This is a guest post by Ashlee McCullen. If you’d like to guest post on this blog, click here.
I’ve found that using a few well-made management apps has made a huge difference in my
ability to keep track of my household and family needs. Between remembering my kids’ appointments, keeping my house clean, buying groceries, and making sure my car is in good condition, I’m inundated with information and tasks that could easily overwhelm me. However, using these apps, most of which are available for iPhone and Android, I’m less likely to forget things and I’m more motivated to do them.
Cozi – An All-in-One Organizer for Families
This one is the grand-daddy of household management apps, combining a calendar, task manager, shopping list and messaging system. Perhaps the best feature is that your info doesn’t live on its own island. Instead, all appointments and reminders can be shared with other family members who have the app, so everyone knows about Billy’s recital or Jane’s pottery class. My husband and I have no problem sharing information between my iPhone and his Android T-Mobile smartphone. Plus my kids can log into the Cozi website to access our calendars online.
(Free on iTunes and Google Play Store)
HomeRoutines – Track Your Household Cleaning and Projects
When I moved from an apartment to a home, I was blown away by just how much stuff needs to be done such as cleaning rooms, painting walls, landscaping, etc. HomeRoutines for iPhone offers a convenient way to record all your cleaning and organizational tasks. Unlike other task managers, this one is made for household chores, as it enables you to divide up tasks by room or house area. Plus you can set recurring tasks and it’s easy to write down all those little things you’d like to get to someday, without them cluttering up your primary list.
($3.99 on iTunes)
Gas Cubby – Track Oil Changes, Tire Rotations
Keeping up with car maintenance presents a special challenge. You can’t just put “oil change” on your calendar, because you don’t know how long it will take to reach that point. It gets even worse with tire rotations and other maintenance for which you can’t refer to a sticker on your windshield. Instead, use an app like Gas Cubby to input at what mileage you need to make certain maintenance. By entering your current mileage at any time, you’ll see what needs to be done now and what’s coming up.
($2.99 on iTunes)
Grocery Gadget: A Shopping List with Muscle
I don’t want to even think what life would be like without Grocery Gadget. Since downloading this app, my husband and I use it to quickly create and share grocery lists. It’s faster to create a list than with pen-and-paper. Plus, I’ve rearranged and customized the aisles to reflect the layout of my own grocery store. Now I won’t forget to pick up shredded mozzarella because it’s in the cheese aisle as opposed to the general-purpose dairy aisle.
(Free and $3.99 on iTunes, Free and $2.99 on Google Play Store)
MyHome Pro: Create a Home Inventory
If ever your valuable belongings were stolen or damaged, an app like this can be a lifesaver. Using MyHome Pro, it’s easy to create a room-by-room inventory of all the valuable stuff you own, which you can then refer back to for insurance purposes (or to prepare for a move or garage sale). Plus, you can include images of unique furniture that probably doesn’t have a model or serial number.
($3.99 on Google Play Store)
If you are interested in managing your life a lot better, check out these management apps for the home and family. Maybe your daily life may end up running a lot smoother and more enjoyable as a result.
This guest article was written by Ashlee McCullen, a staff writer for ApronAddicts.com, a website about kitchen fashion and home style. She also writes about mobile technology and self-improvement.
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