My friend Stephanie told me about this amazing planner she had started using called Totally Together: Shortcuts to an Organized Life, written by Stephanie O’Dea. She is also the author of two slow cooker cookbooks, so she seems to know a thing or two about saving time and being efficient. We contacted the publisher and they very generously sent me out a copy to review.
I never thought I would actually be obsessed with a planner. I have only been using it a week and I already feel like it has improved our house and my stress level.
She touches on the 7 things you should complete every day (laundry, dishes, etc) and gives fantastic tips on keeping your house up on a daily basis. Each day, there are check boxes for these 7 items. I love lists, I love making them, crossing things off them. This is a list written out for me. I get to cross off making my bed every day, it makes me feel so accomplished!
Each week also has items that I often forget, like changing the filters in our house, changing bed linens, buying cards for upcoming birthdays and anniversaries. She includes tips on meal planning and a fabulous timeline for making the holidays as stress-free as possible. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders, as these oft-forgotten chores are the things that clog up my to-do list and my brain.
She even includes ideas on taking time for yourself and things you can do together as a family. I was telling a friend about the planner the other day and I said “My kids and I made cookies because the planner told me to!”. Seriously, this thing is genius.
The planner starts in September, beginning of the school year, but the dates are left blank. You fill in the dates based on the year you are using the planner, each month also gets five weeks to account for extra days in certain months. I just started filling in dates in mid-October, which is when I started using it.
My friend Stephanie’s review (not to be confused with Stephanie O’Dea):
I stumbled across Totally Together: Shortcuts To An Organized Life, and became intrigued by the description…” a simple organizing system that can prevent you from ever again having to do a last-minute company’s-coming cleanup, desperate purse purge, or frantic family dinner.”
I have always felt like I’m running around like a crazy woman before company is suppose to come over and I’m constantly trying to figure out at the last minute what we’re going to do for dinner. I bought this planner hoping that it would give me tips and tricks to have a calmer and cleaner house.
This is the planner above all planners! It teaches you the Daily 7 and the weekly chores that if done every day will keep your house tidy. Every week it gives you a handful of the bigger cleaning tasks to do. For example, Changing all the bed linens or Wiping all the door knobs,light switches, and remote controls.
What I love the most about this planner are the introduction chapters. There is so much valuable information about having your family help you. It even gives you a list of chores that children can do and breaks it up by age. Did you know that my 3 year olds not only can, but SHOULD be making their beds, helping load and unload the dishwasher, and putting away their own laundry! So often I have done these things for them so that I could “do it right.” This planner has helped me let go of some of the control and begin teaching my kids how to do these household chores. Not only do the kids LOVE scrubbing the bathroom tub with Daddy’s shaving cream ( a cleaning tip provided) but they did a great job and twice as fast as I could have done it alone!
Totally Together is worth the money! I’ve already added to the end of my planner, “Buy another Totally Together planner for coming year…”
You can purchase the Totally Together planner through Amazon right now just $10.20. Every penny spent is worth it, I promise.
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On to the giveaway.
Stephanie O’Dea and her publisher Penguin Group, have generously offered a Totally Together planner/organizer to one (very) lucky This Beautiful Frugal Life reader!
TO ENTER (REQUIRED):
Leave a comment letting us know what is your biggest struggle about keeping your house clean and semi-calm. I swear I was on the verge of hiring a housekeeper before I got this planner. I had a LOT of struggles. Or on the flip side: What works well for you?
BONUS ENTRIES
- Follow This Beautiful Frugal Life on Facebook and post this giveaway on your wall. Come back and leave a separate comment on this post that you have done so.
- Follow Stephanie O’Dea on Facebook. Come back and leave a separate comment on this post that you have done so.
- Follow Stephanie O’Dea on Twitter and leave a separate comment saying you did so.
- Follow This Beautiful Frugal Life on Twitter and tweet: “Enter to win the Totally Together planner/organizer from @BeautifulFrugal and @stephanieodea http://www.beautifulfrugallife.com/?p=4154″. Come back and leave a separate comment on this post. If you already follow, all you have to do is tweet about the giveaway and leave a separate comment on this post.
This will give you a total of 5 possible entries. Please make sure your email address is correct in your comment as this is the only method I have to contact you.
This giveaway will end on Sunday, October 30th at 8 PM PST. Once I choose a winner, you will have 24 hours to respond with your contact information.
Good luck!
{ 143 comments }
My house isn’t so much a mess it is just extra stuff that needs to find a home. Also I need a nice way of organizing crafts and the necessities that go with the craft.
Organization! I have a hard time assigning places for everything.
I follow Stephanie O’Dea on Twitter.
I am also a list maker. I make lists of lists! My biggest problem with keeping my house clean is that usually my kids mess it up while I am in the middle of cleaning it! =) Honestly though, I do every other possible thing BEFORE cleaning because I hate the feeling of cleaning and then the next day it needs to be cleaned again! I do really like the “do a load of laundry every day” and it works for us.
It always feels so overwhelming when you start a deep cleaning on your house, it sounds like this planner nixes that by keeping up on the little things! Sounds great!
CLUTTER DRIVES ME CRAZY, MY HUSBAND TRIES TO HELP ON OCCASION BUT IT DRIVES ME NUTS WHEN I LEAVE THE HOUSE SPOTLESS BEFORE I GO TO WORK THEN WHEN I GET HOME ITS CLUTTERED. I GUESS THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE A 2 YEAR OLD.
Anything when it comes to cleaning or organization is my biggest battle….ANYTHING! We have a interview with a cleaning company coming up to help us with our house.
I put off doing things all week and feel completely overwhelmed when the weekend comes! Then I spend a whole day cleaning and then the process starts over again the next week!
I CHECKED OUT STEPHANIE O DEA’S WEB SITE AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT COULD BE A GREAT TOOL
I “like” Stephanie O Dea on facebook!
With two little ones, and busy work schedules, it is very difficult to get anything done. My husband and I only have one day off together every week, and we try to do something fun with the kids. I have to put most of my focus on laundry and keeping the kitchen clean, and the carpet vacuumed. I feel like there’s no hope with the clutter…and the deep cleaning probably doesn’t happen as often as it should.
I struggle with last minute party planning foods! I love planners and have been looking for a good one. I’d love to win!
I follow you on Facebook.
I am a compulsive lister! I’m also a clutter bug, I have papers and ideas that I’m going to “get to” in tidy little piles that have merged into a mess. Our schedule is littered with the normal mommy to do’s but my kiddo has several medical conditions and we juggle 3 (give or take appointments a week). Chores? Still must do, but when!?! Totally Together Planner; YES PLEASE!
I just started following Stephanie o’dea on Facebook.
My house is hard to keep clean because of 2 young girls and getting started homeschooling. I’d love to get things on schedule and in order.
A follower of O’dea
I follow you on facebook
Paperwork is my nemesis
Following Stephanie on facebook
Shared on my page about the giveaway. Thanks for all you do
I feel like I am CONSTANTLY picking up after my 1&3 year olds. Never ending!!
I follow Stephanie on fb!
I shared on my fb page!!
We live full time in a 37′ Class A motor home and keeping the clutter manageable is the biggest challenge I have. I need to purge more stuff but just don’t know where to begin. I hope I win…you can reach me at ali1257@gmail.com Thanks.
I am entering myself to win the Totally Together Planner
I am now following Stephanie O’Dea on facebook 
And just in case I don’t end up being the winner I would still like to get it, but I am a little confused, does it include dates? Should I be waiting to get the 2012 edition? Or do you fill in the dates and it is good for all years?
That’s a really good question, I’ll update the post with the info. The calendar starts in September, based on the start of the school year, but you fill in the dates. Each month is given five weeks. You basically just start the planner when you get it and all the tips and tricks are based on the month you are in.
Cleaning the main bathroom is the major flaw in my housecleaning! All those little tiles to scrub in between….
I follow TBFL on Facebook and have shared the giveaway on my wall
I jut went and liked and will follow Stephanie O’Dea on Facebook. Going back now to catch up on her wall
We live in a pretty small place, so I do OK keeping up on the cleaning. However our closets and cupboards are getting out of control. I feel like I need to completely re-org them, but am pretty overwhelmed by the idea. Especially because when I start pulling stuff out of the closets, the kids think it’s Christmas or something, and need to touch and see EVERYTHING.
I tweeted about the giveaway!
It’s hard to keep the house clean with a potty training two year old and a new born. As soon as you clean one thing, someone is destroying something else!!
I am following her on Facebook. I love checking things off my list!
Posted the link on my wall!
Finding time to mop the floors!
My biggest struggle is keeping the kids toys contained. I feel when I get one area tackled the go to another or go back to one I already cleaned. I think their toys multiply over night!
I Like This Beautiful Frugal Life on Facebook.
I like Stephanie O’Dea on Facebook.
I follow @stephanieodea on twitter.
I follow @BeautifulFrugal on twitter.
I tweeted about the contest.
My biggest struggle is with laundry and a basic weekly cleaning routine.
Clutter is my biggest struggle! Toy clutter, clothes clutter, paper clutter — they all seem to gang up on me on a daily basis!
I’ve just “liked” Stephanie O’Dea on FB!
FULL-TIME CAREER, FULL-TIME MOM. Not alot of time in between. Scheduling activities and work events leaves little space left for planning or cleaning.
The clutter on my island is the worst … I call it the dumping grounds as it seems that’s where everything goes the moment we step I. The door. Also my baby girl is mobile now and trying to stay up on nipping is insane!
I shared this giveaway on FB (was already a fan of This Beautiful Frugal Life.)
I could sooo use this!
I shared this on my wall!!!
I have been following Beautiful Frugal Life for sometime now and now I’m following Stephanie’s too. I love both sites!!!
Clutter is my biggest issue! It seems to just multiply & then I get so overwhelmed!
I feel like I am always struggling to keep up on house work!
I follow Stephanie O’Dea on Facebook!
I follow beautiful frugal life on FB
I now follow This Beautiful Frugal Life on Facebook and posted this giveaway on my wall!
Liked Stephanie on FB
For me it’s the dog hair. Everyday the floors need to be swept. The toddler’s toys need to be picked up first though. On the plus side, the Roomba Vacuum works wonders for us. We have hard wood floors and it’s best on hard surfaces. By the time the toys are picked up I’m ready to be done & it helps a lot. My other nemesis is the mail. We’re working on a new “system” for that one.
Having a planner will help me keep me going on to an organized household. As a mother of 4 small children, I am very busy. Organization is a struggle for me and I’m learning daily to overcome it.
Let’s see…four kids, homeschooling, house, church, garden, chickens, grocery shopping…I could definitely use something like this!
I could sooooo use this. Paperwork and laundry are my biggest UGGGs at the moment.
My biggest struggle is that I procrastinate, so I usually tend to hurry things and feel stressed, when I probably could have done things earlier.
For me, having a new baby makes it hard to figure out what is most important each day, and using my short periods of time wisely!
I shared your link on my facebook wall, and I already follow you!
I now follow Stephanie on Facebook
I now follow Stephanie on Twitter
I follow you on Twitter and I tweeted about this contest.
STUFF is my biggest obstacle! Too much of it and no where to put it!
The hardest thing for me to keep my house cleaned is my one year old crawl from one room to the other taking everything off the shelves, out of baskets, and out of drawers. I feel I can never keep up.
I can get my house cleaned up and organized, but we live in it and it gets disorganized and messy in minutes of everyone waking up the next day. I need help keeping on top of it before it turns into a disaster zone!
I just liked you on Facebook.
I also like Stephanie on Facebook.
I follow Stephanie on Twitter.
I have an 8mo baby girl and I feel like everything is a blur trying to just keep up with her: making sure her clothes are clean, her food is ready, etc., eyc.
I cannot find time to do laundry! I can get it in the washer/dryer–but finding time to fold and put it away–impossible! We live out of laundry baskets!
My biggest struggle is keeping the house picked up and finding the time to clean with 2 little boys. I am a to-do list keeper though, and that helps keep me somewhat organized.
My kids have two different schools, both of which I drive them to, at four different times a day…not including when I volunteer in classrooms or at recess ;o) We currently have soccer and football practice back to back in the evenings, and then I work part time at night after all the day’s events! Fundraisers, classroom parties, games, tournaments, playoffs…oh and on the side I sell Tupperware ;o) Could definitely use a planner!!! My house is typically a disaster, I am used to it. I pick and choose what I must accomplish per day, but even that sometimes is a struggle. Hope I’m not the only one who sometimes is forced to send their kid to school in two different socks or let them buy lunch because I didn’t get to the store for something to pack!!!
I follow you on facebook and posted this giveaway on my wall! ;o) Thanks!
I’m following Stephanie O’Dea on facebook! Thanks!
My biggest challenge is paperwork. Between school papers and mail, it seems like we always have piles sitting around that need to be reviewed.
My house cleaning has become much more complicated now that I have a newborn. She is just now 4 months old and I find cleaning the house so much harder with her around. During the day she only sleeps when I hold her – so I don’t get stuff done when she is sleeping. So, once she is awake it’s off to work I go! I find it’s so much easier to do things as I go, make the bed in the morning, BEFORE I leave the room. Put the dishes in the dish washer right away, not in the sink! Doing these simple things throughout the day has helped me keep the house cleaner lately which is a relief since her swing, bouncer and other play things seem to take over all the floor space it makes it look much more crowded and messy when it’s really not!
I love to make lists,which are helpful. My problem is that I make multiple lists and calendars, I need one central location to organize everything.
My biggest challenge is things not having a ‘home’. Our place has very little closet space and not nearly enough cabinets, and as it’s small there’s simply no room for cabinets and bookshelves!
I follow This Beautiful Frugal Life on Facebook and posted about it.
This planner sounds great! My husband keeps buying me planners and I cannot find time to fill them in, ironic right!! My biggest struggle is keeping up with my 4 kids! Between school and activities and trying to keep the house clean…let’s just say it’s hard!
I posted this give-a-way on my site. This is one of my greatest passions; to have a peaceful home that is welcoming to my family and others. The one tip that really helps me is to start the day out by making my bed when I get out of it. For some reason, this just makes me feel a little more pulled together. My husband makes his side and I make mine. 10 seconds maybe! When I get dressed, all the clothes that aren’t in place go in their drawer or in the laundry right then! Another 1 minute. The rest of the house happens the same way. Don’t leave a room until it is in order. If you keep up this way, it will never get overwhelming.
my 4 kids are the biggest struggle in keeping my house clean and calm. as soon as I clean, they follow me and destroy…
i have an issue with clutter. i swear it multiplies! i’d love to win this — thanks for the giveaway! taylortasha at msn dot com
following stephanie on twitter as @pdxoregonmom; taylortasha at msn dot com
following stephanie on facebook as tasha j r; taylortasha at msn dot com
tweeted! http://twitter.com/#!/pdxoregonmom/status/128675327303094272
taylortasha at msn dot com
I think the challenge of being a mom is that everything we do almost immediately is undone. Bathrooms are clean and then used and dirty, groceries bought and then we eat them. My biggest issue is toys, I do not like to pick them up. I would love to have a planner to help me stay organized with 4 kids under the age of 7, I surely could use it!
following on facebook
followed stephanie of facebook
I have the hardest time with vacuuming. My toddler is terrified of the vacuum, and whenever I have an opportunity to vacuum, I always forget.
I have 5 kids (or should I say 5 mini tornados) and lots of pets and I just feel like I’m cleaning all day but nothing is ever clean. I definitely need a system. I’m so unstructured just now and it’s just not working
nieceyd(at)gmail(dot)com
I like Stephanie O’Dea on facebook
FB user name: Niecey Docherty
nieceyd(at)gmail(dot)com
I follow Stephanie O’Dea on twitter
@goodieslist
nieceyd(at)gmail(dot)com
I follow you on twitter and tweeted
http://twitter.com/#!/goodieslist/status/129382134342365184
One challenge is that everything does not have a place in my house, so even when it is clean there is clutter. I’m wondering if I should just spend the money to get everything organized.
I’m following her on Twitter
I liked her on Facebook
I am following Stephanie O’Dea on Twitter.
I am following Beautiful Frugal Life on Twitter and have tweeted about the giveaway.
As a new mom, I am pretty overwhelmed by all the the pieces of keeping a home. I would love some direction!
I feel like I’m always at work. When I get home the house has been rampaged by my family all day. Help
I am following beautifulfrugallife.com on facebook and posted to my page….hope I did it right
I’m following Stephanie O’Dea on facebook.
So hard to keep my house clean because I truly believe I’m not wired to pick up after myself!!
I follow you on Facebook and posted about this giveaway!
I’m following Stephanie O’Dea on facebook.
I’m following Stephanie O’Dea on Twitter.
I follow you on Twitter and Tweeted about the giveaway!
My biggest struggle is probably that it is just a process that never stops. I have a house full of young kids, for which I am ever thankful, but it also means that there are always growing messes, things left undone, not put away properly, etc. There is just always just lot of tidying up to do and if I stop for an afternoon it just grows.
I am a FB fan!
My biggest challenge is staying on top of clutter! I spend so much time striving to keep the horizontal surfaces in our home (dining table, coffee table, etc.) clear, that I almost never get to true cleaning tasks such as removing cobwebs and washing windows. With a family of 4 and working full time, keeping clutter at bay feels like the only thing I ever accomplish (if that).
My biggest challenge is just staying focused…I make lists but seem to get sidetracked on other little things and then dont finish my list for the day, thus making the next day’s list longer.
My house is a mess and mainly because there are more of “them” than me – I, mom, am the cleaner, while they, dad and grandma and kids, are the mess makers. I’d love to find a way to get everyone on the same page with cleaning here
My biggest struggle is folding and putting away laundry. I end up with baskets of clean clothes and baskets of dirty clothes. I have to remember which is which. I think I lack patience for folding. I need to work on this.
One thing I am good at is donating items I do not use. I can be pretty ruthless when cleaning and sorting. This helps reduce clutter and allows other people to use things that would just be collecting dust at my house.
The kitchen drives me CRAZY!!! I feel like it is a never ending mess. I finally get it all clean and then it seems that it is messy again with in minutes!!
I have a hard time keeping my house clean and organized because my husband likes to leave his things everywhere!
I’m following This Beautiful Frugal Life on Facebook
I’m following Stephanie O’Dea on Facebook.
I’m Following Stephanie O’Dea on Twitter
I tweeted “Enter to win the Totally Together planner/organizer from @BeautifulFrugal and @stephanieodea http://www.beautifulfrugallife.com/?p=4154“
Laundry baffles me. And I have a husband who doesn’t like to walk around piles of clothes. Imagine that!
hate trying to be 10 100 places at one time, mentally! i would love to win this!
Definitely laundry. It piles up & I never seem to keep enough change on hand to go do it (pay machines at our complex) or I can’t find the time to go do it at my mom’s place. Drives me nuts! Dishes seem to be easiest – the dishwasher is always running but we always have clean stuff that way!
I have trouble being diligent with putting things where they go. if they have a place. my husband likes a picked-up (visually clean) house, I don’t care how it looks if I know it’s been scrubbed clean. we often stress each other out by the way we do things!
What works for me is always pick the small things. It’s the small things that add to clutter.
I follow this beuatiful frugal life on facebook
I follow TBFL on FB and posted the link to this post!
Paperwork is my nemesis! That, and the daily clutter of getting everyone to put their coats and shoes away! I always forget who I’m supposed to call, so I’d love to have somewhere to keep track of stuff like that.
My biggest challenge about keeping my house clean and semi-calm is finding the time and energy to do everything. I work nights, have a 6-yr. old, step-daughter, and a husband working full-time and going to school. Between my weird hours, driving around to pick up my step-daughter and take her to school and a husband who needs to do homework, I’m left with little time to get everything done. As for what works well, laundry tends to get done in one day.
With two little ones, it’s hard to clean. When I do, it seems somehow or another the house only stays clean for 1 hour. I’m struggling with how to get the cleaning done with everything else going on.
Keeping the house clean with 3 kids and a dog is not easy…
I struggle to get anything DONE…I start lots then get sidetracked. UGH
My biggest struggle is having the time to organize.
tainalatina1980@yahoo.com
My biggest struggle is the kitchen. It is always cluttered!
I all housekeeping stuff off until I cannot stand if anymore and am grumpy with husband and kids. Would love help getting things done each day so things don’t get so piled up.
I am following stephanie odea on Facebook.
Paper Clutter is my worst enemy! And kids’ paperwork and drawings… and magazine articles I can’t seem to toss.. Maybe *I* am my own worst enemy! lol
I already ‘like’ this site on FB! That’s how I found out about the giveaway!
I also like O’dea on fB too!
Dishes (no dishwasher…other than me) and paper clutter!
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