How to Create Long Term Goals

If you've been reading this blog for a few months, you know that when my life slows down, my writing slows down, too. Summer break and winter break are the hardest times for me to write... because I'm not busy enough, if that makes any sense. Around the beginning of the new year, I decided to dedicate the first 6 weeks of 2015 focusing on my career (aka finding a new teaching job in a new city). And I planned on writing about cover letters and resumes and what to wear to interviews, etc. I did a ton of research. I pinned a bunch of articles (you can find them all here).

I read them all. I took notes. And then I realized "there's no need for me to say any of this. I'd just be repeating everything that's already been said in these articles". So, I didn't write a post about the perfect interview or resume or whatever. HOWEVER, I did spend quite a lot of time doing something that wasn't in ANY of these posts! So, that's what I'm going to write about today:

TAKE SOME TIME TO THINK ABOUT WHERE YOU WANT YOUR CAREER TO GO.

I recently started this new "track" on Happify called Find Your Calling and the very first exercise in it was one where you write about your perfect daily routine. NOT your perfect job. But your perfect routine. Like, what do you see your days looking like in the future? The craziest thing about this activity was that it was SO easy! Even though you may not be completely sure about what you WANT to do... you probably have a pretty good idea of what you want your days to look like. Doing this activity motivated me to keep going on my quest of finding my perfect career!



1. Spend 20 minutes writing your 20-year goals

This past weekend, I set a timer for 20 minutes and wrote down what I want my career to look like 20 years from now. I just typed it into a Word documents. I wrote it quickly and messy. I didn't care about grammar or punctuation or even if I sounded like a normal person. So, if you're feeling stressed out and overwhelmed about the future, just take 20 minutes and write down anything and everything that you can. Once I finished writing what I wanted to be doing 20 years from now, I reset the timer for 10 minutes and wrote about what I want to be doing in 10 years. Go big here, btw!

"Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe." -Oprah Winfrey



2. Cut that time in half and do it again... and again... and again...

Because I am slightly more obsessive than most people, I continued this at every halfway mark (including 15 months and 7 1/2 months). You could just go with something traditional like "1 year" and "6 months". Another thing I did that was helpful was to begin every new time period by writing "In ___ years, it will be the year ___ and I will be ___ years old". Another thing I did that was super helpful was to find someone I admired who was already that age. Sometimes age seems pretty vague and it's difficult to know what to expect, so seeing it in someone else's life makes it easier.



3. Read through and pull out your concrete goals

Once I had all of my things written in a Word document, I went back and pulled out the phrases and keywords that I could actually turn into goals. For example, "involve parents in classroom activities through class website, newsletter, and volunteer opportunities". Those are all pretty concrete things that I can really make happen in my classroom. Or "certified professional organizer", well... that's pretty clear. I pulled out the things that were super specific like that and actually wrote them down on a piece of paper. I continued to do this at every checkpoint until I eventually got down to "today".



4. Do 4 things today that will move you towards your goals

At the "today" space, I just made a square space big enough for a Post-It. Each day, I write down 4 tasks that will help me reach the goals. NOT big tasks at all, either! Sending 1 e-mail to someone or printing off 1 document counts. Literally, 4 small and doable tasks every day. It doesn't feel or sounds like much which is why below it I wrote this quote:

"Great things are done by a series of small things coming together." -Vincent Van Gogh

The future is a scary and magnificent thing! It's easy to let it come and go and dream about the things that we could have done OR we can decide today to attack it head on and spend each day purposefully making it the best we can! Which brings me to another quote I love:

"Put on lipstick and attack!" -Coco Chanel 

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How to Actually Accomplish Your 2015 Goals

HAPPY 2015, everyone! I am so super excited about this year. I don't know what it is but for some reason, I just love odd-numbered years (weeeirdo). So, of course, I pretty much live for the beginning of January. It's the time of year when everyone gets really into setting new goals and organizing everything! The stores are absolutely FILLED with organizational bins and containers (and I break out into my Happy Feet dance whenever I reach the "seasonal" section of Target)!

This is also the time when EVERYONE is interested in setting goals and doing things better in the new year! Last January, I wrote a 31-day series (yes, I actually finished that one) about goal setting. I found a ton of great resources (they're listed at the bottom of each post). Today I'm just going to do an abridged, skimming-over version of that series. using some of America's most common resolutions.



According to us.gov, these are some of the most common New Year's resolutions that we make year after year:



Common Resolution: Lose Weight
Turn it into something like this: I will lose 10 pounds by December 2014 by working out 30 minutes each day and doubling the amount of vegetables that I eat each day. 

(by the way, if this really IS your goal, check out: Tone It Up)



Common Resolution: Volunteer
Turn it into something like this: I will volunteer 72 hours by December by spending 6 hours a month working in the kitchen at the Mission. 

(by the way, if this really IS your goal, check out: Volunteer Match)



Common Resolution: Better Education/Grades
Turn it into something like this: I will submit my grad school application by January 15 by working on it for 4 hours next weekend. 

(by the way, if this really IS your goal, check out this list of resources for college students... aaand while you're at it, you can just head over to the Organized Studying page!)



Common Resolution: Get a Better Job
Turn it into something like this: I will have a job (doing whatever you want to do) by August 1 by submitting a new resume packet to a different company every 2 weeks. 

(by the way, if this really IS your goal, check out: The Daily Muse)



Common Resolution: Save Money/Manage Debt
Turn it into something like this: I will save $1800 by December by putting $150 into my savings account every month. 

(by the way, if this really IS your goal, check out: Mint)



Common Resolution: Manage Stress
Turn it into something like this: I will become more relaxed and mindful by December by writing down 10 things I'm thankful for every morning, taking a 30-minute walk outside every day after work, and staying off screens (phone, iPad, computer, TV) between 10PM-6AM. 

(by the way, if this really IS your goal, check out: Happify and Zen Habits)



Common Resolution: Take a Trip
Turn it into something like this: I will take a trip to the Dominican Republic in May by putting $500 into a "vacation fund" every month. 

(by the way, if this IS your goal, check out this list of helpful travel-planning sites)



Common Resolution: Reduce Clutter/Get Organized
Turn it into something like this: I will reduce the amount of items in each closet by 30% by December by going through 1 closet each Saturday and removing 1 of every 3 items every month. 

(by the way, if this IS your goal, check out: Project Organize Your Entire Life and Unclutterer)



See how goals just sound more achievable when we make them super specific? Like, it's no longer this broad ambiguous thing that you hope happens to you this year. Instead, it's something that you're taking control of and working for! When resolutions are super vague, they might as well be wishes. Accomplishing new goals takes a lot of planning (YAY!), discipline, sacrifice, effort, and doing a lot of things that look really boring when they're written on a daily to-do list (read chapter 5, for example).

Just keep your big goal in mind while you're working through those tedious to-do lists. And be prepared to work hard and to sacrifice things that would be fun right now and probably to be broke (if you're saving up for a vacation or paying grad school tuition). So, here is my last little bit of advice before you begin your fresh, new year! Choose to focus on 1 goal at a time and reeeally work to make it a habit before throwing another goal into the mix.

Once you're working out daily, or you're in the habit of cooking a healthy dinner every night, then you can start on the resume sending-out, you know? Don't try to start all of your goals at once or you'll just set yourself up for the F word (which is "Failure", obviously).

So, good luck and remember that it's 2015 and everything is awesome! :)



What are your goals for 2015? Did you accomplish the ones that you set for yourself last year? Also, can you think of any resources that I should add for the topics above? I know there have got to be a ton of great apps/websites that I don't know about! 

More about → How to Actually Accomplish Your 2015 Goals

Inspiration Board Cheat Sheet

Inspiration Boards are one of my favorite things to check out on Pinterest! They are just one of those things that you don�t really notice� until you do. I�m always like �ooh, I love this workspace!� and then when I go back through my �Office.� board, I notice that they all have this one thing in common: inspiration/motivation/vision boards. Does this sound like something that Chris from Parks & Rec would do? Yes. But also, they can be the perfect reflection of your personality and your future goals! 

Not only that� remember the Feng Shui post from a couple of days ago? The ideal position for your desk is somewhere where it faces the door but, if that just isn�t possible (like in a small apartment, bedroom, or dorm), the next best thing is to make the wall �disappear�. Inspiration Boards are the perfect way to do that! They can be a source of inspiration, motivation, encouragement, pride in past accomplishments, and just something that is nice to look at after hours of reading or writing or crying because math is hard. 

There are literally TONS (okay, fine� there are figuratively tons) of examples out there! But what makes the perfect �recipe� for an inspiration board? Here is my oh-so-humble opinion:

Here�s a perfect one from Lauren Conrad (of course)!

Choose a color scheme

Your space should reflect you! Some workspaces are really dreamy looking with whites and subdued colors. You�ll want that to carry over into your inspiration board. Others are full of bold colors, or maybe bright pinks and turquoises! Whatever your design-style is, make sure that your board goes along with it and isn't distracting or out of place. Also, add a little depth with tickets, ribbons, cards, etc! 

Can we please talk about the absolute genius-ness of this clipboard inspiration board from Trendenser?! 

Gather things that make you happy

This is pretty simple. Think of things that make you smile when you see them! Do you love the color pink? Penguins? Pretty dresses? Traveling? When you find or take photos of things that you just absolutely love, stick these up here! They will provide a safe haven for your mind when you�re feeling all depleted from reading a textbook that is likely droning on about something that bores you. 

This one from Megan at Honey, We�re Home is super girly and stylish. LOVE!

Give yourself something to look forward to

There is also the �vision board� part of inspiration boards. The part that reminds you why you do whatever it is that you do! Where do you want to be 10 years from now? What field of work do you hope to be in? Where do you want to travel? Choose photos or quotes or headlines or pictures of people who inspire you! And don�t forget to include your long and short term goals! Create a �big picture�! 

I love how this one found on Flickr. just blends in with the rest of the space!

Include Your past accomplishments

Have you won a blue ribbon for something? Or maybe received a certificate for some type of special recognition? What about photos from graduation, or your acceptance letter or test scores? Put these up here! A big part of staying motivated is to remind yourself of your past achievements! When things get hard, just look back and think, �This was challenging, but I did it. If I could do it then, I can do it now.�

Here�s another clever alternative to a �board� from Warm Home Decors!

Throw in some personal photos

Did you know that you can print out Instagram photos? Of course you did because I am the last person on Earth to find this out. I like Instas better than regular photos! Why? Because they really force you to choose one thing to represent an entire event and to focus on finding the beauty in everyday life. Print out a few of your favorites! Remind yourself that, even though your life is crazy, it is also beautiful!  

Inspiration boards are a great idea for a study space because they can just keep you motivated and on the right track by reminding you of what you�ve already done, what you�re doing now, and what you will do in the future! 

They can help you turn your dreams into goals, your goals into plans, and your plans into real life! :) 

Do you have a bulletin board or �inspiration board� in your study space? What kinds of things are on it? Has it helped you stay motivated when your schoolwork gets frustrating? 

More about → Inspiration Board Cheat Sheet

5 Blogging Basics

So, this semester has finally balanced out and I am back into a normal routine. (I kind of lost my bearings there, for a minute!) Which means that I am finally getting back into the routine of writing� which means that I am finally getting around to writing y�all�s requested posts

�which means that we�re all happy! YAY!

I am starting with this one since it�s the most common request I�ve received lately. Many of you have been asking for blogging advice and, while I�m certainly no expert, I will share the 5 biggest things that have been helpful for me! 

Let�s get right to it!

1: Be Consistent
I try not to have one post about a closet that I organized and then another about a meal that I cooked and then another about my recent vacation and then another about how I blow out my hair. The more consistent you are (1-3 topics), the easier it will be for people to know what to expect!

This is why it�s SO important to pick what you are most interested in writing about!



2: Be Helpful
This is a super important one! People want to read things that will benefit them! So, if you�re looking for readers, you need to provide them with something. When do your friends seek your advice? Fashion? Decorating? Cooking? Photography? Makeup? Making people laugh?

If your friends notice that it�s a strength of yours, then so will your readers!



3: Be Interactive

This is another thing that�s important. (Even though I�m falling behind right now) I always, always try to reply to every comment, e-mail, Facebook post, tweet... even if it�s just to say, �Thank you�. I think it�s a polite thing to do, respectful to readers, and awesome getting to know new people!

Treat your readers like your BFF!



4: Be Positive

  Very, very important: be NICE. No one wants to read a blog written by Negative Nancy (Annie Anxiety maybe, but not Negative Nancy)! So while you�re writing, just try to keep it as positive as possible! If you need to �vent� about something, write it out somewhere private then let it gooo...

Use your blog to contribute positivity to this world!



5: Promote. Promote. Promote.

I cannot stress the importance of this one enough. PROMOTE YOUR OWN WORK! Sure, it would be totally awesome if you could write a couple of posts and become College Prepster or Sarah Belle. But the (blogging) world just doesn�t work like that. Share your own work all over social media!

People can only read your blog if they know about it! 

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These are the things that I�ve found helpful in my own writing! But different things work for different people! The biggest part of blogging is that it should be something that you look forward to. If you�re interested in writing about something, then just write about it! 

As long as YOU are happy with what you�re doing, that�s the only thing that really matters! :) 

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If you have a blog, what advice to you have to add to this? 

If you�re starting up a blog, what has been your biggest challenge? 

Do you have any other questions on this topic?!

More about → 5 Blogging Basics

Dorm Room Organization

{ So, let me first start out by saying I�M SORRY for how little I�ve been posting since the summer started. As a person who thrives on busy-ness and structure, I have just had the most difficult time ever making myself write regularly when I�m off all day, every day. To most, that would sound like a dream come true, but I know that some of you fellow OCD-y people know exactly what I�m talking about! So, thank you for your patience and just bear with me until I can get a full calendar (or several) again! :) }

Okay. A few weeks ago (I�m lying� it was a few months ago. shhh) a reader asked me to do a post on dorm solution ideas. �Great idea!�, I thought. Then summer happened. So, finally, here it is! AND I feel like the timing is a little perfect because: a. It�s better to get a head start on things like this, and b. The stores are in �summer mode� right now, so it�s a good time to be buying storage supplies for less!

One more thing: I do have to divulge that I�ve never actually lived in a dorm (aside from a week-long softball camp at Auburn), BUT I did live in a studio apartment in college, which is pretty similar! Okay, here we go!

Dorm Storage Solutions:

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1: Make sure that you have the right layout.

If you follow me on Pinterest, you may have noticed that I pin a lot of Feng Shui things. Now, before you skip right over this because you don�t believe in �energy flow�, hear me out! So many Feng Shui rules are backed up by psychology, and there is a ton of information out there that discusses how important environmental factors are to learning (which is why most high schools have that medium blue color in the hallways). 

This Greatist Post by Jordan Shakeshaft explains how to arrange a dorm room perfectly! 

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2: Banish all clutter.

As with any organization project, clutter is the #1 enemy. This is the rule I use: 

If it doesn�t have a home, find it a home; if you can�t find it a home, get rid of it. 

Tiny spaces are the ones that are the MOST important to keep clutter-free! You know that feeling you get when you walk into an old person�s home and it�s just full of every little figurine or paper they�ve ever received? That�s the feeling that others will get when they walk into your dorm that�s overflowing with textbooks, picture frames, makeup, and clothes that can�t fit into the closet. 

I like to try to get rid of 15 things every week! I promise, it�s easier than it sounds!

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3: Find (or make!) a home for everything

The most important part of a "storage solution" is, of course, the storage! In our new loft, I don�t have an office like I did in my house, so I�ve had to hide my office supplies in plain sight (more on that coming soon!). First, make a list of everything you�ll need to store: textbooks, computer, chargers, notebooks, files, etc. Then, look for (or create) pretty storage solutions for each thing! 

I don�t mind displaying things that are uniformed, such as clothespins, paperclips, binder clips, matching pens, etc. However, find a �hidden" home for things that are mismatched, sloppy-looking, or just plain unsightly (used textbooks, for example. EW!). The Container Store, Etsy, Office Max, and Target are just filled with canvas bins, covered storage containers, and cute document boxes. OR, you could take to Pinterest and find ways to create your own pretty storage solutions out of paint cans, plastic cups, shoeboxes, etc!

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4: Multi-Purpose items are lifesavers 

Functionality is essential in small spaces! The more purposes that a piece serves, the more valuable it is! Target�s furniture aisle is always filled with $40-ish ottomans that can be used as a table, extra seating for friends, and a place to discreetly store books, extra blankets, or even shoes! Always be on the lookout for things that can pull double duty such as bedside tables with lots of drawers, decorative vases that could store writing utensils, or jewelry organizer/mirror combos!

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5: Clean Constantly 

When I was in undergrad, I made the mistake of having a �cleaning day� once a week� which would have been a great idea, if every week looked the same! However, things always came up for me to do on my cleaning day. Then I would get all stressed out over how messy everything was! Now that I�m older (and oh-so-much-wiser), I just do a little bit every day! There are literally hundreds of cleaning systems out there! I use this one from Apartment Therapy! But FlyLady and Modern Parents Messy Kids have some nice ones as well! And, of course, I have a Pinterest board just full of printable to-do lists to help you stay on track! 

It�s never too early to start organizing for the fall! :) 

When it comes to storage solutions for small spaces, the options are limitless! Feel free to add any advice, information, or links to your favorite dorm organization solutions below! 

Do you want to know about storing anything specifically?! 

(I would love to have something to research with all this free time! haha)

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Closet Organization Solutions

On my 4 Things to Organize in April checklist, my closet was right up there! I have a pretty good system in place for keeping up with what I�ve worn and purging it frequently. What I need is kind of a revamped closet organization system!

As I always do, I turned to Pinterest for inspiration and it did not disappoint!

(click on photos to follow links)

Buy uniformed hangers.

If all of the hangers match, the closet looks 100% more organized and put together. Plus, designate a specific number of clothing items for your closet and buy that many hangers. It will be a good reminder that your closet it getting too full! 

Find a cute way to display your accessories.

From pegboards to hooks to repurposed picture frames, Pinterest is FULL of cute ideas for displaying all those little accessories we need! Rather than just messily cramming them into a drawer, why not put them on display like a cute little boutique? Maybe it will make you enjoy getting dressed as much as you enjoy shopping! 

Store your shoes. 

Shoes are another one of those things that are easy to accumulate. If you don�t quite have the closet space of Sarah Vickers, no problem! Try a hanging heels on a curtain rod on the wall, a shoe rack on the back of the door, and storing flats/sandals in a bin on the shelf in your closet!

Find an organized home for tiny clothing items. 

So, hanging up clothes is easy but what about all those little things like scarves and tank tops? Luckily, they�re super easy to roll up and fit into small spaces! How about in a tiny dresser drawer, a �shoe rack�, or grabbing a couple of small clear drawers from Target? 

Hang your bags.

These are one of my biggest challenges! I love the way that they fit onto closet shelves and I can line them up neatly but I hate the way they get all smooched. Try designate a hanger in your closet as a �bag hanger�, a tension rod with S-hooks, or hanging some pretty hooks where you can easily reach them!

Pre-made closet system.

Of course, if you�re really getting serious about closet organization, Home Depot and Lowe�s have a TON of pre-made closet organizational systems! Just choose one that fits and works well for you!

You don�t have to have it all out at once.

Finally, this is one of the biggest things that keeps my closet in check. It isn�t necessary to have every item out all season long! Having 3 extra bins to hold clothes for each season will free up a TON of closet space!

Now let�s get those closets put back together! Summer is right around the corner and you don�t want to waste all that beautiful weather by being inside reorganizing a closet, do you? Me either :)

What kinds of closet organization tips do you have to add? Do you organize it a little at a time or do a big seasonal overhaul? Have you invested in a professional closet system or just created one that works well for you? 

More about → Closet Organization Solutions

Top 10 Organizing Blogs

Last week, I received an e-mail from a charming reader named Maya asking for my favorite organizing resources. This was such an easy question because I love reading about others� organizing projects! I e-mailed back with my 5 favorites� but the more I though about it, the more I just wanted to add and add to the list! 

Here is a list of my top 10 favorite organizing blog/websites!

A Bowl Full of Lemons 

This website mainly focuses on organizing your home (you can search by room), finances, and planner! I really love her systems for organizing paperwork and cleaning. Also, she has a whole section on creating (and sticking to) a budget!

Deliciously Organized 

I love the look of this website. I mean, it just looks organized! The photos are beautiful and there is a ton of wonderful inspiration. 

FlyLady

If you are having a hard time keeping your home clean and decluttered, this is the site for you! FlyLady offers a daily to-do list to help you keep your sinks shining (literally)! She also implements the philosophy of �a little at a time� so that everything seems manageable! 

Huffington Post: Healthy Living

This is actually the homepage on my computer. Every time I get online, there is a new post about how to be more productive, happier, less-stressed, and just all-around healthier! This is a great resource for �organizing� your daily habits and time management! 

iheart Organizing 

This is probably the best organizing blog ever. I could literally stay on this site for hours. She mainly focuses on home organization and everything she does is 100% incredible!

Operation: Organize 

This is an organizational series on Lauren Conrad�s blog. You will find posts like Creative Storage Solutions, Tips for Organizing Your Craft Supplies, and Charitable Closet Cleaning. And obviously, everything is pretty� because it�s Lauren Conrad :)

The Organized College Student

If you have a tumblr. account, you should definitely follow this blog! You will receive daily doses of study tips!And if you don�t have a tumblr. account, you should create one now.

Organize, Please! 

This is kind of ongoing series written by Carly Heitlinger of The College Prepster. She talks about how to organize her studying habits, scheduling routines, and various other time management systems. These are actually my favorite posts of hers to read!

Project Organize Your Entire Life 

(or POYEL) is basically a blog within a blog! Steph of Modern Parents Messy Kids wrote out her perfect plan for organizing her life and has been taking steps to achieve it ever since! She focuses on meal planning, finances, scheduling, and cleaning systems. 

Unclutterer.

If you are looking for the king of all organizing sites, this is it. There are literally hundreds of no-nonsense, straight to the point organization tips! And there are SO MANY topics that it is basically impossible NOT to find what you�re looking for!

BONUS: This is not necessarily an organizing website, but it has tons of inspiration and tips on how to de-stress and stay focused, which definitely leads to more productivity:

Zen Habits 

Because sometimes we just need to organize our thought process! If you ever feel anxious, overwhelmed, or like you just can�t get things under control, definitely check out this blog! Leo talks about eliminating and simplifying things and how to manage our time better. 

I know y�all must have a ton of favorites! Please post them in the comments!! 

Mostly just because I want to visit them, too! Thanks :)

More about → Top 10 Organizing Blogs

5 Rules for Simplified Style

You know that saying about not being able to see the trees for the forest? Or maybe it�s the forest for the trees? Whatever it is, that saying has a lot to do with� my closet. 

I feel like I cannot see the outfits for the clothes! Good grief. Sometimes I just stand in front of my closet and think: what are these clothes and where did they come from and why are there so many and how is it possible that there are so many and I still don't see anything I want to wear?! 

Please tell me I'm not the only one. 

I have clothes in my closet. Clothes in another closet. Clothes in bins. Clothes in the attic. And do you know what talking about all these clothes makes me want to do? Obviously, it makes me want to buy new clothes! 

I know I should be keeping up with what I�ve worn recently and what I could do without (probably all of it). I actually used to have a really nice Post-It system in place to monitor what I was/wasn�t wearing. But I switched closets recently and I just haven�t been keeping with it.

I need a better system for eliminating all of the excess!

Do you know who really has style figured out? The Italians. While the rest of the world is buying into what�s on trend for this season, they are steadily looking awesome in their classicly-Italian ensembles. I've been to Rome twice in the past 3 years and I would move there tomorrow if I could. I'm obsessed. And even through I absolutely LOVE it... I feel 100% underdressed the whole time.

Their style is just incredible.  And do you know what I find most appealing about it? 

It seems simple. 

It just seems so simple. 

So, here are 5 Italian-inspired style rules:
(and these are definitely becoming my new closet rules to keep out the excess!)

1. Don't buy into every passing trend. 

 Well, this is the first and probably the most important for keeping a decluttered closet. Do you ever feel like we�re going to look at our pictures 4 years from now and say: oh, look at my chevron shirt and my chevron rug and my chevron walls and my chevron pumpkin and my chevron dog� Must have been 2013!?

The Italians know what they like. They know what looks good. And they know what will be obsolete in 2 years. I want my closet to be more like that.

2. Choose quality over quantity. 

Which is much easier when you aren�t trying to amass a huge quantity of �trendy� clothing. It's also a lot easier to justify spending a lot on one piece of clothing knowing it will last a long time. Which is probably why I�m the only person in Italy walking down the street in a non-designer dress. Because I�m choosing 39 cheap and trendy dresses over 3 quality dresses. 

And just think of how perfectly I could organize 3 quality dresses!

3. Stick with classic cuts. 

Don�t you think it�s interesting that we still idolize Audrey Hepburn, Jackie O, and Marilyn Monroe as fashion icons? I mean, their looks were so timelessly elegant and classic that I don�t think they will ever be irrelevant. So investing in quality clothing in those same classic cuts has like a 100% chance of never going out of style. 

Which would probably also be great motivation to stay in shape so that we can keep wearing them!

4. Opt for neutrals. 

This is the thing that I am the most in love with. Nothing ensures an easier dressing process in the morning than already having all matching clothes. Can you imagine getting dressed in the morning and the decision is: �Should I wear this black shirt with these grey pants or this grey shirt with these black pants?�. I could make that decision after just one cup of coffee.

 

5. Accessorize with color. 

Well, of course color is an important part of life. And no one wants to walk around in just black and white and grey all the time. But saving color for accessorizing also saves a TON of money! And makes for 2,345,355 more outfit choices! And guess what? If orange is the big color this year and you�re super sick of it by next year� all you have to replace are some scarves and jewelry!

And I think that�s just awesome.

I am about to set off on my own little journey to creating a more Italian closet :)

Are you feeling overwhelmed by your closet? 
Do you have any advice for me or have any suggestions of other styles I might also like? 

{photos in this post are from Cosmo Italy}

More about → 5 Rules for Simplified Style

How I Organize My Planner

Ok, so I have already talked about how I am completely obsessed with planners. Planners are like an art form to me, seriously. Even if I don�t need a new one, I still just enjoy flipping through them, seeing how they�re laid out, and I also LOVE seeing how other people organize theirs!

Last year (and for the 10 years prior to that), I have pretty much always used the same type of planner and the same system for using it. But there was something that always really frustrated me about this system: life!

Do you know what I mean? Like, I have this beautifully laid-out, organized, color-coded day where everything fits together like a puzzle (because I just can�t say no and have to use every single square inch of time in my day on something) and then, all of a sudden, something changes!

And it throws me into an absolute panic. 

Well, one of my goals this year is to become a person who is more spontaneous (stop laughing). You know, one of those people who �goes with the flow�. Well, obviously I need a plan in order to be more spontaneous, riiiight? 

And so, I got a new kind of planner and a new kind of system!

As of January 1, 2014, here is how I organize my planner:

-My Planner-

I used the OrganizeHer on-the-go Family Planner from Target ($11.99). It is traditionally a "mom" planner, but with a little modification, it could really work for anyone! I would even go as far as to say it's the best planner I've ever had!

{laminated Post-It tabs to quickly flip to this week and next week}

-Sections-

This planner has 4 sections: Meal Planning, Expenses, Scheduling, Organization. I used Washi tape to repurpose the ones that I needed to use for something different. 

-Color-Coding System-

I stuck with the same color-coding system that I�ve been (obsessively) using for years:

Pink �> School

Purple �> Personal

Blue �> Social

Green �> Work

Orange �> Writing

Gray �> Goals

(I just recently began putting my goals in my planner� which I now think is pretty vital to achieving them!)

-Section 1: School-

Since I don�t really �meal plan� (like, ever), I decided to use this section as my weekly to-do list for school assignments. Everything I have this semester will be due on a Thursday, so I covered the days of the week with Washi tape and started the week with Friday (since that�s when I�ll start on new assignments). 

{the left column is for things to do and the right is where I track my progress}

{and yes, I actually do write nothing when I've been completely unproductive}

-Section 2: Expenses-

Sure, I use Mint for tracking my spending but there is just something about writing it down that makes it feel a little more real. Not like the money is floating around in la-la-internet world.

-Section 3: Scheduling-

When something comes up, instead of WRITING it IN my planner, I write it ON the Washi tape instead and place it on the day it�s supposed to happen. Because, you know what? Plans change; things change. And, honestly, I�m so tired of feeling like my whole day is thrown off when I have to mark something out in my planner because of someone else. Since I started using the Washi tape, I can�t even begin to describe how much EASIER it makes it to just switch things around. 

And yes, that is totally a plan for being spontaneous.






{laminated Post-It tabs for �This Week� and �Next Week�}


{laminated Post-It tabs to easily identify different months}




{Washi tape for standing time commitments}


{color-coded pen or marker to make notes of things to remember for each time commitment} 

-Section 4: Goals-

After doing all of the reading and research that I recently did on goal setting, I decided that they DEFINITELY deserved a place in my planner! I wrote my checkpoints down on silver Washi tape and taped them on the dates that I hope to complete them.





*My Essential Planner Organization Items*

1. Post-It�s

I�m still kind of playing around with the whole Post-It system in my planner. I see SO MANY great ones on Pinterest but have had a difficult time making it actually work for me.

...Maybe you can offer me some advice?! :) 

This is another way I�m �planning for spontaneity�. If I write a to-do list directly into my planner and it doesn�t get done, it drives me nuts! I start feeling like I�m behind� and worse, I start feeling like a slave to my calendar. I SHOULD be able to throw an impromptu Margarita date with my bestie into the mix without it throwing off my whole week. 

I just hate the guilt that comes afterwards� when I look at what productive thing I had PLANNED for that time. So, these Post-Its are kind of a way to keep me focused on the things that are really important in life. I�m disciplined enough to know that I will get everything done by its due date. But my biggest fault sometimes is that I�m TOO disciplined, and my friends and family are the ones who get treated as second priority. 

2. Writing Utensils

Well, obvi. Not much getting done without these. I love these pens from The Board Dudes and they go perfectly with my color-coding system! I have been using then for a long as I can remember. However, I have recently become a big pencil-in-er over time (you know, that whole pesky life thing, again). Unless a date is absolutely set in stone (like a holiday or a wedding) I pencil it in at first then seriously add it later.

Also, I LOVE to highlight tasks as I complete them! It gives a major sense of accomplishment! I also highlight days that are over because it creates a little bit of a sense of urgency for me to get more done!

Washi Tape

Finally, this is my new fave part of my planner! I love how it's a very visual breakdown of time. Plus, I just love Washi tape because it's pretty.

Best of all? You know, it helps me plan to be spontaneous! :) 

So, what about you? How do you organize your planner? Do you had a tried and true system that you've been using for years? Do you have any advice for me? 

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