Fly Lady is great- I also go back to her site when i feel things are spinning out of control. I use her Control Journal to organize all our family info and important info.

Everyone has posted so many great ideas that I am going to pin this thread so we can have it as a reference.

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I don't believe in miracles; I depend on them

I am so thr list Queen I think it is OCD I even make a list when I am mad at my husband so I remember everything. He always bring up the time when I was mad at him and handed him an outline.

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"Before I was a Mom I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body." ~Anonymous

THAT is a classic!

I thought I was big on lists...I bow to you!!! Handing him an outline..:D

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Have you been in the Spotlight yet?

So many tools:
Hooks for keys and jackets/basket for shoes @ front door
Preprinted grocery needs check list on fridge door
Binder with spiral notebook of ongoing to do list, bills to be paid, stamps,notecards,items
to be looked at, and coupon folder - kept in tote that also contains any small projects
like photos to be mailed and a snack like crackers with a bottled water (cuts down
on stops while out) the bag goes with me to work or on errands so I can tackle bills
noted to family or small projects wherever and whenever time allows
Follow a routine: for me 30m cleaning every night - on Fridays run 1 load of wash-put
in dryer - wash another and load the dishwasher on Sat. am dry second load of wash
fold first, unload dishwasher, gather trash from whole house and take out, shred
items needing shredding - you get the idea
Pay bills and balance checkbook every other week (payday) - place to be filed items
in to be filed bin - file monthly
Shoe and sweater racks in closets (shoe racks with pockets inside a bath door holds
lots of small items neatly and sweater racks are great for folded kids clothes
either 1 shelf per day for kids who can dress themselves or 1 shelf for shorts,
t-shirts, PJs
Recycle - 2 bins 1 paper metal and glass- 1 plastic - on back porch -take when full (make
sure items are clean when placed do decrease bugs)
Tackle 1 big project a month or so like cleaning out a closet or triming bushes
Keep stain spray on kids closet shelf above hamper - spray stains as the clothes are
put in the hamper
Check mail daily - dump trash put shreding in pile until shred day
Organize errands - make a big circle, check to do list before going so you don't forget
anything
Most important LET GO of the stuff that really does not matter!

I thought I was a big list maker. WOW. I keep everything on a central calendar on the fridge or foget us going to it. I have a list of chores to keep me from forgetting. Laundry I do everyday at least one load. The thing I have trouble with is clutter. I have a pile of stuff I want to read or look through then a kid comes through and I have a mess. But it is getting better. I like Fly Lady too. I just take it one day at a time and hope for the best.

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DH James DS Joshua DD Jessie DS Jacob DS Joseph (My Angel) DS Jonah DS Jonathon

I

I have three favorites.

1) My Treo/PDA which holds my calendar with reminders, my contacts and many lists.

2) My hand-held labeler. (I now have two at home and one at work) I label and date leftovers and put the kids names on things. I've started to label shelves in the pantry and date some items. At work I label my lunch for the refrigerator, and the typical projects, notebooks and files.

3) My DH who is much more organized than I am and always in the mood to declutter. (Oops! I guess he should have been at the top of the list)

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Nadene

Amen!

I'm not sure if I'd call this a tool, but for me I have a HOME for everything. And for the stuff that doesn't have a home, goes in the laundry room, that way when I do my laundry, i can find a home for those items that ended up in the laundry room.