My Household Control Journal

In my last post, I covered the goal setting and planning tools I use around my home, with a promise to reveal my Household Control Journal.

Accused of being a control freak from time to time, for alot of people I'm also the go-to person in a pinch, so I guess there are trade-offs to being organized and keeping up with one's own life! 

It's imporant to be prepared, especially in case of an emergency, and it is convenient to be organized in your everyday life. That being said, a Household Control Journal can become a behemouth in about 2 seconds, so think about it's purpose before springing into action to make your own!  FishMama and FlyLady have their own, each with a specific purpose in mind. 

Here's mine...

Decorated with calendar artwork, my three ring binder has been the perfect set-up for my Household Control Journal.  I also have a Daily Control Journal, Medical Control Journal, a Financial Control Journal, and a History-of-this-House Control Journal, but I'll have to cover those one at a time!

~ K.I.S.S. it!

The purpose of a control journal is to tame the documents of life, so Keep It Simple, Sister! Mine includes the following categories in this order:

Emergency Contacts ~ one page for basic names, phone numbers, addresses

Emergency Plan ~ a "read this first" plan that says what to grab and what to leave in case of a major emergency (fire, disaster, evacuation, etc.)

Perscription Information ~ I hole-punch the papers from the pharmacy with our scrip info and put them right into the binder.  Easy to replace a perscription this way, since it contains all the dosage and technical information.

Personal Phone Book ~ form pages to fill in, rather than writing on the backs of envelopes and little scraps of paper here and there!

Business Phone Book ~ also filled in form pages.

Online Account Information ~ lists of who I do business with online, usernames and passwords can be included for non-critical accounts.  This can be a great timesaver!

Rewards Program Statements ~ hotels, grocers, airline miles, etc.

Rewards Program Cards ~ in baseball card holders, especially helpful to keep the wallet from getting overloaded!

Bulk Food Ordering Information ~ I keep the most current list of what I ordered, so I'll remember what I purchased, and what the prices were compared today's costs.

Pantry/Freezer Inventory ~ usually taken every six months, spring and fall.

Current Calendar ~ again print free from internet or software

Chore Charts ~ my scheduled household chores, and kids chores if applicable

Vehicle Records ~ maintenance records, description information, etc.

Maps ~ local, state, and emergency maps in sheet protector pockets

Disaster Information ~ evacuation plans, triage information, etc.

Catalogs ~ bulk food catalogs, and mail-order only company catalogs, in the back pocket.

That's it in a nutshell.  Remember to keep your journal simple, tailor it to your needs, and use it!  The best made organizers do nothing if left on the shelf.  I position mine close to my desk/computer space, so I can access it easily, I make a conscious choice to use it. 

I does not contain my weekly shopping lists, daily goals, lists of errands, etc.  because that's not the purpose. 

Plan to update the journal regularly, and write a reminder on your Family Calendar to check for needed updates every so often.  Purpose to establish the habit of using your journal on a weekly basis or daily basis at first, and eventually it will be a lifelong habit with a very positive effect on your life!