Our Home Management Binder - December 2013

I consider my self to have failed managing or shall we say, updating our home management binder. You see, when we moved out earlier this year, we did not move straight to our own house because it was still under renovation. Meanwhile we were staying in our temporary place, the binder was sealed and packed and remained unopened until we moved into our own house.

The binder is right on the right, you can see the blue plastic zipper as I placed it upwards along with some of our family pictures and plastic containers for dressing table organizers. Excuse the blurred image as you can see the shadow of my hand taking this picture.

As we moved in and starting new in the new house, it is clearly the opportunity to utilize this binder to its optimum function. 

The cover of our binder

We need to evaluate how to use this binder since I learned about this system from bloggers who has different culture from us. They use the binder or they call this command center since the house is only occupied with family members. Here we live with our domestic helpers so it may be unsuitable if we put this binder in public area within the house. If we do decide to keep this in the public area, such us our living room, we may have to omit the personal information such as our bank accounts. The helpers may not speak English but I don't think it will take much time for them to understand the contents of the binder. How hard can it be to comprehend the expense tracker, right?
I'm thinking that we need this binder as a keeper of general information around the house. Some of the category we already have serves as a keeper of our general information.

Let us review the ones we previously had :

1. The stationery and 2013 year calendar

The stationery pocket holds a calculator, markers, and pens (black and red). The calendar was from http://printables.yourway.net/

Of course we will still use the stationery holder and we will change the calendar to 2014 yearly calendar. I have one from the same source but I am considering to use the one I found here. Please do visit the link, it is one magnificent read.

2. Monthly calendar

From the month of June, I did not put anything. Obviously, this is the time the binder was untouched in our moving boxes

I have mine from here

I put my schedule, my husband's, and Baby No.1's activity in the calendar. This calendar only serves the purpose of giving general information of our activities. It allows me to remember what is happening each day. I have my detailed schedule in my own agenda. My husband doesn't own any kind of agenda so I think it will be helpful if I put his in this calendar.

3. Account tracker

I found mine here

My intention is, just like the title, to track all of our account, meaning our bank accounts and credit cards. I may have to change the detail a bit since we closed some of our credit cards.

4. Expense tracker

You can get your copy here

I would like to evaluate the use of this section since I have a hard time writing on this format. 

5. Baby food diary

I download mine from here

I started using this form when Baby No. 1 is 7 months old, when she was starting to eat solids. I did even make it to the first month. Bad, bad mom. Again, I found it hard to write in this format and I did not have the perseverance to discuss what my baby had for the day with her sitter. We will use this kind of table for Baby No. 2 in March and hopefully this time I will do better.

6. Monthly bill payment

I'm sorry I forget where I download this form. I used other format and leave this one blank just to show you. And I'm sorry the blurry image, I printed it when the ink was low in our toner

This table already serves its purpose as a reminder. I left out the image of the table I actually use since it clearly shows you, the reader, our monthly payment. Basically, it has the deadline of our monthly payment, along with the name of the bill. We only tick off the table on the right once we make a payment.

7. Plastic pocket

The plastic pocket & the divider I use

I use this plastic pocket to file any bills that needs to be noted in the above category.

At this point I am considering that I may need to change the binder altogether since I am reminded that one of the major reason this system is not working for us is my reluctance to write in this big of a format. 

I also find that with this kind of binder, it will not look as neat as if the content is full with even paper size. 

I would like to have a neater look for our binder next year

Having reviewed our binder, I realized the harsh truth, the kind of binder we are using right now is not suitable for us. I will not have those lovely binder I have seen around the web, I need to come up with one that we can actually utilize.

So, I have less than a week to 2014 to decide which category that will go into out home management binder. I need to keep in mind that we need a system that is truly beneficial to us, rather than for the sake to have a lovely binder which we cannot use in the end. Stay tune as I need time to do my homework.

How to Keep Your Devices Manuals

When we bought appliances or devices or gadget, they come with packaging and manuals. I used to keep all those packages, considering that if I ever have to sell them, I will get better prices if they come with their original boxes. The I realized that I have never sold any of my gadgets, I just gave them away to our helpers who rarely asked where is the original packaging. I then made up my mind that I will not keep those boxes anymore since they tend to pile up everywhere around the house and gather all that nasty dust.

But I think it is a different story when it comes to the manuals and the warranty cards. I collect them in case I need to find some information regarding the appliances or the gadgets. We do not have many things that come with manuals and cards so I still save them in the plastic pocket like so.

The plastic pocket to hold all my manuals and warranty cards

If the pockets become inadequate, we will categorize the manuals.
Since we do not have many, this is sufficient for the moment

Since our working area has not completely done, I keep this pocket in the cabinet in our bedroom, along with my paper stock, my Project Life items, and the expandable plastic folders that keeps the copies of our important documents.

I also try to find the soft copy version of the manuals. So far, I have only collected four which are the manuals for my cameras, for the new fridge, and the iron.

I put the manuals in my IBook for easy read

Should the manuals adding up, then I will consider to have them categorized. At the time being, i find this system serves us just fine.

And The Winner Is

Before moving to the new house, I have shared with you the home appliances I intended to buy here. In the end, these are the things that made it into our home.

It turns out that we did not need to purchase a new microwave since my mother-in-law gave us one as a gift. This saves us a lot. (Thanks, Mom!) I like the white color it brings in front of our brick wall although this is actually an old model. You can tell from the turn knob.

So far we do not have a problem with this baby. We use it only to warm our meal. 

As for the rice cooker, you know I really dislike how most home appliances look here. They look as if they are all made from plastic. The flowery pattern and the bright color just does not meet my taste. I have narrowed down my choices and already decided where I will but it from based on the above table. I changed my mind once I found this one.

http://www.starcosmosgroup.com
(I think the manufacturer should improve their product image, seriously)

Since I do not need any fancy feature and I dislike any pattern on my home appliances, this seems to be the perfect choice. It does what a magic com should, it cooks rice and it keeps them warm. That's it. No fuss.

I intended to buy it on-line but in the end, due to my procrastinating habit, I ended up buying this baby from one of our local supermarket. One online shop is running out of stock, the other has two weeks delivery time. Price difference is around IDR 85,000

Cook or warm, that simple

Excuse the 'blah' image, I tried to fancy it up a bit, but somehow it just did not work

We have not yet buy either kettle nor toaster. I am now considering whether or not we need the kettle since these days I cannot see any kettle features that may benefit us. Toaster will probably serves us better. 

What do you think? 

Moving In..

Okay I have to admit, the three months maternity leave did not go as I planned. Trying to catch up on my Project Life? I did not even print any of the photos. Planning the next birthday party for my babies? Have not thought about it since the beginning of my leave. Designing and decorating for the new house? We moved hastily with the project still on-going on the first floor, leaving me overwhelmed with the task of cleaning and moving our belongings in.

My Project Life binder and all my scrapbooking supplies, jammed in their new place, unpacked and just sitting there

So the plan I scribbled for Richelle's Project Life and for this blog is just going to be another complementary image in this blog. Ironically, if you see the image below, I have the intention to put the title of 'If You Fail to Plan, You Plan to Fail' for one of my post. I think in my case it is more appropriate to change it into 'I Succeeded to Plan but Fail Nonetheless'

Although it does not score big in Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale, I will definitely consider moving house as one of the most stressful life event. It may not apply to single people, but with baby and toddler, I think I was overwhelmed. Still am, perhaps. 

I do feel better now I have the time to write this post. I even feel better to be able to move photos from my camera. Such a rare thing a me-time is these days.

Tomorrow I am planning to take photos of the chaos around the house and maybe, if Baby No.1 has mercy on me, I will be able to list down the projects I need to tackle. 

Good night, everyone.