Family Binder 101

What in the world is a family binder??  Well, it is my peace of mind!  I have had a family binder since the birth of our 2nd child.  Let's face it, as we age, we begin to have difficulty remembering every detail about our lives... let alone everyone in the family!!!  The family binder was the solution to a lot of my stress, and I am happy to share this wonderful tool with others!  I have taken pictures of my binder's parts & pieces, and I will include links to download the files for your own use!  So... here goes nothing!

The cover is simple, but colorful & fresh!

When you open our binder, you will find our Family Rules & Babysitter Notes sheet that is laminated.  

Notes for the Sitter is a laminated sheet with all of the basic info for a night without the kids!!  When I am leaving the kids at home with a sitter, I fill in all of the information with a Visa Vise pen, and after our date, I wipe it off clean!  This way, I am able to use it again and again.  When in use, it is posted on the fridge.

The family rules sheet is really just a fun way for me to keep the important things in the forefront of my mind.  I use the binder often, and when I open it, I like that this is the first thing I see!

 The first tab houses our important phone numbers.  Doctors, therapists, my husband's job, anything that someone (including myself) might need at a moment's notice!  One thing that I try to remember is that my smartphone does have a battery life, and my internet sometimes fails.  I like to have the important information in WRITING, so that myself, or anyone who needs it, can find it.

The next tab houses important dates that we want to remember!  Family & friends birthdays, anniversaries, and whatever else we feel needs to be remembered!

The next tab houses are utilities list.  I included our account numbers and the phone numbers for the various companies, so that we can call about any technical issues or bills without doing lots of research!

The following tab includes all of the SCHOOL information for both kids.  I whited everything out that I didn't want to be shared on the internet, but the information I included was as follows...

School Name, Phone Number, Address, Website
Principle/Director's Name, Phone Number, and Email Address
Teacher's Name, and email address

The next 2 tabs include the information that I need most often.  I created a tab for each child, and included all of the information a sitter might need if they had to call 911 in any circumstance.  Child's full name, birthday, social security number, and blood type.  I also listed in short detail any major hospitalizations and the gestational age for each child, as both of mine were preemies!

Brady's Tab matches Abbies!

The last tab in my binder is my favorite!
I DON'T FEEL LIKE COOKIN'!!!

So, let's order in... where from???  Just open the binder and pick what sounds good!

My very last tab is for all of my MOPS information, just in case my hubby needs to get in touch with me, check meeting dates, or I need quick access to group member's information.  I haven't received any file type information for MOPS yet as this year starts at the end of the month... so there is nothing to photography just yet!!  However, when I do receive it, it already has a home!

Family Binders are really awesome to have on hand, especially if you live AWAY from family.  We don't have family local, so our sitters need to be able to access information like this if needed.  It really does provide me some piece of mind, and I do an update on it each year!  You can download your own family binder printables HERE.  The sheets that I used for custom made for my family, and I am happy to do custom work for you... just contact me for pricing!