Lists for Homemaking and Home Educating (And a Giveaway!)

Lists for Homemaking and Home Educating

As I take some downtime this winter to recover and allow my body some time to heal, I am also contemplating my schedule for the upcoming months.

One of my major goals has been to clear a lot of the busyness off of my plate, making my schedule more realistic with a whole lot more margin for rest, the regular interruptions of daily life (messes, unexpected visitors, phone calls, etc.) and mostly for being able to stop and savor those golden moments that present themselves, whether they’re with my children or husband, a friend, or a stranger.

Next week I’ll be taking an overnight personal retreat, to give myself some time and space to really seek the Lord and plan productively. These are always cherished times that allow me to return home refreshed, inspired and ready to move forward in my roles as a wife, mother, homemaker and child of God.

Whenever I take time to plan, working on scheduling, homemaking details or anything of that nature, one of the first places that I go is to ListPlanIt. I’ve now had a membership there for over a year and I truly love it and use it.

How I Use My Lists

Meal Planning

The meal planning pages are among my most used. I like them for taking inventory of what food I already have, for making lists of my favorite recipes, and for both weekly and monthly meal planning. I’m also a big fan of making my own customized grocery shopping lists.

Blog & Business

Perfect for planning out my editorial calendars, where I plan posts a month or more in advance, as well as my general weekly blogging to-do lists.

Daily Organization

Rather than buying a planner, for the last year or two I’ve just been printing out weekly and monthly planning calendars to put into my homemaking binder.

cleaning monthly schedule hb

home education eplannercleaning-monthly-schedule-hb

Homemaking

I’ve asked Jennifer to create a list that will actually do my house cleaning for me, but she keeps insisting it can’t be done (I wish, right?) She has, however, made a handy monthly cleaning chart that helps me stay mostly on top of the cleaning chores, anyways.

It’s also easier to keep track of my three growing kiddos and their sizes and clothing needs using the clothes inventories. They allow me to track multiple children/clothing sizes on the same page, so I have one for my son and another for my two daughters.

Gardening

Seed starting and planting was made simpler last year with this list to help keep me right on track.

Moving

When we started planning to move last spring, the very first thing I did was print out moving pages and start a moving binder. It helped me to see at a glance what tasks needed to be done and when, as well as keep track of what had been packed in each of the rooms of the house, including an inventory I made of the contents of each box.

Want to Get a Taste of the Lists That I Use and Love?

ListPlanIt has generously made an exclusive ePlanner just for Keeper of the Home readers, including 8 of my favorite lists. If you’re at all interested in getting a ListPlanIt membership of your own, this is a perfect way to check it out and see how helpful the lists are. Print them off, add them to your homemaking binder or planning system of choice, and enjoy!

Download the free Keeper of the Home ePlanner.

New- Home Education ePlanners!

This I am excited about! As a young homeschooling mama with my oldest in Gr.1 and my second rapidly approaching kindergarten, I am already seeing a greater and greater need to coordinate what I am doing for each child, in each subject, in an orderly fashion. Getting organized now will make it so much easier when I’m homeschooling 4 kids or 6 kids (or 10 kids!).

I got got my first glimpse of a Home Education ePlanner the other day and I have to say that I’m pretty stoked about what they include! I will definitely be using these to keep better track of what we’re doing, the curricula we’re using, progress we’re making, our schedule, etc. Here’s a taste of what’s included (there are 23 lists in all):

  • Lesson Planner
  • Circle Time Planner
  • Goals by Subject
  • Multi-Student Planner
  • Our Home Education Day
  • Field Trip Ideas and Log

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279 Comments

  1. Oh boy, I could really use this membership! I would use it for cleaning/home management, for my to do lists (I have many going at once), for our finances (again many lists/spreadsheets going) and the holiday lists again. I have lists for everything and they are everywhere. It would be nice to have an organized neat list and a system in place.

  2. I would use it as a tool to try and get a better handle on daily tasks and meal planning. I also am interested in the home education planners.

  3. I am such a list and paper/pen person so I would use it to keep me on schedule with all my household duties in the midst of caring for my two kids.

  4. I love making lists and a ‘running’ list I have all year is for gifts that I make–gifts for new moms, gifts for birthdays, Christmas, or welcoming/housewarming gifts. It’s hard to try to remember though, with those swirling in my head!
    Sarah M

  5. I make lists all the time, but instead of taking the time to put it on the computer and print out each time. I write it out again and again and again. Plus, it is nice to see ways other setup their lists. I have found that sometimes, my ways arent always the easiest or quickest.

  6. i would update my home inder with nicer looking lists than ones i throw together on the fly. or i was going to start home schooling next school year- and I am really nervous and some kind of eplanner for it would sure help

  7. I am a subscriber and I would use this membership to organize our first year of homeschooling. My oldest is turning 5 and starting Kindergarten. I have always struggled with organization, but we feel like we need to homeschool so I started this last year getting things together, but listplanit would help a ton!

  8. Oh my! What I wouldn’t use it for?! Cleaning schedules, daily schedules, meal planning and pantry inventory…..

  9. I think the question should be what wouldn’t I use it for, would be easier to answer!! Just to start off, it would definitely be for home management &business planning.

  10. This sounds like JUST what I need! I would definitely use the homeschool planner since I’m new at homeschooling this year and find myself needing some help keeping track of my son’s work, progress, and needs. I also struggle finding a routine for housework, so the housework planner could really help me keep chaos at bay. I have passion for gardening and sustainable living and would love the seed starting/planting since I often don’t get the yields I would like b/c I miss planting dates. I’d love a membership, but we’re having to really tighten our belts so we can afford for me to stay at home, homeschool our son, and provide good quality of life for our family. I would be SO grateful to win your giveaway–thank you!!!

  11. I am a list maker but could definitely always use help in organized lists and keeping them in one place. I would use the meal planning and lists of what I have on hand. I homeschool, so those list would be help as well. I have 9 kids(only 8 still at home) so lists to help me keep their schedules organized.

  12. I home school and think the home school planner would be very helpful – I just realized last week that we really should be doing more field trips!

  13. wow! what perfect timing…i started homeschooling our preschooler this week! while getting organized to teach one preschooler isn’t too difficult, i can see that as he gets older and we add more children to the homeschooling mix, staying organized will be a challenge. i’m excited to check out the lists a little more!

  14. This is perfect timing. I have been thinking about finding a cleaning schedule list and also finding some sort of system for creating a spending plan/budget. I find that having some sort of list to go by, I get more accomplished (and I don’t forget about it!) I will probably get a membership with ListPlanit if I don’t win. I love all their lists available.

  15. WOW!!! Okay I see so much that I would do with this, planning for a new 4H club by using the club organization list, family matters, meal planning, I’d use all it and have so much fun organizing my home/school binder! I may just become the organized wife that my husband wants LOL

    Sarah
    SeekingHim at gmail dot com

  16. WOW! I had no idea anything like this existed. Those lists would be ever so helpful, and I love the idea of a Homemaker’s Binder and/or Home Educator’s Planner. I’m not the most organized momma, though I try very hard. This List Plan It could be life-transforming. 🙂 Thank you for sharing!

  17. I would definitely take advantage of the cleaning lists, grocery lists, meal planning and daily organization lists. I’m the type of person who likes to have everything written out so I don’t forget anything!

  18. I do like lists! It would be great to have them organized. Some of the first I would use would be the clothing inventory (I try now but they’re kind of a mess), garden notes (done this for years so would love to see what is available), comparison shopping and meal planning. Oh for fun!!

  19. Wow! I would use it in so many ways, well the membership anyway- I am not a homeschooling mother yet. But I would use the membership for menu planning, cleaning schedule, and I am a small business owner and I see that they have a handy-dandy business planning section! 😀

  20. I would LOVE to have the Home Management lists. Especially the cleaning lists. The Student Planning Lists would also be great for our homeschooling!

  21. What wouldn’t I use!? I would use the grocery and menu lists, the seed planting list, and as I begin homeschooling my first kiddo next fall, I would really love the help in organizing! This would be such a blessing as I have been really trying to discipline myself better (by God’s grace!) to order my life better, so that I may honor God and bless my family with the areas placed under my stewardship.

  22. We just started Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University so I could really use this to help “Live like no one else, so we can live like no one else”. This would help me not buy what we already have and save from spending on useless grocery and clothing purchases. It would organize us so that if I was ever really sick or something the hubby, mom or mom-in-law could pick up where needed.

    I am a paper and pen kinda girl and an organize “freak” as my husband calls me, but with a lot of changes in our schedules, I have not been able to get back on track. I thrive on organization and this would be a great way to get back in shape – plan out my days and help me keep up on the daily tasks and activities of my family. Seanna – wife to an amazing man and mom of 4 wonderful kids

  23. I just found your site so I subscribed via email.

    Loved Listplanit.com and signed up there as well.

    Thanks for having such a great site.

  24. I would love the meal planning, education planning…gosh, all of it. I am homeschooling my children, ages 5, 3, and 8 months, and need to get organized! Thanks!

  25. OH MY GOSH!!! I would use ListPlanIt every single day of my life! I am ridiculously addicted to making and using lists. I simply refuse to go to the grocery store unless I have one. The very first thing I do when thinking up new ideas or planning new projects is reach for my handy dandy notebook to make a list.
    A print membership would be ….♫ amazing♫…!

  26. Wonderful! I would love to be able to have pre-printed lists to keep up with my family’s needs. I love the clothes inventory list since I shop second hand and buy ahead of time. Thanks for a great giveaway!

  27. I would use the lists to update/complete my household notebook. It has really helped me this year to get organized!

  28. i’d love to start using their cleaning list…i’ve been needing to do something like that for a long time! would also love to have a to do list handy.

  29. I would love this! I so need to get organized with everything I am involved in from photography to homeschooling to my Jordan Essentials business. This would be a huge help!

  30. I desperately need a good cleaning schedule to follow. I also really liked the kid’s clothes list. I go to yard sales almost every Saturday in the summer and it would be great to take the lists along so I know what we actually need for the kids. Thanks for doing the giveaway!

  31. I would use the lists to organize things better. I would love to have lists already made for me that I just have to fill in. I would especially use them for organzing kitchen related tasks.

  32. Oh my gosh, this is MY kind of giveaway! I already do some planning, but only with some online templates that are free and find they aren’t very user-friendly a lot of the time. I would use the meal planners, time management, budget..etc. Oh man, I would use so much of it!!!

  33. Stephanie, this giveaway is great! I am so excited about the KOTH lists you have give for FREE! Thank you! ListPlanIt has been on my “wish list” for some time now. I have tried the concept of a home binder before and think the lists they provide would help me to finally get it personalized in a way that I actually can use. I also just pulled my DD out of preschool and plan to “homeschool” her preschool at least through the next year. We’ll decide about kindergarten when that time approaches. The ePlanner would be great for starting out and worrying about if I covered “xyz” with her yet, since I don’t plan to use a “curriculum.”

  34. I am trying to develop my Homemaking Binder and feel this would really help. I also homeschool and next year will have 2 to keep track of in that department. I have just started really getting into meal planning and am trying to make lists for daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly cleaning/house maintenance tasks. List Plan It sounds perfect for me.

  35. you are amazing…so organized! Well, I would love the “gardening” list for the coming spring season among others. Thanks for this chance to win!

  36. I would love to win this subscription for Lits Plan It, I would use it first to help me for my meal planning, and also to organize my time better between cleaning, cooking and studying.

  37. I would definitely use my membership to keep record of what I have in my freezer, pantry, and all my home canned goods. I have only recently started thinking about making a homekeeping binder and a membership to ListPlanIt would really help!

  38. I would use it for the Home Educating Planner. I’ve been using a Google Doc that I made to plan lessons (for preschool), but when we officially start homeschooling next year, I don’t think it’s going to cut it anymore.

  39. 1. I would love the Home Education ePlanner for starting homeschooling next year! It would be an amazing addition to start things in the right direction – organizationally speaking.
    I’m a list maker by nature so this would be fun for me.

  40. I would love to win this giveaway. I am very interested in the financial planning and menu planning lists. Thank you!

  41. I Love ListPLanit! I am a hard core listmaker!
    I would use the homemaking lists the most. Especially chore sheets and meal planning.

    Thanks so much for this!

  42. I would LOVE to use any of the home cleaning/organization lists. We moved last year and are still working our way through decluttering and organizing. It’s so easy to get overwhelmed, and I think a good pre-made list would really help!

  43. A better question would be “What WOULDN”T I use on their site?” I think the first things I would check out would be anything pertaining to meal planning and daily routine. Thanks for a great giveaway!

  44. We will be moving in a few months, so for sure the moving lists would be extremely helpful! Also, the meal planning and cleaning lists – I would hardly know what to do if I was so on top of things! 😉

  45. Wow! I work part time, had a baby in August, its my first year homeschooling my 5 and 6 year old, we’re moving in the next couple of weeks and I’m orgainization-ly challenged! I would love some tools to help me keep it together!

  46. I love making lists (just ask my husband) so I would use it for anything and everything. I’m also going to be starting with homeschooling next year for KN so it would come in handy for that too!

  47. Oh my… I can’t survive without lists! You do realise you just made a list about lists, right?
    I am subscribed to your blog through Google Reader, and this would be super helpful for me. I would use the lists to balance (my word for 2011) my time between all the things I do (and have to do but don’t do) in a day.

  48. I would start with the home cleaning pages and then look for the homeschool printables. I have had this site bookmarked for ages but haven’t subscribed yet. I like to make my lists on the computer. (Not handwritten.)

  49. I printed off your great ‘freebie’ thanks for sharing that with us! I would go for the Home Educator eplanner as well as I’m starting to homeschool my daughter in preschool and am a bit overwhelmed already on how to plan and accomplish “learning” for her and stay on task.

  50. Oh wow, I make lists about my lists 🙂 LOVE lists 🙂 They keep me sane and organized. I would be so happy with a subscription for an entire listmaking service! I think I would mainly use it to organize my cooking…and cleaning…and kids….and home…and more!

  51. I would use it to help me stay on top of house cleaning–I never manage to do things as often as they need to be done!

  52. I’d use them to help me create my household notebook to keep me more organized in running my home. annejk112233(at)yahoo(dot)com

  53. Oh, there are so many lists that I would print out and use. Food journal, exercise log, books read log, website favorites and password info, movie inventory, newsletter planner…etc.
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    blessed.mama4 at yahoo.com

  54. Everything looks wonderful! For me, right now, I think the meal planning pages would come in handy. I really need help in this area. The Home Educator Planner looks really handy.

  55. I just won the HomeSchool ePlanner thru SimpleHomeSchool. I really like the layouts and the ideas that come to mind from the forms are great. Maybe I’ll win the year subscription. 🙂 If not, I’ll probably spring for one in the near future.

  56. I would use the moving list definately (we will be moving 3 times in the next year!) and the homeschooling lists. ALL of them. We will be transitioning my 3rd grader from public school to homeschool starting in the fall. I am so nervous for all the changes ahead and would love some good lists to keep me from going insane! Did I mention we have a baby due in May as well? I may need more than just good lists to survive this…

  57. I loved the lists in the home management section, especially the cleaning/organization ones. We are certainly working on this at my house right now!

  58. I love the idea of the Homeschool e-Planner — sounds like just what I need! I’m always falling off the cart with planning and recordkeeping.

  59. I could totally use the home educating list, homemaking list, and the business list, among others! Thanks for the opportunity!

  60. I posted this giveaway to my blog for simpler living. I know that I could really, really use this right now! Thanks again!

  61. I would love to win because I am in desperate need of some mental organization. One of my goals this year is to make a homemaker binder.

  62. I would definitely start with the monthly cleaning list and then probably end up printing every possible list. I am a list maker but just tend to make them on scraps of paper that get thrown out :/ Thanks for the chance at winning!

  63. i’d use these in my notebook, i really like the list of your childrens growth charts/clothes…that’s one i don’t currently have!

  64. I would use the home management lists and time management lists to help run my household more efficiently
    balindberg[at]q[dot]com

  65. I would use it in many of the same ways you are using the lists – to organize your day and make life easier, in general! I’m not a natural list maker, although I love the idea, and when someone has created lists for me to fill out, I actually use them!!!

  66. I have for awhile now been wanting to get more organized in my home-cleaning schedule and meal-planning, but often feel at a loss of where to start. ListPlanIt would be so helpful in getting me organized and started!

  67. first use- homeschool planner for both the kids and myself – need something complimentary; secondly, menu planners to mix family meals and my scd/gaps meals – planning work and working the plan, want fresh motivation – help!

  68. I feel like I’m flying by the seat of my pants most days. Household + Homeschooling. I’ve done well with planners before but I always try to make them from scratch and that takes too long and I need something yesterday 🙂 Love the menu ideas and would love to utilize the new home educating forms .

  69. What WOULDN’T I do with those lists! I try to make my own to-do lists but for some reason they wind up lacking something in the end. But these lists are so thorough and neatly organized. I really need to get organized with a 2yo and a 6mo. I’m also the co-leader for our local Holistic Moms Network chapter, and these organizational tools would be very useful in event planning. And next year, when I start preschool with my oldest, I could really use some help to organize my lesson plans! Meal and grocery planning would of course be useful as well. Oh, and my blogging, which has been neglected for a few weeks (months?) now… Phew, I could use this for so many things!!!

  70. Ok, Directions say to leave a comment per action so here is #1:

    The forms I saw that looked the most beneficial to me would be the home management forms. It appears that everything I have resolved to do this year is encompassed there…de-cluttering, organizing hobbies, writing out our home maintenance schedule and keeping records of what we have had done

    I also liked the financial planning ones, specifically the budgeting forms and expenses schedule. The Funds and various worksheets looked intriguing as well.

    The planner pages I had to leave–MAJOR weakness of mine there–I could spend hours planning and plotting.

    After perusing the Personal Interest sections (want) I have to leave–this site is awesome!

    Ruth

  71. if it win, i’d definitely use the lists for home management and meal planning. we’re planning to start the GAPS diet and with all our food allergies, i think we’d need more organization and planning than usual!!

  72. Oh my, I have never seen so many lists. I would definitely use the meal planing lists, not sure which one though. And the cleaning lists. What a great site:) Seeing that I am planning on homeschooling next year I will probably use lists for that too.

  73. I’d probably start with meal planning, but I would also use the home management and travel lists. I can only imagine how often I’d use it!

  74. I would LOVE a membership to listplanit. We are expecting a baby any day now and getting organized would be super helpful. And soon we’re moving across the country so the moving lists would be very helpful!!

  75. Wow, I would love to have access to all those lists (or at least the home education ones!!!!) I am a pastors wife and homeschooling mom of four kids (not all are homeschooled yet.) I love making lists but never good with finishing them and easily distracted by thoughts of other things to do. I need to get the management of my home/household under control before I am homeschooling all my children! I really need help in focusing and think that pre-determined lists could help a lot!!!! Please pick me :)!!!

  76. I’d love to have a membership with ListPlanIt! I’ve looked on their website many times before, and always wanted to take the plunge, but I’ve never done it.

  77. How wouldn’t I use these lists is more like it! I looked through all of the categories and I found lists in EVERY category that I could and would use. I could use the inventory, the contact lists, the to do planner, the website lists,…the list of lists just goes on and on.

  78. Oh, wow- how would I NOT use the lists!! I’m expecting my third baby in three years and lists help me get through my days! I’d say the one list that would probably help me the most would be the menu planning list. I always sit down to make that list myself and somehow it never gets finished. Oh, and the cleaning list would be super helpful, too. They all would be helpful!! So excited about this give away- thank you!!!

  79. I’d definitely use the meal planner and moving list in the next month or so….probably more as I found different needs!

  80. This is such a useful giveaway. We’re getting ready to move, so I’d use the moving pages. I’m easily daunted by cleaning (except the kictchen), so the chores/cleaning lists sound helpful… also the gardening one. We’re moving to a place with a cellar, so I definitely want to grow some produce that can be preserved this year 🙂

  81. Stephanie, you are touching on one subject I have been planning on doing; cleaning, organizing, and inventorying my pantry and freezer. One of my toughest jobs is trying to create a menu for a week. I am one of those ladies who decides what to fix for dinner that morning. I love to be organized, but I tend to find myself disorganized.

    I make a list for grocery shopping… what would I do without that list!?

    I never knew there was a site called ListPlanIt. I believe this site is a good way to get yourself organized, and they have tons of forms to do this. From Business Planning to Travel Planning, this site has it all! Even though my daughter is in college and on the cusp of adulthood (nearly 18), lists are still an important part of our lives. I would love a chance to win a one year membership to this awesome site! I signed up for their newsletter. I cannot wait to see the wonderful tips and ideas then send my way!

    I love your blog Stephanie! Thank you for all the things you write about. I keep updated through Google feeds on facebook, and twitter.

    Here is my post to facebook, sharing with my friends:

    “Don’t feel like you are organized enough? As for me, I may feel like I am organized… but I do need lists to keep going; especially as I get older! Here is a great way to do it! Stephanie has some wonderful ideas to keep you organized and there is a site called ListPlanIt that has all sorts of lists to help you get organized. She is offering a one year free print it membership. Check it out!”

  82. How I’d use List PlanIt…. I’d first use for homeschooling, in all the areas you mentioned. I use lists for everything. Everything! Such a great idea for a business, truly!

  83. The meal planning lists and home schooling lists would save my life! Also, moving is our favorite hobby (we’re missionaries) so that too would come in handy! Blessings on you!

  84. I love my listplanit membership, but the homeschooling eplanner sounds awesome. I still haven’t developed a good system for keeping track of my homeschooling plans and ideas.

  85. Oh. I. Want. To. Win. This. I homeschool, run my own business, blog, cook from scratch, and occasionally clean. How would I NOT use ListPlanIt?!?! I think my favorite pages would be for homeschooling and menu planning!!!

  86. I would love to receive…it would cure my inner “list-maker” 😉 I would use it for meals, chores, homeschooling, grocery shopping, you name it 🙂

  87. I think, as a homeschooling mom, that the list for taking care of the home would be the most incredible helper to me. I am a homeschooling mom, going through a divorce, having to look for a job… all in addition to teaching. Anything to help me organize my home would be a tremendous help. Also, we’ll be moving in June when our lease is up, so the moving list would be especially beneficial as well.

  88. I am learning that I need lists to make me more productive, more organized, and less stressed! I totally love all the financial planning lists that List PlanIt has! Seeing our finances in black and white each month was the best thing our family ever did!

  89. I need to start meal planning. I currently try to figure something out for today & tomorrow & worry about the rest of the week later. I need something structured to help me,and this could be it!

  90. I’d use a bunch of the home planning lists to get my house back on track, and help keep me on the ball with all the other upcoming things I’ve got coming my way.

  91. I have been wanting a listplanit membership for a long time! I would use it for meal planning, school, cleaning schedules, christmas, birthdays, and they have so many more I’d love to check out.

  92. As a homeschooling mother of 7 (soon-to-be 8) under the age of 8. I am finding it essential to organize every aspect of my life. I found your wonderful website last night and am inspired by your menu planning ideas and your homemaking book. I’d love to win the ListPlanIt giveaway!! Thanks!!

  93. these list are great! as a homeschooling, budgeting, life-organizing mom myself I am always on the look for ways to help me stay on top of things. The organizer I started with this year did not fit the bill, but this just might do the job!

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