I am not a naturally organized person. In fact, for many years I was probably one of the most disorganized people imaginable. That started to change when I had kids. Keeping some sort of a routine is just a necessity when you’re a parent, like waking up early despite the fact you’re a night owl. When I started my blog, my organizational skills increased again. I do well with deadlines and so I set them for myself when running my site.
In previous years, I used a slightly haphazard but mostly effective system for managing my website and my household. Blog posting dates were marked on a paper calendar I kept at my workstation. Payments I was expecting were marked down in a separate small notebook. Kids’ activities were listed on a separate paper calendar in the kitchen. And school activities were remembered simply because I hung the school calendars the boys brought home on the fridge.
Three calendars, one notebook and I was at the limit of my organizational abilities. Anything beyond that, such as meal planning or goal-setting? It just wasn’t going to happen. In fact, even using a paper calendar to record blog features was starting to become ineffective as my site got busier. Then Simply Plan, the ultimate All-In-One Planner, came to my rescue. This planner is a must-have for any busy mom. While the roomy layout of each day with plenty of space for blog organization was instantly appealing, that’s just the start of the benefits of the Simply Plan organizer!
One of my favourite features is that each week starts with a one-page section for meal planning and a one-page section for managing the weekly budget. I have heard so many moms tell me how much money and time they save when they follow a meal plan and I was especially excited to give the concept a try for myself. And being able to record expenses throughout the week was an added bonus! The two-page layout of each week’s activities was the perfect place to record my scheduled blog posts. And with spaces for AM, PM and evening activities, it also helped me to better manage my time each day. There’s even a space each week to record goals, to-do lists and memorable moments every week!
I would have been thrilled with the Simply Plan All-In-One Planner if that was the extent of its content. But it isn’t. The book also includes Household, Family, Goal and Contact sections at the back to help manage different tasks. From current household projects and meal options, to family information and favourites for quick shopping and gift selection, to chore lists and goal-setting pages, I can literally use my Simply Plan organizer for recording and managing virtually every business, household and family task I have. And to top it all off, the book is simply gorgeous!
If getting organized is one of your goals for 2014, you’re in luck! Simply Plan is very generously offering one lucky Mommy Kat and Kids reader their own Simply Plan 2014 All-In-One Planner, a $40 value! To enter to win, just leave a blog comment about one of your goals for 2014.
The best tools in the world don’t bring any benefit if they’re not used to their full potential, so as part of my mission to get organized, I’ll be spending an hour or so every Sunday to organize for the week ahead so that family chores, meals and activities are all noted in the organizer and ready to be referenced when needed. With a little help from Simply Plan, this may just be my most organized year yet!
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Tanis says
Spending more time with my new family!
Samantha D says
To be more organized! This would be a perfect thing to help me reach that goal!
MrDisco says
Eat more #Bacon
Moe Bwell says
To declutter our home, and make life much more simple.
Heather H says
My main goal is to be more organized, closely followed by being healthier. I have 2 jobs plus 2 p.t. jobs from home, plus school courses to finish my bookkeeping degree ..and a single mom to a teenager .. I need some serious organization in my life !
Kristine Ewald says
Have a healthy baby and lose the baby weight
Michelle L says
Be healthy and travel.
courtney b says
losing the rest of my baby weight and being nicer and more patient with my husband
Natel Hull says
I’d like to use this planner to combine meals/activities and house hold goals into one spot.
Carey Hurst says
One of my goals is to cut everything neg from my life, Surround myself with positivity and enjoy life, leaving negative people and things behind. Thanks for chance, I am always writing on calendars lol.
Kari Johnson says
My goal for the year is to continue to go to the gym and to eat a little better.
Heidi C. says
Spending more quality time with family!
Robyn L says
continue on the organizing I started last year
Amy C says
My goal is to be more organized
Miriam Wilton says
find a way to not have to go back to work after my mat leave is over!
Debbie F says
to be more organized at work.
kristen says
One of my goals is to learn how to can more
Lisa H says
One of my goals this year is to not sweat the small things.
Sherry k says
I am going to save a little every week into my TFSA
Stephen K says
make I bill customers more timely
Jane Hammill Gray says
Organize my home! also to have a good figure on my bathroom scales all year long not just after the odd crazy dieting binge here and there!
Joy says
to organize my house and to rid myself of clutter!
natasha severson says
to eat better
Soozle says
One of my goals is to follow an exercise program for the entire 6 weeks.. I need more focus!
Carolle Hall says
to find a good job
Lynda Cook says
always the same to lose weight, but I think my new one is going to be not to take life so seriously, enjoy all the small things..stop and smell the roses
Jody D says
This years goal is to end the year with more savings!
Jonnie says
My big goal is to have less stress. This will include getting organized and learning how to meditate.
Amanda I says
My goals for this year are to lose 50lbs and to continue not smoking (quit 2 months ago)
Julie G. says
Eating more fruits & veggies is on my list.
Jennifer M says
One of my goals for 2014 is to be kinder to my body by way of food and exercise.
Juliee Fitze says
To lose weight and get in shape
Erin W says
I’m going to stop buying stuff, and get rid of more stuff in my house!
Cassie Fancy says
My goal for 2014 is to save money and spend wisely
Nicky says
drink more water everyday!
Erika B says
To keep in shape by doing my Zumba, and to continue to be the best mom I can be!
Karen Thaeter says
to get a new job!
Siaw Vay Teng says
to get fit and be healthy!
Chandra Christine O'Connor says
eat better and exercise as I type this I am eating skittles see I need this planner lol
Brandee H says
An organizational goal of mine is to meal plan. I usually dont have a clue what Im cooking. I am hoping this will help!
lori b says
lose weight and be more organized
Jennifer L. says
My goal is to increase my income this year.
Stephanie LaPlante says
My New Year’s goal is to improve my health by taking my vitamins.
Angie Andrews says
my main goal for this year is to be more organized
Emma says
declutter the home
Maggie C says
meal preps more often (especially for lunches at work!)
amy pugmire says
I want to get my life organized.
Athena says
set meal plans
Christina Ferguson says
My number one goal is to be more organized as I am about to go back to school so this planner is perfect. Thanks for the opportunity.
Jim Weaver says
One of my goals for 2014 is to spend more time with my Children and Grandchildren. In 2011 I had a massive heart attack which left me disabled with severely low blood flow. At that time they had given me 6 month’s to live. The resulting depression left me extremely cynical and harsh. This caused most of my family to “run for the hills!” Obviously, I outlived their 6 month prediction and I have overcome my depression. Now my goal is to rejuvenate the closeness we had as a family before my heart attack.