the Banner Planner

I'm an organizational freak... hahahaha, NOT! There are CERTAIN areas of my life that are organized, most aren't. One area I always want organized is my "office" (which also doubles as a kitchen) :)

I am the administrative assistant of Banner Land therefore I must keep all finances, calendars, and misc paperwork in order. I also help with my grandfather's rental properties and pay his personal bills. One other area I take care of is business management for Hofstetter Concrete. All of these things require lots and lots of paperwork. The best way I've found to manage everything is a Banner Planner (notebook.)

They all look different, they all have different tabs, and they all serve a different purpose but every Banner Planner I have had... worked! I recently made one for a busy mom and want to share it with you.

Tammy,

 I’m so excited for you to try out this Banner Planner. It works great for me and my family and I hope it will for the V-beeks too!

I hate paperwork all over my “office” which is my kitchen so the goal is to get everything put away in the notebook as soon as possible.

The trash can is your friend! The more that goes there, the less stress you have. As soon as you’re done with something… TRASH IT!

Let’s face it, everything can’t be done right away, that’s why the notebook works. When you get your mail, sort through it and put in the “notebeek” what you need to keep and trash the rest, this is the only thing that should be done immediately.

Below are categories that I suggest, I’ve only made some in your notebook and left the rest blank for you to decide.

If this system doesn’t work for you, or only works for a month, NO WORRIES. Don’t stress, something else will work. Love you and hope you enjoy this.

Trina

 I'm not a scrapbooker, crafty or artist person but I love fun colors. Make your notebook something you'll be proud of... decorate it with pictures of your kids, company logos or patterns.

Your tabs can and should be whatever you want, whatever works for you. Below are what work for me.

To Do:           

            Daily “To Do” lists. Add to these list as you find yourself doing the same things every day. Hand write if something comes up you can’t forget for tomorrow. Use the pockets for anything that must be done ASAP.

Decide:

            Often decisions are what hold us up on getting something done. “Are we gonna sign Suzie up for this camp?” “Are we going to support these missionaries?” “Does my husband want to go to this party?” Use this pocket for things you need to ask your husband, find more info about, or just plain can’t decide.

Pay:

            Ugh… Bills, bills, bills. I may online so I don’t keep the envelope or the payment stub, I just keep the single page that says what I owe. When I have time to sit down with my computer, all my bills are ready to pay.

Read:

            Why do people think we need so much info?? I don’t know but I find there is always a lot I need to read… manuals, newsletters, articles. Keep everything here and when you’re waiting in line at school pick-up grab this stack and read away!

Deliver:

            We all try to save on postage and deliver ourselves. This is a hold only pocket for that reason.

Misc:

            I use this as a “HOLD” file mostly. A piece of info I know I will need soon, not something to file away.

Gifts:

Wedding invites, graduations, birthdays. We are constantly needing a gift for someone. Those invites take this path in my Banner Planner: Decide – until I decide if we’re attending the event. Calendar – until I write it on my calendar. Gifts – until I buy something, most often something sent online.

Calendar:

            An online calendar that syncs with my phone is essential but I have also found it helps me to see things on a monthly calendar. My kids also love knowing where to go and look at the schedule. Use the pocket for something that hasn’t been recorded in your calendar yet but will soon J

Groceries:

            Not a coupon queen? Just keep a simple grocery list and a pocket for SIMPLE couponing. The grocery list enclosed is set-up to walk into Wal-mart and go around in the order I go… change the list to fit your needs.

Cleaning:
            Whether you clean yourself or have a cleaning person, lists are helpful. Divide it up, give a little to each kid or do a little each day.

Sports:

            It’s always a good idea to keep a “hard copy” schedule for the season, handbooks, team roster, venue locations.

School:

            I’m constantly needing to know what time lunch for a kid is, what’s the attendance line number at a certain school, etc, etc. Use this folder for frequently used go-to information.

Meals:

            Do you forget often what you made, what went good with it, what you have on hand? Organize and remember your family meals here. Also this could be great for meal-time devotions.

Individuals:

            I have file folders on my desk for this but you could have a folder per person.

Childcare:

            Do you have babysitters often? Add a page here that has the info you are continually telling them… emergency contacts, Dr. #, cell #’s, baby’s schedule, etc.

 Make yourself a Banner Planner and enjoy!