How to Create a Home File

In my home I call myself the house manager.

I am the one who knows where people need to be, what they need when they get there, and pretty much run the house.

My husband is great and always helps, but the main running of the house is my domain. This is how we like it and it works really well.

However, being the one who is in charge of making things happen in the house makes me want to do two things:-

Make it as easy as possible for me to do this role without it taking FOREVER!Make it easy for someone else to take over this role if something happened to me (an accident, or being in hospital, or on holiday even), taking away that stress from them? (Now I am not an all doom and gloom person – just practical! Thats why we write wills after all!)

So – having looked at creating systems that work for us in our home, as part of my paperwork system (soon to be available! watch this space) I created a manual for the home.

This is common place in many homes, and has different names – but ultimately the same goal – to ensure that if anyone needs to know anything about the house and the people in it – they know where to look!

I call mine the HOME FILE.

A home file is the secret to a well run home.

Think of it as the manual that guides anyone in your household as to the runnings of your home.

Its the place that has all the information you need on a weekly if not daily basis, and is an invaluable tool that you will wonder how you did without!

I absolutely think that creating a home file as part of a paperwork system in a home is the key to it running successfully on a day to day basis.

The idea is to enable your home to run smoothly without you as and when necessary – and to make your life easier in the process!

Information in it should be specific to you and your family – it is a guide to running your specific home after all – and everyones will be slightly different, depending on what is done in your home and by the people in it.

The Home File should be kept in a place thats easily accessible to the whole family – and can therefore be used by everyone when required.

I find that in my post, filing and paperwork area is best – keeps everything together!

Most families have an area (usually in the kitchen) where paperwork and diaries etc.. collect – where we pile up the post, write notes to each other etc…. so even if you haven’t started to organise this area as yet, you will have a good idea where is best in your home to start creating your paperwork and admin zone.

My home file is simply an A4 Filofax style folder. Theres no big fancy system really – just a little hard work from you to pull everything together.

I have used different sized folders over the years, but have now settled on A4, as I find this the easiest to work with, and a lot of paperwork comes in this size already. Its also a practical size to see everything you need.

I like the filofax folders as they are sturdy, and won’t fit too much in so I have to be organised!, however, a good quality ring binder would work just as well (TIP – always get a 4 ring one as these make the papers stay in much better which will otherwise cause you daily frustration!)

Having it in a folder form rather than a book or a filing system makes it more portable, and its easier to take things out and add to sections etc.. as you need to.

It also give you the ability to put in plastic files which can hold items that haven’t got holes in – such as vouchers, tickets etc…)

To create your own home file you would only need the following items:-

Some sort of folder of your choice (size, colour etc…. to work for you – 4 holed works best for A4)Dividers / Tabs that will enable you to find things easily and manage the file betterPlastic folders for any odd sized items or smaller pieces of paper that need to be kept togetherHole punch for your required sized folder (4 holes ideally)Pens of different colours – you could have a colour for different areas, or each person in your home etc…

You have now got the items needed to create your file – now you need to fill it and make it your own.

I did a lot of thinking around what should and shouldn’t go into this file, and I suggest you do the same. If there is too much then it just becomes an unweildy mess that you don’t really want to keep getting out and trawling through, and if it hasn’t got enough information in it then its simply not that useful! You have to find the happy medium.

I feel that the only things that should be in a Home File are things that you need information about on a daily basis. Any other paperwork can be filed in the required place (hope I’m building anticipation of my forthcoming paperwork system – watch this space!!!). Its really important to distinguish between these.

I have tabs to separate each section, and have the following in it – but you could add whatever you need to make it your own of course – this is simply a guide to get you started:-

Per person – school timetables etc…Events lists from organisations such as church, sports groups, playgroups, etc…Master Year Planner with special occasions marked onMaster Monthly / Weekly / Daily PlannersHousehold TO DO list / Master TO DO listMorning and Evening routines / ChecklistsCleaning Schedule (including monthly, seasonal and annual tasks)Personal Information including clothes, shoes sizes, medicines, medical histrorySchool / Work informationPresent IdeasDVDs / Books / CDs etc…. to rentThings to do Lists – such as rainy days activities for little ones, websites to look at when you have a spare few minutes etc…Meal planners incl. whats peoples favourites. Have a 4 week rolling plan to make things easyShopping ListTake Away Menus (with list of favourites for ease!)Recipes to try in the the monthHousehold Decorating information by room (plans, paint, wallpaper, carpet etc…. and where purchased)Home Inventory List (in case of theft)Suppliers Details (gas, water, electricity etc…)List of recommended or previously used tradespeopleCar maintenance and breakdown informationHousehold Budget InformationList of all credit cards and who to contact if stolen (NOT ALL CARD DETAILS THOUGH FOR SECURITY!)Receipts for this month (to be moved to filing system when older than this)Shopping vouchersTO BUY listEmergency Information (Emergency Services contact details, Who to call, Where to find documents, etc…)Babysitters Information sheet incl. where switches are, first aid kit, bedtimes and routines, how to work the TV and remotes etc…Phone numbers and addresses and emails etc…. – copy from your mobile as you never know when you may lose it.Present ideas for people, allergy information, notes on their likes and dislikes etc….Star those that you send Christmas cards to – saves making another list!Party Planning InformationChristmas Checklists and IdeasDay Trip / Outing IdeasPreparing for Holiday ChecklistPacking Checklist incl. things to do around the house i.e. cancel milkMagazine SubscriptionsMemberships (Zoo, Gym etc…

I have also got sheets to print out of all these sections to make things even easier for you – and they will be available as part of my paperwork system ecourse which is currently being written – WATCH THIS SPACE!

Any paperwork thats got more longevity and is only required very occasionally such as birth certificate, insurance certificates, passports etc…. . These are best kept in a fireproof cabinet/box in a more hidden away place in your home.

The home file should purely be a reference for the family and therefore should have checklists and reference to places that the main paperwork is kept. You shouldn’t be having to leaf through several pages of bills before you find a reference number for example – it should be in a simple and easy to read list ready for when you need it.

I like to think of filing in 2 parts – Deep filing for items that are important to keep but are not needed often, and your home file, which can be accessed easily and has more frequently used paperwork.

There are so many scenarios that the Home File really comes into its own for you – heres a few – see if any sound familiar!

Your power / water / utilities fail – finding the contact details of your supplier and your reference number within seconds would be good!Now – where did you get that cake from for that party last year? – Now you will have it all written down and ready to use this yearA friend gives you a name of a great decorator – instead of losing the details you can now add to the home file and have it to hand when you need itPeople are coming over for dinner – now – do any have preferences or even allergies? You will find their info in the home fileYou have a babysitter and need to leave the house asap – turn to the babysitters page in the home file and all the information they need will be there waiting!You have an accident and end up having to stay in hospital for a few days – now anyone can pick up where you left off and the rest of the family need not be too disturbed in their normal day to day lifeYou can quickly pick up the shopping list as you go out of the door – safe in the knowledge that it has everything you need for the meals you have planned.Everyone can see what they should be doing by following the schedulesLast minute holiday? Easily pack in an instant with the list you have made

The list is absolutely endless! Basically you can run your home and save time, energy and effort in doing so!

I LOVE my Home File and wouldn’t be without it. Everyone knows where they are, and it can be updated as regularly as required. It is specific to our needs as a family, and can be updated and altered as we change.

Let me know below how you get on creating your own!

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