Set Up Your Family Calendar Zone

WHERE WILL EVERYONE SEE A CALENDAR CLEARLY?

This will be a good place to start.




This step involves setting up your family calendar workbook and also the message station where all the family can be reminded of what needs to be done and who needs to go where. If you haven't already, order your own copy of the Organized Woman's Family Planner so that you don't have to create all the lists, calendars and tools you need to work through the rest of these tasks yourself.

Choose where your Zone will be:

Somewhere in the kitchen or an area that is regularly passed by all members of the family multiple times a day is the best place to set up the home organization zone. This zone will be the place you keep your family calendar workbook which contains your menu plans, family calendars, quick contact lists, to do lists etc. Some people have used the spot where the phone is kept so it double’s as a message centre. This works very well if people want to try and book you in for an event or dinner you can quickly see who is available on the family planner.

NOTE: Always make sure you don’t commit other family members to appointments or events without checking with them first.

What you will need:

• A pen holder and pens
• Magnets if you are using your fridge to post your family calenders and rewards chart on
• A pin up board if you are using an office type area so you can put up the notices that everyone needs to see.
• Coloured highlighters – a colour for each member of the family
• Some type of table top or fridge top to hold pens, folder Blank notepad for messages
• Attractive closable box or tray to keep supplies in if on top of fridge. This will help reduce cluttered messy look. I have used a timber, country looking bread box which looks great. Anything that fits in with your decorating style. Another option is to use a nearby draw or cupboard to store these bits in
• Phone books if near the phone

Have your Family Calendar and Workbook ready to use:

Have your Organized Women's Family Planner / Workbook printed out and set up in an easy to use folder ready to use by all the family. This would include printing out any wall charts of daily routines you want to follow or job/reward charts you want to pin up etc.

Make the system work:

Everyone needs to know how the organized focus on the family system works in order to use it. Especially as children grow older and they begin making their own plans. They need to know how to add their commitments to the calender and keep track of their own responsibilities. Give the family a ‘tour’ of the Family Calendar Zone and make sure you ask for their input on how to set it up or any improvements that could be made. You want everyone to feel like they own it and can use it comfortably. There will be more about this in Task 6.

Return to GETTING STARTED from Task 2: FAMILY CALENDAR ZONE

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