to wonder if anybody else is rubbish with organisation and admin

[saturdayturnsintosunday]

I am always missing things, losing things and forgetting about things. I know it drives DH batshit and I hate it as well.

Has anybody actually managed to get on top of stuff despite not being very good at it?

[GinismyTonic]

I'm like that too. Sadly no answers or advice though

[sandy30]

Are you relying on memory alone? If so, you need coping strategies: a notebook where you write anything that comes into your head; laying out clothes the night before; a key ring that beeps when you whistle; etc.

[saturdayturnsintosunday]

I don't lose keys. I lose notebooks though. Or forget to write in them :)

[MinecraftWonder]

I have an awful memory so I have a big family calendar in the kitchen - everything goes on it.

I have also trained myself to check my email every single night. Throughout the day, if something occurs to me that I need to remember or do, I send an email to myself, which I know will be checked that evening.

[Pensfriends]

I'm rubbish, anything I can lose gets lost and I'm very unorganised. DH is very organised and has tried to help me but I think I'm beyond help sadly. DS1 seems to have inherited this too as he now manages to come home from school without any of his bags etc.

[Boxoffrogs123]

I have a whiteboard in the kitchen if it's written on there great, if it's not on there it's not happening. Unfortunately I have a slight problem with writing everything on it no help at all really sorry !

[snowgirl1]

I put everything on Google calendars. Everything. If it doesn't go on there, it will get forgotten. DH & I share our Google calendars, so we can remind each other of stuff. You've just reminded me that I need to put the date the photographer is going into DD's nursery on the calendar so that she goes in looking vaguely presentable.

[DoJo]

We have a big wall planner where we can see the whole year's activities and I use my phone to set reminders for everything else.

[GriefLeavesItsMark]

I have aa misplaced tendency to diagnose over the internet. So feel free to ignore. But do you think you might have attention deficit disorder - losing stuff etc is typical of add.

[Topseyt]

Large family planner on the wall of the kitchen was what usually saved the day here, especially during the years when I had three children at three different schools.

I can't say we always got it right, there were regularly close calls. It helped though.

For me, everything has to have its own place, and has to go back in that place every time. If for any reason that hasn't happened I am lost and furious.

For DH, nothing ever has a place and he puts things down somewhere different every time. He is also a hoarder (I am a would-be minimalist). His hoard is largely confined to his "study" and if it starts to encroach too much into the rest of the house I start throwing it out, taking it to the dump and get arsey with him.

[PrincessTooty]

Siri is the answer.
I set alarms and reminders for everything and I am a particular fan of location based reminders. For example I ask Siri to remind me when I next go to the supermarket to buy a new toothbrush then when I'm next in the supermarket my phone beeps and there is the reminder. It's brilliant.

I also make sure I am extra tidy and careful with things. Everything has a place. I simply can't trust my brain to remember if I have put something down in a random spot. Everything is filed away and I don't let myself put off doing things until later.

It requires effort but I think 'being disorganized' is something that can be dealt with but only if you want to.

I feel so much happier and calmer when I'm in control of things.

[vitaminC]

I'm Ok with organisation but TERRIBLE with paperwork and administration. It's the bane of my life. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears...

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es]

I don't get on with Siri, it never does what I tell it, but I am heavily reliant on my phone. Everything goes straight on the calendar, which is shared with DH, I deal with mail/school letters as soon as they come in and use my phone to take a photo of every school letter, spelling list, homework sheet so I have copies if they get lost or I can check details when I'm out.

[dontcryitsonlyajoke]

PrincessTooty - How does Siri know you are at the supermarket? Do you have to tell her? My mind is blown that my phone can remind me of the stuff that I can't remember to put in there! I'm good at keeping appts and school stuff up to date on my diary but rubbish at remembering the "buy stamps and drop off that cheque to Jim down the road when you go to the supermarket" type stuff and need help with that.

[fulldutypaid]

Wall planner is needed I couldnt function without one.

[saturdayturnsintosunday]

Sometimes I do wonder grief, but I think I am just lazy to be honest!

[geekymommy]

I think the secret is to try to get into good habits, have realistic expectations, and most importantly don't try to fix everything at once. You'll just fail if you try, as anyone who has made New Year's resolutions can tell you.

Maybe try to find a solution to the worst problems first, the ones that are costing you money or annoying DP the most.

[jelliebelly]

You need a wall planner/calendar to write everything on. I use lists - lots of lists that live in a notebook in my handbag

[sproketmx]

Me. The only way I've managed so far is by writing everything down in the kitchen calendar. Appointments birthdays school discos etc all go in there

[Casimir]

Best decision I ever made was to give up trying to remember things. it all goes in THE BOOK and then it happens.

[Leafitout]

My admin is a junk draw or in a pile at the bottom of the stairs, on top of the fuse box, bedside cabinet and so on. I'm a bit scatty and sometimes just pile up unopened letters thinking I'll do it another day! I just about organise any appointments but only if I have my phone to hand to write the time and day in! Basically I'm proper rubbish at both! Yanbu.

[saturdayturnsintosunday]

I forget to write things on wall planners, and forget to look at it even when I do!

[Ememem84]

Im slowly starting to get organised. I have a notebook for things. I use the calendar on my phone. I sync it with work so if I need reminding I get a pop up at work too.

Mine is household and paperwork organisation which needs work. I've started secluttering. So figure if j have less stuff there will be less to organise.

Paperwork I'm slowly switching to paperless.

[Chillywhippet]

MN tip that has changed my life - get a lever arch file. Write Oct 2015- on it. From tomorrow file things you want to keep in order that they arrive. Throw the rest away. It works really well because although it's not carefully filed by subject I can find what we need. When file is full just start a new one.

It won't stop you having a to do pile but another MN tip that 8 try to do is just handle things once when I can. So letter from school - put dates on calendar or take picture with phone/tablet and bin. Or put in file if you want.

I have this next to the front door.
www.wilko.com/sticky-notes+memo-pads/wilko-weekly-planner-set/invt/0349365 Obviously it needs updating every Sunday but lots of things stay on.

What I like is we can see it on the way out and if anyone asks me a question I can say,
"My brain is on the board."
The kids say, "Yeah Dad. Commune with the board."

It is work and you need to keep a diary o calendar to actaully fill in board. but so is looking for things, forgetting things, being late. It's all work

[Dogzeyes]

I'm terrible at organising and naturally messy person so I feel your pain.

However I am a lot better now days, what helped me was to have one simple system that I forced myself to stick to until it became habit. In my case keeping a diary and checking it regularly.

But to be honest for a while it will not come naturally (if it did you wouldn't have this trouble) and so stick with it. Even if you miss a few weeks and get behind go back to it and don't give up!