I have found several websites that I read often for tips on saving money and keeping things organized. I thought I'd share them, and I will update the list from time to time:

The Simple Dollar
Being Frugal
Get Organized Now
LifeHacker

I made a comment to a friend recently that perfectly sums up what is happening with regard to getting settled in our home. I said, "It's just like the nesting instinct expectant mothers get...without a baby." Jay is on Spring Break this week, and when he is not studying for a test coming up next week, he is unpacking, cleaning, and working in the yard (once it dries out; we've had some rain.) Yesterday, he unpacked five or six large plastic crates and several boxes. It is so nice not to have to walk around those.

Speaking of babies....Lauren just called and said her visit with the OB/GYN went well. She had a sonogram, and her due date is October 20. She had thought it would be in December, and I thought it would be in November. The baby is doing well, and in several more weeks, we will know its gender. Dylan and Ryan both have well-child checkups (and shots for Ryan) today.

Last summer, not long before we started working on buying our home, I decided it was time to get organized. I wrote about making a household notebook. That was the beginning of an ongoing (and surprisingly pleasant) process. I have decided to turn my attention to the paper that comes into the home. There is a constant flow of paper and mail in every household, to one extent or another. Maintaining control of this flow is imperative if the goal is to get organized and stay organized.

I have set up a filing system in our home to manage the bills, household records and other documentation that needs to be retained. The bills go into a cubby on my desk as they arrive, and the receipts for them are filed in a folder as they are paid. Any correspondence that needs immediate attention is dealt with promptly, and all of the documents related to the home itself are in an (ever) expanding file of their own. I do not let mail just sit on my desk or the nearest flat surface for days on end. It is much easier to just "do it" and get it done. All paper that does not need to be kept is recycled. Yes, it demands discipline, but I find a few minutes per day is really not too difficult. Besides, this system eliminates the "now, what did I DO with that piece of paper I had last week?" syndrome. When I cleaned out and organized my desk yesterday, I made sure my husband knows where to put the bills and other mail needing attention. He has been responding very well to my efforts to stay on top of things, which makes our home much less stressful.

I handle my e mail in a similar manner. I read it as soon as possible, and delete the messages I don't need. I file the others, and go through the folders and delete the older filed ones. If I don't use them, out they go.

This summer, I decided to get better organized. I got tired of not being able to find my manuals and user guides for our appliances, few though they were. I got a few supplies together:

-- a large looseleaf binder
-- page protector sheets
-- a zippered pouch for pens and small items
-- dividers for the binder
-- lined paper for extra notes

Then I set to work. I gathered all of our aforementioned manuals and user guides and tucked each of them into sheet protectors. Now if I need to refer to one, I know just where to find it.

I also included some organizer forms:

-- for meal planning, menus, and shopping lists
-- for phone numbers and addresses
-- for the vet records for the cats
-- and more.

This notebook is so easy to use and keep updated. No more missing instructions for appliances, and it can be customized in any way needed. It was handy even before we bought the house, and now it is indispensable.

We have a master list set up on a legal pad, with sections for each room in the house, plus sections for the yards and the garage. We have made lists of items we plan to get for each room, and we will check them off as they are obtained.

I've also set up files for our mortgage, taxes and insurance information, and for bills needing to be paid, as well as for receipts. Should be helpful at tax time.