Olivia Jeanette

You know that feeling when everything is in order and you’re really on top of things? It’s quite motivating. You feel like you could accomplish just about anything. On the flipside when things are spiraling and you can’t quite get a grasp on things, it’s pretty frustrating. While I can’t always be at 100%, I’ve found that by handling the small things, I can avoid them piling up into big things. When I’m organized, I’m more productive and feel better. Here are some simple ways to feel more organized.

Arrive Early

This is something I struggle with but the truth is when you arrive 5 min early the experience is that much better. You’re not rushed or in a panic. There’s no awkward explanations or apologies. It makes life that much easier. Maintain your schedule so that you can arrive to your appointments a few minutes early. I can’t remember where I’ve heard this but it’s a good way to think of it, 5 min early is on time, on time is late, and late is unacceptable.

Get your email down to zero

Clean out your inbox! You can even get started on your promotions and social section for all you Gmail users out there too. Get rid of unnecessary emails, respond to unanswered ones, and archive the rest.

Weekly Meal Prep

How much time do you spend trying to figure out what to have for dinner? How much additional money do you spend due to lack of planning? Weekly meal preparation can solve both of these problems. Sit down at the beginning of the week and outline your meals. You can even pencil in a dinner or two out as needed. This will keep you organized and your wallet will thank you.

Write It Down

My memory isn’t what it used to be. If I don’t write it down I will forget it. You can’t always count on yourself to remember the important things. If it’s important, write it down or use a memo app on your phone. I recommend that you always carry a small note pad and pen in your purse. You never know when you’ll need it and it’s great for these types of instances.

Get Rid of the Clutter

If you haven’t watched Tidying Up on Netflix then you’re missing out on the chance to spark joy. You can also pick up Marie Kondo’s book. Her approach is very thoughtful about how you choose to go through your belongings and declutter your home. It’s a big project but well worth it in the end.

Hit Unsubscribe

How many emails, services, magazines, newspapers, etc are you currently subscribed to? How many are you regularly using? What items didn’t make the cut? Hit the unsubscribe button stat.

1 for 1 rule

This is a pretty simple rule. For every item, you purchase you must get rid of one item. This is to help you avoid continuing to accumulate too much stuff. This rule is especially helpful after a major decluttering project to avoid falling back into old patterns and habits.

Automate

There are so many daily tasks that eat up our time that we can delegate to other people or through services. The more you can take off your plate and free up some of your time the better. This allows you to focus on more important tasks. I wrote more about it here.

Clean Out Your Wallet

Go through and clean out old receipts, gift cards, etc. File anything important and organize credit and debit cards appropriately. Not only will your wallet feel lighter (in a good way) but it’ll make finding things when you need them so much easier.

Plan Tomorrow’s Outfit

The night before pick out your entire outfit, accessories included. When you get up the next morning you won’t be rushing to figure out which top goes best with that skirt etc. Getting ready in the morning will be an easy hassle free process just by prepping the night before, especially if you’re not a morning person.

Don’t Procrastinate

When you procrastinate you’re throwing your entire routine off and your list of things to do will just continue to grow. I know this is a tough habit to break but start small and work your way up. The pay off, in the end, is huge.

What are some of the things you do to feel more organized?

xo, Olivia