How to Keep a Family Calendar

How to Keep a Family Calendar

Today's families are busy! Keeping everyone's schedules
straight on a family calendar can be a daunting task. Even
with today's technology, nothing beats a good, old fashioned
written calendar, and with a little creativity and
preparation, you can turn this pending tsunami into nothing
more than a gentle breeze. The added bonus is it doesn't
have to cost an arm and a leg...

!! Steps !!

Decide how you want to keep your calendar [1]. Some people prefer
decorative wall calendars, others prefer desk calendars, yet others
prefer white board calendars. The important thing is to make sure it
has plenty of room to write at least one thing for each person in
your family.

Assign each person in the family a specific "color". All
appointments [2], activities, meetings, etc. for that person will be
written in that color.

Decide how simple or complex you want to make your calendar. Some
people like to keep it simple, with just times or places. Others
like to make it more decorative and use stickers or magnets relating
to the particular activity (for example, baseballs [3] for baseball
practice or games, musical notes for piano lessons).

Purchase all supplies. The supplies needed are listed below under
"Things You'll Need". All of these can be found at most craft
stores, "big box" stores (Target, Wal-Mart), office supply stores
(Office Max, Staples), or online. You can adjust your complexity to
fit your budget (Obviously, you can skip this step if you already
have everything.)

Fill out your calendar. Use one color for each person. Fill out as
much information as necessary, but try not to get overly detailed.
The more details you add, the harder it will be to keep the
different items straight. This is also beneficial if you have
multiple activities [4] on one day... if you add too many details,
you risk having to "bleed" over into adjoining days.

Keep the calendar in a place where you will see it every day such
as the fridge, the hallway, a shared telecommunications area, etc.
If you regularly check your email first thing in the morning, a
desk calendar might be the best. If you walk into the kitchen
initially, a wall calendar would be optimal.

!! Video !!

!! Tips !!

* There are pros and cons to each type of calendar. What may work
for one person may not work for another. Do a test run and be
prepared to change to a different method if the first doesn't seem
to be working so well for your family.

* If using a white board calendar, update it at the beginning of the
month every month.

* Many people prefer to also keep a small pocket calendar to jot
down appointments as they are made or keep a business card holder
to collect appointment cards at doctor's visits.

* When a new appointment is made, update the calendar as soon as
possible. The longer you wait, the more likely you are to forget
to do so. Likewise, when a school calendar comes out, write down
all days off, early-dismissals, or other important dates right
away.

* Before throwing out an old calendar, write down any birthdays or
anniversaries in the new one.

!! Things You'll Need !!

* Calendar

* Color markers

* Decorative stickers, magnets, etc.

* Something to attach the calendar to the wall or other suitable
surface

!! Related WikiHows !!

* How to Frame Images from Calendars [5]

* How to Keep a Calendar [6]

* How to Make a Calendar [7]

* How to Create Photo Calendars With QOOP [8]

* How to Make an Advent Calendar [9]

!! Article Tools !!

* Read on wikiHow

*

Links:
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[1] http://www.wikihow.com/Keep-a-Calendar
[2] http://www.wikihow.com/Setup-Online-Appointment-Scheduling-with-DayClips
[3] http://www.wikihow.com/Play-Baseball
[4] http://www.wikihow.com/Incorporate-Activities-Into-Your-Child%27s-Life
[5] http://www.wikihow.com/Frame-Images-from-Calendars
[6] http://www.wikihow.com/Keep-a-Calendar
[7] http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Calendar
[8] http://www.wikihow.com/Create-Photo-Calendars-With-QOOP
[9] http://www.wikihow.com/Make-an-Advent-Calendar