A Bowl Full of Lemons is a growing community of people who aspire to get their lives in order. If you are new, Hello! I’m so glad you are here. Before you begin, think about what you are looking to achieve here at ABFOL. Do you want to get your home organized from top to bottom? Do you want to learn some cleaning tips? Is your budget a mess? Or are you looking to make new friends? There are many places you can begin, but the easiest way to get your life in order the “ABFOL way” is to follow these simple steps…
1. CONNECT WITH ME – I love to share my homekeeping tips on my blog and throughout my social media channels. Sometimes I may share different things on each of them. Stay connected with me to get the latest happenings. Take a minute to follow me on these social media channels.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abowlfulloflemons
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/toni_hammersley
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abowlfulloflemons/
2. JOIN MY FACEBOOK GROUPS – Social media is a great way to connect with other like minded people. Here are two groups where I share my love of home keeping as well as my love of books.
Home Organization Group – This group has almost 140,000 members. My “homekeeping” group is where you can ask questions & share ideas on everything related to home keeping (cleaning, organizing, etc).
ABFOL Book Club Group – This group is a monthly virtual book club open to the fans of ABFOL. If you love to read, this group is definitely for you.
3. CLEAN YOUR HOUSE – Implement my easy to follow cleaning card system. This system will help you get on a routine cleaning schedule. Before you begin organizing, you really need to clean up. If you don’t, it will be harder to get through the organizing challenges.
4. ORGANIZE YOUR HOUSE – Our 14 week Home Organization Challenge is a yearly event devoted to getting your entire house organized. Begin (here). Click on week 1 and work your way through all 14 weeks. Once you have completed this challenge, you can start working on your budget.
5. CREATE A BUDGET – In order to become fully organized, you need to get your household budget in check. Begin (here) for a series that will teach you how to create a functional household budget and become financially independent.
6. PREPARE YOUR FAMILY FOR EMERGENCIES – Every home needs an emergency survival kit. Are you prepared for emergencies? Complete (this) 8 week series that will get your family prepared for emergencies. Begin on Week 1 “Storage”. This is a super important step in the “Life Organization” process.
7. PURGE THE CLUTTER. After you’ve organized your home, life will happen. You’ll get busy, the kids will surely get messy and your house will go back to chaos. If this happens, don’t fret. It’s life and that’s okay! Clutter happens when we have too much stuff to realistically manage. The best way to conquer clutter is by following my 30 day purge. By spending 5-10 minutes a day for a month, you can eliminate the clutter and regain control of your abode. Click HERE to learn about this challenge and get started today!
8. PURCHASE MY BOOKS. I have spent countless months creating two home keeping guides that will help you achieve clean and organized homes. Each book offers hundreds of tips, including checklists, recipes, charts, and schedules that will help you along the way. They are both must haves!
The Complete Book of Home Organization.
77 comments on “Where to begin”
Besides your Rainbow Planner do you have a Master Planner that you work from, i.e., work Master Planner, then transfer info to Rainbow Planner on a weekly basis, etc.
Thank you!! I think I may finally get it together. I’ll keep you posted.
Thank you for bringing back the original 21 day challenge
with the linky photos! I still use the 21 day challenge
to get back on track with cleaning, organizing and purging
my home. It has made a world of difference! Thanks again!
Hi i can’t find your name in the blog…i really like your design and ideas and very inspired by you!!
i’m just a beginner in this planner world addict:)) because i’m really not an organized person i thought maybe it could drive me to do things:)
so i bought a planner such an expensive filofax i can’t believe i spent so much money on it. yet to arrive .(it’s cost me with the delivery 144$!!!)because i live in country in asia and we don’t have those things.
so i wanted to know where do you recommend to buy the inserts for the filofax like card crafts and sticker and little stuff. i bought in aliexpress some washi tapes it’s cost me like something like 30$ . i’m already spent so much so i need your advice where can i buy this things in chip price but nice things like you have here thank you very much!
I am visually disabled but active and have three jobs, four adult children, one grandson, one son getting married,two dogs,I don’t drive and need help with transportation and I need help with ORGANIZATION! You have alot of choices and not sure how to put together the kits that will fit my needs. Thank you
Janie BEHR
502-648-5885
Janie,
Its really going to depend on what you are looking to organize? Pets, menu planning, etc? You can start out with a couple of them and go from there. I would say health and pets for sure. 🙂
Want to start the 30 day purge, thanks for having me!!!
I love your kitchen counters. Are they granite? Quartz? What color name are they?!
You have the cutest Calendar in your office picture on your desk with “oh what a week with the ……..” I love it and love calendars and organizing my days!! WHERE DID YOU FIND THAT CALENDAR????
I ordered the budget and I received no download and it was deducted from my account
Shari, You will have to email your receipt to us. Its automatically shipped so you may have entered your email wrong (happens a lot) or it went to your spam.
I have also paid for the budget & home downloads but have not seen any info about where/how to download. I can not locate an address to email the receipt. Please advise!
send your invoice to abfolassistant@gmail.com if you’re unable to find the files; make sure to check your spam or other folder.
Hi there! Just wanted you to know that I think your blog is great and I have nominated you for The Versatile Blogger Award! (no pressure to accept) Take a peek: http://wp.me/p5queU-5Y
~Lisa @ Cuppa Sunshine & Sugar
Tried to sign up for emails but I never received a comfirmation or any emails
Hello, I just joined and was “approved”.. I don;t understand that process, but glad I was approved. I have a question. Since joining, my FB notifications has been inundated with thousands of posts…. How do I not get so many without shutting it off entirely??
Second, I studid design and have worked as a designer. I finally finished my dream kitchen a few years ago (after a 20 year wait)….I am an organizer and thought it would be interesting to see how other people organize and to offer suggestions.
thanks
Sue Carlson
Hi Sue, You can turn the notifications off or hide it from your newsfeed and that way you won’t drown out everything else.
Hi Good Day
I wasn’t sure how exactly to contact you. I wanted to buy the 2014 Core kit for my A5 size planner, and I noticed that the kit does not come in the A5 size and the
8.5 x 11 is going to be to big.
Please advise.
Thanks
Kendal
Currently we are not offering additional sized planners and do not have a release date for them if they will be available.
I order from the printable shop a week ago. How long does it take to come.
I also started the 14 week challenge for organization of my home and I love it. Shared it with my friends and they are doing the same. Thanks for the ideas.
The files are emailed immediately upon payment. Please be sure to check your spam or ‘other’ folder as sometimes the email can end up there. If you are unable to locate the files, please send a copy of your invoice to abfolassistant@gmail.com
Hi Toni, i have not left your site all weekend. I love all your ideas and printables. My question is do you have a printable package for starting and keeping track of a small business? Would you be able to make one? I wouldnt need it right away. I already plan to get your tax package among many others.
Thanks, Teri
Do you think you’ll do a homeschool planner for 2015-2016??? I’d love one 🙂 I make my own usually (I have to have everything match and be pretty!) but am not up to it creatively this year.
I don’t think I will be creating one this year.
I ordered the 2015 book to start on Sunday for $65 over 5 weeks ago and I have not received it. This is not very organized to lose orders.
Did you email us? abfolrainbowplanner @ gmail.com
Hi! I purchased the Budget Binder printables today and received a receipt and confirmation but no site or link to download from. Help please!
Please email abfolrainbowplanner@gmail dot com with your receipt. Thanks so much.
Hello
Please could you tell me who makes the containers you have in your IKEA Raskog project life cart
Thank you
Pat
I purchased them at ikea about 3 years ago.
Can you tell me if there’s a difference between the “2015 Budget Binder” and “Budget Binder Printables?
Only a couple pages that are listed.
Hi 🙂 Love your planner kits! Will you be releasing a 2016 planner? Thanks!
Hopefully soon!
I recently ordered the 2015 all in one printable bundle. It arrived right away, and it is amazing! One month into the system it is absolutely life changing!! Thank you for creating this. I am anxious to order the 2016 addition as I need to start planning next year. 🙂 Can’t wait!! Have a beautiful day!
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Just found your page for the 14 week Organization project but missed out on the first 3 weeks and cannot see how to find it on your website. Can you help so I can start from Week 1?
I have been looking at your post “decorating my mantle for spring”. I was wondering where you purchased the topiary pieces? I’ve been looking everywhere for similar ones and can’t find any.
I do not know if it’s just me or if perhaps everyone else experiencing problems with your blog.
It looks like some of the text on your content are running off the screen.
Can someone else please comment and let me know if this is happening to them too?
This could be a problem with my internet browser because I’ve
had this happen before. Thanks
If you use internet explorer, you need to update it to the latest version. 😉
Hi Toni,
Are you going to be doing a 2016 version of your binder printables?
Thank you,
Donna
Do you offer hard copies of your survival preparedness books? Technology can be so unreliable & susceptible to viruses, leaving ebook downloads unuseable. I would love to purchase your books, but I would prefer actual books instead of ebooks.
Not yet. Maybe one day though.
You did a post about the 30 day planner challenge in 2013 with a pink craftsman you’re for ¥ car. Any chance on getting an idea of useful items to keep in there? Thanks 🙂
I will be ordering your Holiday planner soon, but was wondering what kind of paper you recommend printing it? Copy paper? Cardstock? etc…
Thanks!
Karlyee
Hello Toni,
I was hoping I could send you at A Bowl of Lemons a few of our Pura Naturals eco-friendly kitchen and household scrubbers. The are soap infused and also have a walnut scrubber. No glues, no toxins and no GMO’s. We do no test on teat or animals or use any animal by-products; we are proud to be cruelty free and Made in the USA.
If provided with a mailing address, I can send a sample of products.
Regards,
Julie Creed
Hello! Would you mind if I share your blog with my twitter group?
There’s a lot of people that I think would really appreciate your content.
Please let me know. Thanks
Thank you! Hope to be added to these FB groups soon. 🙂
I found your planner and fell in love with everything you do. I would say you thought of everything. However, I just found out I am going to have a baby and planning for that is a big undertaking. would be nice to see some planning prints for that.
Are you still maintaiing this site> If so are you going to put out a 2016 calendar pack?
Im still here. I may create a June/July to the end of 2017 calendar. 🙂
Hi I just came across your website and I love it. I’m currently pregnant and want to nest and get ready for the baby I have 4 months to go. I wanted to buy your All in One Bundle but it’s only for 2015. Is there an updated one for 2016? Thanks!
Siannah
Not at this time. Its discounted to reflect the outdated calendar. There are many other printables in the kit.
I have followed your blog for ages and love it! ageas ago your old office you had a paper file on the wall and they were from a stationary/ office store. I have searched your website for three days now and cant find it anywhere its not staples or office depot. Do you have any idea? Many thanks Ronnie
Was it this post? Its from office depot. http://www.abowlfulloflemons.net/2013/09/household-bill-payment-center.html
hello,
First time of doing a planner, what size would you recommend and what would need to be induced in the planner?
Thanks
How can I contact you personally?
Email link is at the bottom of the blog.
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Hello my name is Lorie McDermott. Yesterday I and a friend each purchase a binder worth $51.00 from your website. My friend got hers however I never received mine. Please advise when I should be receiving it.
Thank you,
Lorie McDermott
9162062091
Please send your paypal receipt to abfolrainbowplanner@gmail.com and my assistant will send you the files. Sorry about the confusion.
I’m not sure if this is the correct area to ask this question, but I’m going to anyway. I found one of your pins on Pinterest and I absolutely love it. It looks like a black dresser and it is holding Scentsy bars. Can you tell me more about it or where to find it? Also, do you have any other ideas for storing Scentsy bars? Thanks so much!
Hello!
Just wondering what you’re using for a Christmas/Holiday planner. I did find your 2013 page with the planner pages you built. Anything new for 2016? I’m finally ready to have all of my notes in one place!!
Thanks so much!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Melissa
Hello! I am so excited for the 2017 home org challenge (and Santa is bringing me your book!) — wondering if there is a master list of the “30 day purge” somewhere that I’m missing? Or perhaps it’s referenced in your book? Thanks!
Just on the blog.
Hello!
Quick question – did you like the Bible reading plan you used for 2016? I’m looking for a new one to begin and saw your’s. Thanks!! And, Happy New Year!!
Love your blog! Really looking forward to starting this process. I currently live with my parents, I have Autism, but one day I will be on my own. I opened a savings account last week and I think your method is going to be the best for me. Can’t wait to start!
Hi!
I love your posts on using your Franklin Covey planners. I have one myself and I am trying out your tips on my own. How do recommend using the Weekly Compass for best efficiency? Thanks!
I use mine as a weekly to do list so I don’t have to keep writing them day after day, if they don’t get completed.
any tips on meal planning for a large family
I am interested in your all in one bundle, but it currently is a few years behind…..if I order, will it be a 2018 version?
Thank you for your time.
The bundle has all of my printables. I marked it 25% off because the calendar is out of date. Everything else is current. You can just delete the calendar if you want the bundle. I will not be adding a new calendar.
Hi Toni. I notice there are two books for Home Organization being sold (ex. Amazon), one published in Jan 2016 and one currently on pr-eorder for a June, 2018 publish date. Is there any difference at all between the two copies? updates? or are they identical? Many thanks.
They are the same book but will have different covers. 🙂
Hi Toni. I notice there are two books for Home Organization being sold (ex. Amazon), one published in Jan 2016 and one currently on preorder for a June, 2018 publish date. Is the 2018 an updated version of the 2016? And if so, what are the differences? I was going to buy the 2016 version or thinking perhaps to wait for the 2018 version. Thank you.