They’re so back, to school

Each September, as my kids return to school, I think I’ll get to catch my breath. Then I realize anew just how many pieces of our lives there are to fit together: work and school, play dates and extracurriculars. Meal plans, grocery runs, chores. And just maybe, if we’re lucky, a date night. Some weeks, it seems like every text to my partner begins “Can you please….”

There’s a lot to keep track of. And the millions of people who began using Notion to make study plans and work plans have discovered it can also tame the impending chaos at home. So we’ve collected a handful of templates that help you plan a week’s meals, track everyone’s responsibilities, schedule the time between the final bell and dinner, or even run your entire household.

Vicky Chris, a graphic designer, uses Notion for “everything from content scheduling and daily task management to small things like automating my grocery list based on next week’s menu.” Her meal-planning template is based on the recipes she likes and is meant to make weekly shopping stress-free: “I now simply select which recipes I want to make in the upcoming week, and the system collects all relevant ingredients in a shopping list. That’s it.”

Katy Stalcup, a creator with a background in tech marketing, needed to ease scheduling her two school-age kids’ activities: “Between dance, swimming, acting, and gymnastics, there were so many options at different times and venues.” Her After School Activities Planer template helped her and her husband get “a holistic view before committing to anything… and to create a schedule that—fingers crossed—will work for our family this year.”

The time saved—and headaches averted—have led both to plan even more “domestic” templates. Chris is working on a custom budget and expense tracker, while Stalcup is starting on a dynamic family packing list to make trips a little easier.

Have a look at the collection. Perhaps your secret weapon for managing the morning madness awaits, or at least the inspiration you need to create your own master plan.