Getting Organized for our Hectic Not-Back-to-School Year with AboutOne.com

Truth is, I have a family-proclaimed OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) for hosting people in my home for entertainment, food, and even surprise visits, as well as ironing and laundry. But, what you may not know is that I am NOT the least bit organized about our homeschool adventures. Due in part, I feel blessed, mashaAllah that all my girls decided to follow my footsteps to start blogging and making a successful online business of it too, alhumdulilah.

Interestingly, I am not happy that they are actually “blogging” or “making money online”, but more happy that they’re creating some kind of homeschool portfolio to refer to shall anyone question their education.

So, when given the opportunity to figure out how to get organized by using a digital filing system and more, I jumped at this opportunity even though I’m officially taking time off for Ramadan. As you may know, over the past 12 months, we’ve traveled to 2 countries, lived in now 5 towns/cities and we just confirmed this week that we’re hitting the road or airplanes again more more domestic and overseas travels…possibly as soon as next week before the Eid, inshaAllah.

So, not only am I determined to learn how to declutter the massive physical boxes in our home, but more importantly to digitize as much of the files within these boxes, as more than 3/4 of our boxes were in storage the majority of our year in travels, and we haven’t missed much even when they were unpacked.

From getting all our photos organized online, to actually making our homeschool records necessary for college applications; I’m really excited about what AboutOne has to offer!

AboutOne.com’s Versatility is Ideal for Any Busy Mom

Here’s an overview video of About One

• Medical Records Organizer: One annoying thing has been getting release forms physically mailed to us, faxed or emailed-scanned to transfer all our records; just so we can make new medical appointments. I just completed the full task, and now I need to do it again. But, I’d rather have digital copies scanned, and filled out before hand and always with me regardless of our moves, but more importantly to have with us during our travels, which I never had the hard records with us (except the immunization and surgery records). I just organized all recent medical records into one folder, now we’ll have to set aside time to scan them in. I’m going to try to just take a photo of them…if they come out nicely I know it’ll be much faster.
• Photo Organizer & Digital Scrap-booking type features. Determined to get into digital scrapbooking, my girls and I have been disappointed with the time involved, almost equivalent to regular scrapbooking, so we’re eager to give this a try. Based on this video it looks to easy and fast! Yes, yes–everyone wants to see all our photos throughout our travels, myself included (let alone hubby, and my immediate family)…so we’re going to give this program our best shot!
• Secured backups.
• Created by moms for moms with weekly updates.
• Learn more about Why AboutOne Was Created, get Overview what AboutOne is, or check out more of its Features.

Kid’s Education or Homeschool Records

• School Records Organizer: Check out this video to learn more how you can use AboutOne.com for organizing your child/ren’s school records.

• Homeschool-to-College Portfolio creator. Time to start documented SOMEthing, as my 10 and 11 year old were just tested and accepted to community college, mashaAllah, and we’re going to start their SAT prep next month, Stanford University EPGY courses, as well as my homemade stuff…this is the first year we’re going to attempt to get their education “in writing” as the universities they are reaching for demand them, more or less…Thinking it was a “brilliant idea”, they will “will be creating the homeschool tutorials” and hosting a conference call with me to find out the “needs are as a homeschooler so I (AboutOne) can be certain I (AboutOne) cover all the relevant topics.”

More about the Family Digital Newsletter

• Concerned that I’d be adding photos to a new software program, only to be annoyed by the fact that I won’t use it in the long-run and waste the time I invested to get started, I asked a series of questions before moving forward. My main concern was having a private, secure way to share family photos privately with family only and not forcing them to sign-up for a paid membership just to view the programs. As you know I do not publish any photos or images of me or my family online, let alone facebook or twitter. So, I was extremely happy to get this detailed response

Currently when you send the newsletter it sends a link in email – the person opening the email does not have to be an AboutOne user. They click on the link and get to see the interactive newsletter including artwork, photos and memories. They can select all the people or an individual – no user id is required.

In the next release sending the newsletter becomes easier and faster – you select which contacts you wish to receive it – and it will be sent automatically after you confirm a reminder each month. You will also be able to enter a monthly text, and save the newsletter as a PDF document automatically. Also when you save a memory you will be able to save it in social media tools at the same time.

In addition in the next release we will give you a choice of a newsletter to print or send (or share in social media) in this very same way – or let someone access your “Family Lounge”. In here they can see private videos, or memories but they will need a user id for access to your Family Lounge.

My humble AboutOne Suggestions Being Answered

• Integration with google docs, calendar, and gmail - “Calendar integration with google and outlook will be available in October/November.” “we will not replace, gmail, google calendar or the mobile tools, we will just complement them with features they do not have. In summary our goal is to make the tools you use every day more useful to make family life easier.”
• Really need Android capabilities - While the iPhone app will be out very soon, we’re an Android family. We also make all financial transactions via cash; but this involves heavy record-keeping or receipts busting out of my purse; so I look forward to taking image shots that scans directly into our account; like our fabulous Chase bank deposit a check option via front & back image files and routing number transfer. If I was able to get my photos, medical or homeschool records up with a click–I’m sure I’d be much more organized. “Android App will be available in December.”

Based on my humble questions and suggestions, I was invited to be apart of their Early Customer Panel Program, so I can try these features and provide feedback. AboutOne is definitely a must have software, developed by moms for moms!

AboutOne Contest – Grand Prize $500 AMEX gift card, free subscription of AboutOne.com + $250 Donated to the school of Your Choice!

• Prizes

1. Grand Prize Winner: $500 AMEX gift card and an upgrade to a free subscription to AboutOne.com to 1 grand prize winner + a $250 donation to the school of their choice
2. All other entries: An email code for 25% off a one year subscription to AboutOne.com.

• Deadline: This giveaway ends September 9th at 11:59 p.m. ET.

• Eligibility: Open to U.S. residents age 18 or older.

• Mandatory contest entry is 2-parts (1) Sign up for AboutOne free 17-day trial only through this link! (Absolutely no credit card info required) or submitting your information with the frames below.

• (2) You must then fill out the contest entry form below, or go to this link.
  

• Determining Winners: One winner will be chosen at random from all entries across all blogs to receive the following prize: $500 AMEX gift card and an upgrade to a free subscription to AboutOne.com to 1 grand prize winner + a $250 donation to the school of their choice.  All other entries will receive an email with a code for 25% off a one year subscription to AboutOne.com.

We’re curious, are you as excited about the versatility, usability and great customer services of AboutOne like us? Please share your thoughts, ideas, suggestions, and kind comments below!

Disclosure: We were compensated by the Global Influence Network for your participation in this program. We were not influenced in anyway to share only positive remarks. After all, lying is haram (prohibited). You’re welcome to read American Muslim Mom’s disclosure policy and contest disclosure.

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Category: Family