Works For Me Wednesday-Tickler

Today, I’d like to share with you something that helps keep me organized. With a full time church secretary job, a part time job, a home, 3 daughters, a Sunday School class, and responsibilities at church, I can often forget all the many details floating around in my cranium. To help me remember things that need to be done, I rely on my tickler file.

I first heard of a "tickler" years ago when I worked at a bank and trust company. It was a rolodex filed by date and each day you flipped to that day’s date and read on the card what needed to be done that day.

Years later, I learned of a tickler filing system and that is what I now use. Each day I pull out the file for that date. Inside are things I need to do that day.

To make my ticker file, I first picked out 12 orange folders, one for each month of the year. [You can choose your own colors.] Next, I got 31 folders of another color, one for each day of the month. I chose purple.

Now, when mail comes in, I sort them into the corresponding month’s folder. At the beginning of the month, I open that folder and sort its contents into the daily folders. A bill needs to be paid on the 16th? I put it in the folder for the 11th, so I can have time to mail it. My BFF has a birthday the last day of the month? I put a reminder in the folder two weeks before the actual date. A lady in the church lost her husband in November? I put a note in the November file to have pastor call her on the anniversary of his death. VBS materials need to be ordered in the spring before all the good stuff is sold out? I put a reminder in the March file.

It works great at work and it can be adapted for home. Are you always forgetting to send permission slips or field trip money for your children? File it in the tickler! We all know the state sends our license sticker renewal forms way early. File it in the correct month’s folder when you get it. Then you won’t have to tear the house apart looking for the registration on the last day of the month that the sticker is due for renewal. [Ask me how I know!]

I’m planning on having three tickler files, one for each job and one for home. Nowadays, you can even find fun patterned folders to use.

There is only one drawback to this system. You have to remember to check each day’s folder! It takes 21 days to make a new habit, and for some of us, twice that. I suggest putting a note on your monitor or your refrigerator (somewhere you know you look everyday) to remind you.

For more great ideas, head on over to Rocks in My Dryer!