5 Ways to Organize Your Life

Organization is quite possibly one of my favorite topics ever. I start researching new planners in November and very often before I go to bed I check out the newest apps available under the productivity category. As someone who is prone to stress when things are not neat, clean and prepped I know that I’m my happiest and most productive when my environment is organized and I know exactly what I’m doing during the week. Being prepared is such a huge weight off of your shoulders and prevents you from forgetting important details like picking up your friend from the airport or you know, going to work. This doesn’t mean you have to be super rigid and a total grandma, it actually allows you to be more flexible with your schedule because you understand your priorities and feel so much more comfortable and in control of your life. So, without further ado, here are my 5 ways to feel more organized and take control of your week (and your life):

1. Let Sundays Be Your Day

Or Monday, or whatever day works for you. I picked Sundays because no matter how crazy my schedule gets I’m guaranteed to be off work early that day and will have time to prep for the next week. What does that look like? Well it starts with your tools! I’ve already expressed my deep love and appreciation for planners and if you follow me on instagram (@shesmilesblog) you know that I am obsessed with scheduling. I use Sunday nights to sit down and look at all of the things I have to get done that week and begin scheduling it in my planner and then on my wall calendar. I hate it when my apartment is messy so I pick one day a week where I carve out two hours to do a deep clean, I check my fridge to see if I need to make a trip to the grocery store and schedule that, and I always plan which nights I’m going to yoga so I don’t “accidentally” forget to exercise. I use my blog planner to note any post ideas so I know what I want to work on that week. I also write down three main goals I’d like to accomplish that week and decide how and when I am going to knock them off my list.

2. Lists Will Change Your Life

Or at least seriously improve it. I have a magnetic notepad stuck to my fridge where I jot down things I need to purchase text time I’m at the grocery store, I put to do lists with reminders in my iPad calendar app and I also utilize the notes app in my iPhone. I have three main lists in my phone that I refer to, one for things to do, one for treats and one for my current project which is redecorating my apartment. The Things To Do list is not just every day tasks, I add bigger tasks that I would like to accomplish but that don’t necessarily have a deadline (most of the time). That way on Sunday night after scheduling the top priority tasks I can refer to this and see what I can squeeze in and cross off that list throughout the week. The Treat list is all of the things I see and want to buy but obviously I don’t always in the moment because I’m trying to be a semi responsible adult here. Whenever I get paid I take a look at this list and decide which one or two “treats” (I’m a puppy apparently) I want to…treat myself to. Gives me something to look forward to! Finally, the redecorating list is just a list of tasks and items I want to purchase for my apartment, but any big project can seem much more manageable if you break it down into small steps on a list, so I highly recommend using this tool. It’s easy and everyone has it!

3. Budget. Seriously.

If you’re like me you’ve probably taken a whack at this whole financial responsibility thing a few times, with probably more than a few bumps in the road. It’s easy to avoid looking at your bank account, to reach for your credit card and to let those bills pile up in your mailbox. But it’s also a great way to add a tremendous amount of stress to your life that can easily be avoided just by budgeting. I use this cute green notebook I got from Michaels because I like to physically write things down, but I also have the Mint app which is a fantastic (and terrifying) way to monitor where all of your money goes and keep up with a consistent budget month after month. Are you saving up for something? Trying to pay off your credit card debt? Both? Write down a game plan for each month so you can see how much money you can spare for your savings account or to clear your debt while still paying your bills and having enough cash to support your lifestyle. That whole dorky “Treats” list comes in handy here. I always know what my balances are and how much money I have in my accounts so I can truly be comfortable making a purchase without silently praying that I won’t get the dreaded “I’m sorry, your card isn’t going through”. Talk about AWK. I am buying a car this year so I have been putting any extra cash into my saving account so I can have a decent down payment, but after that my goal is to have enough in my savings so I can honestly do whatever I want. Traveling, cute clothes and fancy restaurants cost money. So save it to spend it (just not all at once).

4. Have a Solid Morning/Bedtime Routine

We all see those precious routine videos on youtube that can easily kill 3 hours of your life if you let them, but there are a few key things that you do in the morning and in the evening that can really set you up for success for your entire day. This can look different for everyone, it’s just about your priorities. For me, I have my coffee and breakfast after brushing teeth so I can enjoy 30 minutes to myself to really relax and prepare for my day mentally. This means I’m up at around 8:30 on the days that I don’t have to be at work early and I really cherish that time and not having to rush. I shower, get ready for my day and then assemble my lunch bag so I’m ready to grab it and go. At night I really make sure I’m washing my face thoroughly and executing all of the steps of my skin care routine, no matter how sleepy I am, because acne makes me grumpy. I prep my coffee maker, pick out the next days outfit and allow myself 30 minutes to unwind with a book before I make myself go to sleep between 9:30 and 10:30. I don’t get to nap as much as I’d like to, so I’m usually exhausted and more than happy to go to bed early. Obviously some nights I go out with friends and stay out later, but for me those are usually the nights before my day off from work so I don’t stress out about not getting enough sleep.

5. Meal Prepping Is a Thing

You’re probably like, well obviously it’s a thing. But do you actually do it? For me, this is the most recent change to my life that’s been very beneficial. I honestly don’t know why I didn’t do it sooner. Probably because I have a love affair with carbs, but oh well. I usually do the majority of my meal prepping on Sunday nights and prepare the meals that I’m going to bring with me to work 5 days out of the week. For the two days that I’m off I usually will make something at home and don’t necessarily prep for this, but obviously you can prep for every single day if you want to. Meal prepping is really about time for me, if I don’t have something prepared then I usually can be found getting extra sour cream on my burrito bowl at Chipotle so in order for me to 1. save money and 2. try to combat my love of cheese with healthier options it’s really important for me that I have snacks, breakfast, lunch and dinner (depending on what time I’m working) already prepared and ready to grab on my way out the door. I go out to eat once in awhile as well, but when I do I like to eat whatever I want and enjoy if guilt free because I know I’ve made healthy choices throughout the week.

What are you tips and tricks for staying organized? Tell me in the comments!

Xoxo,

She