40 Free Tools to Help Your Family Get Organized

Family organization is difficult to maintain, largely because of all the different personalities involved and the different directions family members are headed on a day to day basis. Keeping a family organized can seem like a monumental task and many will give up before establishing a system that really works. CA55KXVZQ3KQ

There is one thing about organization that stands true for everyone – if you create visuals and incorporate the habits of writing down your vital information, you are more likely to stay organized than those who just count on their memory. Family lives are just too hectic to not plan appropriately. Kids' sports, lessons, and school activities have to bet fit into a day where parents work and take care of daily family needs.

Here is an extensive list of family organizational tools created by Vertex42.com that you can use in your family life to stay on top of every aspect of your day, your week, your month, and beyond:

Family Money Management

A busy family has a lot to worry about, but one of the biggest worries is money. It is vitally important to ensure your money is being managed properly, especially during rough economic times. Families need to save as much as they can. Cost of living is continually on the rise and emergencies can and do happen. Forgetting to pay bills can cost a family a lot of cash over a year in fees and penalties.

So, to start off this list of family-friendly tools, you may want to consider using a free Money Management Template (1), a good idea for money-conscious families needing help with overall money management. A Monthly Household Budget Worksheet (2) can also be useful in keeping tabs on cash flow and bill payments throughout the month. For the kids of the family, starting lessons in money management at a young age can go a long way to teaching kids to carry good money habits into adulthood. Vertex42's printable Money Manager for Kids (3) can help introduce age-appropriate financial lessons.

Family Financial Goals

In addition to controlling spending, families need to set and maintain savings goals. There are a variety of reasons saving is important. Short-term savings goals such as those for vacation, weekend trips, extracurricular activities, and special purchases should be set to keep you on budget. Long-term savings goals should be set to keep the family financial secure now and for the future. Some free tools for helping set long-term savings goals include the Savings Calculator (4), College Savings (5), and Retirement Savings (6) spreadsheets. Vertex42's free Savings Goal Tracker (7) can help you categorize family financial goals and create a visual that motivates your family to keep saving.

Debt Reduction Help

Families struggling with debt issues need to take action to reduce debt and rebuild their financial life. Vertex42's free Debt Snowball Calculator (8) is an effective tool for creating a debt payment plan and estimating how soon you could pay off your debts. The snowball method allows you to concentrate on one debt at a time and is a progressive plan for zeroing out your debt balances. For a simple tool that shows how long it takes to pay off a single credit card, see the Credit Card Payoff Calculator (9). The Credit Card Minimum Payment Calculator (10) can help you see how much of a folly it is to make only minimum payments without a more aggressive debt reduction plan in place.

Daily Life Organization

When kids and parents need to be in multiple places at the same time, disaster can strike. Printing a Monthly Family Calendar (11) to place on your fridge for all to see can help prevent over-scheduling family members. A wall calendar like this creates a visual that makes it easy for everyone to know what's going on each day. For families and individuals that need even more structure in their day, the printable Daily Planner (12) or Weekly Planner (13) may be the ideal way to stay on track and manage time more efficiently.

Household Responsibilities

Family life that is often hectic typically results in disorganization around the house and a lot of distracting clutter. To combat the mess before it begins, you can use a House Cleaning Checklist (14) that will help you divide and conquer. Everyone in the family can be assigned different household chores on a daily basis and you can plan out the week to ensure everything gets done. Even the youngest family members can pitch in and make a difference. For bigger cleaning tasks, like seasonal house cleaning, a Spring Cleaning Checklist (15) can help you get the stuff done that can help prevent costly home repairs that result from neglecting routine maintenance. Kids will enjoy participating in the work even more if they get to look forward to some fun. A Rewards Chart (16) can keep kids interested and motivated to do their equal share.

New Family

If your family is just starting, there are plenty of things to organize. Even before the wedding, you will surely have a lot of planning to do, starting with the Wedding Budget (17) and learning how to manage a Family Budget (18) together as a couple. As the family begins to grow, a new baby will require a lot of your time and it can be easy to get disorganized. You can utilize many planning tools to help you with even the most basic tasks such as the Baby's Feeding Schedule (19) and the doctor's appointments and play days. By writing down all you need to do, you'll be less likely to forget your plans despite sleep deprivation.

New House

For growing families, a new house may be in order for more room, proximity to better schools, or more control over your living environment. Before your family takes a leap forward, it is important to plan the financial and the logistical aspects of the purchase and the move long before it happens. You can start the process using the free Home Mortgage Calculator (20) or the Mortgage Payment Calculator (21) to see how much you can afford on a new mortgage based on a monthly payment. You will need to save for a down payment and you'll also want to factor in the Cost of Home Ownership (22), especially if you do not currently own a home. When you are ready to move into your new home, it can be chaotic to pack up your belongings and get on the road. Using a Moving Checklist (23) can help the process run smoothly as you transition from leaving your old home and settling into your new one.

New Car

Growing families often need a commuter vehicle or a larger vehicle. If you are selling or buying a used car, make sure to use a Bill of Sale (24). If you need to finance, using an Auto Loan Calculator (25) can help you find an affordable vehicle price range to keep you within the family budget. Vehicle ownership can cost a lot of money if you are not keeping track of your expenses. With fuel prices continuing to rise, gas mileage is important, and the way you drive can have a huge impact. Driving more carefully is not only safer, it can also dramatically improve your mileage. A real-time mileage display would be nice, but you can also just print a Mileage Log (26) to keep in your car.

Better Health

Families are being encouraged to turn off the television and get outside to play more. Exercise is an important part of preventing health problems. Parents looking to lose a few pounds can utilize several tracking tools to help them meet their weight and fitness goals. There are several free charts to track your fitness activities including an Exercise Chart (27), Running Log (28), Blood Pressure Chart (29), and Weight Loss Tracker (30). Writing down your activities, goals, and results can be highly motivational and can keep you moving forward with your family fitness goals. Exercise is a great way to prevent health problems, and immunizations can be important also. Keep your Immunization Record (31) up-to-date.

Smarter Mealtimes

One of the biggest expenses a family incurs involves a basic life staple - groceries. Many parents are trying to stop eating on the run and are getting involved in more family meals around the dinner table. To be more efficient with mealtimes at home, you can start using a Meal Planner (32) so you know exactly what to make for dinner and other meals every night - a common problem for many busy parents. To save more money on the rising cost of food, use a Printable Grocery List (33) to better plan exactly what you need and cut down on your impulse buys. Another way to save time on meals is to have somebody else do the cooking. Organize and print your recipes with a Recipe Card Template (34) and teach your kids how to cook.

Family Safety

When families grow and kids become more independent, it is important to have protocols in place in case of emergencies. Using a Contact List Template (35) to create a list of emergency phone numbers, especially for the kids, can be a vital element of basic household safety. You can also use a free Home Inventory Spreadsheet (36) for your home insurance purposes. In the event of a fire, robbery, or other disaster, you'll have a list of exactly what you had to make sorting out insurance issues much more efficient.

Family Fun

There is a lot of fun to be had in family time. Mark special occasions such as holidays, birthdays, and special celebrations on a Yearly Calendar (37). Make resolutions for yourself to spend more time with your family and track your progress with a Resolution Checklist (38). Reduce your stress during the year-end holidays by planning ahead and creating a Holiday Gift Budget (39). Learn about your ancestors and share that heritage with your kids by completing a Family Tree (40).

As you can see, there is no shortage of stuff on Vertex42 for helping you and your family.