2014- A year to get organised

I missed the RSVP date to a wedding invitation today. When we had our wedding in 2008, we had the same thing happen to us. It is so annoying, having to chase up RSVP's to your own wedding. I lamented to my husband, "how rude of them", "what a waste of an invitation." All those things.
And now I've gone and done exactly the thing that I couldn't stand myself, to somebody else.

This was to a girl, who I've known a long time. Our Mothers were high school friends, and we kind of grew up with each other, despite living in different states. I think of Lauren, and I think of endless afternoon games of Rummikub, and Milo's at her Nanna's house during Lauren's school holiday visits. And, to be honest, they are afternoons that I have often thought of . Because, I love Rummikub, and have never been able to find anyone else since, who is happy to play back to back games with me. (I tried with my husband, but he was completely disinterested. He prefers to play Scrabble and cheat using words that aren't really words.)

I'll be honest. Organisation, is not my strong suit. After our first child, my attempts at organisation were hanging by a thread. Now after our second, it's kind of gone completely out of the window. If something has a due date, whether it be a bill, library book, or RSVP (!!!), then you can almost guarantee, that I'm going to miss that due date.

After sending a heartfelt apology and explanation, regarding my still ongoing case of baby brain, I decided that I REALLY need to sort my shit out from now on. Pre-girls, I would never have done such a thing.

So my attempt to get myself organised, starts now.

In the past, I've tried all types of diaries and layouts, in an attempt to be as organised as possible. I've tried a digital type diary, on both my ipad and my phone. The reminders were great when they popped up, but it did actually require you to enter the details into the diary for that to work. Suffice to say, it didn't last too long. The reality is, I'm a visual person. I need to see and flick through the pages of my diary to really appreciate what is on my to do list for that day and week.

What I have found that works for me. A 7 days to a page diary. A5 size. Not too big to be overly bulky, not too small to be useless and difficult to write in. Unless you're a man. Than a big diary seems to be always the more popular choice. And if you're a daily list maker like my husband. Than the biggest diary you can find.

This year I've chosen this lovely little number from Kikki K. Yellow (of course).

And coloured pens, to highlight different appointments, birthdays, activities, due dates for bills and so on.

Typically, I've always kept my diary away in a corner somewhere, nice and neat. Pulled it out, when I needed to use it. But I'm aiming to keep it in a new reserved spot in the kitchen, to compensate for my lack of a desk (let's not analyse the kitchen being my now new office spot.) And a new routine to go with it. After making the girls their breakfast, and while I'm making my morning coffee and own breakfast, I will visit my diary. Every morning. Glance at my day. My week ahead. Like a normal person would do. Sounds basic doesn't it! And makes me wonder, why I haven't been doing this all along.

How do you diary? And keep on top of all those to do's, whilst being totally distracted by looking after young children.