Little Notebooks

There is a dangerous obsession with notebooks I’ve encountered recently. Not the digital kind that gets thinner and thinner and thinner (while losing vital functions in both hardware and software), but another kind of notebook. A more paper-based form of the term. The internet tells me it’s been going on for a long time (and who am I to argue?), but it seems that I can remember forms of this even when I was a little kid. Remember those branded folders? The really cool 3D designs and other weirdness that accompanied complex three-ring binders that also held folders and other … Continue reading

The Phenomena of Second Notebook Computers

Today must be a day for me to talk about interesting phenomena. One trend that I have been noticing lately is the growing number of people who are purchasing second notebook computers. Much like the second (and third and fourth) televisions in a home, second notebooks seem to be coming almost a standard desire, or seen as a very convenient necessity. For our terms, when I talk about a second notebook, I don’t mean having more than one notebook in a household that is assigned or used by different household members. Dad may have a laptop and so may Junior, … Continue reading

Organizing Household Donations for Taxes

This morning, while the kids were occupying themselves, I thought I would conquer a little bit of the spare bedroom upstairs. This is a room that needs a lot of work. Eventually, it will be turned into a bedroom for our youngest son, but right now, its proximity to the attic stairs, as well as its need of repair, has turned it into a sorting or holding room. As we fix up other areas of the house, we will put furniture or other items from the project room into that bedroom. It will probably be the last room we clean, … Continue reading

My Personal Categories for a Household Notebook

So often others ask me how I divide or categorize my items within my household notebook. It isn’t that they do not understand the use of the notebook, only that they have trouble figuring out how to categorize it. When I discovered household notebooks, I never realized how purposeful and how incredibly important it would become to my family. We rely on this book, and affectionately refer to it as “household central”. If someone comes asking about something they hear “Check household central”. Because I figure if they cannot find it there, it probably is not anywhere in the house … Continue reading

The Best Type of Binder for Household Notebooks

What is the best type of binder for household notebooks? This question has actually been asked to me a lot in my days of spreading the word about our family central binder. The place where the whole family can find almost any information they need. However, the question posed is a good one, because the type of notebook is important. 1” Binder is the bare minimum size that I would recommend. This usually allows a household with maybe one child or two children to maintain a good record for the family. My families binder is a 3” binder. Yes. It … Continue reading

Dividing Your Household Notebook

By now you should have gathered all of the supplies that you need for making your household notebook. If you have not accomplished this yet, I strongly urge you to consider this method of household organization. For years it has saved my family a lot of time and money. So it is now time to focus on the dividers and categories. No two household notebooks are ever the same. Each family has different needs, and has a different focus on family life. For a homeschooling family, they won’t necessarily need a school or field trip section, however they might wish … Continue reading

How to Make a Household Notebook

My household notebook is truly my household manager. Sometimes I think that if I didn’t have it, I would not know which way was up, at least half the time. I discovered household notebooks many years ago. I was shopping at store that sold these little planner things that were very small and you could record all kind of information in them. They were titled Household Inventory. Though truly there wasn’t much in them that made them an inventory. I came home and was thinking about the book. I did not purchase one, instead I had the creativity to make … Continue reading

Time to Update Your Household Notebook and More

My Household Notebook articles were such a hit last year, that I have decided to write more so I can spread the word further. I have been creating these for years and while I make my own templates myself and almost always have, there are dozens of places to go to get downloadable sheets to fill the notebook. I thought I would first review the Household Notebook to make it easier for newcomers. Many of you might be asking exactly what is a household notebook and why do I need one? Others might be asking how a notebook can save … Continue reading

Dell Creates Colorful New Notebooks

On Tuesday, at a special event held in New York, Dell unveiled two new notebook computers. The event, held at Macy’s in Herald Square are creating quite a buzz because of their colorful look. The new notebooks are available in colors such as sunshine yellow, flamingo pink, ruby red, alpine white, midnight blue, jet black and espresso. The new notebooks feature a lightweight design and “advanced” features. What those features are, though, aren’t completely clear. One thing that is clear is that this is a significant move for Dell. Normally, Dell’s home computers are off-shoots of their business computers. While … Continue reading

Ask a Food Blogger: How Do You Create a Menu Plan?

I’m excited to answer my first food blogger question: I know I would eat healthier and we’d eat more meals at home if I had a weekly menu plan. But how do you go about creating one? You are correct on both counts: menu plans will help you eat healthier, stick to certain goals, and it will decrease the likelihood that you have to get take out for lack of preparation. One thing that can help with menu preparation is recipe software. Most recipe software has grocery list features as well as menu planning features. I have written before about … Continue reading