Learning It: Spring Pad

My mind is awash with joy and good tidings. No, I'm not dancing with visions of sugarplums. I'm fantasizing every working mother's dream: an organized week, a fully stocked pantry, a ready grocery list, a scheduled family game night, a dinner planned, prepared, and eaten on time... a home space with fluidity, flexibility, and functionality. Can Spring Pad help me do it?

I've been examining the web-based program for the better part of this morning, and it does have potential. In its beta version, there are still bugs that I have squashed with the simple log-out, wait, log-in method. When it's working, the possibilities for busy families are endless. Most attractive is that Spring Pad allows users to edit tasks in one place from any computer with internet access. We may be on to something here.

On the left of the sign-in screen is a control panel allowing the user access to important information such as contacts, notes, to-do lists, and projects. Each item is clickable, editable, and movable: i.e.: USABLE. I can flag and label each task, and all the information is automatically consolidated into my agenda. Available modules include shopping lists, holiday card planners, and fitness tracking pages. However, the program appears to be fully customizable.

Welcome to my fantasy: I remember midway through my morning that I have not defrosted the chicken that I plan to cook for dinner tonight. I log in to Spring Pad, check the hours and phone number for my favorite local pizza joint, and place a new task in my To-Do list. I write down the phone number, pizza order, and desired delivery time. I then flag the item with my husband's name. That evening, when he checks the family Spring Pad before leaving work, darling husband will notice a new task assigned to him, with all the applicable information. When I arrive home two hours after he does, dinner will be waiting for me. We will sit down peacefully at the table, ignoring the voyeuristic artist in the corner who is painstakingly attempting to capture this idyllic moment on canvas.

Of course there are always problems and potential downfalls to any new system. Of course I always get ubermotivated to become organized and fill in all the blank spots in my planner at the beginning of the new year. Still I hold out hope. This program may be the answer to the classic family conundrum of merging Dad's calendar at work with Mom's calendar from work, the family calendar at home, the kids' activities, and the endless notes, lists, and maddeningly tiny scraps of paper that abound in the busy family's life. I'll keep you updated on my experience with Spring Pad. For now, check it out!