Today, I thought I would give you guys a peek into my very large and very disorganized bag! This isn’t a what’s in my bag, that may come later, but for now, I just wanted to show you guys how I like to organize my bag! This is a great method for anyone who has a large purse or tote that they use on a daily basis that does not have very many interior pockets!
As you can see from this before shot, my Kate Spade Beau bag has one large bucket style compartment, flanked on one side by some small accessory pockets and a large “iPad” pocket on the other! This bag is great because it holds so much stuff, but it’s not great at keeping organized (and this shot shows the bag without my work stuff inside)! This sort of set up can be a dangerous one for people like me who tend to just drop things into my bag like it’s a bottomless pit, but that behavior can ultimately lead to issues with the stuff in your bag. When things are just free-floating, chords can tangle or break, papers can become crushed, lip products can melt into wallets and onto cell phones– it can be a disaster!
So, to contain the mess in this bag, I have to institute the use of extra pouches to wrangle my loose items together! Once I pulled everything out of my bag, I found that I really didn’t have as much stuff as I thought, but there were just a lot of little items hanging out at the bottom of the bag. Using some extra makeup bags, I was able to put like items together– toilettes and beauty products in one, and extra wires and gadget goodies in another. This way I have a system!
Now, when you look in my bag, you can see everything laid out neatly! To save space in the main compartment of the bag, I tucked away my larger pouch with toiletries and beauty products into the large zip pocket in the back, this way I can just pull the whole thing out when I need it, instead of digging through the whole section. Everything else in the main compartment is either large enough to be seen and grabbed easily, or housed in one of the two accessory pockets. So much better, right?!?
What other tips and tricks do you use to organize your bag? Have you given your bag a makeover recently? Let us know in the comments below!
So, in case you haven’t noticed or you don’t read here that often, I finally caved and bought a Filofax! I feel like this decision was an inevitable one as I have been eyeing them for quite a while and actually used to use one before the age of the Palm Pilot (I swear I am not that old, but I did have a Palm Pilot at age 14)! Back then I had a Franklin Covey binder, and before that I had whatever cute ring-bound planners were available from Fashion Bug (if you are my age, I think you know what I am talking about… faux animal fur and psychedelic rainbow prints were my thing). It took me a while to feel like it was time to return to a full-blown paper planner system, though. I had been seriously testing the waters last year with a variety of different paper planners ranging from inexpensive Target planners, to Gallery Leather planners to a more stylish and coveted Kate Spade planner! All of these were nice, but inevitably only helped organize one area of my life; my schedule! I really needed something that would keep my calendar, to-do’s, random notes, my blog’s editorial calendar and so on! Truthfully, all these other planners were fated for extinction because they all had one thing in common, a binding, which meant I couldn’t move things around or add pages or sections as needed.
Now, I get it, I didn’t really have to get a Filofax to get that sort of customization. I could have used any number of apps that I already own to keep track of everything in one place, my phone! The problem with a digital system like a phone, however, is that it seriously lacks a sense of accomplishment. This is totally a personal opinion, but no matter how many lists I would make on my iPhone, or how many events I scheduled, or how many to-do boxes I tapped, I never felt like I did anything. Once you tap those check boxes and close the app, those old items go away, you can’t see them anymore! Yes, your calendar events usually stick around (unless you have to wipe your phone and you failed to back up or sync) and you can still read your old notes, but it’s just not as gratifying! The endless digital paper doesn’t feel like it amounts to much because it’s all inside your phone. It doesn’t matter if you have 1 list or 10 lists, 100 to-dos or 0, it’s all equal inside the phone!
Don’t get me wrong, I do love my iPhone and I think it does some very important things very well and things that my Filofax could never do! For instance, my iPhone is great at reminding me! It dings, vibrates, and does everything in its power to let me know when an event it coming up or to remind me about something I have to do! My Filofax, for all its wonderful goodness, will never be able to get my attention when I have lost track of time! My iPhone is also great for taking notes while I am driving through dictation which I do often! Wow, to think how wonderful the world would be if my Filofax could do that, it would be like having my own personal secretary! My iPhone also is the place I like to take quick notes when I am out and about and either (a) did not bring my Filofax, or (b) cannot pull out my Filofax because of the situation. IPhone’s are nice and discreet like this, but if the note I took is something that belongs in my Filofax, I will eventually transcribe it to its proper place!
Look, the advantages and disadvantages of digital and paper planning systems are really endless and to each their own when it comes to managing your own time. For me, for now, my Filofax and its trusty friend, my iPhone will be living and working together in tandem to help keep me and my life together!
What sort of planning system do you use? Do you use a mix of digital and analog like me, or are you all one or the other? Let me know in the comments and feel free to share any apps or planner tips that you find especially helpful!
I know Valentine’s Day gets a lot of slack for being a couples only type of holiday. I never really had a problem with the holiday because I always sort of thought of it as a time to celebrate those you love, romantically and even platonically! But I get it, not everyone has a significant other and not everyone goes out with a group of single friends to mock the holiday. For many, I’m sure its just another day. If this sounds like you, I suggest celebrating the holiday by yourself and for yourself! So, show yourself a little self love and try one of these Valentine’s Day date ideas for 1!
Order our your favorite meal from your favorite restaurant and eat it at home in the comfiest pajamas you own!
Take a seriously luxurious bubble bath, including Lush Bath Bombs, bath salts, bubbles and champagne!
Schedule yourself a message!
Take yourself out to your favorite store and buy yourself a splurge worthy gift, and make sure they wrap it up with all the trimmings!
Order yourself a bouquet of flowers or an edible arrangement and have it delivered to your work or home. Tell no one who it’s from and just enjoy a beautiful treat to yourself!
So, how will you be spending your Valentine’s Day? Let me know in the comments!
Okay, so I know Rolodex is a really dated term, but I think you still get the idea of the post! Since I interact with a large number of people in my day-to-day work, it is really crucial for me to set up my contacts list on my phone in a way that will help me remember everyone in a professional way! People love it when you truly recognize and remember them, even if you have only met once a month or two ago! It really helps develop strong ties with your customers, colleges and basically any other person in your life that you may run into regularly! So, I thought I would review with you all my process for setting up my contacts list that helps me to be more of a savvy business professional!
1. Confirm the spelling of all names, never assume: You have no idea how many ways a name can be spelt, and after meeting with someone briefly you may not know that their name is spelt with an “i” instead of a “y” and so on! I try to make it a point to have my contacts spell their names out for me (or to give me a business card with their info) so that I can track them properly. It may not mean much to you, but think about how annoying it can be to deal with someone who can’t spell your name right! Bonus points if you can also include a phonetic spelling if the name is a harder one to pronounce!
2. Take a picture or grab one-off Facebook or LinkedIn: Since most of us store contacts in our phones and have the ability to assign a picture to a contact, USE THAT FEATURE! It may feel awkward the first few times you have to ask for a photo, but get over that and get it put into your phone! Most people won’t mind that your taking their pic after you explain that it helps you associate names to faces to have the picture in your contacts. Heck! They might even ask the same of you! If worse comes to worse and you miss the opportunity to snap a pic, do a quick google search and see if you can grab one from Facebook or LinkedIn. You have no idea how helpful it can be to have photos of people you interact with on an infrequent basis. It can save you from an embarrassing moment in the future!
3. Make a personal note: Most contact lists include a section for extra notes. Use it! Store 2-3 personal facts about your contact in this area so that the next time you meet with them, you have something personal you can refer back to. This may be your contacts favorite sports team, the college their kid goes to, or the name of their dog, but remembering these facts can help you look really organized and thoughtful to others!
4. Edit and Update: Contacts change frequently in any business! Make sure you keep the most up to date information and contacts in your Rolodex to ensure you are organized. Remove old contacts that have moved on, update personal facts in your notes section, and edit emails or phone numbers that may have changed on a frequent basis!
5. Use it or lose it: The most important part of having a contacts list or Rolodex is that you actually make use of it! If you aren’t referring back to the information you have stored, there is really no reason to keep the info to begin with. Your contacts list can be a treasure trove of information and a professionals dream or nightmare! Decide how you want to use yours and get to it!
What other tips and tricks to you use in your contacts list or Rolodex? Do you use a digital list on your phone or do you prefer a paper system of business cards and hand written contacts? Let us know in the comments below!
The thing that will never cease to amaze me about my Filofax, is the sheer size and scope of the community that revolves around planners. Weeks ago, when my curiosity was piqued yet again by Filofax and planner systems, I fell head first down the proverbial rabbit hole which is the universe of Filofax. Worldwide, these planners are a phenomena with endless websites, forums, Pinterest boards, Instagram accounts and even Facebook interest groups, all revolving around the topic of planners! The more I dug into the planners themselves, the array of inserts, accessories and yes, even planner charms (!), the more I felt an uncontrollable urge to join the club. So, I fell in love with a planner, and the rest as they say is history.
Since my planner arrived, and admittedly, even before it shipped, I was knee-deep in these sites and forums learning about the available means to customize my Filofax experience to my own needs and desires. I searched through hundreds (if not thousands) of pictures of Filofax set ups, analyzing how people arranged their tabs, how they set up their “dashboard” and how they decorated their planner. Remember, this isn’t just any leather-bound book filled with scribbles and scraps, this is MY LIFE inside these pages, so it was important that my Filofax reflect me and my tastes!
As my planner itself, I ended up buying the Large 2014 Kikki K Time Planner which is the equivalent of an A5 Filofax. It’s a beautiful mint/aqua color with gold polka dots. What drew me to this planner, other than the beautiful color and design, is that the planner closes via an elastic band which I really liked! I have a problem with planners that close with a zipper or have a button/magnetic closure because I feel like you have to be mindful of what you stuff inside or else the planner won’t close! With this elastic strap, I am confident that my planner will always be secure no matter how thick I stuff it! Now, I also went ahead and purchased some different supplies like stickers, page flags, a new matching pen (the Pilot Coleto 4 color pen in Mint with Black, Aqua, Pink, and Violet ink refills), washi tape, cute post-its, journaling cards, and pretty paper to make some new dividers! I also decided that I was crafty enough to try to create my own custom inserts and since my Kikki K didn’t come with a traditional fly-leaf, I made my own with some screen printed acrylic scrapbook paper! I recently also purchased a A5 6 Hole Punch from a seller overseas, and once that comes in, I won’t have to use my single hole punch that I am currently using! It does the job right now, but lining up the holes is a challenging task that I hope the 6 Hole Punch will simplify for me!
To give you an overview of my Filofax and how I choose to use it, let’s start with the different sections. I have my Filofax broken down by 6 dividers. The first is for my blog because my blog is probably the most important project in my life. I used to keep a loose printed editorial calendar, but now I have moved this into my planner. I use a month on 2 day spread that came with my Kikki K planner because I like the way it looks!
The next section is for my day job, and for this I use a week on two pages spread that came with the planner. Here I am able to list out meetings, events and reminders for work as well as other general life tasks. I also keep a few Expense and Address sheets within this section (marked off by Target page flags) for work!
The fourth divider is called my “Capture” section, and here I am using some more custom-made inserts that help me keep track of my Thoughts, Wish Lists, Plans and any Information I may need to keep. I love these pages because I have a Date section and can circle the type of note I am entering so I can keep a variety of info in this section without it feeling out-of-place! This section also has another vertical divider that I got from Project Life and cut to size for my planner. It separates my custom capture pages from my person To Do lists (these pages came with the planner).
The fifth divider is for all my Inspiration! Here I keep any printed bits that keep me motivated, including my 2014 Goals, some Bible verses, prayers and even a Mini Workout!
The final divided section is for miscellaneous items and right now it just has a punched pocket that holds all my decoration stickers! More items may find their way here eventually so this section is meant to grow!
So, now that you have a general idea as to how I organize my Filofax, let’s get into the accessories and juicy details that I know you are all dying to hear! The front inner cover of my planner has a bunch of slots and pockets where I like to keep post its, paper clips, as well as some frequently used stickers. I love the interior zippered pocket of my planner because this is a great place to store page flags and anything that is loose and I don’t want to fall out!
Also in the front of the planner, other than my custom fly-leaf, I have added a paper pocket where I keep my iPhone sticky notes. It came in a pack with the other pocket I mentioned above that stores my decoration stickers and I just love the personal touch these add to the planner. I originally wanted to use a zippered clear pocket, but the one I purchased from Staples did not fit my binder (so sad). So, these pockets are simple and custom punched and definitely hold all the bits that I need!
Finally, in the rear inner cover, my planner came with a nice sized notebook where I can jot quick notes and such. I ended up swapping this simple notepaper for my “iPad” style note tablet from Wal-Mart and I love the look of this so much! Of course, there is also a pen loop where I keep my mint Pilot Coleto 4 color pen as I mentioned above. I bought this from JetPens as it came highly recommended by other Filofax users. The 4 colors of ink that I chose make it easy for me to do a bit of color coding in my planner without having to carry lots of pens with me!
And, the final personal touch in my planner is my little planner charm which I love! Through my research online, I found that it was very common for people to put charms and such on their planners to decorate them and give them more personality. I decorated my Filofax with this custom charm I made using a Hand of Hamsa charm as well as a little laptop charm that I think screams ME!
Outside of my planner itself, I also have a few rolls of cute washi tape, more stickers and extra journaling cards that I keep at home in a bin filled with extra goodies for my Filofax. As you can see, I have quite a bit of extras, some of which I purchased for my planner and some of which I have had in my personal stock for a while, but I find that having everything in one place makes finding refills and such much easier for me!
If any of you, my lovely readers, have a Filofax set up post or video or pictures out there on the internet, please please PLEASE link it below! I am obsessed with these things now (and if you’re here, I bet you are too) and I want this post to be almost like a reference of sorts for those who read it! Thanks!
5 Quirky Uses is a new periodic feature for Strange & Charmed. For each post, I will select an everyday item and suggest five alternate uses or ways to upcycle the item in a fun or unusual way. Keep up with these posts with the Quirky Uses category!
I have a ridiculous amount of notebooks laying around my home and for some reason I still feel the need to buy more every once in a while. If its cute and inexpensive, I pick it up! I blame Target dollar bins! Anywho, with zoo many notebooks just sitting there empty, I decided it was time to think of ways I can put them to good use. Here are 5 Quirky Uses for Notebooks that you may not have considered before!
Food and/or Workout Diary
Track Oil Changes and/or Car Maintenance
Gratitude Journal
Track major items in your home and their value in case of emergency
Keep track of children’s milestones or important life/relationship events
This weekend is the first three Day weekend of the year if you live in the US! YAY! I love three day weekends because they are like mini vacations spread throughout the year. They can be a great time to catch up on sleep, binge watch your favorite TV shows or finish a home project. So, here are my tips to making the most of your long weekend!
1. Plan Your To-Dos before the weekend begins: On Friday afternoon, I often find myself thinking how exciting it is to have a three day weekend ahead of me! THREE DAYS OFF! That seems like so much time to do WHATEVER I want! But inevitably by Sunday night I find myself wondering where the weekend has gone? Tomorrow is the last day? HOW DID THIS HAPPEN!! I think you know the feeling! So, if you want to fill your weekend with fun and awesome things to do, you should probably plan out your time before the weekend starts (about Friday at 4:30pm)! You don’t have to make an hour by hour schedule, but have a general idea of what you want to do and who you want to do it with. Make sure plans with friends are hammered out before the weekend begins so you spend more time having fun and less time getting people to agree on dinner reservations!
2. Put your space in order:Whether you have your own place or share with roommates or family members, get your space in order and tidy up before the fun begins. Get your chores done, send off your bills, and get your life in order so that you can maximize your weekend time and not have to worry about the minutiae of daily life for approximately 72 hours!
3. Have at least one adventure: By this I mean, leave the house at least once! Yes, you can break from your Game of Thrones marathon weekend to run out for pizza or something, but make sure to get some fresh air! Lord knows you don’t get enough of it in the normal work week!
4. Manage your expectations: I know I am totally guilty of over hyping my weekends before hand and then feeling a major crash when everything doesn’t work out perfectly or when I don’t feel like I have done enough! Give yourself reasonable expectations of how fun/exciting/productive/amazing your weekend will be so that you can focus on enjoying everything!
5. Take time to breath and relax: The weekend is about decompressing from a week of work, and long weekends give you even more time to decompress. Make sure to relax and just enjoy your weekend, whatever it may bring so that you are recharged for work and life in general once Tuesday rolls around!
How do you like to spend your three day weekends? Share more of your tips for a great three day weekend by letting us know in the comments!
Whether you set resolutions for yourself on January 1st or not, goal setting is an important personal and professional exercise that will help motivate you to achieve your dreams or to discover them! This is an exercise that you can work on as frequently or infrequently as you want throughout the year, but I suggest doing this twice a year, roughly every six months to help you evaluate your progress in your goals or to adjust them as changes occur in your life.
Now, before we begin, I suggest downloading my free set of productivity printables here and printing out the sheet titled “My Goal Tracker” on page 4 of the packet. This sheet contains most of the steps in this goal setting exercise and is a great resource to keep with you to track your goals! If you do not want to use the print out, no problem! You just need a pen/pencil and some paper to proceed and YES, it does need to be paper because this is a very personal activity and the act of writing on paper will help solidify your goals in a visceral way!
Step 1: Select 3 Life Goals
The first step in goal setting is to choose the goals that are most important to you! Some people may have multiple goals that they wish to set in motion now, but I suggest only focusing on 3 at the most at one time. Trying to track too many goals will make things more complicated for you and decrease your chances of success by diverting your attention to often! Now, if you would like to select 3 goals, you may want to choose one personal goal, one professional and one other of your choice. Remember, even if you think everything is going well in your professional life or perhaps in your personal life, that doesn’t mean that you can’t set a goal for that area of your life. I suggest thinking about what is important to you and how you can either a) improve that area of your life or b) continue an already successful or positive trajectory. Maintaining success in an area of your life is often just as difficult or sometimes even more difficult than achieving initial success!
Step 2: Decide on 5-10 steps you can take to set your goal in motion!
A good goal is one where you can see a path of success that can be taken through a series of steps! If you are trying to loose weight you know that these steps may include following a healthy diet plan that can be tracked via a daily caloric intake and an exercise regimen that includes working out a certain number of days a week for a certain amount of time. However, unlike a weight loss goal, many personal and professional goals are not as scientifically precise! Achieving a professional goal to get a specific job may include getting additional training that would make you qualified for that job as well as a discussion about your professional advancement with your supervisor or someone who can help you learn how to position yourself as a desirable candidate. If you do not already have an idea of how to achieve your goal, I suggest researching your specific goal and discussing it with those who may be able to give you insight on the matter!
Step 3: Set parameters for your goal.
It’s all well and good to set a goal, and list out the steps you need to take, but you also need to make sure you have set parameters for when you will start your goal, when you want to have it completed and most importantly, how you will reward yourself for achieving it! The reward is particularly important because this should be something that will highly motivate you and be a constant reminder of the goal you are working towards and why!
Step 4: Take your first step!
As I like to say “once begun, it’s nearly done!” I’m not sure where that comes from, or if I have simply created my own version of another popular saying, but I still consider it truth! Sometimes the hardest part of getting to a destination is starting the journey. Once you take that first step you are invested in your goal and you have made progress! Take your first step as soon as possible, while you are still highly motivated, as this will hopefully propel you to take the next step and the next, until you have reached your goal! Remember, its natural once you have started your journey to tweak your path as needed, don’t be afraid to add steps to your goal or adjust expectations as you go along! Good luck & may this advice help you turn your dreams into a reality!
So, will you be setting goals for yourself this year? Did you find my free printable helpful with helping you track your goals? Let me know any other tips, tweaks or advice you have to help others set and achieve their goals this year but leaving a comment!
Last week the Northeast of the US was hit with an overnight snowstorm that dropped something like 8 inches of snow in my area. It was no wonder that both myself and my husband got an unexpected snow day at home together! However, it wasn’t all fun and game for us as we both have the ability to work from home, and so we ended up working nearly a full day together from our living room. Since I am sure this was just the first snow day of many we are sure to have in the next few months, I thought I would write about my suggestions for a Winter Work From Home Day in case any of you also get to work from home when it snows!
Winter Work From Home Day Must Have’s
A Computer: Whether you will be working from your own personal computer or from your designated work laptop, for most at-home workers, this is your key to getting things done! Make sure to find a nice comfortable spot in your home to set up shop (if you don’t already have a designated office area) and make sure to stock up on pillows and blankets to keep yourself warm in your cozy spot!
Your Favorite Mug: Hopefully you didn’t leave your favorite mug in your office, but really any mug will do! Make sure to keep yourself hydrated with your favorite coffee, tea or other hot beverage!
Comfortable Headphones: Okay, so you don’t need a set of headphones that look like ear muffs (those are just my personal favorite on a cold winter day!) but you will probably find a set of headphones or ear buds a good idea to keep you in the zone and focused on working if you aren’t used to the treat of working from home!
Adorable Office Supplies: Nothing is more fun or can keep you focused on getting things done like lovely office supplies! Hopefully you have a nice notebook at home and some matching pens & pencils! Okay, they don’t have to match, but it all adds to the ambience!
A Fun Gadget: Whether it’s an iPad, iPod, or just your TV with Netflix, you will want to have a fun gadget with you to take your mind off work every once in a while! Just because you’re at home doesn’t mean you can’t take a break, so make sure you take a lunch and at least one fifteen minute break to decompress!
A Hydrating Hand Lotion: If you’re working at home because of a snow day, be sure to keep a nice hydrating hand lotion around to keep your skin hydrated and to defend against the chapped skin created by winter weather! Make sure to apply often!
Do you get to stay at home to work during snow days? What are some of your favorite tips for working from home? Make sure to share your experiences in the comments!
Have you ever heard of an app called Everest? Everest is an app that helps you track your goals, so it’s a great resource to use to help you keep track of your New Year’s Resolutions! When you first open the app, it urges you to enter in your first goal. After categorizing your goal and deciding if you want it to be public (for friends to see) or private (for your eyes only), it then gives you options to add steps to getting to your goal. Each step can be given a specific time frame, where you can set reminders for yourself so that you are keeping on track to complete your goal. This app is a great way to manage your expectations and break down your goals into steps that you can take each day that will make achieving your goals a series of steps instead of a giant feat! After all, you can only climb a mountain one step at a time.
Now, the fun thing about the app is that in addition to creating your own goals, you can also accept challenges from the Everest community that range from health/physical challenges (like doing 50 consecutive push ups!) to personal challenges (like finding a job you love). These challenges are of course optional, however, they are a good constant reminder that everyday you could be taking steps to give yourself a happier, healthier and wealthier life!
So, this year I plan to use Everest to track my resolutions and set small realistic steps for myself to take each week to achieve these goals! Do you plan on using Everest or another similar method to help you break your goals down into small manageable steps and then to keep you accountable for achieving your goals?
