Keep it together. It's almost back to school

I had big dreams about how this summer was going to be magical. I was looking forward to less hustle and bustle, more time in our jammies and focusing on fun. In reality, our summer was three hardcore weeks of potty training, two weeks of a cold with ear infections, and some spring cleaning. (I'm only a few months behind...) Sure, we went to the beach and the park, ate ice cream and stayed up late, and I hope those are the things my kids remember. But when I look back on the last month, I mostly see a big, HOT MESS.

The good news is the school year is approaching and with it comes an opportunity for a fresh start. I'm not as optimistic about the school year as I was about the summer. I have two kids in different schools on opposite ends of town. Let's be realistic; it ain't gonna be easy. All my ducks need to be in a row to make this work and that starts with me. So I'm getting organized with Keep.

I'm probably the last person in the world to start using this app because I'm elbow deep in diapers and preschool, but in case there is anyone out there who is as disconnected to the real world as I am, here's a rundown of what you can do with Keep.

- Make check lists with clickable check boxes. When you check an item it floats down to the bottom of your list so you aren't scrolling to see what is left on your 33 item long Costco list.
- Make notes with reminders. You can even add a reminder to your checklists!
- Color coordinate your notes and checklists.
- Create, view and edit your lists and notes on all your devices.

I know; you're thinking, I have an app that can do that. Wait for it. This is feature that made me swoon:

My Keep. Notes with a picture
are shared with Mr. Sir

- Share your checklists and notes with others. All collaborators can view and edit in real time. You can choose which notes you want to share and with whom.

Can your app do that? 

Maybe this seems like no big deal to you, but in my household Mr. Sir & I spend about half of our conversations with each other communicating about the logistics of our life. This is the perfect way for us to keep track of all of those little details. Here are some examples of how Keep is keeping us organized.

Back to school shopping. We made a list of clothes, school supplies, and other miscellaneous items that needed to be purchased at several different stores. As things get checked off the list, we can both see what else is needed.

Appointments. Though we already have a shared calendar to track appointments, anytime our kids have an upcoming well visit, we usually make a list of items we want to discuss with the pediatrician. With Keep we can make our list and whoever ends up doing doctor duty has the most updated version. And then I won't forget to ask about the latest philosophy on introducing strawberries and peanut butter.

Things you can't remember because children are sucking your brain cells. Speaking of introducing new foods, we are also using Keep to track of what new foods Buttercup is trying. On the third kid, it is hard to remember how many days since you introduced something new and if there were any side effects. Honestly, it's hard to remember what day it is.

Groceries. By keeping a running list of items we need from the store, Mr. Sir can swing by and pick up a few essentials on his way home from work. And if I think of something else while he's on the train, it's not too late to add it to the list. It's also a great way to keep tabs on your grocery budget.

Packing for a trip. Keep track of what you need to pack. Or better yet, save your list from your last trip to use again. No point in reinventing the wheel when you are probably going to pack the same special blankets, night lights and lovies.

With three kids, a dog, a household to run, an imaginary blogging job with a slacker boss, my brain can't keep track of all the balls I'm juggling. Now I'm Keeping it together. ;)

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This post is NOT sponsored by Google; I've just got an unhealthy addiction to all things Google and a commitment to finding order in my chaos.