Photograph Credit: Ashley Conner
My summer has been a whirlwind of activity. When one activity has concluded, there seems to be two or three right behind. In staying a step ahead (which sometimes is just hours) and using time wisely, I research ideas and refer to my calendar often. As an event draws near, I review my notes and schedule the event.
Researching
In preparing for my oldest daughter’s 4-year-old birthday party, I was relieved to find my notes from planning in advance. Months ago when my daughter chose a Strawberry Shortcake theme, I had popped online and found party ideas. I created a document in WORD, copy and pasted the ideas, and saved it.
Reviewing
In late spring when our party store advertised a sale on birthday themed items, I reviewed my notes for game ideas and scheduled a trip with my daughter. Having her present to decide on color (pink vs. red), favors (hats vs. blowouts), and decorations (cupcake inserts vs. cake pan) helped me consider my guest of honor’s preferences.
By including my daughter in the planning, I not only learned what she likes about Strawberry Shortcake, but she is learning how to organize a birthday party. She was already thinking of games and streamer ideas before we bought any items or brought out the birthday tote with all the supplies. Since we have hosted a number of birthday parties at our house, my daughter, at the age of (almost) 4, was already planning and thinking through her options weeks before her birthday event.
Scheduling
In weighing the cost of her big day, I consulted the document with the gathered Strawberry Shortcake party ideas, the purchased decorations, and party items I had on hand. Since we had already purchased most of the items (on sale) and had paper goods in the colors my daughter chose, I only needed balloons, ice cream, and ingredients for the punch and cupcakes. With this list of small items (some of which I already had in my pantry), I was able to keep the cost under $100.
By keeping notes for party ideas, decorations, and games in one document, I can add, change, or delete items while researching, reviewing, and scheduling. These notes help me stay organized which saves me money, energy, and time.
Next week, I will share the itinerary my daughter and I planned for her birthday party. She is quite creative and definitely knows what she wants. 
Question: How do you keep track of party ideas?