Filofax Kitchen Cupboard Project

I keep a list in the kitchen to note down things to buy as and when I run out. This then becomes my next shopping list. I wanted to go one step further in my list making in order to streamline and optimise the items that I keep in the cupboards and to keep me informed of next purchases ahead of time.

My first step was to produce a Master Grocery List of all the foodstuffs and non-foodstuffs in the kitchen cupboards. From that I wanted to only store the optimum number of each item. e.g. always have one full roll of tin foil for when the one in use runs out or always have 6 tins of tomatoes in the cupboard to last until the next shopping day (We like tinned tomatoes!). I downloaded a sample Master Grocery List and then set about an audit of the kitchen cupboards to see what was in use.

Roughly filling in the Master List gave me an idea of how much of a page I needed to use for each Category. My first task now will be to log what I have so far and work out how many of each item I need to store in the cupboard to last me until the next shopping trip.

Eventually I hope to be able to work out meal plans, freezer rotation and items for the shopping list. I should always know what's in my cupboards and what items need to be used up before their sell by date. Calling this a project gives me a use for these project pages that came with my Westfalia.

I don't know what my system will turn out to be yet but I hope it will eventually work itself out for me. Meanwhile so far ...

Filofax Food Project

Aim:- to streamline grocery shopping, food auditing and meal planning

Plan

* audit cupboards, fridge and freezer

* download Master Grocery List

* Fill in list

*Design own list

*Make pages

*Fill in customised pages

*Trial and review

*Use up superfluous items

*Optimise cupboard contents

*Trial and review

Design in change of routine

*Finalise design pages

*Laminate if needed

Happy Planning

Don't Do it

I put a To Do page in between my WO2P and on it I wrote To Dos that did not have to be done on a certain day. I even slitted the holes so that the list could be moved from week to week until the tasks were done. I've lasted 3 weeks like this but have now decided that splitting up my week with another page is not conducive to productive flow as I cannot see the whole week at one glance. It was very disconcerting as I had to keep turning the To Do page back and forth in order to see the rest of the week or the beginning of the week.

The offending page has been taken out and is now next to my monthly page. Some ideas work, some don't. One system works for a few weeks and then doesn't when circumstances change. The beauty of ringed binders is that pages can be moved at will.

Recording Information using a Filofax

* I use an A-Z system in my Microfile for recording small pieces of information. Since my last post on this planner I have added a few more pages and taken a few away. Here are my additions.

Various room cleaning pages so I know which bits of a room have had a thorough clean.

* Some information about my day is put onto my Monthly Pages in my Personal ochre Malden just to fill in the gaps.

My Fuscia A5 Original used to hold information on my hobbies. Now it just holds information on buying and selling on Ebay. 

My Aqua A5 holds information on my other hobbies - language learning and dancing.

A Red Piazza personal holds my Christmas preparation information including addresses.

My Pennybridge holds emergency information.

My Finsbury A4 is my Home Binder in progress and holds information on household matters.

My Brain Dump in my Pocket ochre Malden holds the information that spills from my brain and 

My Mini ochre Malden holds information about my diet.

I suppose everything that is written down in a planner is information of one sort or another but each of these systems of holding information in multiple planners seems to work for me at the moment.

Happy Planning

Systems in a Filofax

My Filofaxes enable me to put various systems into operation, systems that help in the smooth running of my life. Having, or devising a system to help or overcome a problem allows some form of control to take place so relieving stress and worry about how to cope. The following systems are used in my planning and organising. By clicking on the relevant side labels more information can be found about my systems.

1. GTD - Most people like to Get Things Done and out of the way and then they can relax. 

My GTD system is in my pocket Malden.

2. Tracking - A greater insight into the whys, wherefores and whens can be gained with tracking. I have tracked, am tracking or am forming a tracking system for the following:-

a. Habits eg. Am I drinking enough water? Why do I sometime have Restless Legs? Am I eating enough fruit and veg?

b. Targets eg. Have I reached my goal weight? I'd like to finish my current crochet project by the end of the month. I'd like all the fences painted by the end of Spring.

c. Tasks - eg. Are we keeping up with the housework and gardening? When do the potatoes have to be harvested?

d. Finance eg. Am I overspending? How much do I have left in the food budget? What's my average spend on food per month?

My tracking is found in my personal Malden, my mini Malden and my A-Z Microfile

3. Recording information eg. Addresses, Birthdays, Car information

My recording of information is found in my personal Malden, my A5 Originals, my Travel Planner and my A-Z Microfile.

4. Appointments e.g. Doctor's, Dentist's, visits

My appointments are in my personal Malden.

Happy Planning

What's not in my Filofax

Having viewed numerous videos on Filofaxes, planners and organisers I've come to the conclusion that there's an awful lot of stuff that goes into other people's Filofaxes which does not feature in mine.

Stickers - I've tried, yes I've tried (not very hard though) to have a few stickers here and there but as an eco warrior most of my diary pages will be composted at the end of the year and the addition of more paper goes against the grain. It's also a chore to me to decorate pages. The simpler my systems the better.

Washi tape - I've tried, yes I've tried and got the tape to prove it. I've edged and bordered, topped and tailed but again it's rather a chore unless I'm in the mood to be artistic.

Sticky notes - I use them very rarely and don't keep them with my Filofax as invariably they curl up or mess up. Other people can keep them in the pockets straight and pretty but mine just look crammed in so I don't like them there. When I do need a sticky note to jot down something I can never find them now.

There must be some videos out there that don't start off with a talk about stickers, paperclips and dingly dangly things (pretty as they are). The ones that are about using a Filofax showing systems in action seem few and far between.

I'm not knocking the 'let me show you the decorated pages of my planner' vids at all as there are some very creative and talented people out there - my feeble attempts at decoration leave a lot to be desired! I'd just like to see some creative ideas that are not just to do with the look of a page.

My planner journey has seen me trying to tailor a system of planning that works for me using multiple planners, (My name is mum and I'm a Filoholic!), and I'd love to find videos and blogs that show and share similar journeys.

Happy Planning