BlueSuitMom's Working Mom Must-Haves
A Good Planner or Online Calendar

It can seem like a full-time job to keep track of when and where everyone in your family needs to be, not to mention keeping track of work appointments and meetings. Which is why using a central calendar is the key to making sure that you don't miss a single school play, soccer game or lunch with an important client. Whether you prefer keeping track electronically or via a traditional paper and pen method, the key is to find a system that works for you. We've reviewed many products and have come up with three that we think stand out from the crowd.

Printed Day Planners

momAgenda
The momAgenda is a stylish, mom-based planner. They come in an array of colors and even a leopard skin pattern. On each page of the momAgenda organizer there is a top section for mom's schedule and a bottom area features spaces for up to four children. A nice feature is the built-in bookmark so you can easily flip to today's page. One of our favorite parts about the momAgenda is the list of toll-free numbers and online resources. If you need to book a hotel, call your credit card company about a lost or stolen card, or call the airline to book a ticket, all the information you need is pre-printed right at your fingertips. They also list some recommended websites including mom blogs and mom communities (although we are disappointed that they don't list BlueSuitMom.com - even though we were the first website for working moms and have been around since 2000). At the back the momEssential section is for addresses, medical information and other frequently used information like restaurant phone numbers, birthdays and anniversaries. This part is removable so that you don't have to recreate it each year. The one area we did not like was the "Web sites and Passwords." Keeping a written record of any website passwords is a huge security risk. We DO NOT recommend writing down your passwords anywhere especially not in something that may be easily lost of stolen. The momAgenda comes desktop version or the smaller mini planner. Buy online at www.momAgenda.com

BlueSuitMom reader and working mom Shannon Kunkle says she loves her momAgenda. I "have all my schedules and to do lists for both work and home consolidated in one place. It's smaller than my previous planner and lasts until the end of 2009."

Digital Calendar: Google Calendar

If you are looking for an online calendar system, we recommend using Google Calendar for your family's calendar. You can set up separate calendars for each family member and then share them to see everyone's activities at a glance. Color code each family member's calendar. With Google Calendar you can check in on your family's activities from anywhere -- your desk at the office, on your PDA (if you have internet access), or from your laptop. Additionally you can sync the Google calendar with your Outlook calendar at the office. Google calendar is free. Learn more

BlueSuitMom's Working Mom Must Haves and Great Finds:



Over the next year, we'll continue to add to the list, so if you know of something we missed, please send us an email.