What system do you use to keep organised; diary, planner etc?

[Littlemiss74]

I posted this in chat but now thinking it might have better here. Any suggestions appreciated.

Just bought my annual M&S family calendar which gets firmly displayed in the kitchen for all to see.
This works ok as long as I’m in the kitchen but I feel like I need something else to help me with more detailed planning & organising for family life.

I have ADD so find organising and planning difficult and I get overwhelmed when my brain is thinking about too many things at once that need doing. Often results in me shutting down and doing very little.

I’ve tried a diary for my bag and a notebook to write lists but then I forget to look at them!!
I do use my phone to set reminders which is great although again sometimes I’ll be reminded of something but I’ll be busy doing something else and it will just go out of my head!

A lady who was helping me with the ADD suggested getting a Planner where I could split the days up into hours and schedule things in so that I could clearly see where my time is being spent (wasted😩). I loved this idea and started it only to again forget to look at it. Basically if it’s out
of sight it’s out of my mind!

With all the planning for Christmas right now my head is in a muddle and I wondered if anyone with a more organised brain could help me with some
suggestions to get through this busy time but also life in general. Thanks in advance

[Soontobe60]

We also have a wall calendar but I also use my phone calendar to add events, and the Notes page on my phone to write lists of things to do,

[Soontobe60]

So I have a shopping food list, gifts list, general ‘to do’ list on my phone

[OhWifey]

Also use notes on my phone. Have multiple levels of lists on there. New dates which I find out about when I'm not by the wall calendar get written in my notes on my phone until I get back to the calendar

[WalkAwaySugarbear]

Everything goes into my google calendar as soon as I receive the date with location and reminder if needed. I have a big 18m boxclever calendar in the kitchen that the family refer too and update it every week. I've tried diaries and filofax, I love the idea of them but they are not practical for me as they get forgotten about.

[thenewaveragebear1983]

I have a calendar, a diary (page a day) and a blackboard on the wall. I also write a very detailed daily list which I do each Sunday.

I do feel like I write everything down multiple times though and I am quite stressed at the moment by the sheer volume of little things I need to do and remember- I don't know if the list making is a symptom or a cause of this?

[Aragog]

I use my phone calendar. I have one calendar for work (blue) and one for home/personal (orange). This is shared with both dh and 17y dd. When dd was doing GCSEs we also had a shared one for all things related to that and revision - at her request.

For holidays I have some preset spreadsheet templates for recording what is booked and outstanding, any itineraries, etc. I then share them with dh and dd via iCloud.

I have a different spreadsheet for Christmas buying.

I have a written paper block for meal planning for the week.

I use the Notes on my phone to record lists and messages if I need to.

My phone, iPad and laptop are all linked so everything is on all three devices.

[lazylinguist]

Bullet Journal. I don't have ADD, but it's recommended by a lot of people who do. You do need to make time to use it and look at it every day, but it definitely saves you time in the long-run by making you more organised. The guy who designed it created it as a way of helping with his ADD or ADHD.

If you googleBullet Journal ADD I am sure you would find loads of useful stuff. Mine gives me so much peace of mind, by getting all the stuff whirling around my brain pinned down onto paper and by making me relax in the knowledge that there is nothing I've forgotten to do.

[lazylinguist]

Meant to say- I've nothing in principle against techy solutions, but physically writing things feels better and more helpful and cathartic for me. Plus if I go on my phone to do admin/organisation, I risk being distracted by social media etc.

[blackcat86]

We use an app called time tree (free) which is a family shared calendar app. We can add all of our events, apts etc to it and the other person can do the same.

[hopeishere]

I have all appointments on my work calendar colour coded. I look at it the most so it makes sense. I also use notes on my phone.

[31133004Taff]

physically writing things feels better and more helpful and cathartic for me. @lazylinguist

Totally agree. And with ADD an alarm set couple of times a day to get you into the routine of checking and amending.

[Khione]

I use Google calendar AND I use Alexa to add to calendar. Before I get up in the morning I say 'Alexa Good Morning'. I have set up a routine for when I say this.

She turns the bathroom heater on
She tells me the days weather and an update on the days news (BBC)
And she tells me what is on calendar for the day and reads out my to do list.

I then set any reminders I need for during the day

[Littlemiss74]

Thank you all for the replies. The bullet journal sounds interesting, I’ll have a look at that.

[MistressMind]

Yup minimal bullet journal and wall calendar here. I like the flexibility - some weeks I have a page for the week and split it into AM, PM and evening, sometimes I just have a whole month on one page and to do lists on the neighbouring one. It depends what I'm up to. I think online is probably the way forward these days but I can't get the hang of a diary where I can't immediately read each entry. However I do use my phone to set me reminders. A Fitbit is also good for setting discreet regular recurring reminders.

[FiveStoryFire]

www.trello.com

[BarbaraFromOopNorth]

Google calendar which I can see on my phone, ipad and laptop.

Remember the Milk for my to do list which I can see on my phone, ipad and laptop.

More room to include detail and no need to write the same thing numerous time which leads to errors. I don't understand the wall calendar/desk diary/handbag diary brigade. Sounds like too much hard work!

[Rockbird]

Everything goes on my calendar which is shared with DH. I use notes and reminders and take photos of everything. I have Aspergers and like to have everything with me so I can check things at a second's notice. I couldn't keep up with anything written, have tried numerous planners on fridge etc. It just doesn't work for me.

[Rockbird]

All calendars/notes etc on my phone I mean ^^

[Gingernaut]

Wall planner
Note pads and pens in most rooms
Dry wipe pens and boards or mirrors
Calendar function on phone
Alarm function on phone
Digital timer to help me with time management around the house.

[MrsPear]

Every week I write a list of what is happening each day on the week ahead this includes things I must remember - so today it says ds1 class party don’t forget chocolate and pack own clothes for after lunch. Tomorrow is ds2 carol service and I’m to meet other helpers in the office after drop off. I then add any must do jobs eg birthdays, renewals, bills etc as a side list.
I have reminders on my phone too for appointments for hospital etc

I check my phone, wall calendar and the school newsletter.

[Olive30]

I use a combination of a calendar and a weekly wall planner a bit like this www.amazon.co.uk/Whiteboard-Refrigerator-Resistant-Technology-42cmx29-7cm/dp/B07XZ39SHY/ref=asc_df_B07XZ39SHY/?hvlocphy=1006596&linkCode=df0&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=367666344176&hvpos=1o1&hvdev=m&hvtargid=pla-834137985069&hvrand=9473534460546230402&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21 Like you, I prefer physically writing things down but also set a few reminders on phone. These three things have helped loads.

[motherofawhirlwind]

Shared Google calendar for all family events. They go in as "Billy - Dentist" so you can see who is where easily.

Notebook with left hand page - shopping. Right hand page - to do list and meal plan. At the back - Christmas present lists and card list etc. The notebook lives in my handbag so always with me.

We also then use Google Keep for lists of longer term stuff like jobs for the house or when I need OH to get stuff from town in his lunch break.