I Need a GREAT Weekly Planner/calendar System. Any Suggestions?????

Updated on March 01, 2010
T.A. asks from Sacramento, CA
18 answers

Hello Ladies,

I know I’m a bit behind in looking as we’re headed into March already. But I’ve decided that it is time for me to get organized. I work FT and have two daughters so I need all the help that I can get w/managing my time. I would like a weekly or monthly style planner which is light enough for me to carry around in my purse. This way I can have with me whether I’m at work or at home or just out-and-about. I would like to be able to record a monthly menu, grocery list, appointments, and a running to-do list. I’ve looked on-line but there are so many website out there that carry these planners for “busy moms” I’m just not sure which one to pick. Is anyone out there currently using a planner? If so, which brand is it and does it work for you? Any suggestions in my quest for the perfect planner =)

Thank you =0)

2 moms found this helpful

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K.B.

answers from San Francisco on

Not a planner, but there are great free printable forms, geared towards working moms on mommytracked.com.

1 mom found this helpful
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B.S.

answers from Sacramento on

Office supply stores have a lot of planner options. I would recommend going to one (Office Depot, Office Max, Staples, etc) and look at all the options to see what would work best for you. The come in all sizes, and you can buy the pages that you would need, so you don't have extra stuff that you don't.

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K.B.

answers from San Francisco on

My friend who is a professional organizer LOVES her MomAgenda

http://www.momagenda.com/

2 moms found this helpful
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M.R.

answers from San Francisco on

I am a huge fan of my TREO smartphone. I used to have a Palm and a regular phone and a few years ago combined them and got my Treo. I absolutely love it. It has a calendar, which you can view by day, week and month. You can color code your calendar (personal, kids activities, medical, etc). As P C. mentioned, you can set up tasks (one time, repeating daily, weekly, monthly, yearly (more options). I also have ALL my contacts right there - if I need to make a doctor's appointment I can dial up the pediatrician and write down the appointment at the same time - with a reminder as early in advance as I want.
I keep my grocery lists on there as well as things I need from other placers (drug store) that way when I have an extra 15 min. I always have my current list of needs with me. It's awesome.
I back it up weekly on my computer, so I won't lose my information. You can also print out your calendar and lists, so your whole family knows what's going on. I also have my contacts sorted by holiday cards, so at during the holidays, all I have to do is export (easy) that list and print out lables. If I add people throughout the year, I don't have to worry about missing someone.
Those are just a few of the things a smartphone can do!!!!!
PS-I also use it for business items (color coded) and have a list for business reminders so I never forget to do weekly or monthly tasks.

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K.M.

answers from Detroit on

I keep track of everything on my cell phone. It is my alarm clock, my calendar, my addresds book I set reminders for appointments, business meetings, lunches pretty much any thing I need to do I don't know what I would do without it. If you have a cell you can save yourself money by using that instead of getting something that might get lost out of your purse. You can do daily, weekly and monthly planning. My cell also has a memo recorder and a place to put my grocery list too. Good Luck

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D.Z.

answers from Yuba City on

So many great ideas here. How about an iPhone? It keeps my husband's calendar, reminders for important things, he can check e-mail etc on it. He also keeps to-do lists, and when I call him to run to the store, grocery lists and applications you can download suggest dinner ideas etc. It also has GPS and can check traffic delays when he's running around town.

Have a great day!
D.

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S.B.

answers from Redding on

Visit a stationery or office supply store. They have myriads of planners. That way you can flip through them to see which layouts you prefer and make sure of the sizes.

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K.B.

answers from Houston on

This might be more than you were looking to spend but have you thought about getting a electronic organizer like an iPod Touch? My husband bought one for me for Christmas '08 and at the time I looked at it and said, what am I going to use this for? But now I love it! There's an appointment calendar and notepad already built in and then of course there are thousands of different apps you can download for whatever you need. There's one called GroceryIQ that helps you keep your grocery list.

Good luck on your quest!
K.

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P.C.

answers from San Francisco on

Franklin Covey Planners. Excellent!!.
P..

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B.B.

answers from Missoula on

Maybe this is not what you are looking for, but I really like Cozi, an online planner/organizer. www.cozi.com
I find it really helpful in keeping schedules straight, it will integrate with Outlook, and you can have it text message you your shopping list.

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N.P.

answers from Modesto on

I've learned from my own experience, as well as all my friends.....that finding the "perfect" planner depends on the individual using it :o)

I myself am pretty organized, and so are many of my friends.........we've all gone through different ways of organizing before we've all found our "perfect method" which is pretty much different from eachother :O)

I have a regular dayplanner......when it's open, it shows the WEEK only at a time.........I have a binder clip holding the cover and all the pages to the week we're in so when I open it......it opens to the present week. I have a mechanical pencil that slides right under the binder clip so it's always with my planner. Having the binder clip allows me to clip any extra lists, appointments, bills to pay, etc.....onto my planner.

Now honestly, it's the HABIT of using it that helps me :O) It took me almost a half of a year to get "routine" and faithful about using the planner. But now, I cannot live without it. It inlcudes everything!

I always carry a binder page folded in 1/2 long ways to write anything during the day (groceries, don't forgets, work receipts, etc...).....at the end of my day all of this info gets put where it needs to go...........by using this system, i can actually be confident now that I'm not double-booking myself.

Whatever system you choose, give yourself time to adjust to it. It takes practice!

My older kids are gone now, but I used to even have a "color" for each kid on my home calendar........red for my daughter's appts, blue for my son's, green for my younger one, pencil for me :o), etc... And as helpful as that was, I work now, so having a "to go planner" is even more helpful to me.

Everytime i get an email with a calendar of info (like from our church events, or school events including minimum days), I print it out and put the info in my planner. all deadline's for school fundraisers, etc..... anything! this has "cleared my brain" from trying to remember everything............

If you're interested in knowing which planner i use, it's from Mary Kay :o) I like it because it's not from Jan-toJan.......it's more of midyear-to-midyear. The Jan one's didn't work for me because there is so much to do at the end of the year that I could never remember to get a new planner, then info was lost. The "mid-year" planner let's me get through the holidays, and the first part of the year before I have to think about getting a new one..........by then, the kids are on summer break, and it's a good time to transition :o)

Anyway, I hope something I do can spark something for you :o) It's hard to get organized! But by developing a routine takes time to perfect, so be patient.

One thing I DON'T recommend..........having a "home calendar" and having a "travel calendar"..........I've tried it.........it didn't work for me..........I just got in the habit of bringing my planner everywhere and writing EVERYTHING in it.........The more you write in it, the quicker your routine will develop!

Good luck!

~N. :o)

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N.K.

answers from San Francisco on

I use the family organizer also. I ove that it has extras like stickers for Dr. Appointments, school vacations, Birthdays and many other imprtant to remember events. I got mine near the children's section at Barnes and Noble.

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C.

answers from Chicago on

I have used the Family Organizer by Amy Knapp's and love it.You can order it at a book store.

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P.C.

answers from San Francisco on

Don't know if you have a cell phone (but I'm guessing you do). I love my Treo phone, as it has a very easy-to-use calendar and to-do-list (or "tasks") feature. I have a running to-do-list in the calendar portion, and I love that I can set it to remind me to do something on a particular day/time. I do, however, keep my grocery list and weekly menu separate, since I'm not likely to be using my phone when my hands are dirty in the kitchen. Treo phones are reasonable on Craigslist - even the older, bulkier ones are smaller than a daytimer to put in your purse :). Hope you can find something you like!

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T.H.

answers from Sacramento on

Go to www.flylady.com Her Office-in-a-Bag is PERFECT for what you are looking for.

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A.K.

answers from Sacramento on

Amy Knapp's Family Organizer. This is the second year I am using it and I love it. I bought it at Barnes & Noble book store.

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J.K.

answers from Mansfield on

I got a great planner from my MOPS group. It is "Amy Knapp's Christian Family Organizer" sorry to tell you I have no idea where to get it from. Maybe google it. It has a monthly calendar and weekly calendar with to do list space on one page (with prayer and praise space too) and then the weekly calander on the other page. It is big enough to write appointments, or whatever needed for the day but not an hour by hour schedule. It has perforated areas on each page that you can plan menus and put your grocery list on the back. Rip it out and take it or if you are like me you carry your planner in your purse anyway just flip to the week you need. The front has suggestions or how to use this planner and organize better. The back has room to make notes for next years calender- like 4 per month- great for those dentist appointments that are scheduled 6 months in advance. There are also blank pages to keep a note or whatever. There is a page to help with a family budget as well. Infor for babysitters A place to keep babysitter or kids friends phone numbers -always good for me because my kids often want to invite a friend over and I have to search for the number. Kids activities quick reference- for like sports teams or whatever (room for coach name, number, practice schedule, notes about snacks,etc. Address and phone numbers you need to keep but don't use often. Favorite web address (login infor and such- but I don't keep that in there) It comes with stickers for birthdays- when something needs services done (like oil changed or furnace checked) Vacation, no school, doctor/dentist appointments, $$ for paying bills (what and where space to write in) And blank ones for whatever)
Oh oh oh- just found where you can get it.... there is an 800 number on the bottom of the sticker page. I don't use the stickers but I'm sure they are useful. Anyway 18003130653 Its listed as $14.99 on the back but I know I paid less. It is small enough to fit in your purse (unless you carry and itty bitty one) but large enough to keep your whole life organized!
For my hour by hour schedule- I use the calander on my email (windows mail) and check it each morning.
Hope this helps :)

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