7 TIPS ON HOW TO STAY ORGANIZED

Life has been a little hectic lately. Between moving and starting a new job (while also keeping up with The Nomis Niche and my social media management gigs), it’s been tough. I’ll admit, there were times when I felt like I was losing my mind. But, instead of pulling my hair out, I decided to hunker down and re-organize my schedule. Today I’m sharing some sanity-saving organization tips that will make your life a whole lot easier…

SHOP MY LOOK

1. GET A MONTHLY & WEEKLY PLANNER

   I seriously don’t know what I’d do without my planner. I’ve been using one that’s not only broken down by month, but by week as well. I put all my travel dates, events, shooting schedules, work schedules and blog post topics on the monthly calendar and save the weekly calendar for my day-to-day duties. I’m a crazy list-maker, so the weekly pages are great for these daily lists. In fact, sometimes I’ll put things I’ve already done on a list just so I can feel the excitement of checking it off (anyone else do that?). I know a lot of people prefer electronic planners, but I prefer the old-school paper route because if my phone dies (which it does more often than I’d like to admit) I can still access all the information I need.

1. BINDER UP

   I recently bought three binders and they have been life-savers! One binder is used for my social media management. I keep track of progress, post times and payments. The other binder is for blog invoices and PR contact information. The last binder is where I jot down outfit ideas, possible YouTube videos I can create, shooting locations that I’d like to visit, etc. I also put magazine clippings in there for inspiration.

1. DESIGNATE CERTAIN SPOTS FOR CERTAIN ITEMS

   Our condo is currently being shown to possible buyers, so in the meantime, we’re living with my in-laws. The first week we were here I couldn’t find anything! Where are those sandals? I’m missing three sweaters. Where is the bag with all our toiletries? I had to go through and figure out where I was going to keep everything so I didn’t waste time running all over the house in a mad-search. Keys always go on the rack by the door. Beauty products I’m testing out go on a specific shelf. My camera, lenses, lights and tripod are also in one spot of the room so I never use them. I also invested in some clear bins so I can easily see what clothing is inside.

1. THE MAKEUP EDIT

   I’m not saying you need to ditch half of your makeup, but if there are products you no longer use/need… give them to your friends! I had a few girlfriends look through a pile of products I don’t really use that often and it was perfect! The got some new makeup and I cleared up some space. I also put all the makeup I typically use everyday in one makeup bag. Everything else got another bag that stays under the bathroom sink until I need it. Since I carry my makeup bag  to and from the TV station, this saves me a TON of time!

1. SET UP AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWALS

   It takes less than five minutes and is one less thing you have to worry about. My husband and I both do this to ensure that we don’t get hit with any late-payment fees. We also set our next dentist and doctor appointments while we’re still in the building.

2. JOT DOWN WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND BEFORE BED

   I actually got this idea from a good friend of mine. I wasn’t sleeping very well because I was constantly thinking about all the things I needed to do the next day or that week. She told me that she writes down everything she needs to get done the next day on a piece of paper before going to bed. I started doing this and it’s amazing! Now instead of making my daily lists in the morning, I do it the night before. I’m sleeping MUCH better now.

3. PICK CERTAIN TIMES TO CHECK YOUR EMAIL

   I find that if I’m constantly checking my email, I get less done throughout the day. If you’re constantly dealing with interruptions, your brain needs more time to focus back on the project you’re trying to tackle. I typically check my email when I first wake up, once I finish whatever I’m working on that day, and then again before dinner.

I want to know… do you have any tips that help you stay organized?

Love, Lindsey