Necessary Objects: The Household Organizer gets a Makeover

Every once in a while someone comments on how organized I am. I feel like I have to instantly disclaim the compliment. I am the most UNORGANIZED person I know. Just the other day my 5 yr-old was in the backseat of the car and commented as if he was making some big discovery, "Mommy, you forget a lot." It's true. I wish he hadn't discovered this truth about me at such a young age, but you can't always choose these things.
I am 35 and my memory is comparable only to a sieve. Recognizing this truth about myself, I've devised ways to help me overcome this shortcoming. The newest is the Household Organizer. Doing a little bit of online searching, I found The Organized Home. It's a website that not only gives ideas for ways to use the Household Notebook (as it's sometimes called,) but also includes all these lovely printables for free! For someone organizationally challenged like myself, lists and planners are an absolute must, and extremely seductive. This site had them all. Freezer and pantry inventory lists, seasonal chore lists, monthly menu planning calendars, and at least a dozen more.

So Friday, at my MOPs meeting, I shared my new find by using our craft time to cover the binders everyone had brought with a spring patterned fabric. Then we filled them with plastic sleeves, a business card holder, and a couple of photo pages. I've sectioned mine off to include a Family Information section- which will contain important and frequently used phone numbers, the collection of gift cards and business cards I usually misplace, and to-do lists. The next section divider is Kitchen. This section will include the menu planning print outs, shopping lists, a price tracker, and a list of popular family recipes. I can also tuck into sleeves the recipes I tear out from magazines, and then usually find buried in a pile a season later. The photo sleeves hold a few of those recipes I'm constantly pulling out, making them easily accessible. The last section I threw together for the example was a Health section. Here I have my son's immunization records, the prescriptions we've saved until needed, and other medical odds and ends.

To cover your old binder: Cut a piece of fabric at least 1" wider and taller than your entire cover, then using a UHU glue stick, cover the entire cover with glue. Pay special attention to the edges. Then flip your binder onto the fabric, lying wrong side up, and center it. Then set it down, and press slightly to adhere. Flip over and smooth out the center spine. Working from central spine, smooth out the fabric on either side with hands. Press well on edges to adhere, adding extra glue if needed. Flip the binder over again, so that it is open in front of you and apply glue to both the fabric edge and the edge of the binder. Fold excess fabric over and press to adhere. Fold over corners, creating tucks if desired. Cut a length of grosgrain ribbon and slide under center part of binder as far as it will go. Tie on outside of binder spine. If you'd like to cut fabric to cover the inside of your binder and hide your edges, you can. There you have it: Pretty and Practical!