7 Things You Aren't Writing Down, But Should

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My non-plannerd friends are constantly asking, "why do you need a planner?" 

(If you do need a planner, this one is inexpensive and this one is gorgeous, but you buy inserts separately.)

I don't want to admit that I have the memory of most 80 year olds or that I have the attention span of a 2 year old, but...some days, I do.

I either do something immediately, or I write it down. 

But when I read other blogs, I notice their entries tend to look like this:

9 a.m. Doctor
12 noon Lunch with Sally
To Do:
Paper Due Monday
Wash car

Um, yes, so that stuff goes in my planner, too. But you know what else does?

*Food Planning

Food planning, from a grocery list to a weekly dinner menu to what I actually plan to eat tomorrow.

(Weekly dinner menu is on the top left pink portion of this spread, while reminders of when the kids are bringing lunches to school are on the homework spread in the middle - folded back so I can still see the weekly spread.)

Reminders to process (usually, wash, cut, and freeze) fruits, veggies, and leftovers that are in the fridge, so that I don't waste food.

A note to defrost chicken in the morning or put something in the crock-pot. And a note to turn the crock-pot off when I am done cooking. Here's the crock-pot that I use.

*Kids' Homework

Homework tracking for the kids. (I still make them write it in their planners. This is just so I can double check, since they are in only 1st and 3rd grade.)

*Medicals

Medical journal, reminders to refill prescriptions, and calorie logs.

*Work

A list of work tasks to do tomorrow.

*Household Upkeep

A list of areas in the house that need organizing or extra scrubbing.

*Budgets

A budgeting page to track spending.

*Routine Appointments

I even write down stuff like "trash day" and "carpool," even though those things are routine, because otherwise I forget to plan for them when scheduling other stuff. It's not like I'll forget to pick my kids up from school. But I might schedule a continuing education class during carpool, and that carpool reminder jogs my memory to call hubby and tell him to cover carpool on Friday.

I don't have a ton of binders. I have two. My everything (FC Compact) and my work (FC Classic), mostly because my work is confidential. That's it. But everything that I *might* need to remember goes in my planner, so that I don't forget.

What are you forgetting to write down? What things are getting mixed up in your life because you don't note the details? Whatever it is, make an effort to add it to your planner, so you can see the bigger picture without missing the details.

Etcetera.