Home Management Binder 101

What is a Home Management Binder (HMB)?

I often refer to my home as my "palace," or "castle." I often refer to my Home Management Binder as my "HMB." The Home Management Binder (HMB) is a thick binder, which contains articles, charts, schedules, to do lists, etc. It generally sits in my "headquarters," which is the kitchen.

Step by Step - how to put together a binder, and love using it:

Get a three ring binder, and decorate it. Make it pretty. If your binder has a plastic pocket on the cover, then make up a pretty page, and slip it in the pocket of your cover. DO NOT proceed to the next step, until you have your binder beautiful. You'll know you're ready to go to the next step, when you look over at your binder, and it makes you smile.

Make sure you have plenty of page protectors and notebook paper handy. It's also a good idea to have a printer ready to do some heavy printing. I also suggest you have stick on index tabs, which will be used a little later, to organize your binder. Gather all of these things together, and then proceed to the next step. NOTE: Always keep a pen or pencil in your binder.

If you have a pocket on the inside cover of your binder, then stick in several sheets of scratch paper, and your pen. If you don't have a pocket, then does your binder have a clipboard clip on it? If so, use that to hold the scratch paper and pen. If you don't have a pocket, or clip, then grab some tape, and tape a sheet of paper on the inside cover, and tie a short string to your pen, and attach the other end of the string to the top ring in your binder.

Scratch paper is important. For example, if you're taking a phone message for someone, you can quickly jot the message down on your scratch paper, and then transfer it to the proper message paper after you get off of the phone. Also, when you need to remember to do something, but you don't have time to flip through your binder, and write it in, then you can just quickly write in on your scratch paper, and you can transfer the information later that day; maybe before you go to bed. Scratch paper is a necessity. Inside the cover of your binder is a great place to keep it.

Here's the most time consuming step for some people: Creating your Master Schedule. If you already run on a schedule, then you may breeze through this section. However, if you don't, then you may find this section will take a while, but trust me, it's VERY worth the effort.

STEPS TO CREATING A MASTER SCHEDULE

1) Write on a piece of paper your usual meal times (See, you're using your scratch paper already). Mine are around 8am, 12pm, and 6pm.

2) Now, take out a different piece of paper, and write out tasks that you must get done each day. If you're feeling overwhelmed about this step, don't worry. Below is a list that you can copy, and change if needed, to meet your and your family's needs:

Cleaning
Homeschooling the kids
Exercising
Meal preparations and cleanup
Computer time
Kid’s baths
Shower for you
Time to relax and read

3) Fill in times for the activities from your list, into your schedule. Here's a tip: Do the high-energy stuff in the mornings. You'll get it out of the way, and you'll be more apt to get it done. If you're not sure of what schedule to make for yourself, then feel free to use the below example, and tweak it if needed:

7:00am - Get up, get dressed, make bed. Help kids get dressed and make their beds, if needed
7:30am - Make breakfast
8:30am - Breakfast and family morning devotional (such as reading the chapter of Proverbs that corosponds with the day's date
9:00am - Table chores
9:15am - Family Bible study, and then homeschool time
11:00am - Children do independent homeschool while you exercise
12:00pm - Lunchtime and family read aloud
12:20pm - Table chores
12:30pm - Take the kids outside to play, weather allowing. Else, play indoors.
1:10pm - Cleaning chores time
1:45pm - Bathe/shower some of the kids
2:10pm - Quiet time - older kids do silent reading and finish homeschool, then have quiet free time. Younger children nap, or play quietly.
DURING QUIET TIME: Look over homeschool work; Set up for the next day's/week's homeschool; Put away laundry; Do kitchen work, such as making bread
4:00pm - Children get free time, while you do computer work, read, or catch up on other duties
5:00pm - Make dinner
6:00pm - Dinner time
6:45pm - Table chores
7:00pm - More children's showers/baths
7:20pm - Family Fun Time
8:00pm - Tuck in children. Older children have quiet reading time, or spend extra time with parents.
9:00pm - Shower, then spend time with your husband
11:00pm - Tidy up the house, empty the dishwasher, get ready for bed, and then do personal Bible study and prayer, then lights out.

4) Create a before bedtime routine. This is stuff that you can get done before going to bed, so that your mornings will be easier, and run smoother. Here's one that you can use, and tweak if needed:

Prep for next day's meals
Go through the house, put things away, and tidy up
Empty dishwasher and clean sink
Sew holes in clothes
Take care of yourself - brush and floss your teeth, wash your face, etc.

Add your before bed time routine into your Master Schedule. Literally put in every step, and in what order, etc.

5) Create a morning routine. Here's one that you can use, and tweak if needed:

Get up; make bed as you're getting out of it
Check on kids
Get dressed and ready for the day (don't just wear frumpy old sweats. Dress nicely - Modestly, feminine, in clothes you like, - and that your husband likes)
Start a load of laundry
Cook breakfast...

Now add your morning routine to your Master Schedule. Literally put in every step, and in what order, etc. You may not want to put in time increments for each step, just have a time slot to get all of this done in. Same with the before bedtime routine.

6) Now you should have a schedule laid out for yourself, with your routines included. Are you scared, or excited at this point? (Hopefully excited, because you're about to get a lot done, and organized.) The next step is to include your kids into this schedule. They like knowing what's going to happen next. There will be no more "I'm bored-s" running around. You'll also learn what areas your children need more discipline and training in; areas you may be blind to right now. Don't let it nip you in the bud later.

7) To schedule your kids, I suggest you look at your schedule, and add a column next to your schedule, one for each kid. For example, if you have 5 kids, then you'd have a total of 7 columns. The first column will be where you write in the time for each scheduled task of the day. The second column is your schedule, and the other columns are for your kids. I suggest you start with the oldest, and work down to the youngest.

Do schedule in some free playtime. When my kids play together, I supervise them, so that I can stop bad behavior before it starts.

It is a good idea to do the homeschooling with all of your children together. This way, the younger children hear the older children's lessons, and the older get a review, by hearing the younger children's lessons. Currently, I do a lot of the homeschooling at the same time. I have one child work on a worksheet or activity, while I do one on one with the other. Then, I have that child work on a worksheet, while I go to the next child, and do one on one with him. I teach my children at 4 years old, how to read up to second grade level. This makes homeschooling easier for me. There doesn't have to be as much one on one, as they can read and write without my assistance. If you'd like to teach your 4yr old how to read and write, and have fun learning it, then I highly recommend you get the book called Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.

Do most of your cleaning with your children. Ages 5 and up can go do simple chores independently. Give them a spray bottle of water, with a bit of dish soap or vinegar in it. Then give them a small duster, and some paper towels. Let them clean the outsides of the toilets, inside and outside of showers and bathtubs, counter tops and tables, sinks, etc. Ages 2 to 4 can play-clean with you, following you around the house with dust clothes and small brooms.

I usually do about an hour of cleaning a day. Mondays-Fridays. I have the kids clean with me for a half hour, then they do fun games and activities at the kitchen table, while I finish my cleaning chores.

Keep your kids busy. Between homeschool, chores, family devotions, bible study, and family fun time, your kids will not only have an enriched, joyful life, but will also never be bored, and rarely up to mischief.

8) Don't worry about getting too nity grity about putting times, and time increments in your schedule. Just put in the times where you know you need them. Some people's schedules will have everything with a time, even if it's a few minutes at a time. Other people prefer to have no time increments. I do both. Much of my schedule has no times stated; only a few parts do. I have times scheduled for things such as exercise time, homeschool time, etc. I usually don't fall behind on my schedule, as I know how long it takes me to get things done, such that I can meet the upcoming time increment with no problems.

Of course, there will be days when you won't be able to complete your schedule. Good. Spontaneity is a good thing! :-) Simply jump back onto your schedule afterwards. If you miss your day's cleaning, then do it before you go to bed, or add it to your next day's cleaning, or forget about it until it rolls around again next week, if you can get away with it. It's not a big deal, REALLY - just relax, you'll do just fine. :-)

9) Done. You can either keep your Master Schedule written on paper, or you can go onto your computer, and create a table in MS Word or similar program, and make a pretty Master Schedule in there. I used MS Word to make my Master Schedule in different colors and fonts, and with a pretty border around the page. Have fun with this. I suggest that you set a time each week (mine is on Wednesdays) when you can tweak and re-print your Master Schedule, if needed. My schedule is always evolving, as it is getting better and better all the time. Plus, as my children get older, I need to change my schedule, to better fit their needs.

When you start following your Master Schedule, you may find that there are parts of the schedule that you didn't follow. Maybe you opted to zone out instead. If you find parts of your schedule that you almost never follow, then you need to tweak your schedule. It's broken. Put those tasks you're not doing into a different time slot. Move things around. Keep making small changes to your schedule until it's one that you can just glide through, and enjoy doing so. There is no "perfect" schedule, but there is a such thing as a "near perfect" schedule, and you can eventually have that.

I've noticed that if I don't follow my schedule, I can quickly start feeling overwhelmed. My schedule removes so much stress from my life. It's worth it, to commit to following a schedule. It takes one month for the mind to form a habit. This means that the first month will be the hardest part. Push through, and MAKE yourself do it. It will pay off BIG in the end.

Most people fail at following their Master Schedule after a short time. This is usually for one or more of the following reasons:

- They are not committed

- Their schedule needs to be changed to one that they'd enjoy more. Maybe they need to do the more high energy stuff in the mornings, and their sit down work in the afternoons and evenings, when they are tired

- They don't want to (see first reason in this list)

What is the key to overcoming the above problems? Tweak, tweak, tweak (no, I'm not pretending to be a little birdy). Keep making minor changes to your schedule until you get the "perfect" one. It IS possible, and with the three P's (Patience, Practice, and Persistence) it's possible.

If you've never been successfully on a schedule before, then don't expect it to be candy-canes and lollypops. You're embarking on something new. When someone wants to race in a charity marathon, they need to train. That's precisely what you need to do - train. Train yourself. Get the commitment and self-discipline to do it. (This goes for other things in life too; like exercise.)

Yay, the hardest parts are over! You have your binder, and needed materials, and now you have a Master Schedule set up for you and your kids. The next step is to write a page of your and your children's cleaning routines. I suggest the following...

A Cleaning Schedule:

NOTE - This is not to be done on just one room a day. The below cleaning schedule is for all of the house. Do each scheduled task in each applicable room for each day.

MONDAYS - Take apart and clean stovetop; clean all appliances; do all bedding laundry; spend 15 minutes on a project.

TUESDAYS - Dust; clean all surfaces; clean TV screens, computer monitors, and mirrors; do all towel and wash cloth laundry; and spend 15 minutes on a project.

WEDNESDAYS - Sinks; bathtubs/showers; toilets; do some children's laundry; and spend 15 minutes on a project.

THURSDAYS - Hard floors; do the rest of the children's laundry; and spend 15 minutes on a project.

FRIDAYS - Carpets and rugs; do your and spouse's laundry; and spend 15 minutes on a project.

What is a Project?

Notice how each day's schedule says to "spend 15 minutes on a project". Sit down and make out a project list of special cleaning and organizing that needs to be done in your house. Such as:

bleach tile grout

wash inside and outside of windows

wash out trashcans

organize children's toys

declutter certain rooms in your house

organize cupboards and drawers, etc.

After you've finished your designated cleaning for the day, spend 15 minutes, and only that, on a project from your list. Don't push yourself; you don't want to get burned out. You'll be amazed at what you can accomplish in just 15 minutes. Set a timer, and go at it. When the timer goes off, put away your cleaning stuff, and rejoice! You're house is clean, you're closer to finishing a goal on your project list, and you're done for the day.

As for your children's cleaning schedule, decide what jobs you want them to do for each day, and write them down.

You may also want to write down your table chores on this page, if needed. Table chores are the chores that need to be done after each meal. My table chore routine is this:

1.- Clear table, put dirty dishes in sink, left-overs in fridge, throw away napkins, etc.
2.-Wipe down the table. Wipe and put place mats away, if some were used.
3.-Sweep the floor around and under the table.
4.-Rinse dishes and put in dishwasher, or wash dishes in sink, and put on drying rack.
5.-Wipe down counters.
6.-Clean sink with sponge and soapy water
7.-Dry counters and sink with paper towel
8.-If it's dinner clean up, then replace wash clothes and dishtowels with fresh, clean ones for the next day's use.

I have my children helping me with this, so it goes extra fast.

Hence, your cleaning page should be the next page in your binder, after your Master Schedule. Your cleaning page should have your daily cleaning routines, children's cleaning chores, and possibly table chores, etc.

The next section in your binder should be the homeschooling section. Keep your lesson plans, notes, etc. here.

After the homeschooling section, make a Family Fun Time list. This is simply a list, with check boxes next to each item. The items listed, should be activities and fun things that you'd like to do with your children each evening. Things such as making scrap books, building things with Legos, singing, playing with Tinker Toys, building things, small projects, etc. For older children, this can be a time when you work on bigger projects together. Family Fun Time is also a great time for family read out loud time. However, I usually do this during lunchtime.

The next page in your binder, should be your projects list. Earlier in this article, I suggested a cleaning schedule. I also mentioned projects, that you should spend 15 minutes a day working on (Mon. - Fri.). Now it's time to make that Projects List, and put it in your binder.

Here's an example projects list to get you started:

bleach tile grout in bathroom

clean out trash cans

wipe down walls

clean inside and outside of windows

organize all books, videos, DVDs and CDs

organize kitchen cupboards

organize desks, and everything in office

go through all clothes

etc...

After your projects list, should be your menu plan. Divide some paper into three sections (if you write or type small), or use three separate pieces of paper. You need to make out a menu plan for breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. For breakfasts and lunches, I suggest you serve the same thing, depending on the day of the week. For dinners, I suggest you take inventory of your cupboards, freezer, fridge, and pantry, and plan meals around what you have, then plan the rest of the meals off of what you need to buy, to supplement what you have.

I like to plan my dinners once a week. Some people plan for a whole month.

Next in your binder, you may want to have a plan for an Emergency Quick Clean (This may be handy to keep in the cleaning section of your binder, if you'd like.) The Emergency Quick Clean is helpful when life's circumstances come up, and you haven't been able to clean your house for a while. Here's the Emergency Quick Clean plan I keep in my binder:

Emergency Quick Clean - step by step

1.- First things first - Go to each toilet in your house, lift the seat, and put in toilet bowl cleaner. Let it sit in your toilets, as you go through the next few steps. We'll come back to the toilets later.

2.- Go into your kitchen, and wash your dishes. If you have a dishwasher, then use it. It's one of your many "servants".

3.- Go to every sink in your house, and spray them all down with spray cleaner, and let sit. We'll get back to the sinks later.

4.- Depending on the amount of mess in your house, this step may be the longest one for you... Go through every room in your house, and throw away any trash, and put away things that have wandered away from their homes.

5.- The hard part's over. Grab a washcloth, and a spray cleaner, and wipe down your kitchen/dining room table, kitchen counters, and bathroom counters.

6.- Get back to those toilets and sinks! Time to wipe them down, the cleaner has been sitting in them long enough.

7.- Almost done! Grab your broom, and do a quick sweep of your kitchen and bathrooms. This is a quick sweep - that means you just sweep the middles of the floors. Don't worry about moving chairs, ect, just sweep around them.

8.- Time to spot mop. Turn on the hot water in your kitchen sink, get your mop wet, then look at the floor for messy spots, mop over each messy spot. Remember, this is an Emergency Quick Clean, so we're not mopping the whole floor, just the visibly dirty spots. Now do this in your bathrooms as well.

9.-Quick Vacuum time... Vacuum your living room and dining room. Focus on the middles. Don't worry about the edges, or under furniture, ect.

I suggest the next thing in your binder be a Training Time list. Through the week, watch your children. When you notice something they need to be taught, or improved in, write it down on your Training Time list. Then, schedule in an hour once a week and work with that child on something from the list. It may only take a few minutes to train that child on something. While that child is practicing, train another one of your children on something, etc.

Next in your binder, you may want to keep a personal and emergency phone and address book.

Now here's one of the most fun parts of your binder: Print out some things from the internet that have really helped you, and inspired you in your home management journey. Here's a list of suggested sites:

http://www.raisinggodlytomatoes.com
http://www.nogreaterjoy.org
http://www.titus2.com
http://www.triviumpursuit.com

Printing out a lot from the above sites will take time, lots of paper and ink, and will make your binder thick. Print stuff from the net that helps you, and inspires you. Put it in your binder, so that you can re-read parts of it whenever you need to. It'll always be at your fingertips, with no internet required.

Sometimes I keep a book mark in my binder, and often it's amidst my print-outs. You may want to do the same.

In the back of your binder, consider having some cooking recipes. This is a great place to put those, as you just need to open the back cover of your binder, and flip through a few pages, and you're quickly to your recipes.

After the recipes, keep extra clear page protectors and notebook paper. Also keep extra stick on index tabs in the pocket of your back cover. Speaking of index tabs - now that your binder is put together, get out those index tabs. Arrange them in your binder, to keep it organized, and ready for quick reference to different sections. Also, you may want to keep a dry-erase marker. If you like to check things off (I sometimes do), then you can use a dry-erase marker to check off things as you do them, and then you can erase the marker marks off of your clear page protectors at the end of the day.

Now that your binder is put together, it's time to get to know your "best friend". Have that binder in the kitchen during the day, in a central location. Your kitchen is your "headquarters". Don't carry your binder around with you. It's heavy, and you don't want to lose it. You can always reference it when you need it, right there in your kitchen. If you were to come to my house, you'd probably see my binder in my kitchen, on a table off to the side. The binder would be wide open, and turned to whatever page I'm at, at the time. If I were cleaning, the page would be turned to cleaning routines. (Yes, I do have these memorized, so I don't always need to turn to them, but it's handy to, because then if someone comes to the door, or the phone rings, I can always look at my cleaning page in my binder, and it'll remind me where I left off.)

If we're doing homeschool or family fun time, then guess what pages my binder will be opened to? Always have your Master Schedule as the first page in your binder. That way, you can flip to it instantly. That's the page my binder is opened to most of the day.

While you're getting to know your new binder, I suggest you take it to bed with you. I don't mean sleep with it, I mean read some of the great stuff you printed out, each night before you go to sleep. Read through your binder at least a couple of times. It'll help motivate you do get up the next morning, and follow your Master Schedule. It's another psychological trick, to helping you succeed with your new "best friend".