Life can get so busy and overwhelming, but keeping yourself organized can be a huge stress-reliever!
While each of our schedules looks a little different from one another, I think it’s safe to say we’ve all felt like we’re performing a juggling act at times. It’s important to remember that we are human, and some of those balls we juggle will drop – and that’s okay.
You’re doing the best that you can and that’s what truly matters.
My hope is that sharing with you some of what has helped me stay organized will be helpful to you today.
1. Use a Planner!
Are you ready to learn how to plan your best week yet?
I am a paper-planner girl all the way, but feel free to use a digital planner if you like those better! Write down all important appointments, meetings, life events, and to-do’s so that you will have everything in one place. This decreases your chances of missing a deadline or forgetting something important.
A couple of my favorite planners include the EC LifePlanner and Cultivate What Matters PowerSheets!
You can check out my reviews of each below.
Erin Condren LifePlanner Review Cultivate What Matters PowerSheets Review
2. Be Specific on Your To-Do List
You want to write small, actionable steps on your to-do list to achieve each of your goals. This helps you gain momentum, feeling accomplished that you’ve tackled something that’s going to get you closer to your overall goals.
Try choosing three of your must-accomplish tasks and writing them on a sticky note. Do those three tasks before going onto any others. You’ll feel a ton better knowing that you have them out of the way.
Then if you have more time, you can feel free to add 1-3 more tasks to your day.
I can remember thinking that it was all or nothing. I either had to be doing everything or I wasn’t doing anything at all. I know now how flawed that thinking was, and how detrimental it was for my progress. It isn’t about how many things you can write on your to-do list and check off, it’s about making real progress on what you’re trying to accomplish. And any progress is good progress, friends!
3. Declutter Your Home & Office
Decluttering can be a little overwhelming when you’re just beginning. Oftentimes, just getting started is the hardest part.
I wrote a blog post awhile back on how to declutter your home to help you make more room for the things you love, one room at a time.
Wash your dishes, wipe down your counters, throw away unnecessary receipts or trash, and go through any paperwork that you can file away and get off your desk. Put like-items together that are keepers, and put them in their own place where they are tidy and not in your way.
Decluttering can change not just your physical circumstances, but your mental and emotional being. Do you ever get anxiety by looking at a pile of dishes in the sink? I do! Taking the time to declutter and create habits that are long-lasting is very much doable and well worth it.
4. Meal Plan & Eat at Home
Sundays are perfect for meal prep! You can spend a couple of hours in the kitchen and save yourself the headache throughout the week of trying to figure out what’s for dinner.
It also saves money by not getting fast food on those busy days after work.
Set yourself up for meal prep success! When you buy meat from the grocery store, divide it into portions that make sense for you and your family, and freeze. Then you can just pop it out of the freezer and thaw. In my case, it’s just me and my husband, so I like to put hamburger away in 1 lb portions, a few chicken breasts per freezer bag, etc. It makes for thawing them quicker as well!
5. Create a Budget & Stick to it!
It’s super easy to get caught up in spending money on coffee trips or fast food, but creating a budget that works for you and your family is so helpful.
You’ll have more money for bills, groceries, or even a treat for yourself!
This one is a struggle for me because I am obsessed with coffee, haha! It also feels easier to pick up something on my way home than to come home and make dinner at times.
Meal prep has been so helpful for me in this area though, and while I’m doing as well as I’d like to – I’m still better than I used to be. 🙂 I find that if I have things at home that I just have to heat up, I can pass up the drive thru easier.
I hope this post will help you in your journey to living an organized life!
I gave this post a loving little revamp, it originally was posted back in 2019!
Wishing you all a wonderful 4th of July weekend, friends!
Let’s Chat!
How do you stay organized?
Do you use a planner? If so, what kind?
Any fun plans for the 4th of July?
These tips are so great. I love organization and really enjoy reading your post. Thank you for sharing.
New Post – http://www.exclusivebeautydiary.com/2019/11/by-terry-gloss-terrybly-shine-cupcake_4.html
Thank you so much for stopping by! 🙂
I’m usually very disorganised, so your tips come in very handy! I need to start a to-do list, it sounds perfect to me.
xx Simone
Little Glittery Box
We all have those moments, Simone! Keeping organized can definitely help things go (and feel) a lot smoother. Thanks so much! 🙂
What a great list! I use a paper planner as well and it helps me so much. I would go crazy without it. I love the tip about meal planning. I really need to get better about that because sometimes deciding what my dinner is going to be can cause a lot of stress in my day…especially when I’m hungry haha
Jill
https://jilliancecilia.com/
Thank you, Jill! I am with you on the meal planning. I definitely struggle with coming up with what to eat, and it definitely gets worse when I’m hangry!! Haha, so I usually thank myself at the end of the week if I’ve meal prepped.
Such great tips!
http://www.christinacenci.com
Thank you so much, Christina!
I love to organize life♥
Me too, Kinga! Thanks so much for stopping by! 🙂
These are super helpful tips dear!
Jessica | notjessfashion.com
Thanks so much, Jessica!! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Love this post, Ashley! These are great tips, I need to work on being more specific with my goals and to-do list and sticking to them. My mind tends to go in way too many directions and then I get side-tracked-yikes. Thanks for the reminder and for sharing these tips. Hope you’re doing well.
Martha
http://www.joyfulstateofmind.com
Aww, thank you Martha! I can definitely understand, there are so many things that can keep us distracted. Hope all is well with you too, my friend! 🙂
I had to chuckle, because I use the EC and of course you know I use the Cultivate What Matters planner too! I like how you say to just pick 3 items for your to do list at a time. I think that sounds less stressful than my mile long to do list! Ha! I really need to try that!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Haha, yes, I remembered that and you definitely sold me on finally trying PowerSheets this time around! I hope you’ll find it helpful, my friend! I know you always have a laundry list of things to do! ❤️
I agree with you because I use planer, to-do list, de clutter home and create budget. That really help me to have everything under control and organized.
I’m so happy you find these things helpful, too, friend! It makes a world of difference.
This is a great way to stay organised so you don’t have to scramble if your heading to an important work event or meeting. Plus it’s good for anyones life. Such helpful tips by the way.
https://www.bauchlefashion.com/2022/07/gotta-love-madewell-end-of-season-event.html?m=1
Thanks so much, Heather!! I truly appreciate it. 😊
Yes indeed these are helpful tips, I am fairly organized by nature but I want to improve! I so want to get in the habit of using a planner and I agree that the all or nothing mindset is quite daunting. Have you ever read “The Artists Way”? I think you would like it,=.
And yes summers are so hot and humid now you really can’t enjoy them and now even parts of the world that did not use get that hot like the UK and Paris. Really scary.
Allie of
http://www.allienyc.com
Thank you so much, Allie! I haven’t heard of that book before, but I will absolutely look into it and take your recommendation! 😊 I’ve heard it’s beyond horrible in those area right now and I truly feel for those living there.
Wishing you a wonderful day, my friend!
Love these ideas! I live by my to-do lists, and meal plans. It is such a simple idea yet so effective, and really helps with budgeting too 🙂
Thank you so much, Caroline! So happy you loved these, and I couldn’t agree with you more!! 😊