Managing a Family Centered Household II - On your Mark!

So this bedrest thing isn't so bad. I've had a lot of time to work on organizing my schedule - and everyone else's - for after our little one arrives (just 4 weeks away!). I'm feeling much better about managing a busy, busy household with 6 children (2 under 2), family businesses, farming, homeschooling, and life in general.

I have been a student of large-family and organizational management, monasticism, military logistics, and general crowd control for many years. I often joke that I have ADHD – but it’s true - and extreme organization is how I cope with the chaos. The fewer distractions or occasions for on-the-spot decision-making I have, the better.

I have drawn great inspiration and strength from the Rule of St. Benedict in planning our days and our roles in the home. We are striving every day to perfect our monastic way of life and I always find something new within the Rule that I can work on! I am also ever grateful to my friends at Magnum Opus for encouragement and advice and for sharing their daily joys and trials. I have also learned so much from other moms of many who have been kind enough to share their strategies, especially Kim at Large Family Logistics (beautiful new site, Kim!). I have snitched, modified and tailored ideas from many other people to create a system that works for our family.

I’m going to serialize my organization process since it’s a lot to bite off all at once. It IS a lot of upfront work – but in the end, your life should run more smoothly, whether you have 2 or 20 children. We’re going to make Mama’s Personal Organizer, Chore manual (you’re going to love this!), Chore Board, and Cards for Chores, Duties and Virtues (which I snitched from the lovely ladies at MO!). Along the way, we may add in some more projects, who knows? We’ll start with material gathering. Grab a cup of tea, put on some music and make your shopping list!

You will need the following for the entire project (at least in order to do it MY way! LOL). You may choose to have additional arts and crafts supplies if you are a crafty person (glass paints, FIMO clay, etc):

- 2” Looseleaf binder (I like the kind with clear pockets on the outside)
- 1” Looseleaf binder
- Artwork, quotes, poetry and scripture that inspire you
- Scissors, glue, hot glue gun (with glue sticks!), markers, pens, paints, etc.
- Plenty of looseleaf paper
- Pencil and eraser
- Business card paper
- ID Card holders for laminating
- Lanyards
- Full sized laminating sheets
- Laminating Machine
- Pouches for holding chore cards
- Three-hole punch
- Tabbed dividers (for binders)
- Hole reinforcements
- Cork board
- Push pins
- Fabric, vinyl, sturdy paper for making chore board
- Plenty of printer paper
- Dry Erase markers
- Marbles (also a separate stash of single color marbles – I like gold or silver)
- Jars (2 for each child you have, plus one)– peanut butter jars are PERFECT and glass ones make a nice ‘clink’
- Computer with Word, Publisher
- Printer
- Copious amounts of tea (or your favorite drink, though I would dissuade you from anything alcoholic for this project considering the number of potentially dangerous tools!)
- Good music
… and don’t forget your creativity and patience!


Put these all in a box or storage bin so that they are set aside just for your use. That way they won’t grow legs and wander off! You know exactly what I'm talking about, don't you?

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