I am staying home all day, do dah, do dah

That's my little song for today, sung to the tune of "Camptown Ladies," of course. It's a tune that works for just about any song you want to make up about just about anything.In fact, I may even stay in my jammies and slippers all day too.  

But before I get busy with watching a movie (North by Northwest with Cary Grant), folding laundry, and working my way through the ironing pile, followed by finishing my book (The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran) and doing some sewing, and then filling out some paperwork for Girl Scout camp in November...

I've been thinking more about calendars. It's just on my mind lately. So let's talk calendars.

I'd love to hear what works for you--and I'm sure Lisa would too--so leave a comment telling us what kind of calendar you like.

I have to say, I love paper. Checking a box on the computer is NOT the same as checking a box on paper. But I do use my computer to keep our family's calendar organized--but I do it in a way that uses paper too.

So.

Entourage is my friend. Toben and I can send each other appointments and I keep them all color coded. Toben is blue. I am gold. Audrey is turquoise. Emma is pink. Girl Scouts is green. Holidays are red. Prayer requests are red.

Everything goes on the calendar. And I mean everything.

School events. Girl Scout meetings and events. Homework assignments/tests for the girls. What's for dinner each night and the cookbook and page number where the recipe can be found. Errands to run. Things to pray for on a specific day--that way I don't forget that so and so has a doctor's appointment or an important conversation, or whatever.

In the past, I've also set up chores as recurring appointments to show up on their specific days. It's been a while, but I'm going to put them back in later today.

Every week I print out the week's calendar and the month's updated calendar and post it on the fridge. I put them back-to-back in a sheet protector, so I can write on them with a dry-erase marker.

(By the way, under that I have a magnetic dry erase board. I keep a list of groceries I need, miscellaneous tasks that don't really have a specific day, and so on. More about grocery lists/menu planning/grocery shopping in another post.)

I like to think of it as Heim Family Command Central.

Then my computer syncs with my Palm Pilot so I have it all with me wherever I go. Along with phone numbers, addresses, and just about everything else I could need. Pretty neat, huh?

Another reason I love Entourage is because I can keep all kinds of lists--and I think I may have mentioned a time or two that I really like lists.

What sizes the girls wear, Christmas shopping lists, grocery lists, Girl Scout lists, house project lists with measurements of stuff, prayer requests, movies to watch and books to read, things I've loaned to others, which titles I have in my Trixie Belden or Nancy Drew collection--you get the picture.

So, what kind of a calendar works for you and why? Inquiring minds want to know...

Comments

[Queen B]

I love a good calendar!! My current paper favorite is the Polestar Family Calendar. I am also quite fond of the MomAgenda Calendar.

After your post the other day, I have been playing around in Entourage. I need a tutorial. Any suggestions on "simplifying" Entourage?

[Meredith]

I use a wall calendar! I'm a bit more simple when it comes to all the techy gadget things. That basically means I don't own anything more techy than a computer! LOL.

I write *everything* on my wall calendar,and review it daily...sometimes hourly. If I'm out and someone asks me about a particular day, I'm able to tell them I'll get back with them once I get home and check my calendar. Gives me time to think and not overcommit myself!

I'm a huge list maker as well, but I kinda like the old-fashioned lists I write out on 3x5 index cards.

Simple works for me!

[Angie Platten]

OK, all your systems are a source of envy but, I have to admit, overwhelming. Not overwhelming once set up... it's the set up, or the thought of it, that overwhelms me. I have a day timer but mostly write appt's in it and only carry it with me when going somewhere that I may need to make an appt. Otherwise, I do throw away lists for the day. We use our back door glass window as a dry erase board for important stuff. I started using an online calendar but realized that I forget to look at it. Although, Chuck and I were just talking the other day about getting a central online calendar going much like what you and Toben do. Simply because he's not good at multi-tasking and keeping up with a ton of appts. and he forgets. If Know when he has them, I can help him remember.

[Sara]

I keep everything on Mircosoft Outlook. Every morning when I get on my laptop it pops up with all my reminders for the day. I also like paper calendars...something for the whole family to look at. Still working on that.....

[Vicki]

I use a wall calendar hanging in the kitchen. I record appointments, special occasions, etc in the squares. I also carry the disposable planner that Joann talks about on her blog in my purse and refer to that when the need arises.

[Marla Taviano]

I'm more a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-drawers kind of girl. :)

[Jen @ I should be cleaning & myladybuggs]

All I can say is WOW! I am SO envious of your organiztion -- I aspire to be you one day -- is this sad? You've really got my interest peeked on Entourage -- I must learn more!

[Wendy]

I am a tactile person, so I need my paper calendar in my purse at all times. I am very attached to it - I think it might be a disorder actually. :) I misplace the calendar - my world starts to spin. I keep track of my husbands travel schedue by highlighting dates that he is away. This clues me in to put less on my plate those days, as I know I will be in single mom mode. I like your idea of calendering your menus that would really help me think through our food each week!

[Mary @ Simple Things]

I keep our family calendar on Yahoo. It has everything on it from hubby's work schedule to school activities to birthdays. My whole family has a link to it so they can see what we are doing. If my SIL is planning a b'day for one of her kids, she can check our calendar to see if we are free. I like that.

I also have a dry erase board on the front of the fridge. I marked off seven blocks with a permanant marker and labeled the days. Each Sunday morning before anyone else gets up I fill in the week's activities.

I also have a paper calendar that I carry around but it's never up to date so I don't know why I bother. I need to come up with a good way to have a mobile calendar. I don't want a Palm Pilot though. I prefer paper.

[Karen Fridy]

Well, I had a Palm and it kept me sane for a while, then my husband took it over because I went back to using a paper planning calendar. I also have a BIG white board calendar on my frige...looks a lot like your computer one - everyone has their own color and everything goes on it. That, unfortunately, is about as organized as I've managed to get!

[Holly @ Crownlaiddown]

Hope your day was doo-dah-licious, friend!

Love,
Holly

[Holly @ Crownlaiddown]

PS I rarely use a calendar, except a monthly one by the telephone. I rarely look at it. Sometimes I do make a list for the day or week, if it's extra busy...but generally, my busy is not really that busy.

[Lori Anne @ Seeking Me]

Joanne, you always have the best ideas to share! :)
I use a personal (read: Mom) calendar for my family info and my own personal notes. It began as paper (Day Timer,etc), became computerized (Palm), and has come full circle back to paper again (MomAgenda, Busy Body, Daily Docket). However, I have always maintained a wall calendar in the kitchen with all family events on it so everyone knows who will be where when & where there is (or isn't) room to plan. I recently felt the need to blog about how my calendar keeps me sane although it's much more long-winded than this. :) Must be something in us all about loving to learn new ways to order our busy lives.

[tammy]

I have a white board calendar that I picked up at Target a few years ago. Oh how I LOVE that thing! It is hanging in the kitchen for everyone to see @ all times. :) Then I also have my peterpauper paper planner that I can carry w/me and mark dates for a year in advance....since obviously the white board can only be done a month @ a time, and life just doesn't wait like that, lol.

[angela]

I love that your Palm syncs with your calendar. I've been thinking about updating my cell phone so that I can sync everything together. Command Central... I've tried it and it's failed... however, now that my kids are bigger, I think it will succeed. Off to create command central, again!

[Lori Anne @ Seeking Me]

My current calendar keeping saga is briefly blogged here if you're looking for some new links. Joanne had a great idea adding pictures, I will try to do that in the next day or two & maybe save you some time. http://seekingmethroughhim.blogspot.com/2008/09/my-calendar-keeps-me-sane.html

[Melissa @ Breath of Life]

Well, I've tried a Palm & paper. I'm not really sure which one I like best. Both have pros & cons. Recently, I've been thinking I should go back to my Palm. I like that I can put in reminders well in advance. It was hard to get used to entering everything, though. BUT, I was using the Palm before I really simplified my life, so it may be easier to use now.I'll have to give it a whirl again. I'll put holidays, events, and menus on it. I've tried having designated chore days (for me & my girl), but it just doesn't work.

I will always have a paper calendar for my business...easier for customers to look at to pick dates for their shows.

As for daily lists, I'm like Meredith...3x5 index cards are wonderful.

[katie]

i'm honestly not really that busy, but i love lists and keeping a calendar. my kids are small (2 1/2 and 3 mos.) and aren't in school yet. i don't work except for an occaisional photography or design job. however, the calendar system i use is: 18-month weekly school planner (birthday, appointments, social stuff, etc.) and a weekly self-made calendar on the fridge (meal plan, daily chores, etc.). i, too, keep a magnetic dry-erase board on the fridge to jot down my grocery list throughout the week. just before i leave for the store, i copy it down on a piece of paper.

[Meghan Kuyper]

I'm a MAC girl, so it's iCal all the way for me. For my family, it's far superior to a paper calendar, allowing me to change recurring appointments, etc., with the click of one button. No more crossing out or using white-out and such. It just saves time. There's also a separate section in iCal for "to-dos," and I keep similar lists in there that you mentioned: books to read, shopping lists, gift ideas for my kids/friends, etc. Once something is purchased, it's deleted off the list with the push of a button...there's no more re-writing entire lists on a new page of paper after several things have been crossed off. And having everything already in the computer electronically means I can cut-and-paste it into Word to print anything or list I may need to take with me.