One of the largest challenges of running a household, can be managing all the paper!  What to keep, what to toss, where to file it, let alone filing it at all- can be an overwhelming series of tasks.  Consider creating a home management notebook: create your “powermom handbook.” 

Start with a 1-1/2 inch 3 ring binder, a box of page protectors, and stick-on durable tabs.  Attach a tab to a page protector, label the tabs and create page dividers.  Suggested page divider labels include: contacts, schedules, school, resources, ADHD management, menus, coupons, and business cards. As schedules and other papers needed for future reference come into the house, place them in an empty page protector and add to the handbook behind the appropriate divider. Think of the handbook as a bucket for your important papers- do not spend a lot of time organizing the business cards for example, just get them into a page protector and in your handbook.  You will know where to look when you need that important business card number or address.

Under Contacts, consider printing out your christmas card list or contact list from your computer and add to your handbook.  Include class address lists from your children’s school. Don’t be afraid to rip out the contact list page from a larger brochure and add it to your handbook, by filing it in a page protector.  Also consider collecting all that contact info that may be in your phone or handheld and write it down on paper, so other family members will have access to it when necessary.  Download your family home contact sheet here.

Under Schedules, file school calendars, sports calendars, scouting calendars, and work schedules.  Keep your local gym or Y brochure in its own page protector- or rip out the pertinent schedule pages and throw the rest away.

Under Schools, file assignment lists for class parties, school policies (like the recommended snack list), the snow emergency school number, and blank school medication dispensing forms.  Consider purchasing blank pre-printed absence/ early pick-up school forms and keep them at your fingertips in your powermom handbook.

Under Resources/ Reference, file museum membership info, recommended summer reading lists, metric conversions charts, teacher lists of recommended websites, sacrament guidelines and local maps.

Under ADHD Management, include blank copies of study buddy contact sheets, incentive coupons, weekly goal planning sheets, ASLUP sheets, and 6-Sided Survey sheets.  If you have incentive programs, blank paperwork of your program could be included here as well. Other items to include here is a printed copy of the National Resource Center on ADHD’s What We Know sheet (#1)on ADHD.  It is a great idea to have this printed and ready for the next teacher or coach who may need more information on ADHD. 

Another option for your “powermom handbook” is adding a clear 3 ring ziplock pocket.  Keep library cards, medical scripts, school identification cards, lock combinations, etc. in this handy, easy to spot location.  Again, use the pocket like a bucket- keep easy to lose cards and notes there for easy retrieval.