How Do Working Moms Keep It All Together, What Do You Use?

I downloaded an app called GroceryIQ, dh has it as well so he can add things to it too. It has helped me be a lot more organized with my shopping, even coupons because if I have one for an item I note it on the grocery list.

I use Outlook calendars for everything. DH's work trips are loaded on my outlook calendar as private. Lunch errands, kid activities, spouse activities, etc etc etc. That way everything is in one place and since I can get it on my phone I always have it with me.

Honestly, I've given up on coupons. I can't stand a million little pieces of paper. Why is it that paper piles up the most??

After I gave up on coupons, I forgave myself.

When I think of something I think I'll forget, I write it on my hand. Nothing is ever forgotten when it is written on my hand.

For everything else that needs to get done, I have this tiny calendar in my purse, it is from Ecosystem. It has a weekly calendar & then lined paper on the opposite side for notes & such. It is small enough not to be bulky & has a rubber band type clip to keep everything inside. It is neat & easy.

I don't! It's just not in me to remember everything. I do the best I can. Most nights of the week I am off running around doing other things, between soccer practice, foot skills, and Girl Scouts I rarely if ever am home before 7:30 pm.

I either would have to leave it all in my car and that well it just a mess anyway. So I don't even try!

Our schedule is on my iPhone Calendar with lots of reminders. I have each one set up as a day before reminder and then an hour before reminder.

I love our doctors and dentist office, they always call a few days ahead to confirm.

OK I've been doing the working mom thing for 13 years. It's work in progress. Here's what works today

Calendars/schedules/planners:
I have 4 (don't scream yet LOL).
1.A giant flylady wall calendar. This is in my kitchen and all appointments are color-coded. All 6 of us have our own colors - the family can look at this and know who has to be where and when.
2. A paper Franklin-Covey planner. This has monthly calendars and then sections for work projects, PTA stuff, etc. I use this to schedule appointments when I'm not at home or on my computer because I don't like the stupid little calendar on my blackberry.
3. An Outlook calendar at work which captures all of my work invites, appointments etc.
4. Cozi - a web-based calendar that synchs with Outlook. I love this more and more. When I'm working at my computer at home, I add appointments into this and it shows up on my Outlook calendar. I can also create To-Do lists (General, Flylady cleaning zones, back-to-school, long-term school projects) and assign entire lists to other family members. I have added cell phone numbers for myself, my husband and our two oldest kids to if I assign a to-do or put an appointment reminder in the calendar, they get a text message with the reminder. I use to-do lists to track ideas for meals and snacks and as I plan my menu, go through the lists, add dates and they pop into the calendar. It also has shopping lists, so you can use it for holiday shopping, groceries, etc.

Every night, I take 5 minutes and just sync up all of the calendars to make sure that everything is up to date. Cozi has apps for iPhone and Droids but not my BB OS but if you have a more modern phone, you may be able to use the whole application on your phone.

When actually shopping, I have an OrganizeHer Shopping Companion book. It's a little soft-cover (i.e. foldable) notebook that tucks into your purse. It has shopping list pages and 4 folders for coupons. It also has a couple of pages to track website info (log ins, passwords, urls etc.). I keep this in my purse so that I have my current coupons and list handy. Once a week I try to purge expired coupons and update my lists for the week.

I hope that some of these ideas help!

I do keep my all of my coupons in my purse at all times. I've been out and not had them and found the item on sale. :(

I shop online before I go to the store because I can see our store's prices on the website. I pick our meals based on the coupons/sales and write our meals out on my shopping list (which I type out by department). We usually shop around midnight since my husband works until 11 (I work days) so it is quieter then.

When I think of something I don't want to forget, I email myself. That way I have the "note" at home or work and won't forget. If I'm working on a list, I'll have my husband email me anything he thinks of from home.

My house is a wreck and I'm terribly disorganized, but I have the heart of an organized person. :) If it helps, I work full-time, 9-5 M-F, my husband works full-time 3-11 Sun-Thurs. I do not carry a diaper bag anymore, just my purse, so EVERYTHING is in there--my wallet, checkbook, coupons, diapers, wipes, extra baby clothes, spit cloths, toys, work that I'm going to do at home, work ID, snacks for me, snacks for kids, lists (I keep a mini-notebook in there but usually forget to use it), you get the idea. My kids are 4 1/2, 3, and 6 months, so I only manage with our schedules to be organized behind the scenes, somewhat. I have no idea what checklist is, or did you mean making a checklist? Good luck! I'd suggest putting any meal or haircut coupons right in your wallet so you always have them with you, too.

I keep scraps of paper under my keyboard at work, and when I think of something I need to do or get at the grocery store, I jot it on my list. I also have a big purse so my coupons always stay in it.

First I don't bother with coupons. Even if you can find them for things you actually would buy, not what you buy only because it has a good coupon, the time it takes is also valuable. My first advice is scrap the coupons they just aren't worth the time. Most of the time when a coupon is offered it is because the product cost more than comparable alternatives anyway so don't ever buy the product if you forgot the coupon.

Anyway I don't have the time to use planners and the like so each different day brings the same thing. That way it is oh, Thursday, working late meeting Troy for dinner no kids, text at 4 to see where we will meet, meet at 7, bed at 9:30 wake for work at 5 in the morning.

That way anything anomalous the kids throw at me is the only thing I have to put in my phone for a reminder. Right now I am getting her girl scout stuff together that will go in her backpack that is already by the front door.

I try to keep my coupons in the car. I have one of those small packets with dividers. I also keep all my coupons for restaurants, hair salons, department stores, oil change places, etc. in the car. I used to throw all of those in a big plastic envelope but I recently switched to a binder with trading card pages. I keep it organized according to type of place. It's not always the most organized but I try to get all the coupons out of my house and at least into the pocket of the binder. That way, when we are out and my son is hungry or needs a haircut or something to wear, I always have my coupons with me.

I keep my shopping list on my phone and my coupons in my purse. Every week when the sales papers come out, I update my list to make sure I have everything on it and then when I feel not too tired, I'll go to the store after work. I shop every week, so I can be in an out in less than an hour, even with my son.

I also email myself if I think of things I need to do. If I'm at home and I need to make a call or run an errand during work hours, I'll email my work email. If I'm at work and there's something I need to do at home, I'll email my home email. This really works for me because I hate having unread email, so I do it as soon as I check my email. I also set electronic calendar reminders at home and work if it's something I need to do a few days down the road. I don't keep a paper planner at all. I would never remember to check it!

Whew organized what?
I literally take one step at a time cause i get over whelmed quick
Sorry not much help...but i do my shopping on weekends mainly which helps A LOT
Other then that lots of praying and 2 great kids that help too
Just so you know you are not alone :-)

I do NOT have a smart phone, but my phone still has a calendar that I can enter data and it will remind me the day before or morning of or whatever I want. It has an organizer file with the calendar and has a place for notes so I can keep a shopping list. but if you are thinking of things in the car you dont want to be typing them down, you could buy a little recording device that goes on your key chain and make a vocal note of things you need to remember. Someone here on mamapedia said she has a tiny purse (which I LOVE, forces me to organize and purge and never waste time looking for things in my purse) and she keeps a bigger purse or bag in the car for items that dont fit coupon file, for ex.

Up until just recently, I was keeping all of my grocery store coupons in a mini-divider purse size coupon organizer divided by the aisles of the store and then kept all other (store, restaurant, etc.) coupons in the compartment in my driver's side door so if I'm on the go, I don't miss out on the deals. However, THAT section of coupons has grown to where when I have to go through too much and I've been wanting to fix/change that also and was just thinking last night about organizing that better. I just started using a website that I love that hooks me up with sale lists and coupons and where to get them and it says not to clip all of the coupons, but to file them (for example: Smartsource (and the date) or RedPlum (date) or Proctor & Gamble, etc. A friend showed me her Sterilite plastic tub file bin and I got one @ the grocery store (or walmart has them too, etc.) on sale for around $5.00. It holds hanging folders and so I have my files, even for drugstore coupons/sales from the paper, etc. I keep this and then the website tells me what drugstore or grocery store has sales and what coupons match up with those sales, so then I just go to that folder and clip only what I need for that shopping trip. I was just thinking about making some extra folders for the mass amounts of store/restaurant coupons in the car and maybe taking the filing bin on the go (it has a handle on the top to carry) and then once or twice a week if/when I need it to use for my shopping list, just bring it inside, rather than routing through the side door when I'm out and we decide to grab a bite and I want to see what deals I have on hand. Even a smaller coupon organizer in the car would be good - maybe I should use the small one in the car that I am phasing out of for clipped coupons. Either way, I know what you mean and DON"T give up on couponing. I saved $100 this past Friday shopping for a house of 3 (spent about $160 and saved $100!). Don't forget restaurant.com (who also has 70-80% sales off sometimes, where you can get $25.00 gift certificates for just a few dollars) or halfoffdepot.com or groupon.com, etc. Life is too short to pay full price! ;)