Cozi | FREE Family Organizer/Management Online Service

I recently found out about Cozi and used the online service to manage my schedule at BlogHer. I was impressed with the many benefits the software offers. And, since it's FREE, well I'm sure you'll love it too!!

I have been looking for a family management system that will allow all of our schedules to appear on one calendar color-coordinated. We have many schedules, games, appointments and craziness to manage with our 5-family household. Well, Cozi DOES IT – and it's all FREE!!!

There are several features to Cozi, they include:

• Family Calendar
• Customizable Lists
• Reminders and Messages
• Mobile Access
• Family Journal
• Photo Collage Screensaver
• Outlook Sync Ability

So far, I have only used the calendar and mobile access and I'm beyond thrilled! I guess my excitement comes from the fact that we had a real need to organize the multiple schedules in our family so we're all on the same page. In the time I have been using Cozi, it is meeting the needs we have!

In the Family Calendar feature, each member has a different color. This is so nice because you can assign appointments to certain people and recognize the color when you look at the calendar. It's visual – I'm a visual kinda gal. You can also add every member of your family as a user with Cozi so they can add their own appointments. I guess I will have no excuse not knowing if my husband has a doctor's visit :)

I am planning on printing each week on Sunday evening. I can have it in a highly visible location so everyone in the family knows what is going on. I may even get extra ambitious and put the menu for each night on a set night. Wooooahhh – baby steps, that's right :) But, it would be nice so the kids know to prepare their heads that they are eating broccoli that night! But, more than anything, I know I have it on my calendar and can see it in front of me to thaw or prepare stuff in the morning.

I definitely see the value in the Customizable Lists feature too. I have played with the feature briefly and plan on making my grocery list and shop using a mobile list. We'll see how it goes. If only there was a price column to total, I would probably be in heaven.

I like the List online because if you forget it at home, you can get it immediately! You simply call Cozi's 800-number and can have your list read to you, or sent to you via text (to your phone of course ;)! I think getting a text is more practical since you can mark things off as you go. Otherwise, you are just writing it down on paper, or keeping a mental list which defeats the purpose of the mobile list. No duplicate work or brain power – I need to preserve all energy I have!

And, I have mentioned the Mobile feature to Cozi several times – that's my favorite part. I have an iPhone so anything that can be done with my phone to help me manage my time better and justify a monthly fee with AT&T is just awesome! You can even set up your Calendar/appointments to be sent to you via text beforehand. I didn't do that since I can pull up the mobile calendar on my phone.

I really am using my phone as my mobile management system. The two biggest things me, as a mother especially, needs to manage at all times is my day and remembering things. I don't need an app since Cozi can help me with both of those things (although, I still love so many of my apps ;)

So far, so good from me! I truly am liking this service and plan on utilizing it to manage the craziness of our family's schedule!! What do you use to manage your schedule? Have you tried Cozi before? What are your thoughts? It really is amazing, and even more amazing because it works and it's FREE!

Now if it could just motivate me to be a Domestic Princes…well, now that's just crazy talk ;)