not. Planning helps the whole family feel involved too. I love these tips and really appreciate your taking the time to share them!

[KatieButler]

What a wonderful idea, Dawn. I've had something like this rattling around in my mind for some time now, but it never took shape. You've inspired me to get started!

[Heather]

Hi Dawn,
I love your blog, it is very inspiring. Here is my question regarding the file/planner subject, and I hope it does not burden you...:)? Could you PLEASE eventually do a picture tutorial of your planning system? Pretty please? I would love it, and I'm willing to guess that others would too.

[Elizabeth]

Hi, I just found you through Charming the Birds from the Trees blog. I would like to know what ages you homeschool. Right now, I have just begun homeschooling my 10 yo dd (7th Grade), we are largely unschooling right now, with hours of reading and some writing everyday. I cannot, at this time, afford a packaged curriculum.

Do you have any suggestions for me?

Thank you so much and God bless,
Elizabeth
www.homemusings.blogspot.com

[alecat]

Hello Dawn,
Can I please second Heather's request?
I've not ever come across anything like what you do with your filing before. I just keep a Teacher's Planner with lots of notes and it improves gradually throughout each year.
I wonder that perhaps your laws re: homeschooling are quite different to ours in Vic. Australia as we aren't required to present too many details for the year's planning? However, I love keeping records so that the children can reflect on achievements and fun activities they may like to revisit in the future.
Thank you.
alecat

[Jennie Lou]

What will you do as a season passes? Leave your notes to review next year? Maybe an "archives" section? Is it something that that starts anew each time the new season comes around?