My Employment Manual

Flylady calls it a Control Journal. Candy calls it a Home Management Binder. I call it my Brain, my Duty Journal or my Employment Manual. What it really is is a large 3 ring binder with all my little notes and schedules all put together in one place. I always kept schedules and checklists and chore charts, but I never had them all in one permanent place that they wouldn't' get lost or destroyed. This spring I ran across Candy's blog and started reading about her binder. I then popped over to flylady and found she had something called a control Journal. How had I missed reading about this before?

At first I must admit that Candy's scheduling annoyed me. (Sorry, Candy if you're reading this.) It seemed too good to be true. It probably annoyed me because it was an area I had been struggling with at the time. Anyway, I let the idea marinate a while and then decided that in order to make meal planning much easier I would give one of these binders a go. I'm glad I did. I now have a place to keep track of all the stuff that got lost before- lists, phone numbers, vitamins, homeschooling , and more. I have been blessed since implementing the use of my Brain.

Mine isn't nearly as fancy as some. It's just a simple 3 ring binder with a pocket on the inside. None of the pages are fancy or decorated. Most of them were made by hand using a ruler and pencil until I'm certain how I want to keep things or find a printout I like.


I have extra page protectors in the back and a clip in zip pocket in the front with pens, pencils, dry erase and post it notes. I never have trouble finding a pen anymore.

Section 1 is my Routines/to-do's/calendar. It may seem silly to write simple things down like get dressed, make bed and brush teeth, but on those winter mornings when I have the blahs, it will be helpful to look at my Brain instead of having to try to function on my own. I have morning, afternoon, and evening/before bed routines written down. They are more like a to-do checklist. After my schedule comes my August-June calendar. I really made it to write down our home school goals and schedules so I need to make another for my own personal stuff.

Section 1 also has my master weekly schedule. Here I have the days that run across the top and times that run down the side. Here is where I remind myself that Tuesday garbage goes out and Wednesday cans come in. You get the idea.

Section 2 is food. Here I have my personal menu plans and ideas as well as the one for our co-op. Really, making the co-op lunch plans is what inspired me to start doing the same for our own home. I like variety, and get bored with the same kinds of food over and over. Thus far I have not repeated a recipe in 5 weeks. Next week I may begin repeating. I try a new recipe every week, and incorporate the tried and trues in as well.

Section 3 is Bible study-pretty self explanatory.

Section 4 is herbal remedies as well as homemade cleaning product recipes. I love to make them. They not only save money, but are better for the environment and my family.

Section 5 is phone numbers, emergency contacts etc.

Section 6 is homeschooling calendar.

Section 7 is a list of samples I want to save for school portfolio.

After that Is extra page dividers, loose leaf, a clipboard and page protectors. I'm always ready to add another section, and I know I will.

Some people post pictures of their books. I dont want to take that kind of time.

It really has been a blessing to me and my family. I no longer am fluster from misplacing a paper or disgusted when it's suppertime and don't know what to cook. I'm not as scheduled as Candy, but I'm not Candy. I'm me and that's how God wants me to be.

If you've not put together a binder of your own, you can cruise over to flylady or Candy's and follow their directions or you can play around with what you have and make up your own.