Homeschool and Homemaking Planner

I have been doing quite a bit of research and reading about homeschooling and home management. Next year will be our first official year of homeschooling. There is so much information out there to help but it ends up confusing me as to what will work. I prefer to have everything in one place, one calendar, one notebook etc. From what I have seen most of the time there is a separate calendar for each of the following menu planning, appointments and important dates, lesson plans, etc. Some track on the computer others have forms. I would like to have everything on one calendar and use a combination of a binder and notebook for everything else. Does anyone have any insight on how it might work or not work having everything on one calendar?

Behind

At this time last year I was a full time pregnant mother of two with a demanding career. I was constantly busy, but somehow I managed to have all my shopping done, most of the gifts wrapped and cards sent.  Where did I find the time? I know, that precious one hour lunch break.  I was able to complete almost all my planning and check items off that list within in that almost uninterrupted hour break. 

I had been longing to be home so that I would have more time to be a homemaker and all though I had been warned that it was hard work, I thought it couldn't be much harder than what I was facing. After all, I was managing a department of  17. Boy did I get a wake up call. Being a stay at home mom is much harder than I anticipated. Most of the time I find myself behind on homemaking and planning which has been hard since I am a planner type of person. At this very moment I am even behind on my routines I had posted about. I do have one little excuse a sinus infection but I remember going to work ill and still utilizing lunch to tackle the never ending to do list.

Back in my working days, I used to carry a small notebook that would list routines, to do lists, project planning etc in my handbag. I have been trying to transition into using a binder and word and excel spreadsheets, all things that  I use to use at work but I realize now that I can't run my home as a business. I need to go back to the good ole fashion way, with pen and paper.

Routines

In order to stick with my Nativity plans of simplifying, I have come up with some basic homemaking lists. I plan on trying to stick with these through out the fast to see if it helps me to develop a routine.

Morning

Prayers

Breakfast

Dress for the day

Start laundry

Tidy house

School

Afternoon

Lunch 

Kids nap and rest

Finish any school items left

Tidy house

Any projects

Evening

Dinner

Tidy house

Bath time

Prepare for tomorrow

Computer time

Prayers

Laundry

Monday - Colors

Tuesday - Linens

Wednesday - Whites

Thursday - Colors

Friday - Baby Clothes

Weekly

Monday - Master Bath & Bedroom

Tuesday - Kid's Rooms

Wednesday - Laundry Room & Den

Thursday - Kitchen & Family Room

Friday - Yard Work

Simplify

Week One - Master Bath & Bedroom

Week Two - Kid's Rooms

Week Three - Laundry Room, Linen Closets & Den

Week Four - Kitchen & Family Room

Week Five - Garage

Week Six - Miscellaneous 

Nativity Fast Plans

As our nativity fast is approaching (we are old calendar) I have come to the conclusion that in order to make homemaking work for me, I have to come up with my own routine. I have come across many routines via blogs and websites and tried to follow them but have never really made them my own, therefore they haven't worked for long. I am definitely a list person but I have a tendency to take make them more complicated and detailed. I need to work on simplifying, not only my list making but also our material possessions. Here are my plans for this nativity: 

• Create a Basic Daily and Weekly Routine and stick with it.
• Simplify Simplify Simplify
• Utilize Mat. Emily's Jesse Tree Plans 
• Finish the books I have started