Get Your Life…

July 8, 2016

It’s Fix-It Friday, so today we are discussing how to get your life organized. I love organizing. Staying organized is a different story, but getting my life organized relieves my anxiety, takes away any stress I may be feeling, and ultimately makes me feel better on a whole. So if you’re ready to get your life together here are some easy organizational tips to follow.

 

Get a Notebook or Binder

I love creating binders for things I am planning. I have a binder for my life which has printouts of my monthly calendar, my cleaning schedule, my monthly outfit planner (yes I have to plan out my outfits in advance to get to work on time and keep track of when I wore something), my bill payment tracker, a monthly meal planner (I normally plan a week or two at a time), a weekly planner, and important usernames and passwords.  Of course I have a binder for blogging to keep track of schedules, ideas, notes, expenses, and income (whenever that day arrives). Currently, I am doing some work on my house, so I am creating a binder for that. That binder will have a printout of my “vision boards” for each room of the house as well as a checklist for items I need to purchase and task I need to complete. Having a binder or notebook will help to get your thoughts out and organized, instead of jumbled up in your head where you can forget them or become overwhelmed.

 

Make a Check-List

Each night (or morning) write down everything you want to accomplish for the day ahead.  As you complete a task, check it off or cross it out.  When writing your list, it helps to write it down with higher priority items first. Doing this will help you stay on task of completing those things.  When I’m feeling anxious, I will also complete the simply things to get them out of the way as well. At the end of the day, copy whatever task you have not completed to the top of your list for the next day. Writing a shopping list, especially for groceries, is another way to keep your life organized.

 

Declutter

Get rid of the stuff you don’t need or use.  Rule of thumb, if you haven’t used it in 6 months, and it’s not a seasonal item, donate it.  If you’re still struggling to get rid of it, ask yourself have I used it in a year. If your answer is no, get rid of it. Tidy up around your place. Put things where they belong.  I love buying baskets and bins to organize around my house. Having something visually pleasing to put things in helps motivate me to actually put it away. Give yourself about 15 minutes at the end of the day to tidy up your place.

 

Set a Goal for Your Life

Set an attainable goal for you life. Depending on your age and your goal, the time frame can be anywhere from one month to 5 years.  Write it down along with what it will take to attain that goal.  If it’s a long term goal, like 5 years, set deadlines to meet each step required to attain that goal.  Your goal should always be measurable. When tracking your progress, be sure to check each step off your list.

 

Use an Agenda/Calendar

Have an agenda you can carry around with you to keep track of what’s going on in your busy life.  If you’re not an agenda person, try a dry-erase calendar to display on your wall where you can see and easily update what you have going on for that month. You can also use the calendar on your phone to keep up with your schedule. Set alarms for important appointments, etc.

 

Get a File Pocket

Using a file pocket is a great way to keep important papers organized, especially work related receipts, medical expenses, pretty much anything tax related. The file pocket is durable, and has tabs to label and organize your important papers.

 

Create a Budget

Write down your monthly budget. This should include:

Monthly Income (after taxes and deductions)
– Monthly expenses
        Rent/mortgage
        Utilities
        Credit Cards
        Groceries (set an amount to spend for the month)
        Car (loan, insurance, gas)

With what’s left determine how much you are saving and what you’re allotting for recreational use (going out, shopping, etc.)

Now determine when you are going to sit down and make your payments. Online payments are the most convenient way to pay bills and to pay them on time.

P.S. Organization isn’t about perfection; it’s about efficiency, reducing stress and clutter, saving time and money and improving your overall quality of life. –  Christina Scalise

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