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Baby Hints & Tips

Family Diary – Getting organised in 2016

Getting organised in 2016: Finding a family diary that ticks all the boxes

I have a few happy places – at home with my family, the beach, a sidewalk café. Nothing out of the ordinary. Yet, pop me in a stationery shop and I’m happy and broke in equal measures. I love all things paper and pen. The lovely textures, beautiful prints, the smell of ink and the feeling of newness. A new family diary makes me feel calm and centred. Simple pleasures and all that.

I know my smart phone is very clever and that there is an app for pretty much everything but I love the order and structure that a paper diary brings. I’m visual and tactile. I love to write so it stands to reason that I still use a paper diary. These days my diary needs to suit my home and family life, my career and work, and my blogging so it needs to be functional but still cool and stylish.

So by now it might sound as though I’m a bit of a stationery nerd but I’m okay with that. I spent December looking for my new year diary any earlier is a bit like buying Hot Cross Buns in January.

Here are my top three family diaries that you might like to consider.

Kikki K

I’ll blissfully admit that it’s impossible for me to walk past a Kikki K store without going inside. It’s inconceivable that I’d leave said store without a small white paper bag having purchased something. Anything. I think Kikki K have the monopoly on paper diaries – from personal diaries, study diaries, work diaries, day planners and family diaries. Oh my giddy aunt but have you seen their Youtube video on personalising your planner?  Viewing is for the diehard diary addict and you can even attend in store sessions on how best to use your planner. Their 2016 Family Diary is in typical Kikki K style – fresh, pretty and somewhat cute – so this may or may not suit your individual style. It has weekly and monthly views, contact detail pages, shopping lists (perforated so super handy), birthdays, meal planners and lists. What I love is that each family member has a dedicated column so it easy to read and organise from. Aesthetically, it’s a gorgeous diary but it’s only in paper hardback and as a family diary it would do well with a plastic “wipe clean” cover (sticky toddler fingers thank you.)

The Organised Housewife

This is a lovely website that combines a personal blog, cleaning tips, recipes – all things home and family. What it also includes is a beautiful variety of printable downloads. Everything from children’s reward charts to meal planners and let me say an impressive range of family and home planners. The 2016 Family Planner is perfect if you love printables. Simply download and print. Done. The planner has a 7am to 7pm daily schedule, monthly and day views, a to-do checklist and a small section for your daily focus and healthy habits. It even has somewhere for you to write what it is that you are thankful. It’s pretty cool. You can print it anyway you like and either get it spiral bound or pop it in a binder folder – this makes it really adaptable to suit your own lifestyle. The Organised Housewife is the epitome of being organised and efficient. It’s not overwhelming or intimidating and it has been designed by a working mum who has had her own share of struggles and chaos. The planner is super practical, designed for families, modern and a little bit funky.

Milestone Press

The Master Plan Family Diary is usually a best seller. First up, it’s dated for 15 months (October through to January) so it is ideal for families that have crazy busy holidays over the Christmas and New Year period. Prior to printing the 2016 version, the publishers put out a call on social media asking for suggestions on the design templates – what works, what doesn’t? The Master Plan diary is shipped from the UK but is widely available online. It is designed for the Australian market so has all of the relevant holiday dates and school terms. This is a very sleek and modern diary – great if you aren’t so into the cutesy stuff. Each year they update the colour range and there are almost always four or five colours available but do get in quick because they sell out. This is a great diary for keeping track of kids’ activities, events and appointments. It accommodates up to five children so is suitable for larger families. Like most of the family diaries this one includes a range of checklists, meal planners and contact details but it also includes a notebook with perforated pages. This is a great compact diary (A5 size) and it looks clean and elegant.

Let’s face it there are so many beautiful family diaries available. This is a round-up of what has caught my eye and what I believe will suit the needs of busy families.

Enjoy 2016 and live well.

Which family diary do you use? Comment below

About the Author:

I am a part time Recruiter, a full time mother and wife and I blog at Champagne Days.These are the confessions and chronicles of my life where madness and motherhood are not mutually exclusive. Almost always happily married to my music man, we have a funny, sweet and spirited little boy named Charlie.I’ve a penchant for Sass & Bide, champagne and Kikki K stationery. Ballet flats are cute and suit my lifestyle but I much prefer to rock a pair of heels. I’ll have a skinny flat white, hot please. At the moment I am desperately hoping that there will be a season six of Offspring but hopes are fading.
Underperforming ovaries meant that for a number of years I had to swap the champagne for chinese herbs and so Champagne Days is my story of before and after IVF and everything in between.

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