Organization

I've been reading a blog lately called By Sun and Candlelight and been very inspired by her organizing. She uses a file crate system which looks quite efficient - however as I currently have no children, I don't think I have enough to organise to make this system worth it! However I am planning on implementing a seasonal planning system, a sort-of miniature file crate system if you will. I have purchased a binder, a notepad and 4 dividers with pockets. Blue - Winter, Green -Spring, Yellow -Summer, Red - Fall.




I'll post again when I've made this into something I will actually use :) But for now I thought I'd share what I currently use for my organization and planning.

Right now I have a home planning notebook, and an agenda. In my home planning notebook, I have 4 tabs: Hospitality, Organization, Food, and Money. In Hospitality I simply record who we have over for dinners when, what we eat and what we do. This may seem silly, but with my memory we'd likely serve the same people lasagna 3 times in a row otherwise :) Under Organization I have notes, organizing tips, details for projects etc - a whole mish mash. In food I keep lists of meals we like and grocery receipts are in a pocket in the front. I also have meal planning lists as well as a few recipes in here. Under money, I list our utility and gas bills. We have people living in the basement who pay half, so I have to have an accurate record of these bills and when they pay us! At the very front of my home planning notebook (before any of the 4 tabs) I have a section where I designate one month for each page. On these pages I write brief goals and notes. So thats that! On to the agenda.

Its a very simple Moleskine agenda with the days of the week on the left page and a lined page on the right for notes. In my agenda I record when I do (and don't) work, pay day, bill due dates, special events and things I have to remember. On the lined page I write my to do list.

The only other thing I use to organize papers etc is two folders on my desk 'To File' and 'Require Action'. For example, if I get a bill in the mail, I put it in the "Require Action' folder and note the due date in my agenda. When its paid, I write 'Paid' and the date in my agenda and put it in the 'To File' folder. About once a month I take all my 'To File' papers and file them! (I guess that would be another system I use - maybe I'll post on it another time - but in a nutshell its just a bin with hanging folders that hold all of our important documents, receipts, manuals, pay stubs, paid bills etc.)

Organization aside - I found a friend while doing the laundry today :) Kittins!

What do you use to organise?