Autumn Notebook Challenge

Okay...we are all set for the Autumn Notebook Challenge...right? Right? Well if not ...get out there and get your notebook and dividers....September 1st is coming up on Tuesday....so out weekly challenges will post EVERY TUESDAY in September...and by the end of the motnh you will have your notebook set up and ready to use for the fall season this year and every year!!

Week One: September 1st: Overview of the sections/items/set up.

Week Two: September 8th: The Month of September

Week Two: September 15th: The Month of October

Week Three: September 22nd: The Month of November

Week Four: September 29th: Catching up and Pulling it all together

As I mentioned, I'll be working the challenge with you...so let's pull together a great resource.

Summer Notebook

I pulled out my Summer Notebook and what awaited me....several sections of reminders that I want to consider this year...

Section One: Summer Months Calendars with vacations, trips, events, and other items recorded on them.

Section Two: Summer Chores List...all those things that nag at my mind to do...jotted down in a nice list...just waiting to be marked up and accomplished!! Well....its a long list so hopefull some of the items will get marked off!!

Section Three: Christmas in July ....yep its almost here,....that long hot month where Christmas is my focus...when it rolls around I KNOW I need to get bust if I plan on being prepared for Christ 2009!!

Section Four: Backyard Bash.....a special place for planning our annual backyard theme party....this year the theme is Hillbilly Hoedown....and I need to start working...our date is July 18th this year....and there's lots to do...first on the list is send out the invitations!!! Well actually make them first...LOL

That's about the extent of my Summer Notebook...but it feels so good to have it out...summer breezes by so quickly and the notebook helps me stay on track both chores wise and fun wise!!!

Putting Together an Easter Notebook

Since the Easter Countdown starts NEXT Sunday March 1st I thought I'd share with you some ideas about setting up an Easter Notebook. You can find covers and dividers at Melinda's Notebook site. You can find other printables as well as task lists at Organized Christmas HERE. In addition the whole Easter Countdown framework is at Magical Holiday Home HERE.

Sorry there's a bit of glare on the picture but this is one of the covers available at Melissa's notebook site. There are also divider pages at both Melinda's and Organized Christmas so take your pick of the ones that suit your fancy. I would suggest spending this week printing a cover sheet and the six dividers...one for eack of the six weeks of the Easter Countdown.

Autumn Notebook

I've been updating my Month by Month Notebook...I added some tabs so that each month is a bit easier to locate.

I am also in the process of working up the Autumn Notebook. You can check out a page over at Cranberry and Company that I am using to house some Autumn Notebook stuff.

Autumn Notebook Page

I am just getting started with it but hope to add more material each week. In the meantime for those interested in a Halloween Notebook or in the Halloween Countdown....all the printable divider pages are up and ready. Also the Craft links and printable checklists are ready for Weeks 1-3. You can find them:

Halloween Countdown

With August school is in the forefront for me but I am getting excited about fall and the approaching holiday season. October is one of my favorite months and I love the house with the autumn decor up. I hope to do a bit better organizing the stuff when I put it away this year. right now my autumn stuff is suffering from lack of attention!!!

Month by Month Update

Well, lately I have been feeling a bit stressed and out of control and WHY? I asked myself...BECAUSE I had been neglecting my Word for 2008 which is SIMPLIFY...Suddenly blogging which I love had become a chore, I had no new ideas, nothing to offer, a real writer's block! The end of school, graduation and other family stuff gave me an excuse not to look closely at the issue...blog addiction...LOL....that's what I'll call it but in reality I was having a lot of fun checking out different formats, themes, and topics to blog....a lot of fun...until...I realized it was taking a lot of time and effort to figure out which blog to write what on, remembering where I had said what and was I repeating myself? and thinking of something to say EVERYWHERE...and then feeling guilty when I couldn't come up with anything NEW.

Hence the decision to delete and consolidate blogs...still working on moving the articles off the Creative Spirit and then it is poof...gone also. Hooray...because that will allow me to focus on the two blogs I LOVE...Ginger's Journey and Month by Month.....I still enjoy the Special Day blogs too...but really a couple posts a month are enough to keep those updated!! One that outlines my plans for the month and one that reviews what I accomplished. I am telling you I am happy with the decision and I think you will be too...because it means....I'm BACK and focused on sharing some stuff with you here.

Now where were we....oh yes...SUMMER NOTEBOOK....

Here's a good article and short checklist for summer chores: HERE

And here's one for the garden: MidSummer Chores but I'll warn you its quite a doozy...that's okay it does have a lot of good info!

And here's one called: What to Do in the Garden in June

I made up my own list for my home which includes:

1. Powerwash house
2. Wash all windows (inside and out)
3. Shampoo carpets
4. Clean light fixtures throughout the house
5. Clean ceiling fans
6. Clean all vents (don't forget air conditioner air out vents)
7. Seasonal linen closet cleaning...discard worn fall linens and attach list to door for replacement)
8. Clean out seasonal items from garage...summer declutter
9. Change candles to summer scents
10. Deoderize laundry hampers and baskets
11. Clean and deoderize litter boxes
12. Clean and declutter gardening/potting shelves

Many of these are taken from my Magic Maintence list...because remember we need to distribute them throughout the year so they get done. This is one way I do it...add them to my seasonal chores lists.

Covers for Seasonal Notebooks

Here's a couple of links to possible notebook covers to print.

Spring and Summer

I am going to print both the Spring and Summer...and put one as the front of the clear view binder and one in the back...when the seasons change I can just flip the sheets...so in the Spring...I will move that cover sheet to the front and put the summer one in the back!!

There are lots of good ideas for cover sheets and grapics out there to use...I may eventually create one that says....Spring and Summer Notebook...but for now I will use these two. If you create one...we'd love to see it here at Month by Month.

Summer Notebook Dividers

I am listing some ideas for dividers or sections of your summer notebook. You may use some/all/or none of them. Your notebook is as individual as you are so plan accordingly.

• Calendar Section: Almost every notebook I own has a calendar section.
• Home Section: This section houses seasonal chores list, summer projects, and other things related to the care and upkeep of our home during the summer months
• Outdoor Spaces: This section is the same as the Home section but focuses on the outdoors, garden beds etc.
• Entertaining: This is planning central for our annual summer bash, as well as, any patio parties or other events that we host....or attend for that matter.
• Summer Decor: This is the place for decor ideas, reminders of what worked and what didn't, dream lists etc.
• Summer Days: This section house "special days" during summer like National Ice Cream Cone Day etc. This is also the section where I put information about possible day trips or local events.
• Summer Sensations: This section is the list of summer sensations ideas, any notes about activity boxes etc.
• Summer Storage: Here I put my clothing storage information, Decor storage info and notes, as well as the list of summer linen, party supplies inventory etc.

Keeping on Track

One of the hardest things about home making and organization is that it is a process. It never ends and when you let up for a bit things very quickly fall into disarray! So I am constantly looking for ways to stay motivated. Part of what helps is the instant "good feeling" that comes when I walk into a room that is decluttered and clean. It feels like FREEDOM!

Another thing that motivates me is to post here at at Month by Month...although lately I have been a bit lax...LOL...no promises for entires this week because I still haven't cleared the list from the last time I posted it...but I do plan to get up some new thoughts and ideas. It is also time to start working on our Summer Notebook. So get a nice notebook 1 and 1/2 inches is what I use. Either buy or make some dividers...for this one i am going to pick up a set or two of dividers at Walmart...they usually have some pretty colors or patterns this time of year.

Right now ALL my seasons are sections in one Four Seasons notebook but I am changing the format. I will break it into two notebooks: Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter...this will give me a bit more room without the notebook getting out of control size wise! So you need to think about whether you will have all your seasons in one notebook, two notebooks, or four notebooks...plan according when buying your dividers!

Well I have three things to do before bed this evening and typing is NOT one of them...so I better get off for tonight...later...and keep moving forward even if it's only an inch at a time!!!

Month by Month Update

Got a little off track this week as I am working on the blog rings for Rudolph Day and Great Pumkin Day. Don't worry though there is still lots more to come here at Month by Month. I am wanting to get some new pictures up of my April section and also get working on stuff to share about my Seasonal Notebook. With the Seasonal Notebook(s) you can do it one of two ways...you can create four notebooks...one for each season or you can create a Four Seasons Notebook and put dividers for each season. You have to be thinking about how YOU want to use your seasonal notebook. I have used it in several different ways over time. Here are some of the things I have included in the past:

• Seasonal chores lists (compiled from ones off the internet)
• Seasonal clothing storage lists (where and what)
• Decorating ideas for the seasons (from magazines or internet)
• Linen lists (I like to change sheet sets and bedding every season)
• List of ideas for seasonal trips or day trips...info about local events
• List of any special or fun days to remember...not holidays but like Winnie the Poohs Birthday and fun stuff like that
• Seasonal Decor...list and storage spots

I am sure there are others that I have played around with in the past but you sort of get the idea...to me the Seasonal Notebook is more of an archival than a daily working notebook but it can be however you want it...sometimes I switch the Seasonal chores list out and put them in my Month by Month notebook at the beginning of each season...other times I just refer to them in the Seasonal Notebook. So be thinking about HOW you want to use your seasonal notebook...we will work together on putting together SUMMER...Most likely start the end of MAY to get it ready for Summer.