Hey guys,
It's lay!
Welcome to my first official blog. I know I had other post before this but this will be the first one that is less restricted to me. I felt like a "how to " is the perfect way to kickoff because it was my favorite type of blog on my last blog because it is not just beneficial to me but to the audience. I chose to start with organization is because this is the time of year people try to figure things out and prepare themselves for the next chapter of their story. Of course life is unpredictable but you can still do things in order to not be so overwhelmed. By becoming organized, you will reduce your stress and it will become easier to manage your time.
1.Declutter
To declutter is a generalized idea that can be use for anything.
For paper and work: determine if you'll need the information again. For instance, say it is a work sheet for chemistry or physic, instead of keeping the paper you should make an online study guide with the information so you'll always have is without the mess of paper (I'll go deeper into this when I make my blog on how to get better grades). If you really need to keep the papers, an neater/ alternative will be mentioned later on this blog
For receipts (from shopping for instance): For grocery shopping if it is a week or two old, get rid of it. However shopping receipts for clothes or something like that, I would give it 3 months because most places have a 90 day policy and if you don't return something by then you are most likely keeping it
For clothes: make 2 separate piles- clothes that you wear often and clothes you haven't worn in the last 3 months . The pile you haven't worn in the past 3 months , separate into different piles based on seasons. The one you haven't worn in the current season you should get rid of. You can either donate them or sell them if it is in goo condition.
2.Get supplies for organization or DIY them
To help you stay organized I believe you need supplies to do so. Sometimes people don't have enough space so that is why they become disorganized. I suggest getting yourself storage bins, A water/fire proof safe for important documents, a file cabinet (or an expanding file folder can work as well too can work too), dry erase board (I think this is better than a calendar because you can change thing around more easily), a planner, post it notes etc. You can get these objects from places like target or even through Amazon. Unfortunately this can get expensive. So if takes too much from your budget, there are so many Youtubers who posted DIY videos for organization. My favorites are LaurDIY and AlishaMarie but I am sure you can find more.
3.Find a system that will work for you
Everyone is wired completely differently so you need to find a system. When I say this I am referring to tactics.
A few examples:
Grouping by object- like having one side of your closet for shirts and the other for pants
Grouping by season- summer clothes and winter clothes should be separated and the season determines which clothes are packed away in storage or the back of your closet
Grouping by subject- This refers to whether the clothes is more dressy,casual , athletic wear, comfy clothes, PJ etc.
Color coding- dark colors are separated from the bright colors and the pastels.
Alphabetizing- This is not specifically for clothes but can be used for something like books
There are many different types of systems and it can be used for things other than clothes but it's important to find a system that works for are.
4.Don't rely on memory, Always write things down
People say they'll remember things but usually they'll forget and make plans around the first thing they promised to go to (or even worse at the same time). The best way to remember things is to put it places you'll always see it. For classic people, I suggest using a planner or calendar or a dry erase board to keep your schedule organized. For technology lovers I have a whole list of things below that can help you. Regardless of what you use keep track, always reminder to check it .
5.Use Technology to help delegate your life
synchronized calendar app- every friend, colleague, coworker or family member can enter new updates, schedules and tasks that every member can see to avoid conflicting schedules and keeps everyone aware of each other’s activities
Scan and back up photos, files etc.- You can get rid of the paper version of things by having scanning them and saving on a hard drive
a money managing app- these apps help you budget by recording your monthly bills and document your spending. Some good examples are Quicken and Mint. There is also banking apps to help you see where you are in finances. This is useful for adults as well as teenagers so they can understand finances.
6.Practice organization habits
Cleaning up immediately - Some people have a bad habit of putting things off. For example, doing the dishes. If you eat out of a dish instead of saying "I'll do it later" , just do it when you finish because between now and later other messes will happen and you'll have a lot to do.
Having a specific place for everything- By giving everything a place, as I mentioned before, it makes it easier to find things and is less time consuming then to just put something anywhere.
I'm sorry for the delay on blogs but I will try to better this upcoming month. So share this blog with friends, family and follower. I hope you enjoyed it!
Until next time,
xoxo Lay 💋