Having an Organized Life

[MIA-D]

So since we as doulas are on call and things can get crazy when that client calls -

What do you do to keep your life organized so that you are ready to go on a moments notice? Do you have any secrets? Somethat that works great for you?

[DoulaKaren]

For the kids:
I keep the kids' bags for daycare packed at all times. Every night before I go to bed I pack their lunchboxes just in case (and of course end up having a lot of picnics as a result if I'm not called to a birth!). I have the appropriate cash in an envelope with instructions for my husband on how much to pay daycare on what day. I don't put away laundry but rather set out outfits for the week.

For DH/the house:
I have a bunch of stuff in the freezer and try to keep a batch of mac and cheese or other kid-pleasin' food that's easy to prepare. I have our menu for the month on the whiteboard so DH knows what we have on hand and he can pick from the list.

For me:
Doula bag ready and sitting by the door
Shower daily (hey, I have 2 small kids... my standards aren't always so high!)
Yellow Cab programmed in my cellphone
Charger for cellphone on my bedside table
Clothes laid out
Quick snacks ready to eat on the way to the birth
Mountain Dew in 20-oz bottles so I can stay fueled if I get a call at 3am... without having coffee breath!

[doula Michele]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoulaKaren For the kids: I keep the kids' bags for daycare packed at all times. Every night before I go to bed I pack their lunchboxes just in case (and of course end up having a lot of picnics as a result if I'm not called to a birth!). I have the appropriate cash in an envelope with instructions for my husband on how much to pay daycare on what day. I don't put away laundry but rather set out outfits for the week. For DH/the house: I have a bunch of stuff in the freezer and try to keep a batch of mac and cheese or other kid-pleasin' food that's easy to prepare. I have our menu for the month on the whiteboard so DH knows what we have on hand and he can pick from the list. For me: Doula bag ready and sitting by the door Shower daily (hey, I have 2 small kids... my standards aren't always so high!) Yellow Cab programmed in my cellphone Charger for cellphone on my bedside table Clothes laid out Quick snacks ready to eat on the way to the birth Mountain Dew in 20-oz bottles so I can stay fueled if I get a call at 3am... without having coffee breath!

Your organized!
The longer I do this, the less organized I become. But I have everything that I will ever need and more, in my car and in my purse.
I am so used to being on call, that it does not disrupt my life anymore.
Well....other than the fact I no longer drink alcohol or stay up late. That has been a good thing, becasue even when am not on call, I just never think to have a rye or a beer. Hmmmm.... although I am trying to remember when I have not been on call.

[MIA-D]

I am constantly checking to make sure that everything is ready to go. It seems like every time I am away from the house I think of something that needs to go in my bag.
Everything is right by the door and ready to go.
My kids have their instructions and I leave a detailed list with whomever is watching them.
A list of meals is on the fridge or money for pizza.
All of my papers and notes on the client are tucked neatly in their folder in my bag.

The one thing I can't seem to keep track of is where I leave my name tag so I am always triple checking where it is. LOL

[DoulaMegz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoulaKaren For the kids: I keep the kids' bags for daycare packed at all times. Every night before I go to bed I pack their lunchboxes just in case (and of course end up having a lot of picnics as a result if I'm not called to a birth!). I have the appropriate cash in an envelope with instructions for my husband on how much to pay daycare on what day. I don't put away laundry but rather set out outfits for the week. For DH/the house: I have a bunch of stuff in the freezer and try to keep a batch of mac and cheese or other kid-pleasin' food that's easy to prepare. I have our menu for the month on the whiteboard so DH knows what we have on hand and he can pick from the list. For me: Doula bag ready and sitting by the door Shower daily (hey, I have 2 small kids... my standards aren't always so high!) Yellow Cab programmed in my cellphone Charger for cellphone on my bedside table Clothes laid out Quick snacks ready to eat on the way to the birth Mountain Dew in 20-oz bottles so I can stay fueled if I get a call at 3am... without having coffee breath!

I want to know more about your monthly menu! Do you actually make a meal plan for the whole month and just shop for those things? Do you find it hard to stick to? When I do meal plans for even a week I get lost because I can never be sure how much will be leftover!

[DoulaKaren]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoulaMegz I want to know more about your monthly menu! Do you actually make a meal plan for the whole month and just shop for those things? Do you find it hard to stick to? When I do meal plans for even a week I get lost because I can never be sure how much will be leftover!

I make a menu at the end of the month for the upcoming month and do one big shop. I go once a week or so for bread, fruit, veggies, etc. Of course there is some adjustment throughout the month (like if I forget to soak beans or thaw out something for dinner... well, looks like a menu change!) and there has been a long process of trial and error for making enough/too much/too little but we have it down pretty well. Also, we both work at home so leftovers don't get wasted, and I freeze what looks like it there's too much left over.

Honestly if I don't do it like this, we spend WAY too much money on groceries, especially if I send my husband to the store to pick up "a few things." In fact, most of the "organization" things I do, I do because otherwise these kids and my husband would just destroy the house and everything in it! It's pure self-preservation

[DoulaMegz]

How do you think of that many things to make for a MONTH! OMG! I can't stay focused long enough to think it up for a week!

[MIA-D]

I can only seem to manage a week at a time. I have a list of dinners that we like categorized - italian, mexican, breakfast, easy, kids, etc. and I pick and choose depending on what is going on on the calendar that week and what I haven't made in a while. I need to get in and update my list with new ideas that I have found. Always looking for more dinner ideas (hint hint)

[MIA-D]

what kind of calendar do you use to keep track of everything? A digital one like in your phone or a handwritten one? I know a lot of people that just prefer to use a handwritten one.

[helpinghands]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wingedheartdoula what kind of calendar do you use to keep track of everything? A digital one like in your phone or a handwritten one? I know a lot of people that just prefer to use a handwritten one.

I use a hand written one..several actually. I have one above dh's desk, one above my desk, and one in my purse. I have a palm pilot like thingey.. but the kids broke the cord and I can't find one in stores so I have to ebay it. ((sigh)) I try.. I really try

[MIA-D]

Currently I am using a handwritten one. I enjoy hand writing it seems to commit it to memory but my life is so busy that it is a good sized calendar and I cannot fit it in my purse which is irritating so I am constantly forgetting where I put it. I am working on getting a new phone (blackberry) so hopefully I can begin to use that to keep my life in order again. I hate mass chaos.

[doula Michele]

Does everyone who uses a blackberry like them?
Dean says I should get one, since I always carry my daytimer around everywhere. But I tend to just scribble numbers down on various pages, and I always seem to need to have my daytimer to feel secure....although it weighs my purse down.

[MIA-D]

I know Val loves hers and my DH loves his. I haven't had a chance to really use one yet. Hope to be getting mine soon.

[DoulaKaren]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wingedheartdoula what kind of calendar do you use to keep track of everything? A digital one like in your phone or a handwritten one? I know a lot of people that just prefer to use a handwritten one.

We really like using the whiteboard with the month on it. It has what's for dinner, everyone's appointments, my clients' names/edds/where they'll deliver, and various notes and other stuff (most recently the guest list for my kids' birthday party, my daughter's drawing of a house, and DH's explaining binary ).

eta -- I have in some way lost, broken, fried, erased, or otherwise rendered inoperable every PDA I've ever had so I haven't even bothered with a blackberry. If I ever got one I'd just save myself a lot of trouble and drive right home and put it in the toaster -- just to cut to the chase and break it before I put all my life's information on it.

[MIA-D]

I tried the whiteboard calendar - on the fridge door no less. DH NEVER looked at it. He could never tell me what was going on even though he looked right at it several times a day.