Last week I shared with you my crazy organizational dive into making up new planners for the year.
Over months now, I’ve grown frustrated with other systems, particularly digital or app versions. I felt scattered and nonproductive, and just overall disorganized.
Now my husband would say I love to organize my organization and he *may* have a point. 🙂 But, I also think it’s a waste of time to improve upon or tweak something that’s already working – definitely not the case here.
My home management systems have taken an upward turn with a NEW plan, and I’m really happy with the results!
Today, I’ll introduce my errands notebook…
This post is not sponsored by Staples in any way; post may contain affiliate links
M by Staples customizable notebook system; the exact blue notebook I own is here. The band holding it all together came with my Erin Condren planner which I’ll review soon.
{quote written out in full at end of post}
Why an Errand Notebook for Home Management?
When heading out to the stores, I was always writing on random pieces of paper or notepads. Not that big of a deal, except there were several sheets or torn papers in my purse or on my desk ALL of the time!
I really don’t like to carry everything (as in all planning I do for each area of life) with me in one planner. I also haven’t found a need to do so. This works for many people, which is great, but for whatever reason…it bothers me.
Instead, I separated things and came up with this little ‘running errands’ notebook to carry only as needed!
The 5 categories I found helpful (and what I’ll keep in each):
**used my label maker for the tabs.
1. shopping: a list of clothing needs & sizes for each of us, general home needs & wish lists, measurements of areas in our home such as walls, etc. and what I’m looking to place there, etc.
2. menu/food: weekly menu ideas, grocery shopping list, freezer cooking ideas & shopping lists as I make them
{possible dinner plan for this week; meals on the left, grocery needs on the right. I explain how I do breakfast & lunch in this post}
: :
3. celebrate: any party or birthday planning & shopping needs for this, purchases for other family or friends, cards to order, etc; also, any family fun or couple getaway ideas or outings (which usually involve purchasing tickets, passes, etc)
4. schooling: for our homeschooling needs! lists of books I’m searching for at thrift stores, special purchases to make or wish lists, our Five in a Row crafting needs
5. projects: a list of home or outdoor projects we’re tackling at the moment and any corresponding shopping needs.
The aqua list pad is from the Martha Stewart line, also from Staples. I use it to list out which stores I’m headed out to.
The dividers are found with the Arc notebooks.
I keep two pocket dividers in the back for holding any store coupons or special promotions, and receipts.
In the front under the ‘shopping’ tab, I have a list of these current coupons (with expiration dates in parentheses) so I can easily reference them when planning to run errands. Very handy!
All in all, I’m pleased with this little notebook, only taken out and about when running errands…and so far, incredibly useful and keeping me organized.
A win in my book!
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The Longfellow quote in the front of my notebook is printed on cardstock and inserted into a sheet protector sized for the notebook. Here are the words:
‘Let us, then, labor for an inward stillness —
an inward stillness and an upward healing,
that perfect silence where the lips and heart are still,
and we no longer entertain our own imperfect thoughts
and vain options,
but God alone speaks to us,
and we wait in singleness of heart,
that we may know His will, and in the silence of our spirits,
that we may do His will and do that only.
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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