Simplify home organisation + have essential information at your fingertips with a household management binder. Digital tips + free printables.

I am both super organised and super unorganised at the same time. I think it’s because I rely on external systems to compensate for my unorganised brain.

If it weren’t for checklists, to-do lists, calendars, strategic phone notifications, and filing systems (actually, I’m still struggling with filing), my life would be one big hot mess.

Mmm, sometimes, my life is still a mess because having a good system isn’t the same as using it (see note on filing), but I digress.

This post is all about having household information at hand when you need it—not digging around under the dining room table looking for a permission slip that ended up in a pile of other stuff.

(Like I said, hot mess.)

Never have we had to deal with so much information – life admin can almost be a full-time job.

Having a simple system at your fingertips can be a sanity-saver.

Benefits of Having a Home Management System Binder

I know I had that information somewhere…

Can you relate:

The toilet is broken, but you can’t find your plumber’s number; what was their name again?

You kept a receipt for those pants in case you had to swap the size; where did I put it?

You need to find your insurance details; where are they again?

You need to log into your super; what’s my member number?

A home management system is the answer to many of these organisational challenges and more.

When used effectively, it acts as your household’s second brain – a place to keep all the information you need easily accessible when you need it.

Here’s how having a household management system can help:

Centralised Information: Keep all essential information in one spot for easy access, especially handy in emergencies.
Emergency Contacts: Quickly find the plumber’s number or other emergency contacts. It can be handy to have this somewhere other than your phone in case you can’t access it.
Bill Management: Never miss a bill payment again by organising due dates and payment information. Lately, I’ve been relying more and more on this to remind me that I have paid a bill. At some point, I stress that I’ve forgotten something, and this is a handy reminder that, yes, I’m on top of things (or not).
Lists and Checklists: Keep lists like Christmas present ideas, packing checklists, etc., all in one easy place for handy reference.
Goal Tracking: Write down your goals and keep them visible to stay motivated and on track throughout the year.
Efficiency: Efficiently manage your daily tasks and projects.
Stress Reduction: Reduce stress by having a clear and organised system for managing household tasks.
Project Planning: Store ideas and plans for home improvement projects, such as redecorating the kid’s bedroom or holiday planning, in one convenient place.
Cleaning Schedule: Keep track of household chores and the last time you cleaned the oven or other tasks.
Meal Planning: To make meal planning easier, store your favourite meals list, recipes, and old meal plans in your binder.

Digital v Paper Home Binder

Choosing between a digital or paper-based home management binder depends on what works best for you. Both have their pros and cons.

Personally, I use a hybrid system.

The benefit of a digital home management system is that files are easy to organise and update. And if they are on the cloud, you can access them anywhere, whether on your computer, tablet, or phone. This is great for storing lots of information and having backups.

But sometimes, having important info on paper is a lifesaver. Keeping emergency contacts, quick-reference guides, and other crucial details in a paper binder or stuck to a wall is handy, and you can still access vital information during power outages or internet issues.

One thing to remember is the security of your personal information – don’t record passwords or share sensitive personal information online or written down.

Digital Home Management System

If you like the idea of a digital filing home management system, plenty of tools and apps are available to help you create a system that works for you.

Some great resources include:

Notion: I’m just getting into Notion. It’s a powerful note-taking app, but it does have a steep learning curve. Based on relational databases, it’s a great way to connect lots of information. You can also sync it across all your devices for easy access.
Evernote: A classic for note-taking and organising information. This was my go-to app for over a decade. They no longer have an unlimited free plan, but you can store up to 50 notes in one notebook for free.
Microsoft OneNote: If you’re familiar with and already use the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, then OneNote is a great way to organise information.
Google Workspace: Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Keep Notes are excellent for managing schedules, documents, spreadsheets, and notes. They’re cloud-based, so you can access them from anywhere. I mostly use Google. Keep Notes on my phone is handy for jotting down reminders, keeping shopping lists, and even meal planning.
Dropbox: Perfect for storing and sharing files. It’s a reliable way to back up important documents and access them on the go.
Todoist: A great app for managing tasks and to-do lists. It helps you keep track of what needs to be done and when. This is my go-to task app.
Trello: A visual tool for managing projects and tasks. It uses boards, lists, and cards to help you organise your life.

A digital home management system is a great way to keep your household running smoothly, no matter where you are – like when you need to urgently resend an attachment while at the dog park!

Let me know in the comments below if you want more information on creating a digital household management system.

In the meantime, you might find this information about creating a personal knowledge management system useful.

Setting Up a Paper Home Management Binder

household binder printables on table with highlighters, hole punch, paperclips

For the rest of the article, I will focus on creating a paper household binder.

Here’s what you need and how to get started.

Yield: 1

How to Set Up a Household Management Binder

With a household management binder, you can get organized and have all the important information you need at hand, when you need it.

Active Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour

Difficulty Easy

Estimated Cost $0-$20

Materials

A Ring Binder: Before hitting the discount or stationery store, check your local op-shop for binders. There were dozens at our local charity store in perfect condition and a fraction of the cost I paid at Big W (doh!).
Tabbed Dividers: To separate different sections.
Loose Leaf Lined Notepaper (optional): Pre-punched for easy insertion. This is if you want to handwrite information.
Plastic Sleeves (optional): These keep receipts, recipes, and other loose papers together.
Decorative Items (optional): Stickers, washi tape, or anything you like to personalise your binder.
Scrap Paper (optional): This is used to jot down menu plans, to-do lists, etc.

Tools

Pencil Case and Pens/Pencils: Attach a small pencil case to the binder for easy access to writing tools.
Hole Punch: To add new pages.
A Printer (optional): This is for printing out forms and templates if you prefer to use them. Or you can get them printed at Officeworks for a couple of dollars.

Instructions

Set Up Your Binder

Insert the tabbed dividers and add loose-leaf pages (if using) under each tab.
Place a few plastic sleeves in the back or under each tab to store loose papers (optional).
Attach the pencil case to the front with a couple of pens for quick access.

Label Your Tabs

Decide what information you want to keep in your binder and label your tabs accordingly. Use a pencil for easy relabelling as your needs change. Common categories include:

Calendar and Schedules
Meal Planning
Finance and Bills
Contacts
To-Do Lists
Health
Projects and Goals

Personalise Your Binder(Optional)

Decorate your binder to make it personal and enjoyable to use.

Fill Your Binder

Gradually fill your binder with the information you need to run your household. This could include to-do lists,
meal plans, bill tracking, emergency contacts, etc. Consider including copies of essential documents like insurance papers and birth certificates for quick access.

Notes

*I've added some product links for reference (I use a 2-ring binder), but check your charity store (op-shop) for second-hand stationery. They often have a heap of good-quality stationery for a fraction of the price.

*To DIY the binder pencil pouch, hole punch an old, small pencil case. This is optional, but it makes life easier when you have everything you need at hand.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

If you find yourself in a situation where you wish you had specific information on hand, that’s a good indication it should go in your home management system next time you get a chance.

What to Put in Your Home Management Binder

flat lay of household binder and printables

Whether you prefer a physical binder, a digital household management system, or a hybrid of both, the information you keep in your binder will be the same.

Below is a list of POTENTIAL information you might like to have in your binder.

I’ve bolded ‘potential’ because there are many suggestions below—you won’t need all of them. It’s a good idea to pick the areas that you’re struggling with. For example, if you often struggle to find important documents when needed, it might help to focus on that single area first.

Depending on how much information you’re juggling (and for many of us, it’s a lot), a few binders may be necessary. For example, if you are an avid gardener, you may prefer to keep all your garden information separate.

Again, some of the information below is now better managed online and it’s ok to use a hybrid system; however, he list below includes all ideas of areas you might want to organise.

Some of this information might be better stored elsewhere. For example, I keep a grain-to-water ratio quick guide inside the pantry door so it’s easy to see when cooking with the rice cooker and family calendar stuff in a shared Google Calendar that we all have access to.

General Information

Important household phone numbers like your electrician or child’s school.
Emergency contacts (I have the number of our local snake catcher #straya)
Yearly calendar – can be useful for big-picture planning.
To-do lists or project lists
Emergency checklist
Important medical information

Household Information

General and cleaning routines and schedules
Decluttering schedule
Household maintenance schedule – for things like clearing gutters or cleaning air-con.
Car maintenance schedule/log
Storage inventory
Media library or book inventory
Insurance inventory
DIY cleaning recipes
Pet care: vaccinations, flea and worming schedules, etc.
Home renovation projects or ideas
Home decor projects or ideas
Travel checklists
Babysitter information – things the babysitter needs to know
Clothing sizes – to keep track of all the family’s clothing and shoe sizes
Clothing needs – a list of items each member might need so that you can watch for sales or when op-shopping.
A list of resources found in your personalised library – If you have created a personal library, keep track of the information by creating your library reference system and storing that information in your home management binder. For instance, you may have a separate folder for recipes – keep a reference to where specific information can be found rather than having all those recipes stored in your management binder.

Meal Planning

Menu plan
Family favourites list
Seasonality Guides
Recipes or recipe ideas
Cooking guides (i.e. rice to water ratio)
Coupons
Grocery list – A list of regular groceries that you buy.
Price comparison table
Freezer and pantry inventories
Stockpile list
Takeaway phone numbers (if you still prefer to call, there’s usually an app for that now)

Financial

A copy of your household budget
Bill schedule
Tax information and deduction receipts
Savings goals and progress

Special Occasions

A calendar or list of birthdays, anniversaries, and other important dates
Family celebrations and planning notes
Family activity ideas/calendar
Gift list – Keep track of gift ideas and gifts purchased for each person in the past.
Event Planning
Christmas planning

Personal

Personal reflection section may include affirmations, meditation, quotes, inspiration, prayer lists, reflections, or a gratitude journal.
Personal exercise programs may include your exercise schedule or routine, specific exercises you do, number of reps, etc.
Habit tracker
Kid’s records – A place to journal everything they say or do during the day you want to remember after they are all grown up.
Goals and planning – Yearly goals, action plans and a record of your progress.
Booklist – a list of books you would like to read.
Movie list – list of movies you would like to watch.
Cosmetic recipes – recipes for homemade cleansers, shampoos, balms, etc.
Wish list – of things you would like to purchase.
Bucket lists – Things to do before…

For the Kids

School information: Forms, newsletters, excursion information, sports schedules, after-school activity schedules, homework information, etc.
Homes schooling information – Curriculum, ideas, activities, etc.
Routines – sleep and feeding routines for babies and young children.
Kid’s activity ideas and planning—all those craft and activity ideas you see on Pinterest, make them happen by keeping a list of age-appropriate activities to create a daily routine.
Recipes –play dough, finger paint, chalk, glue, etc.
Kid’s wish lists – A list of things your children would like for Christmas (or things you would like to get them) or activities they would like to do.
Chore chart template

In the Garden

Garden design and planning notes
Planting Guide
Maintenance calendar
Notes on what you’ve been doing in the garden and when.

Miscellaneous

Professional development/career journal
Volunteer work information
Church schedule/contacts
General craft information – For example, this is where I put knitting needle size conversions and pattern abbreviations.
Hints and tips
Regular craft patterns—a plastic sleeve is good for keeping patterns in, such as knitted dishcloth patterns, which you may make regularly.

Using Your Home Management Binder

Once you’ve set up your paper home management binder(s), it’s time to start using it to keep your household running smoothly. Here are some tips to get the most of your binder.

Keep your binder in a central location where it’s easy to grab when needed.
If you use your binder for task lists and meal plans, check and update it daily.
Customise your binder to meet your needs—it can be helpful to start with someone else’s template, but as we all have different lives, we need to customise our household binders to make them effective.
Keep emergency numbers and information at the front so they are easily accessible.
Back up important information.

Keeping Your Home Binder Up to Date

A home management binder can become out of date quickly.

The kids grow. The electrician retires. You get a new pet.

So, it needs a refresh every now and then.

A yearly review is a good time to go over all your household information, goals, budget, etc, tidy it up, and update any out-of-date information.

Besides that, spending a quick minute regularly adjusting information (when someone goes up a shoe size, for instance) keeps your binder fresh and relevant.

Are you the household CEO? If you have a partner, it’s a good idea they are aware of the binder/other systems and where to find all important information, just in case something ever happens to you. It’s not fun to think about, but their life will be easier if they are able to log into bank accounts, find the kids immunisation schedule, or get access to the electricity accounts etc.

Free Home Management Binder Printables

I’ve created a few printables to help you set up your home management binder even easier.

Simply download, print, and add them to your binder.

Note: the printables are in A4 format, so check your printer is set to A4 before printing.

Download the household printables

Whether you prefer pen and paper or a digital alternative, a household management system can make your role as CEO and administrator of the household much easier.

Do you use a household binder? Let me know in the comments your tips for controlling the chaos.

Stress-Free Organisation with a Household Management Binder + Free Printables

Benefits of Having a Home Management System Binder