HOW TO
Get Your Family Organized
From juggling multiple school calendars to planning meals, keeping your family going can feel like running a small business. Thankfully, these family-management apps can help by putting essential organizational tools in one place.
Picniic
In addition to a calendar, shopping list, and to-do list, this chipper-looking app also offers a meal planner, a secure place to store sensitive family info, and the ability for family members to share their location with one another. Picniic packages it all in a colorful dashboard that can serve as a vibrant family hub.
Trello
Trello is unique in that it lets you organize all things digital—photos, web links, PDFs, and more—as “cards” on a virtual board. Although Trello is a favorite among businesses, the app is just as adept for domestic projects. Assign cards to your family members and watch your own to-do list start shrinking in no time.
FamCal
There’s nothing fancy about the calendar, to-do list, and notes in FamCal—which is the whole point. Use it to create events, share tasks and shopping lists, and write notes for just about anything you need.
Cozi
Cozi Family Organizer covers the basics of keeping everyone on schedule and includes a couple of extras, like a recipe box and a journal for cataloging the family’s adventures.
Treehouse
If you want to move beyond basic calendars and task lists, try Treehouse Family Organizer. It offers family messaging, photo sharing, a social-media-like feed of your family’s posts, and a handy day-at-a-glance view.
Calroo
Calroo is a family organizer that puts an emphasis on permissions and collaboration. There are shared calendars and tasks, but you can also keep certain events, like a surprise birthday party, private from some members. You can also ask a family member to help you with a task or event with a single swipe, and the app makes it just as easy for them to reply (hopefully soon!).