How do you stay organized??

[yummmy]

How do you guys keep your family organized?! My husband will look at the google calendar to see what is going on, but I also need a way to keep to-do lists organized between him and I. For 2011-a little of 2017 we kept a goals list on the fridge that I updated weekly with the little things that needed to get done around the house, this worked well until my husband just decided it was too much work to print it out every Monday, and he just stopped looking at it. Do any of you have an app that you use to keep to-do lists in that can be shared and works well? Or have another idea of ways to tell him what needs to be done?! He always says "if i knew what needed to be done I'd do it" but then if I harp on him to do things he gets angry, which is why the goals worked for so many years until he just stopped looking at it. We use android devices and computers, so no ios stuff. Thanks in advance for any input you have!! 

[waverly]

For work and personal email accounts, I have gmail, so I use the tasks in my email. I don't know if tasks can be shared, I think so...

I have an iphone, so disregard if it doesn't apply or see if there is a android version. For some things, I use "notes" on my iphone, also not sure if they are sharable.

I actually just downloaded an app for my to do list. It is called Swipes. I didn't see a way to share it though. When I tried to sync it with gmail, gmail said it wouldn't allow it. Maybe if I had spent more time on it, I could figure it out. It also looks like it syncs with Evernote, but I don't use that. Evernote, my DH used for a while for work- might be an option.

I also use google docs a lot. I have the app on my phone, but I find I can't edit it on my phone only my computer. But I put things like packing lists on a google doc, and then I can bring my phone with me while I pack type thing. It could easily be a to-do list document, if he would look at it. You can share the document.

I also use the calendar function quite a bit, so if you have scheduled things you can put it there since you already use it. I still like having a list, you probably do to, but there is nothing wrong with putting a task in the calendar say 10 am on Sat morning, and inviting him, assigning him. Maybe that would be too pushy for him. I don't try it with my DH, but he has never really done my to do list unless I get all exasperated with him. He usually is always working on his own to do list, which most of the time benefits us both.

I know some people do the grocery list on the refrigerator door, and I have tried various apps for that. I ended up putting my meal plan right in my google calendar and then ordering groceries online from Peapod. But there are apps like Cozi. I just end up trying different ones, and seeing what works best for me, but in the end Gmail, tasks, google docs and sheets, and the calendar have probably been my most versatile routes.

I am liking the Swipes app, but I feel it is more for me than for sharing.  ETA- in looking as tasks, it looks like you can email the list.  I also just send a regular email of my schedule, but it could be a to do list to DH and I.  Its really to keep me feeling more in control of my calendar than anything else.  

There is also an add on that I downloaded on my work browser where I can annotate my emails.  It works OK, it has a yellow box above your email, so you can write notes on what your email is about. It is called Simple Gmail notes. 

[dizzycooks]

We share a OneNote account through a shared email. It syncs to both of our phones. I keep a running list and tell him to look at it. Every few weeks I’ll make him sit down on the weekend and we make a list and tackle it all at once. I like seeing it crossed off and it helps me see what’s on his mind as needing doing.

[2chatter]

I text DH screenshots of lists I make on the Grocery IQ app. It’s the only thing he will look at. He won’t look in other places and (iPhone) I showed him he can go to info and see the pics I have texted him, he will pull up the screenshot and work on things.

[greenmonkey1]

I used Cozi (http://www.cozi.com/) for some time to try and organize DH and I digitally. It has a shared calendar as well as shared lists. I had a task list specifically for me, one for DH, and one for both. There is a space for grocery lists as well. Very user friendly. It did not work for us because DH would not use it, but if your DH is on board it is a pretty way to share task lists.

[ECB]

Also - ask him. He didn't like the printed list, doesn't want you to "harp" at him... what does HE feel is a good solution that will work for him?

THis shouldn't be entirely on you. We can give you tons of ideas but if HE is going to ignore it/ not like it, then it's useless.

[twinmomma]

DH won't look at a to do list unless he makes it. But I have found that if I email him tasks, he'll do it. So I send an individual email for each task, as I think of it or I work my way down my own master list. Not my ideal preference, but it works for us after a lot of struggling with a method.

[erinshelley21]

I have an android phone and just recently learned that there is a task function in the Memos app that you can use to make to-do lists. Can you keep a running to-do list in there and send It to him every week or once a month based on what he would prefer so he doesn't feel like you're nagging but you are also informing him?

My H does not like for me to make him to do lists. In fact, in 10 years together, I've never made him one. Sometimes I have to ask him 3 or 4 times to do something, but if he gets annoyed then he should have done it sooner. I also spread the reminders out and try to focus on other tasks to distract me from him not doing what I asked lol

[mommyatty]

We write stuff on a white board in our kitchen. We also have 2 one-week calendars and every Sunday all the time-sensitive to dos are put on the calendars. Like Wednesday of next week, it says “Send Money for Book Fairs”. But on our running list will be stuff like “Make Dentist Appointment-MommyAtty”.

But yeah, I’m with ECB. If he doesn’t like the system you’ve used for 6 years, then he really needs to tell you what he does like beyond “don’t write it down and don’t use your vocal cords but I’m going to claim I can’t do stuff because you won’t communicate the family’s needs.”

[yummmy]

Jan 9, 2018 20:07:32 GMT -5 ECB said:

Also - ask him. He didn't like the printed list, doesn't want you to "harp" at him... what does HE feel is a good solution that will work for him?

THis shouldn't be entirely on you. We can give you tons of ideas but if HE is going to ignore it/ not like it, then it's useless.

Exactly! It's very frustrating because he is the one that asked for the printed to-do list in the beginning and used it for awhile, no idea why he stopped. Guess I'll have to harp on him to give me an answer about why he stopped. Just hoping to have some solutions in the wings to offer him for options because I know he will look at me and ask. He is so wishy washy. 

[yummmy]

Thanks for all your input guys! I am hopefully going to talk to him tonight about his thoughts. greenmonkey1 - I checked out cozi, that seems like a possible option for us. waverly - I checked out swipes seems like it might be another great option for us if i can find a way to share it, maybe just set up one account and have it sync to both phones?

[justcheckingin73]

I’m late to the game but we use two methods - we share our work calendars with each other and we use a regular family-type calendar which hangs in our kitchen. I put all of my personal and kid appointments and reminders in my work calendar and he puts any evening activities that he has in his. But, that’s for daily reminders/updates. If we are looking to plan ahead for the week, we use the paper calendar in the kitchen. It’s a bummer to have two separate places and sometimes I will miss something or DH will forget to write something on the calendar but for the most part it works for us.

I don’t usually write to-dos for DH but if I did, I would probably write it on a post-it and put it on the calendar.

[twinmomma]

Funny story related to this. DH went off the other night about how calendars are just too hard to manage, because his life is so fluid, he can't possibly plan in advance for anything and it would require him updating the calendar all the time, etc... Total eye roll.

Then last night he finds out that he has to go to an event next week, that he signed up for back in SEPTEMBER and completely forgot about. So I casually gloated/mentioned that there's a handy invention he could have used to keep track of something like that. It's called a calendar.

[2chatter]

For calendars I would lose my mind without our shared google calendar. We only started last year (because of here, you guys rock). I thought DH didn’t really use it but he has learned - he used to ask me six times “where is the birthday party Saturday?” and after he got used to it now he just checks the calendar.

If there is a super important to do for DH I put it on the calendar (the calendar is color coded by person). You can set reminders too. The girls both have access (DD that is in 4th on her iPad). I add what’s for dinner and it’s generated interest in food prep from the kids. (If DD especially sees that there’s nothing she loves she will ask if she can make something to add or sub - like one night she made roasted broccoli instead of my serving the planned spinach salad).

I can’t say enough good things about going paperless and the google calendar.

[punisher]

DH and I use Messenger to communicate throughout the day, and it lets you "Start a Plan" including reminders in that app. Between that and our family Google calendar, we keep it relatively straight.