Yesterday, I shared with you a little about my learning experience as a home maker. I have learned that the longer that I am married, adding children to our family, life gets more complex! Imperative for me to foster any kind of order to our home is executing the essentials of ponder, prayer, prioritize, and plan. Please click to download a short bible study that I have written on "Managing the Home." This study will direct you into gain a biblical perspective of your home life. After all, being a Christian homemaker is more than changing diapers an cleaning toilets.
If you have never used a home planner, you may be a little overwhelmed at first. But soon I think that you will find it quite comforting to have your "brain in a binder" as someone has called it! Everything is there for you to see and plan for (even the margin of the empty space of free time for Life's many unexpected interruptions.) There are six different sheets for you to download for January's use. Print them out, punch holes in them, and place in a three-ring notebook. (I have found that Wal-mart sells these binders at a much cheaper price than the office supply stores. You may also want to get a three-hole puncher as well.)
The pages are:
January's cover
Monthly Calendar
Monthly Planner
Week-at-a-Glance
Weekly Planner
Daily Sheets
When you first sit down with all of your pages, the planning may seem like a lot. But with routine and use, the planner will be an effective tool for your home to flow smoothly. Before the beginning of a new month I sit with my planner and write the number dates on the monthly calendar. I add any known appointments or activities for that month. I use the planner page (which I place facing my calendar page, having its holes punched on the opposite side of it) to write in ordinary tasks and ones specific for that month. For example- This month I have written "Grandma's birthday dinner". I will have "making Valentine's" on the monthly planning page for February.After having done the monthly planning, I concentrate on the upcoming week. I write general activities first, then I can see what open spaces of tine is available for extra things. I also use the weekly planner. This current week, I wrote on to call garage to make an appointment to have our car's oil changed. Every Saturday or Sunday, I sit down for a few moments and look over the upcoming week. This also provides a great tool for meal planning. You will be able to see when you simply do not have time to make an involved dinner and perhaps want to do a crock-pot dish that day, etc.
Finally, the daily sheet. After looking at the week, I write myself a daily sheet. You will be surprised by how much little open time you have when you write down what are actually accomplishing in a single day! Even folding one load of laundry and putting it away can take up to 20 minutes. If you do only two loads a day that is 30-40 minutes of time!
Another way in which I use the planning sheets is to see where I can add activities that I do not usually get to do, but would like to. For example, I like to make jewelry but have to find a place where I can fit that it somewhere in the schedule. If I do not make time- it just does not happen.
So there you are. A brief introduction. To reiterate- this planner has saved my sanity! I hope that it will be a blessing to you too!
"She looks well into the ways of her household,
She laughs at the time to come."
~Proverbs 31:27, 25
Yesterday there was some trouble with downloading the study. The January printables I have placed in one folder. When you click the link you should see a page that has all six titles of each pdf. Click on that title- wait a second- and a page will appear with a "Download" button. You will have to download each page at a time. (You should NOT have to log in or register) PLEASE let me know if you are not able to do this. I certainly want you to be able to access them!
As a "thank you" would you "like" LOV on the FB page? There is a link on the right bar here. And pass the word on to your friends; I want to bless others.
Have a great day and happy homemaking!
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