Ok, I think I am in love! I just got the new Schoolhouse Planner last week from The Old Schoolhouse Store. I love the idea of being organized but I have never found a tool that covered all aspects of my life including homeschooling and house management. While I had found things that covered most areas, they were bulky and cumbersome. This seems to work around all that!

The first plus for this planner is that it is an editable pdf. This means I can keep it updated on my computer and then print out the pages I want. Also, since you can edit it on the computer you don’t need as much space. Each month is only 2 pages but there is plenty of room.

Another benefit is the knowledge treasures found in its 247 pages. They include things like the Constitution, yummy recipes, How-to’s on different aspects of homeschooling and great fact lists (like countries/capitals, inventions and their years, etc). They are all those things you want to know and don’t have time to look up. Also, depending on your household, all the things your kids want to know but you don’t remember (or never learned in school;).

The cherry on the sundae are the forms. There are homeschooling forms where you can keep lists of your curriculum, plans by week or even by grade. There are also handy forms for things like nature studies or science experiments. There are also home management forms. They have weekly to do lists split out by errands/chores/call, grocery lists, contact lists, website lists. It even has personal management forms like inventory lists, gift lists and loaned/borrowed lists.

My favorite list is the prayer list. The planner I had for last year had a prayer list where you put the date, the (very short) list and a place to check it off when it was answered. This planner has such a better system. It has a date, generous space for the actual request, 2 spots for updates (with dates) and then a spot to date and write out the result. I love it!

Now if you aren’t a Christian this is still a great planner. You could just not use the pages that pertain to that;). If you don’t homeschool, no problem! Then you can use some of the homeschool pages to deal with homework and projects, then skip the rest. I guess what it boils down to is that I think this is an awesome planner for anyone who has a family and a life;).

So tell me, do you have a planner system you love? If not go, run and get this planner!

Better Homes and Gardens has a great online article that shows how you can organize both a child’s closet and an adult closet using items you can find at the Dollar Store. I particularly like the baskets with key chain hooks and the wire rack for card in a craft closet.

So for those who don’t know, I am a bit type A. But without the time to act it out as much as I would like;). To further my organization attempts I purchase some Tupperware containers to organize my pantry. I was inspired to share with you based on a blog post I read some where quite a while ago. So here you go!

I even used my labeler!

Not all things that I bring to you will be concrete. Some will be great ideas that you can make for yourselves. So I was over at Tipnut and they had a great idea for an Index Card Shopping Master. This is where you take an index card and list all the important things you buy for your things. Take your printer, do remember off the top of your head which cartridge it takes? How about the batteries for the remote? Your husband’s inseam? You create 1 index card with all of this and put it in your purse. Then if you find a bargain on the fly you can get it! Go check it out.

Is this not the coolest? While I don’t have one I would love to. The problem? It is $1300. Well, it will give me something to dream about.