Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. However, as always, all opinions are mine alone. #EraseStress #CollectiveBias
You know what makes my heart go pitter patter? Office supplies and stationery. It’s no wonder that I was destined to be a teacher in my lifetime. Even though I’m on a teaching hiatus to enjoy this stay-at-home mom occupation, I still love all things paper and pens. Always have and always will.
You know what else I still love? Structure. I thrive when I have a plan and have a schedule. I’m a crazy lady when there is no plan. Type A, party of one. In order to save my sanity and to help erase the stress, here is how I organize my days as a mom and as a blogger.
In order to get myself organized, I need a few things: printables, planners/calendars, and colored pens. This is my breakdown of what it takes to manage my chaos.
THE PRINTABLES.
Let’s talk about printables for a second. My favorite printables are free and cover a multitude of purposes. These are the ones I use:
- Emily Ley’s “At a Glance” calendar
- The Day Designer’s daily planning page and weekly meal plan
- Just a Girl and Her Blog’s shopping list
- Jenny Collier’s monthly calendars
I schedule out any big or little events on the monthly page and keep it in a central location, our office desk, to be seen by myself and my husband. I also color code my events on this calendar: red for things both my husband and I need to know, black for house work, and blue for my little babe’s school events or appointments. (I’ve recently planned out our laundry days to twice a week, and it’s saved me from so much strife!)
I also plan out our meals every week and write our grocery list on a printable, too. It then goes up on the fridge. Not only does planning out our meals help us stick to our budget, it also gives us some peace of mind knowing what’s coming next. Sometimes plans change, but that’s okay. Planning allows for easy transitions.
THE PLANNERS.
On my desk, I keep my two main planners and calendars.
I use the Erin Condren Life Planner for weekly tasks and appointments. It’s my general hub for scheduling things a week at a time.
My Today and To-Do planner is for the daily schedule.
Each day, I map out what I need to get done, hour by hour. I also write down my to-do list for the day, as well as what’s for dinner, my day’s “top 3,” and a note of gratitude, all color coded of course.
You can see a sample of what my day looks like below.
My blog planner is one of my favorite things ever. To simplify my editorial calendar, I have broken down my blog topics into three main categories: family/parenting, personal posts, and lifestyle. I love the colored sticky notes, so each category has it’s own color. I’m able to write down topics as I think of them, and then stick them to a date. If the schedule needs to change, I can easily move it around. Color coding also gives me a good idea of how I’m varying my content. I like to have a good mix going on throughout the month.
THE PENS.
And last but not least, I must have colored pens. The FriXion Erasable Pens are certainly a favorite. They erase the stress by helping me stay color coded and can be found at the mothership, Target. (They also can be easily removed from fabric, a toddler mom’s dream.) The FriXion three pack in assorted colors and black are on sale for 20% off this week at Target until 8/29/15, while supplies last. Be sure to hurry into the store to grab some new pens for yourself! You’ll love these for sure.
They are in the pen and pencils aisle and can be found with the rest of the Pilot products.
Pilot also has an amazing campaign going on right now to help erase bullying in schools. This is definitely something near and dear to my heart, as an educator and especially as a mom.
- With your purchase of Pilot’s FriXion Clicker erasable gel ink pens, you can help Pilot support & fund STOMP Out Bullying programs to ‘erase’ negative bullying behaviors and ‘rewrite’ positive, productive solutions.
- Pilot will be making a minimum of a $125,000 donation* to STOMP Out Bullying, spanning 2015 and 2016.
- Join Pilot’s efforts and know that your FriXion Clicker purchase goes to this wonderful cause and erases back-to-school stress. It’s a win, win situation.
This time of year is always stressful, but it’s also a great time to get re-organized. How do you erase the stress and prepare for your days?
Let’s keep in touch, shall we?
You can see where I’m linking up on this page.
I have to admit… that many planners overwhelms me!! But they are so awesome! I love how organized you are! I am a very scatterbrained person (it’s the artsy fartsy in me) and I have to keep my planning simple, otherwise I just lose them or forget. I thrive on keeping a Google calendar that Greg and I share, then I have an Erin Condren I leave on the dresser in our master bedroom so we can both see what’s coming up. I also have a dry erase weekly meal thingy on the fridge. I also use the heck out of Siri, and tell her to remind me to do things.
Those pens look so cool, too! I love erasable pens, but they can be a little junky sometimes… those look actually really nice! And your handwriting is gorgeous. #TEACHERSUNITE
Haha, I knew it would overwhelm somebody. Some days I overwhelm myself! Haha. I’m only organized on most days, definitely not every day. I am just a lover of all the office supplies, kind of like you are a lover of makeup. So there are never enough planners in my life! I have never used Siri’s help. Maybe I should. ;)
The erasable pens were actually awesome, too! They erase so well. Love them! And thanks about my handwriting. I was always the one to write for the group in school and at teacher workshops. Ha!
Wow I am so inspired! I love getting to see a glimpse into how you organize your days. I pinned this so I can come back and download those lists. I especially like the meal planning one!
Yay! I’m glad I could inspire you. :) I love the free printables I use, and I know you will, too.
Wow, you are incredibly organized. I am working on just getting one planner lol.
Thanks, sweet Holly! I am just a complete nerd and love ALL the planners! I probably don’t need more than one, but I couldn’t resist not having them all. ;) Hope all is well, sweet girl!
I LOVE that calendar you use for your blogging schedule! I’ve got to do something like that. Mine always gets messy when I have to switch dates around. You are a girl after my own heart with all this organization!
Thanks, Jenna! Organization just makes me giddy. Such a nerd, I know! Haha. :) You would love having something like this for your blogging schedule. It makes it so easy to map out the month and to rearrange when needed. Hope you’ve been well!
GIRL seriously, I’m impressed with your organization skills. I’m am DYING for some organization around here lately, I’m just a hot mess of Type B tendencies! ! ! Haha!! As soon as our basement is finished I’m setting up shop on my desk (which is currently covered in crap) LOL You are inspiring me with this post though! xo
Thanks, Tawnya! Sometimes I fall into Type B tendencies too, especially the way this month has been for me, but I feel so much better when I have things in control on paper. Lol. Glad I could inspire you. Xoxo!
I love all the printables you use. I got myself a new planner today and I’m so excited to use it. You’ve inspired me!
Yay for new planners, Christina! You would love these printables, too. I’m so happy to hear I’ve inspired you. Sorry for the late response. It’s been a crazy month!
Wow, I am in awe of how organized you are. I tend to have To Do Lists for my To Do Lists, but I am not nearly this physically organized. I feel inspired to make my work space look better – Thanks! #client
Thanks so much! I love a good work space with all the best pens, planners, and office supplies. :)
Loving seeing how people organize their days/weeks/months. I use a similar system, but instead use Highlighter instead of colored pens. That way at a glance I can see how many appointments/things I have to do quickly without having to read what it is. Or if there is a birthday/anniversary (which I highlight in orange).
Highlighters are awesome! I used to use them to color code special events or testing days when I planned out my teaching schedule. I don’t use them anymore for the sheer fact that I don’t own any anymore. I love my colored pens! I love your method, though. Planner girls forever! ;)
I love your organization style and we’re so much alike!!! I use a colour-coded sticky note system for my blogging editorial calendar as well!
I’m a stationary and printables fiend! Seriously can’t get enough of the stuff.
Thanks for sharing… I love your organization style!
Isn’t it the best system?! I love it.
Thanks for your sweet comment, friend. I hope you are soaking up all the family time you can. You’ve been in my prayers!
Girl, just LOVE your organization!!! My life used to look a little more organized, and I even have Emily Ley’s planner… and I haven’t been using it!! Maybe this is just the inspiration I need to really get back to it. Thanks for sharing. Love this post!!
Well, thanks my dear! I’m glad I could bring a little inspiration to you as you always bring inspiration to me! Xoxo!
i have totally fallen off the organization wagon! I need to get myself organized for sure. I love my day planner, and I do look at it often, but i need to get some more planning in terms of meals, shopping, house work, and blogging! I love your tips! XO
Haha, it’s so easy to do! I am still a hot mess when it comes to planning out house work. That I am still working on. ;) Thanks for the love, friend!
Yes! I love organization and have a similar process :) I do need to start using different color pens. I tend to use the same one. I have the Plum Planner now but am considering the Day Designer or Erin Condren for next year!
I love the Day Designer layout, but I just got wind of an Emily Ley planner, and I am so excited to use that as well for the new year. :) I might do a post comparing all the greats. Lol. Thanks for the love, Kelli! Hope all is well!
This post has seriously inspired me! I love hearing how other’s organize their day! My whole life could use an organizational overhaul at this point, but sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. I really like the purpose for each of the different printables and planners you use. Do you find though that a few are redundant/repetitive? It seems like you would have to write some of the same things across the different planners? Just curious because I’m clearly fascinated!! Also, how long ago did you get that post-it monthly calendar – i can only find it in multicoloured, but I love the chalkboard look of the one you have!
Thanks so much, Brie! Some of them might be a bit redundant, but I am sometimes a scatterbrain, so the more places I have it written down, the better it is for me. I keep my blogging planner and family planner separate, too. Although for big blogging events, I mark it in my family planner to keep me super organized. :) Hope that helps!
As for the Post It calendar, I found it about a month ago in the store, and I have not been able to find it online. If I do, I’ll be sure to let you know! Xoxo
It’s always nice to hear how I’m not the only one that gets excited over office supplies. Staples and Office Depot are my happy places. Thanks for sharing your organization process! It’s given me a few ideas =]
Oh, yes, office supplies are my weakness! I don’t go as overboard as I used to when I was teaching, but I still get as happy as a clam when I see the back to school haul all over the place. I’m so happy to hear that I’ve given you a few new ideas. I hope they’re helpful! Xoxo
girl I love this post! I love your organizational products and I LOVE your handwriting! You motivate me!