My Homemaking Binder

This first picture is not of my homemaking binder, but it is inside my pantry door.  I laminated scrapbooking paper and taped it to the door.  Each month or week I tape the newest list on the laminated paper.  It looks much prettier than before.  This is what is on my door--you could hang up whatever lists or charts best suit your family.

1.  Jimmy's church duty roster

2.  Jimmy's work schedule

3.  Our weekly menu

4.  My Kroger list--we highlight items as we run out.  I take the list off the wall and complete it before I shop.  Then I hang up another list.

5.  My ongoing chore list.  

6.  Our van seating chart (rotates seating assignments for the kids each week)

7.  Kids' chore charts

 The Cover

I use Better Binders from Staples.  They are my all time favorite binders!

The tabs are also the Better Binder brand.  I used an online template to type my labels and then printed them out.  Very easy!

The Tabs

Another view of the tabs.  That page on the left is one that I patterned my daily to-do list after.

This is my laminated checklist.  

This page is laminated. I use a wet erase marker to mark off the weekly, monthly, and quarterly jobs.  I take this page out of the binder to the area we are cleaning each week.  The kids and I mark off each job as we do it.

The tabs in my binder include:

• To Do lists
• chores (a master copy of the above list plus copies of the kids' chore lists.  Their lists are small laminated lists that they check off each day with a wet erase marker.)
• Meal Planning (I record what meals I serve each month and I keep blank forms for planning weekly meals)
• Shopping Lists (Sam's, Walmart, and Kroger)
• Running (where I keep my training plans, race forms, etc.)
• Projects (where I list all of those things that I need and want to do--like drawers to clean out, things to sew, etc.)
• Birthdays, Gift Ideas (I made a chart of all 12 months.  In each month's square I listed my family member's birthdays in that month and the day.  Does that make sense?)  (The gift idea pages list everyone that I buy gifts for and space for me to jot down ideas.)
• School Calendar (simply a July-June calendar, all on one page.  I highlight Jimmy's off days)
• Important Documents
• Shoes (I list the month that I buy running shoes for each member of our family and the type of shoe.  Running shoes are only good for 300-400 miles.  I cannot remember when I replace the kids' shoes, so I made a chart!)
• EOBs (I keep my Explanation of Benefit statements here until I pay the medical bill.  Then I file them in my filing drawer)
• Homeschooling (a master list of schedules, some lesson plans, etc.)
• Homemaking (encouraging articles, ideas, etc.)
• Business Cards (I have plastic storage thingys for the business cards I want to keep.)

I really had a lot of fun creating my homemaking binder.  I like having all of these items in one place.  I hope I have shared some ideas that will help you to create your own homemaking binder if you choose to make one!