A while ago I mentioned I had a new system of organization I was working on. It’s not so much a system of organizing my house, but rather one that organizes all the paper that comes in via mail, kids drawings and letters, and all the to-do lists that I have written down or have floating around in my head. It has been almost two months and look at the transformation that has taken place at my desk!
Before:
After:
Seriously my desk has been like this for over a month! There are no piles and piles of papers to get through, no scattered to-do lists, just neatly organized file folders and a huge peace of mind (and some purple marker a la Ganache that I still need to paint over).
Back in January I was offered the opportunity to try out Mind Organizations for Moms (M.O.M.) created by April Perry one of the co-directors of Power of Moms. Have you heard of Power of Moms? Its the “professional organization” for mothers everywhere who take their “job” as a mother very seriously and desire a network of other mothers that can provide ideas, inspiration and empowerment. They have articles and podcasts, retreats and learning circles, and a huge amount of free resources on their website all designed to help you in your mothering. One of the programs they offer is Mind Organization for Moms.
April used David Allen’s best-seller, Getting Things Done® and adapted it to be more mom-specific. She teaches you how to organize the papers that come into your home and all the information that you have stored in your head. Remember my fiasco with visitors to my house a while back? Yeah, it happened right when I was beginning to implement M.O.M. It just showed me how much I really needed this system!
Here’s a quick overview of how my desk is organized.
On the wall is a three tiered file basket. I have files for each member of my family there where I store any extra special pictures or letters. I also have files for family projects, vacations we would eventually like to take, etc.
Closeup view of my “cubby” system. These folders are for my personal projects and goals, family management like finances or activity ideas, and the lower shelves hold my tickler file and “in”box folders. To the left you can see a magazine holder I use for my study journal as well as books I have agreed to review. On the right you can see an index card box.
This cute black bee box was originally for recipes but I use it for my scripture and quote memorization system. Isn’t it darling?
Behind it is this index card box which houses my cleaning system (more on that in another post). I am hoping to find another wooden recipe box that I can have Brownie paint for me to match my bee box.
Any mail or papers accumulated throughout the week get put in a lower “in”box. Once a week I sit here and sort through them, filing them in their appropriate folders. I look over my goals and project sheets crossing off or adding to them. Daily I sit here to try and do my personal scripture study, work on memorizing quotes or scriptures, and read. I also pull out the index cards with the cleaning tasks for the day and file them away in the evening.
I didn’t use to carry around a calendar but I do now. It’s a small one that fits in my purse but can also fit in my back pocket (I have a big bottom so my pockets are big!). I am learning to write down my to-do lists for the day or week there as well as keep track of appointments, blog deadlines, meetings, birthdays, etc.
The most amazing thing though is what has happened inside my head. You know we mothers are always thinking about this or that that needs to be done. In fact it takes me at least an hour to finally fall asleep at night…..or it did until I really got into the M.O.M. program. There was so much information floating around in my head that my brain was taking that slow down time to sort through it all. M.O.M. is like a file system for my brain!
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| While I work baby Junior Mint occupies himself by pulling books off the shelves. Lovely. |
The ladies at Power of Moms have been great checking in to see if I have any questions or need any help or advice as I progress in the M.O.M. program. There are a TON of additional articles, pictures, and videos online as well as an F.A.Q. section to help you. I opted to take the slow route but there is also a Two Week Mind Organization for Moms program for those who want to get in and get it started already.
Want to find out more? You can read more about the M.O.M. program here or try out a free start-up M.O.M. program (its not the full thing but gives you an idea).
Congrats to Dezi Allen, the winner of the M.O.M. program!
Power of Moms is offering a FREE Mind Organizations for Moms program to one of you! This is a $75 value! To enter the giveaway:
1 entry (required) leave a comment on why you need to get organized, what’s most difficult about organization, or some other question that will help Power of Moms better understand the needs of the moms out there.1 entry – like The Power of Moms on facebook.1 entry – follow The Power of Moms on Twitter.1 entry each – blog, tweet, or facebook about this giveaway. Please leave link in your comment.
Please leave a separate comment for each thing you do, make sure your email is either on your profile, or in your comment, and good luck! Giveaway ends Saturday at 5pm PST.
On a side note the Power of Moms newest book, Motherhood Realized: An Inspiring Anthology for the Hardest Job You’ll Ever Love
I love Power of Moms and I’ve been debating on trying out MOM for awhile now. Loved hearing your feedback. I need this because my desk looks a lot like the before pictures and I would LOVE to have everything neat and tidy on my desk AND my head 🙂
I have been wanting to try this system out for a long time. I LOVE power of moms. I haven’t convinced myself to spend the money on it yet. I would love to feel freed from to do lists though!
I need help cause I have such limited space for everything that I need to keep.
Dezi A
sethdez@hotmail.com
Like them on FB.
Dezi Allen
Follow on twitter. @dezroute
Dezi Allen
tweeted https://twitter.com/dezroute/status/448693734067023873
Dezi A
I definitely need this. Organization is challenging to me and with just having my third child this month…I need to improve!
AuntSue
I am very impressed!
I just moved and am trying to get organized this time… I thought organization would be easy, but it’s not. I could sure use this system…. 🙂
I followed on FB
I would love some help with paperwork. As a homeschooler and as a Mom, there are always so many papers! Zemanfamily@rocketmail.com
Liked it on Facebook
I am working hard on decluttering my home & life right now! I want to be more organized & have a more simplified life! Would love to try a system like this!
I liked the facebook page
I follow powerofmoms on twitter
Tweeted 🙂 https://twitter.com/raisingmemories/status/448805798534053889
My most difficult thing is I start something – I’m good for a while but then I think midstream…oh it would be better to do it this way….then I switch…or simply have perfection paralysis because in my mind I see how I want things to be and it doesn’t match the reality. Thanks for the opportunity.
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/KarynWAllen/status/448830237363564544
I’m following @KarynWAllen
I have a desire to organize but I feel like I have a hard time starting out. Have a system would be wonderful!
I like Power of Moms on Facebook.
With 8 children in such different stages of life and my calling as a seminary teacher, I REALLY NEED help getting organized. I can start doing it, but life gets in the way, and I have such a hard time maintaining it.
I like Power of Moms on facebook
I liked on Facebook Karyn Allen (sts2000)
Wow! Way to go, Montse! Now I’m looking at my desk and thinking I could use some help, too… Baby number 13 is due in 4 weeks, and I’m neck-deep in organizing and sewing Shakespeare costumes for this year’s show. I’d love to get my papers under control! 🙂 Thanks for the opportunity!
I need to get my desk organized because it is publicly viewable in my kitchen and I can’t keep piles from forming.
I like the Power of MOMs on FB.
I’ve been trying to implement mind organization for a year now, I started out with a bang and for some reason I fizzled out. But when I was being consistent with my weekly reviews it was working fabulously. I loved knowing all those random thoughts were written somewhere and that my poor old brain didn’t need to try to remember them all. I need to buckle down and start using it again.
I like your desk setup. I think I’ve struggled be ause I really have nowhere to set something like that up, so I have parts here and parts there and it’s not efficient. Hmm, thinking on that.
Thanks for sharing.
Love power of moms. Just became an ambassador for them. They have some awesome things going on!
I need the help so badly. Understanding what is important to organize and what is just junk to get rid of and most importantly how to keep up on the organization. You have done a beautiful job with your desk. Thanks for sharing.
Also liked page on facebook.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10201941524241958&id=1300178491&refid=7&_ft_=qid.5995175262781020408%3Amf_story_key.-6595855627526916411&__tn__=%2As
I am organizationally challenged. At least I feel that way. Others look at me and think I’m organized, but I feel like my house has blown up around me and even with all the resources out there, I’m still baffled about where to start. I’d love someone to point me in the right direction.
Thank you for this giveaway.
I liked the Power of M.O.M.S on Facebook.
I facebooked about this giveaway. https://www.facebook.com/azeman1
Oh boy! This is a sore spot for me. I definitely need some help organizing all these blasted papers! We are only 2 years into homeschooling, and I feel like loose papers have already started taking control!! I could really use this. lindsay.a.weston at gmail dot com
With seven small children, I am frequently overwhelmed by the amount of papers and the number of activities I’m supposed to keep track of. Also, my house could use a better cleaning system. Sigh. Hope I win!
I so need this program! I have 4 busy busy children and a self employed husband who works a lot of hours. I constantly feel like I’m running in circles and getting nothing done!
I like Power of Moms on FB.
I have 5 kids. I love to be organized but could use some new ideas on how to keep the house and family “flowing”.
I’m following on Twitter.
Liked on Facebook
Tweeted about this: https://twitter.com/aubreyjnes/status/449271826955239424
Shared the giveaway on my FB page. (is there a way to share the link for a FB post? if there is I don’t know it)
I am working outside the home for the first time in years and need to find a way to keep the home organized so that our family time is maximized without the constant nag for cleaning/ picking up/ etc
Basically, I’m a hot mess and my disorganization is making it very difficult to be effective in any of my roles.