Household Systems: The Exact Tools I Use to Run Our Home
Here's exactly how I organize our home—and what's included for subscribers.
Last week, I shared the seven systems that keep our home running.
And if there was one system I’d rebuild first if everything disappeared tomorrow, it would be this one.
Because household systems affect everything.
They reduce mental load.
They prevent forgotten tasks.
They create margin.
And they help me spend less time managing our home and more time enjoying the people inside it.
So today, I’m officially opening the paid tier of Under Our Roof.
My goal isn’t to give you more content.
My goal is to give you practical tools that make life feel a little lighter.
Let’s start with the system that has had the biggest impact in our home.
My Household Philosophy
Over the years, I’ve learned something important:
Systems are not about perfection. They’re about reducing friction.
I’m not trying to optimize every second of my day.
I’m trying to avoid carrying everything in my head.
Because when I carry less mentally, I show up better for my husband and children.
That’s the purpose behind every system you’ll see below.
The Tools I Use Most
Nothing here is fancy.
In fact, that’s intentional.
Apple Reminders
This is probably my most-used app.
I use it for:
Hardware store lists
Gift ideas (organized by person)
Packing lists
Brain dumps
Home wish lists
Vacation grocery lists
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is this:
Don’t remember it later. Capture it now.
When we use the last bottle of ketchup, I add it immediately.
When body wash is running low, I add it immediately.
Small habit. Huge payoff.
Apple Calendar
My husband and I share our calendar so we’re always working from the same information.
We use it for:
Appointments
Church events
Bible studies
Family commitments
Date nights
Trips
The goal isn’t to fill every empty space.
The goal is to protect margin.
Excel
Excel is where many of our long-term systems live.
Including:
Budgeting
Financial goals
Vacation planning
Future experiences for our children
I love spreadsheets because they allow me to think long-term without trying to remember everything.
ChatGPT + Word Documents
These have become some of my favorite planning tools.
I use them to:
Organize ideas
Save important information
Plan future trips
Think through systems
Refine goals
1Password
Everything important has to be accessible.
Passwords.
Accounts.
Information my husband would need.
Because good systems shouldn’t depend entirely on one person.
My Recurring Tasks
Many things in our home happen automatically because they’re already scheduled.
Things like:
Air filters
Vehicle maintenance
Dentist appointments
Annual subscriptions
Birthdays
The fewer things I have to remember manually, the better.
Information Storage
If someone needed to step into our home tomorrow, they could.
Because important information has a home.
We store:
Insurance documents
Medical records
Passwords
Vacation plans
Household information
Not because I expect someone else to take over.
But because organization creates peace.
My Daily Paper List
Even though I use plenty of technology, I still write my daily list by hand.
There’s something about physically writing the day that helps me slow down.
Most days include:
Get ready
Make beds
Breakfast
Devotions
Montessori school
Movement or workouts
Outdoor play
Lunch
Dishes
Dinner
Reading
Self-care
Picking up the house
Everything else changes depending on the day.
None of This Is Perfect
Some weeks things run beautifully.
Other weeks I barely keep up.
But that’s okay.
Because systems aren’t meant to eliminate humanity.
They’re meant to support it.
What Paid Subscribers Receive Today
