I know. That sounds a bit odd but, truly making a plan to sit down and plan is the first step to organizing well… your life.
In a house where we need to manage schedules for 7 people, planning to plan is a game changer for how our days turn out.
Keep Everyone In Sync
Choose Your Calendar
The major thing that I highly suggest and lovingly urge you to do is get yourself a multi-month dry erase wall calendar. We have a 4 month one that works very well for our family but there are others with only 3 months. The more ambitious ones use 12 months!
Remember, the key to planning well is planning to plan! My husband and I plan our quarterly calendar meetings. Our calendar is our command center. It helps our forgetful minds as we move on day by day. It takes effort, but it’s so worth it.
Color Coding
Each person in our family is assigned a certain color on the calendar. You will want to get a nice set of ultra fine tip wet erase markers, do not use dry erase because you will cry A LOT when someone rubs up against the calendar and erases all your hard work.
Consider Every Appointment
As my husband and I sit down and “do our calendar” we go through one month at a time and one person at a time. Make sure you sync your home calendar with your spouse’s work calendar. My husband is a pastor and no we do not put every work meeting on our home calendar, but we do make sure that our calendars are not conflicting at any given time. If there is a day or certain time where I need his presence, we go over those times and dates together.
For instance, I volunteer at the school library for two of our kids which puts me in a position where I need him to look after the two kids that are home twice a month. He does his best to keep those times open to allow me the opportunity to volunteer in that way. Even though they’re every first Monday and every first Friday of every month, but if we don’t have it on the calendar it’s easily forgotten.
Chronological Order
Besides different colors to help keep things organized on our calendar, in each day’s square, we make sure to list the “happenings” in order according to time.
Because each person is assigned a different color, there is no need to put their name on the “happening.” For example, we just put ‘practice 3-5’ in red for Lukas. Try to put the least amount of information on the calendar that you need to, this will help with keeping the calendar legible.
Our calendar is our command center. It helps our forgetful minds as we move on day by day.
Plan to Protect Family Time
Plan Time Together
So, our kids are 2, 6, 8, 9, and 14 years old. We are busy. They are busy. Our calendar is full of ministry events, sporting events, doctors appointments, homeschooling events, public school events, work hours, therapy sessions, volunteering opportunities and the list goes on.
After we get the four months filled in on our planning day it often feels overwhelming, knowing that it will get filled in more as the days continue with added events here and there. That’s why my husband and I do our best to prioritize time together. With that said, it is crucial for us to intentionally put “date nights” on our calendar. After all, important things go on the calendar right? Time with your spouse should definitely make the list of important things.
Plan Time To Rest
Another important thing to be sure to put on your calendar is ‘Time to Rest’ to help protect your family from being overloaded. This goes for all of your members of your family. Being on-the-go all the time is not good for anyone’s body or for the unity of your family or home.
Keep Your Calendar in View
Now that you ordered your wall calendar, received it in the mail, got your wet erase markers, sat down with your spouse to “do your calendar”, now you have to hang it in a location that is easy to access and see. Remember you will need to be able to take it easily off the wall when you Plan to Plan and you will need to be able to reach it on the wall to easily modify it as life happens.
I know how important Planning to Plan is for our family and how much it helps having a calendar on the wall for all to see. I truly hope that this will help you and your family thrive as you tackle life together.
If you decide to plan to plan and create a multi-month calendar for your family, I would love to hear about how it is helping your days and I would love to see pictures of your calendar in action!
Mom, you are capable!
AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES
