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The Care.com Home Binder

Don't have time for a "family meeting"? Use these printable checklists to organize your family and caregivers.

The Care.com Home Binder
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As a parent, you wear many hats when it comes to organizing your family. You want to make sure everyone can contribute to planning weekend activities and what goes on the grocery list, but a “family meeting” doesn’t always fit into your busy schedule. And when you hire a caregiver (from a babysitter to a housekeeper), how do you tell them about your needs and schedule in a simple way?

The Care.com Home Binder is designed to streamline communication and make sure everyone is on the same page — no matter how hectic life gets.

Download some or all of the PDFs and customize your Home Binder to fit your family’s needs.

To view and download the entire Care.com Homebinder, click here.

How do you organize your life? Leave ideas in the comments below!
 

  1. This Week Calendar Download the PDF
    Write family members’ names in the first column, so you can easily see where everyone is supposed to be each day and what activities are going on. Add your name to the list, so caregivers and kids know where you are in case they need to reach out.

  2. Babysitter Instructions Download the PDF
    Here, you can leave reminders for an experienced nanny or detailed directions for a new sitter. Specify your hourly rate in the top-right corner, so no one is surprised at the end of the night. Find the going rate in your area with our babysitter calculator. Learn more about what you can do to be a Fair Care Employer. You can even take the Fair Care Pledge now!

  3. Emergency Numbers Download the PDF
    Seconds count when an emergency strikes. Keep all emergency contacts on this page, so you and your caregivers can find the right help as fast as possible.

  4. Housekeeping Notes Download the PDF
    You may not get to sit down and discuss details with your housekeeper every session. Instead of leaving sticky notes everywhere or chancing that you’ll forget something, write down specific tasks you’d like her to focus on for the day on this page.

  5. Grocery List Download the PDF
    To simplify your shopping trip, write down everything you need in one spot. You can also use this page as a meal planner. Allow family members to write suggestions here so everyone gets something they want. Your housekeeper or sitter could also help out with the grocery shopping (just make sure you pay her more for the extra work!).

  6. This Month Calendar Download the PDF
    Keeping a family calendar on your laptop or phone is great when you’re on the move, but not so great for others who need to know what’s planned. Write in family events or when caregivers are scheduled to come, so everyone knows the schedule.

  7. To-Do List Download the PDF
    This page is designed for organizing tasks, as well as teaching children time-management skills. Write down all of Saturday’s to-do’s and bring it while you run errands. Let kids check off the task when it’s complete.