• Home
  • Listen
    • Latest Episodes
    • Complete Archives
    • Search By Topic
  • New? Start Here
  • Sponsor
  • Blog
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter

The Mom Hour

The most fun you've ever had with two moms you've never met.

in Episodes on January 2, 2017

Calendar Tips & To-Do List Strategies: Episode 83

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS

How do YOU calendar? Paper planner, digital calendar, color-coded dry erase board, or all of the above? In Episode 83 Meagan and Sarah share our strategies for keeping appointments, deadlines, and family schedules organized. We talk about the pros and cons of both paper and digital systems, offer suggestions for managing large families’ many commitments, and give you a peek into our own quirky way of thinking about a week at a glance. We also discuss to-do lists and we make them work for us. Join us!

Note: We mentioned a TON of tips and ideas in this episode and we’ve tried to include as many links as possible in the show notes. If you don’t see something you’re looking for, leave us a comment and we’ll dig it up!

Links we mentioned (or should have!) in Episode 83

Amazon links are affiliates and have been updated for 2018. Thanks for helping support the show in this small way at no additional cost to you!
  • Sarah’s digital-to-paper calendaring system (as explained on the podcast, but in a blog post for The Happiest Home)
  • Meagan’s thoughts on To-Do Lists and To-Dream Lists
  • Our listeners had great ideas on Facebook and Instagram – click through to read their comments (and give us a “Like” while you’re there if you haven’t already!)
  • Wunderlist – Sarah uses this for on-the-go list making and shared to-do lists (but completely forgot to mention it on the show – oops!)
  • Sarah’s wall calendar (new link for 2019!)
  • Sarah’s Moleskine notebook (new link for 2019!)
  • Meagan’s favorite notebook

Sponsor Spotlight

This week’s show is brought to you by Eversnap Photography. Eversnap helps you book a high quality, pre-vetted photographer for 50% cheaper and 10 times faster in 25+ cities across the country. With fast and easy booking, a talented base of photographers experienced in everything from portraits to events, and ZERO hidden fees, you can have your next party or family event professionally photographed for half the price of a traditional booking.

We worked with Eversnap to take some professional photos last month, and we love how they turned out! (Scroll down to the bottom of the post for more from our shoot!)

Eversnap is offering 20% off any booking for our podcast listeners. Just use code THEMOMHOUR at checkout! You can download their app wherever you shop for mobile apps, or head to eversnappro.com.

Take a peek inside…

Here are some photos of the systems we talked about in the show. (Meagan’s calendar isn’t pictured because, in her words, she just “looks at Google Calendar on my laptop at least 15 times a day” 🙂 )

More photos from our Eversnap shoot!

All photos are property of The Mom Hour and Life, Listened. Please don’t use without our permission (but if you need something for promotional purposes, feel free to ask!). Thanks!

Related

Filed Under: Episodes Tagged With: calendar planning, productivity & time management

deals from our partners

Shop Jane

When you click through these links and make a purchase, we earn a small commission at no additional cost to you (and we only partner with brands we’ve used and truly love!).

« Storing, Organizing & Creating with Your Family Photos: Episode 82
Moms Who Write (Or Who Want To): Episode 84 »

Comments

  1. Carrie Kelleher says

    January 5, 2017 at 10:58 am

    Great pics and great podcast! Would you both mind showing pics of your ACTUAL calendars and books? I wanted to see your layouts that you described in the moleskines/notebooks. Just an idea! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Sarah Powers says

      January 5, 2017 at 1:17 pm

      Carrie, yes! We meant to do this and it took me a couple days to get the photos put together. They’re here in the show notes now. 🙂

      Reply
  2. September Gerety says

    January 6, 2017 at 1:51 pm

    The calendar that we use for the whole family to see is Google calendar – it takes a little time to set it up so that everyone is shared on all the calendars, but with older kids it’s the perfect solution because they can see and add to it from their phones. We have one calendar per person, all color coded, and have it set up so the parents can edit all of the calendars. The kids can each edit their own, but can see everyone’s. It also took some training and reminding: “Did you put it on the Google calendar?” “Did you check the Google calendar?” But now it is so smooth and the system works way better than trying to keep up with digital calendars plus a paper calendar for four teenagers, especially since I travel about half of the month (sometimes more) and so wouldn’t be able to access a non-digital family calendar much of the time.

    Reply
    • Sarah Powers says

      January 31, 2017 at 8:52 am

      September, that sounds like a GREAT system for a busy family with older kids. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  3. Kellie Lowry says

    January 10, 2017 at 2:01 pm

    Hi, just listened for the 1st time. I liked the podcast. I love the Erin Condren notebooks for lists of things not in my google calendar.
    Looking forward to listening to more episodes

    Reply
    • Sarah Powers says

      January 31, 2017 at 8:51 am

      Hi Kellie! Thanks so much for listening and commenting – will have to check out those notebooks for sure!

      Reply
  4. Amy G says

    January 14, 2017 at 7:25 am

    I love the show, ladies. I’ve been listening for months but this is my first comment! I really enjoyed hearing about your calendar systems and notebook preferences.

    Our family uses the Cozi app (Gold version) because it allows us to indicate how many people are attending. It also provides multiplex reminders which we need. Lol. I’ve also love the to-do list, journal (which allows us to automatically share our photos/stories once a month), and the recipe planning is great!

    My favorite notebook is the Staples Eco Notebook – 5×8, spiral bound, recycled paper, pockets in the front, hard cover (great for notes on the go), and only $4!

    Anyway, thanks for all your hard work with the podcast. It’s great to hear your advice each week!

    Reply
    • Sarah Powers says

      January 31, 2017 at 8:49 am

      Amy, thanks so much for listening – and for commenting! 🙂 We hear great things about Cozi, too. And you clearly have opinions about the perfect notebook just like we do! 😉

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Meet Meagan + Sarah

Where To Listen

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyAndroidPandoraiHeartRadioStitcherRSS

The “Surfboard Kid”

the story behind the "surfboard kid"

Click photo to read more...

Search Episodes

Like Email?

Get episodes delivered to your inbox weekly, PLUS special occasional emails from us that you don’t want to miss.

Featured Sponsors

Voicemail!

On Facebook

On Facebook
How do I get a podcast on my phone?

Disclosure

The Mom Hour is part of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Product links in show notes may be affiliates. If you click and make a purchase, you'll support your favorite podcasters at no extra cost to you. Thank you!

On Instagram

themomhour

Top 10 parenting podcast hosted by @meaganfrancis (MI) & @powersofmine (SoCal). 8 kids between us, little to grown. Happier motherhood starts here.

The Mom Hour
New episode dropped in time for the weekend—surp New episode dropped in time for the weekend—surprise (and happy Friday)! This one is especially for those of you who have felt resistant to traditional “January topics” like goal-setting this year...⠀
.⠀
📲Listen now wherever you get your podcasts!⠀
.⠀
With nearly a year of “everything’s cancelled!” behind us, and facing down an early 2021 of “Who knows?”, we’ve all learned a couple things:⠀
.⠀
1️⃣ Truth #1: We all need to set goals and make plans to stay on course and keep working toward our deepest priorities, especially when life is unpredictable.⠀
2️⃣Truth #2: When life is unpredictable, it feels really hard to set goals. How do we make these two realities jive?⠀
.⠀
The solution: goal setting with a big dose of self-awareness and self-empathy. As 2020 taught us, things aren’t always going to look exactly the way we plan, but that doesn’t mean goal-setting is cancelled!⠀
⠀
From our personal finances to family priorities; hobbies and household projects to travel (what?!) and extracurricular activities, Sarah and Meagan are here with a real-life conversation about goal-setting that will meet you where you are and help you plan what you can – while allowing a lot of flexibility for the things that may change along the way.⠀
.⠀
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or right in your browser via the link in our bio!⠀
.⠀
.⠀
.⠀
.⠀
#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
#Sponsored What makes Day 200-something of pandem #Sponsored  What makes Day 200-something of pandemic life a little better? Getting to (virtually) join the cast of the new @disneychannel series #SecretsOfSulphurSprings for a preview of the show with some special treats!

Sarah here, friends. It’s getting REALLY hard to find shows that all three kids enjoy—not too mature for the 7yo, and not too little-kid-ish for the tween. This brand new mystery series from Disney - geared toward ages 6-14 - hit the mark and then some. They LOVED it. There’s a little suspense (just enough), great characters, and plot twists galore. We can’t wait to keep watching to see what happens next—thanks for including us in the premiere, @disneychannelpr!

Secrets Of Sulphur Springs premiers Friday 1/15 on #DisneyChannel, in #DisneyNow, and on Disney Channel YouTube. Three out of three Powers kids recommend! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
New podcast episode!⠀ .⠀ Art supplies taking o New podcast episode!⠀
.⠀
Art supplies taking over your shared space? Losing library books under piles of what-even-IS-this-stuff? Ready for a January re-set of your home's organization systems? You're not alone. This week Meagan and Sarah continue the conversation about where to put all the STUFF of family life, covering arts and crafts, board games and puzzles, super-sized play stuff, and all those wonderful books. We also touch on ways to know if an organizational system will work for you and your family - because, as we've found, one size does NOT fit all.⠀
.⠀
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or right in your browser via the link in our bio!⠀
.⠀
.⠀
.⠀
.⠀
#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
New podcast episode!⠀ .⠀ The holidays are behi New podcast episode!⠀
.⠀
The holidays are behind us, but they've left their mark on our homes: mostly in the form of more STUFF to store. Meagan and Sarah have logged decades of toy sorting and stuff-storing and in this week's episode share our experience finding just the right spot for all that brightly colored plastic. We talk about LEGO, we talk about stuffies and dolls; we remember the days of itty bitty sets and giant toddler ride-on toys. By the end of this episode we hope you'll feel like you already have the space and sense required to store your kids' stuff - no fancy bins required.⠀
.⠀
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or right in your browser via the link in our bio!⠀
.⠀
.⠀
.⠀
.⠀
#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
Who else is de-Christmassing today? Meagan and Sa Who else is de-Christmassing today?

Meagan and Sarah discovered that we both use the tactic of wrapping fragile decor items (not ornaments so much as knickknacks and dishes) in clean seasonal linens when we put them away until next year. Saves on bubble wrap or packing materials, and the linens need to be stored anyway.

When you unpack next year, just run the napkins and dish towels through a quick wash cycle and you’re ready to go!

What else is helping you transition to January? We’d love to hear!
New episode for a brand new year!⠀ .⠀ For thos New episode for a brand new year!⠀
.⠀
For those who love to plan ahead, last year was a huge challenge–and the shiny promise of a brand new year feels a little lackluster as we look toward 2021. Is planning and goal-setting permanently on hold, shuttered just like schools and gyms and concerts? Sarah Hart-Unger says no.⠀
⠀
Our first Voices interview episode of 2021 features two Sarahs: host Sarah Powers (@powersofmine) chats with guest Sarah Hart-Unger (@the_shubox of @shubox_plans and @best_of_both_worlds_podcast) about how to approach planning and goal-setting this year. We talk about the importance of reflecting on 2020, even though it didn’t go as planned, how to “pandemic-proof” your goals for 2021, and why the annual exercise of looking back and looking forward is still valuable. Sarah also answers your listener questions on the nitty-gritty of planning and goal setting.⠀
.⠀
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or right in your browser via the link in our bio!⠀
.⠀
.⠀
.⠀
.⠀
#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
We're not an interview podcast as our primary form We're not an interview podcast as our primary format; never have been, and don't plan to be. So when we bring outside voices onto the show, we try to do it very mindfully - covering topics outside our personal spheres of experience, or that we believe this community will benefit from hearing more about. Sometimes a guest comes to us by popular request; sometimes a pitch catches our eye (about one in 1,000, to be honest); most often, we approach people whose message and work we admire and are genuinely excited to talk to.⠀
⠀
These are the faces of the voices you heard (besides ours!) on the podcast this year. Twelve for our once-monthly Voices episodes, and a few more from bonus episodes about important topics we didn't want to pass us by. We appreciate every one of these people for their helpful advice, honest storytelling, and generous presence on the podcast.⠀
⠀
This Friday you'll hear our first Voices episode of 2021, and we'd love to know what other topics you'd like to see represented in our interviews in the coming year. Comment below with a topic area, or tag a guest you think would be great (bonus points if you know for sure we haven't covered the topic recently 😎 ).
New episode--the last one of 2020!⠀ .⠀ Meagan New episode--the last one of 2020!⠀
.⠀
Meagan and Sarah tiptoe very cautiously into the waters of future-casting in today's episode, still through the hazy, cheese-filled lens of that strange week between Christmas and New Year's. We talk about where our kids and home lives will be one year from now and what that means for the evolution of our family units. We meditate on all that was stripped away in 2020, and when and how it may start to return in the coming year. And we also share the things we're MOST excited to return to post-pandemic, as well as a few things we don't ever need to go back to the way they were.⠀
.⠀
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or right in your browser via the link in our bio!⠀
.⠀
.⠀
.⠀
.⠀
#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
"This Christmas, the stakes were both higher (afte "This Christmas, the stakes were both higher (after a year like 2020, we all really needed this holiday to be pleasant and peaceful) but also lower (after a year like 2020, "pleasant and peaceful" were all we really needed.)⠀
⠀
I hope tonight, after you've picked up the hundredth tiny bit of wrapping paper, or finally got that toy working after wrestling with the battery pack for an hour, or stepped on an errant piece of Lego, that you can look back over your day and identify a few moments of comfort and coziness. ⠀
There may have been grumpiness (yours, or your kids'). There may even have been tears (your kids', or yours.) But likely there were also some brief flashes of comfort and joy. Let's lean in on that."⠀⠀
✨⠀⠀
Meagan is continuing her daily blog posts through Christmas Day, sharing a short tip, truth, or bit of perspective each day. Check out the full post at themomhour.com/holidayhelp, or via the link in our bio!⠀
✨
"I just got done filling stockings. They're curren "I just got done filling stockings. They're currently slumped against my bedroom wall, as full as they're going to get. Likewise, the stack of gifts below the tree downstairs isn't getting any bigger. The breakfast menu I've planned isn't getting any more ambitious, either. The stores are closed, the night is over, my work here is done.⠀
⠀
I didn't hit all the marks, but that's what next year, or the year after, or...never is for. ⠀
⠀
For now, all I can do is give myself thanks and gratitude for the effort I put in."⠀⠀
✨⠀⠀
Meagan is continuing her daily blog posts through Christmas Day, sharing a short tip, truth, or bit of perspective each day. Check out the full post at themomhour.com/holidayhelp, or via the link in our bio!⠀
✨
"Even in a typical year, there can be a sense of l "Even in a typical year, there can be a sense of letdown when the guests all leave or the last gift is opened. And in 2020, I worry that the letdown may be much more acute, as many of the traditions that would have given the hours and days after Christmas morning shape and joy and meaning simply aren't happening this year - to say nothing about all the things that ALSO won't be happening in January and February. ⠀
⠀
But here's the good news: the holiday doesn't end at midnight on December 25. Many of us have an extended break ahead, whether it's time off from work or kids home from school. And even if you don't get the benefits of a longer break, you'll probably notice that the world around you is still moving in a kind of slow-motion, inviting us all to indulge in some more relaxation and cheer before we get back to our usual routines.⠀
⠀
I'd love for you to plan your post-holiday self-care with me, so we don't find those after-Christmas days slipping away. What would you love most to spend next week doing?"⠀⠀
✨⠀⠀
Meagan is continuing her daily blog posts through Christmas Day, sharing a short tip, truth, or bit of perspective each day. Check out the full post at themomhour.com/holidayhelp, or via the link in our bio!⠀
✨
"Your holiday to-do list wasn't a manifest of dema "Your holiday to-do list wasn't a manifest of demands penned by a hostile captor, it was an optimistic catalog of suggestions lovingly created for your present self by your past self. ⠀
⠀
Literally everything on it is optional. ⠀
And best yet, much of it is still doable. ⠀
⠀
The Elf can show up for 2 days instead of 25.⠀
⠀
Your un-mailed Christmas cards can go out on Friday as "holiday cards".⠀
⠀
You can make cookies on Christmas Eve. Or Christmas Day. Or not at all.⠀
⠀
You are not behind: not today, not tomorrow, not even 7 PM Thursday evening."⠀⠀
✨⠀⠀
Meagan is continuing her daily blog posts through Christmas Day, sharing a short tip, truth, or bit of perspective each day. Check out the full post at themomhour.com/holidayhelp, or via the link in our bio!⠀
✨
Load More... Follow on Instagram

As Seen On

Today Parents
BuzzFeed Parents

Send us an email

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Email hello@themomhour.com and we’re here to help!

Play Our Latest Episode!

https://media.blubrry.com/themomhour/pdst.fm/e/content.blubrry.com/themomhour/MHepisode290.mp3

looking for something?

Copyright © 2021 · Life, Listened
Development by Cipher