The 5 Best Family Calendars!

With all that moms juggle—doctor’s appointments, kids' activities, birthday parties, and play dates, not to mention an endless “to-do” list—it can be completely overwhelming to keep track of and manage to get everywhere you need to be, especially if you do not have a good way to organize all of it and have it available to you in one place where you can access it whenever you need it.

This is why I believe that all moms need some sort of a family calendar that works for them. However, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Some moms prefer an electronic calendar that syncs with their smartphone or tablet and also offers the ability to print a paper copy. Some moms prefer a paper-based calendar that they can hang on their kitchen wall and write in all of the appointments and holidays. Other moms like a journal-style calendar that is portable and able to be carried around in a purse.

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Whatever your personal preference, here are 5 Great Family Calendars that Can Work for You!

Google Calendar is probably one of the most widely used family calendars because most everyone is already familiar with Gmail. It is free with your Google account, and it already handily displays on the menu bar if you are using Gmail. You can set up your calendar on your computer and then have it sync up to your smart phone or tablet so it's easy to carry with you everywhere you go. It also syncs nicely with other calendars that you or your significant other might be using at the office, such as Microsoft Outlook. 

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Google Calendar has all of the main functions that you need to make it work well for your family. It allows you to schedule appointments and set up recurring events such as birthdays that happen annually or Little League practice that takes place every Tuesday at 4 p.m. And you can set up reminders when you add events to your calendar so that you can have a reminder alert sound on your phone 15 minutes before you need to leave for that doctor's visit.

You can find all the details on how to use Google Calendar here.

If you are a Mac user, Apple's iCal is a great family calendar option for you. (It's my personal favorite!) It offers all of the same functionality as Google Calendar. You can sync it to your smartphone and tablet, you can easily add in appointments and recurring events, you can set reminders, and you can also sync it to your significant other's calendar, too, even if they are using Google Calendar. But the reason I really love iCal is because you can easily print out your calendar and have a handy paper tool as well. Each week, I like to print out the weekly calendar in List View so I can see the “crazy” that's ahead for me!

You can learn how to use iCal here.

Another very popular (and free) electronic calendar that was designed specifically with families in mind is Cozi. You create one account for your whole family, and then you can set it up to sync with all family members' devices. The Cozi system includes a calendar, shopping lists, to-do lists, and meal plans, as well as a family journal that all family members can see and contribute to. Cozi syncs to smartphones and can even send emails to family members about the upcoming week's appointments.

You can learn more about how to use Cozi here.

If you are someone who really loves a big calendar that hangs on the kitchen wall, where everyone in the family can see it and add to the family schedule, then Amy Knapp's Family Wall Calendar is a great option for you. Rather than a traditional 12-month calendar, this calendar extends to 17 months, so it better covers the school year. The 2014 calendar actually runs from August 2013 – December 2014. The 2015 edition will be released on June 1st.

The calendar comes with color-coded stickers so you can easily see each person's activities at a glance. It also provides a place for you to keep track of chores, grocery shopping, and bill paying. 

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If a journal-style calendar is more your thing, then you should definitely check out the Mom Agenda Desktop Planner. This paper calendar offers space for Mom to plan her own appointments as well as a place to track schedules for up to four kids. There is a section where you can write in your schedule in a monthly view, and then you can use the weekly pages to fine-tune the personal details of your schedule. It comes with two satin ribbons so you can mark your place in the journal, and there are sections to help you vacation plan, keep lists, and keep track of other important details in your life. This calendar system spans a 17-month period, keeping it in harmony with the school year. It is beautifully bound, making it a pleasure to use.

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What family calendar do you use? Please leave us a comment and share!

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