Lisa's Binders Part 2

In last week’s episode, I shared my binder organizing story with you. I talked about how the task of organizing paperwork and files can seem overwhelming for beginners and professional organizers alike. I also took the opportunity to reveal my organization process which uses a more simplified and stress-free approach to organizing.

In Part 2 of this mini "Lisa’s Binders" Podcast Series, I disclose how I organize my Household Reference and Household Operations Binders. Yes – I have both and I can explain why. You see, my Content Team and I had two very different ideas for the Household Operations Binder, and in my opinion, two are always better than one – so we made both!

What’s Inside My Household Reference Binder?

First, let’s dive into my Household Reference Binder. If you get your hands on this binder, you’ll notice that it’s very similar to the Medical Care Giving Binder, so I was able to take papers from that one and transfer them into my Household Reference Binder.

After that, I decided to divide the papers by tab to make life easier for myself. The tab that I was most excited about was the home decorating section.

Inside the binder, you’ll find two home decorating sheets and you’ll also receive a digital copy so you can print additional copies. Each page allows you to record the furniture and other relevant items that are in each room of your house. You can even take note of decorative features such as the paint color of your walls and the carpet color, etc.

The important thing to remember when it comes to organizing your Household Reference Binder is that YOU are in control. If you want more of something, print it. If you want to swap a tab out for one that you use more often, do it.

A Peek Inside My Household Operations Binder

The Household Operations Binder is like a lesson plan for my house. And since I was once a teacher, I know everything about lesson plans!

Within this binder, you’ll have access to various tabs and sheets including meal planning, party planning, cleaning, maintenance, and general.

I tailored this binder to suit my lifestyle and personal needs. After all, I’m 46, my two kids are graduating from high school soon, and I’ve lived in the same house for 22 years – it’s safe to assume I don’t have much use for a checklist!

So, I did quite a bit of rearranging. I put all the documents I rarely use under the "general" tab and created new tabs, including one for travel and one for our family dog, Hunter.

The travel printable is originally part of the Financial Organizing Binder, which I’ll get into in more detail in my next podcast. But for now, I’ll explain why I decided to put the "travel" tab in my Home Operations Binder rather than in my Financial Organizing Binder.

There are a few main reasons:

1. My family and I are planning to travel a lot more – and I’m super excited about it!
2. Travel isn’t a financial designation for us and it's viewed as more of a fun option.

Introducing The Sunday Basket® 2.0 Slash Pockets To My Household Operations Binder

For me, the Household Operations Binder is about running the house and the fun side of everyday home life, which is why I keep all my favorite tabs in this one. I also included five slash pockets from the 2.0 Slash Pocket Kit we discussed in my last podcast.

I divided everything out seasonally – which probably has something to do with the fact that I’m a former teacher.

I have a confession. The Household Operations Binder is the most challenging for me and it’s most likely because I don't see myself as a "fun mom." But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to get better at the fun stuff and this binder is really helping me to do that. My goal with this binder is to gain more control of our family fun, including things like holidays and travel.

And there you have it, everything you need to know about how I organize my Household Binders! I hope you enjoyed this week’s podcast.

In the next podcast episode, I’m going to talk to you about the Financial Organizing Binder. So don’t forget to tune in and follow me on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with my latest updates and posts!