A family binder will save time, cuts stress, and enhances communication in any-sized family or household. It is basically a reference book for busy families. The binder holds a lot of different information your family needs on a regular basis that often ends up being scattered around the house. The Family Binder makes it easy to keep everything together, in one reference book.

Putting one together is easy: Just get any kind of three-ring binder, and a bunch of plastic sheet protectors or I use index dividers with two-sided pockets. Then just print out forms you need, put calendars from school or summer camp and continue to fill in as you it fits your family.

Here are some ideas (including some that I use) but customize it to fit your family.
The BOLD words are the labels for the tabs.

Mom
· Family Calendar: Birthday invitations, upcoming events, family vacations.
· Activities: Anything outside of the home, tennis, luncheons, scheduled coffee with friends.

Dad
· Work Related Information: meetings outside of work, upcoming work related trips.
· Activities: golf schedule, tennis, fishing trip, anything outside of work.

Extra
· Your Choice: information of everyone, birthday and anniversary list, children’s chore list, car maintenance schedule, cleaning schedule…

Child One
· School Stuff: School Calendars, newsletters, any other papers that come in.
· Activities: Sports calendar, Sunday school calendar, music lessons. Any extracurricular activity.

Child Two
· School Stuff: School Calendars, newsletters, any other papers that come in.
· Activities: Sports calendar, Sunday school calendar, music lessons. Any extracurricular activity.

Documents
· Documents: Grocery List www.grocerylists.org
· Documents: Medical records (copies of shots records) and Babysitter information’s sheets. (www.theparentsite.com/parenting/babysitter.asp)

Food
· Take Out Menus: When you don’t have time for your weekly dinners! Place an envelope in here with coupons of your favorite restaurants to help save you money.
· Weekly Menu: Plan out your weekly dinners.

Finances
· Finances: Receipts that you need to keep. Jeans you are not sure about, shoes you may not keep after all or any product you are not sure it is going to work out.
· Finances: Your budget, bills to pay, etc.

Place in the sleeve of the back of the binder so you can access it quickly!
· Emergency info & Important Phone Numbers: Phone numbers for your doctor and pediatrician, emergency numbers for fire and police and hospital and poison control, other important numbers. Mom’s cell phone & work number, Dad’s cell phone & work number, grandparents, everyone’s best friend, vet number and any number that you call frequently.

Author Michelle Lehman of Organizing Solutions “Clear the Clutter”

Michelle is a Professional Organizer in the Tulsa area. Her articles have been featured in the Tulsa World, The Oklahoman, and The Chicago Post-Tribune.  Michelle appears on Fox23 News DayBreak giving organizing tips and recommendations.

Photo Credit © Ertekmali | Dreamstime.com

Tags: emergency numbers, family binder, menus, papers