Tag: organization

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Fun Ways to Organize

Simplicity Challenge 2019

Hello All and Happy Tuesday and an even Happier February.

I love the month of February! Not only is January over…it’s such a long month, but I love Valentine’s Day and all the red, white, and pink that goes along with it. Not to mention the chocolate and just the good feelings that come along with it.  It’s the perfect month in the middle of a long winter.

For those of you who follow me on instagram, you may have noticed for the month of January, I participated in the Simplicity Challenge through Emily Ley’s company, Simplified. I love everything Emily Ley does from her books, to planners, and simplified ways. If you aren’t familiar with her already, check her out here.For the past few years she has done a simplicity challenge for the new year and this year I knew I wanted to participate in it. 

Every day for the month of January she will assign a task around your home that takes 15 minutes or less to accomplish, it can be anything from cleaning out your car, making a grocery list of easy meals, taking a trash bag and getting rid of stuff through your house, and setting goals for the new year. You can see the full list of challenges on Emily Ley’s Instagram page here.I posted myself doing the challenges every day and saved them to my highlights reel on instagram.Not only did this old me accountable for doing the challenge but it also showed you all how easy the tasks can be. Here are a few examples of my favorite tasks. 

I loved starting the challenge by going through my room and getting rid of all the clutter
My car can always get so cluttered so I loved being able to get it cleaned out
I use my notes app all the time and I loved that I was able to get it organized with all the important things
With the new year just beginning I took the time to clean my camera roll and save my photos and delete random ones
It felt so good to organize my purse and get it all prepped for a new semester and replenish things that were out
I cleaned out my emailed and unsubscribed from a bunch of stores that I don’t shop at. Nothing better than an updated inbox
Last but not least, I made sure to set some time aside for myself. We all need self care in order to take care of others

These are just a few examples of my favorite tasks. I was so happy I was able to accomplish the challenge, if you didn’t get around to it, no worries. You can always start now. It doesn’t have to be at the beginning of the month or even the year. This challenge really helped get me in the right mind set for the new year. This year I want to be more intentional and only focus on the important things and this challenge really helped declutter my home and my mind. There are some tasks that I know I am going to continue to incorporate in my life every day especially when it comes to lists and organizing and there are others that I know were helpful in the moment, but I may not continue to use them in my life.

Have you tried the simplicity challenge?

What ways do you want to get simplified for the upcoming year?

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Fabulous living

Let’s get REAL: Transitioning from Home Life to College after a break

Hello Everyone! 

Happy Tuesday. I hope you week is off to a great start. Classes started back yesterday so I am in the process of getting into a new routine for a new semester. This semester is going to be a busy one, but I have lots of fun things planned, I’m looking forward to what the semester has in store for me. I always love putting everything on my calendar and seeing what things I’ll be doing. There is no better feeling than a clean and organized calendar. You can see my system for organizing my calendar and planning here. One thing I try to do with this blog is be open, honest and real with you all. The good, the bad, and the real life stuff.

Although, the start of every semester is new and exciting I always experience a few days of transition between going from home life to back to school life. When I am at home, I am constantly on the go whether it is at work, running errands, carpooling, or spending time with family. Although, it may seem overwhelming and a lot to manage, I love it. I’ve always been used to a busy home life, so it seems natural to always be on the go and taking care of others and pitching in to help.  After all, that’s the importance of family, always being there for each other. When I was home over break I got a lot of family time in which I love. But, when I come back to school after a long break it’s always weird to go from constantly being on the go and being surrounded by my family to just taking care of myself. It’s definitely a lot quieter and I have a lot more downtime. Although, this can be nice and relaxing, at the same time, I don’t always know what to do with all my free time before classes start. These days of transition are always interesting to navigate. Of course, I have commitments and meetings that keep me busy and I am catching up with friends, but these days are weird.

I was talking about the odd in between days with a friend and they felt the same way, they described it as the Sunday feeling, the feeling when you know you have a new week (or semester) in front of you and you have a lot to do and you want to get started, but at the same time you want to relax and not think about that long to do list. I was so happy to talk to someone who shared the same feeling as I did. It was encouraging to hear that my feelings and thoughts were shared with someone else. 

I started this blog to share tips and tricks I had with organization, fashion, and fitness but also to share about life as a college student. The good, the bad, and the real-life stuff. I hope if you ever felt the same about the transition days between home and school you find comfort that you aren’t alone with your feelings. Now, that I am back into the swing of classes and a new routine, the in between days are behind me.

Always remember that there are so many adventures to be had, but there is truly no place like home. See you on Thursday for new wintery look of the day! Have a great week!

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Fabulous living

Book Review: A Simplified Life

Hello All!

Happy Tuesday! I am wrapping up fall break this week. It has been so nice to be home for a long weekend. The extra rest and relaxation was well deserved. It’s crazy to think that the fall semester is almost halfway through! This year is moving very fast.

Getting some reading in

One of my favorite hobbies is reading, I have always loved to read a child and I still try to read as much as I can as a young adult. However, being a college student, I don’t have a lot of time to read the things I want to read. Right now, my amazon cart/list is full of books I want to buy or read. I am serious book worm. This summer I was able to read a lot. You can check out my book reviews here. Throughout the semester I have been able to read one book in my free time and I’m so glad I did. I am a huge fan of Emily Ley, she is an author, planner maker, and lives her life to the simplest. If you haven’t heard of her, please check her out, she is such an inspiration and a girl boss!

Grace Not Perfection

I read her first book, Grace Not Perfection, last year and absolutely loved it. I wrote what I learned about it here. When she came out with her second book, The Simplified Life, I knew I had to read it. I am so glad I did. She breaks down ways to simplify your life chapter by chapter. She talks about simplifying your home, your faith, your finances, you family, and so many more areas. Her book is interactive, so you journal as you read. I learned so much from reading and it really encouraged me to simplify more areas of my life, not just with material things but also commitments.  I would recommend this book to anyone, the busy mom, the single gal, the college student, or the grandmother. I think everyone can learn something from it and make a few changes in their lives whether it is big or small. I read the book over the course of a month but it can be easily read in a sitting or two. Once I finished her book, I felt refreshed and ready to tackle areas of my life. I felt inspired and empowered.

A Simplified Life

If you are looking for a good book that will make you want to make changes in your life, this is it. Overall, I would give this book an A-. Have you heard of Emily Ley? What changes would you want to make in your life to make it more simplified?

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Fabulous living

MacBook Air Review

Hey guys!

Happy Tuesday!

I hope your week is off to a great start. This is my midterm week so it will be a busy week, but luckily I will be heading home for fall break at the end of the week which will be well deserved.

Today I am going to be reviewing something that I can’t live without, my laptop. As a busy college student, I don’t go anywhere without it, it’s in my backpack, in my purse, on my desk in in various study places around campus.

***This post is not sponsored or is an advertisement. I’m just sharing my personal thoughts on this product. ***

Hard at work

I got a Mac Book Air at the start of my Junior year of college. Now, I do have an iPhone and iPad, but this was my first MacBook product. In the past I used a PC, Lenovo, which I really loved. However, as I was getting older and needed my laptop for more things, I realized the MacBook Air was the way to go for me. I have loved using my new laptop. I got it on a back to school sale through Apple which gave students a discount which was great, in addition to the discount I also got a free pair of beats with my purchase. The bundling program through Apple made it affordable and useful for back to school students everywhere.

Unboxing it for the first time

I got my new laptop the day before I headed back to school, so it was a busy last ay home. However, Apple made it easy to transfer my files from my old laptop to my new laptop with just a simple app. It did take several hours to transfer all my documents, pictures, and videos, but when I did it was so helpful to have them all on my new laptop ready to go.

Some of my favorite things about my laptop include the fact that all my devices are connected. I can check my text messages, emails, see my pictures, and use my favorite apps all on my laptop. It makes connecting with people so much easier with everything in one place.

I got my nw laptop the day before I left to go back to school, talk about nerve racking

Another feature that I really like about my MacBook Air is the software, it is easy to use, and although it may take some getting used to after being a PC user for so long, it has really been helpful to have an easy software to use.

The Macbook Air is lightweight and has great battery life. With my old laptop, I always had to bring my charger with me and constantly charge it, now I can go several hours without having to charge it, this comes in handy when I am on the go.

Getting it all set up

I have only had it my Macbook for a few months, but I have loved every second of it. Not only is it easy to use and great to have all my devices connected along with photos, videos, and messages. Yes, this was an investment, but It has been worth it. I had my last laptop for 6 years, so I knew I needed a change, especially when it was practically falling apart. I am looking forward to seeing what other features I can take advantage of with my laptop.

If you have a MacBook Air or Pro what are your favorite tips, tricks, uses for it? I am always looking for new ways to use my technology to simplify my life.

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Fun Ways to Organize

What’s on My Phone?

Hi Guys!

Happy Tuesday! I hope you all had restful weekends! My weekend was pretty busy between homework, work, and the semester full underway, it was hectic to say the least. I am looking forward to this coming weekend as it will be filled with activities, family, and some R&R!

On today’s agenda, I wanted to share how I organize my phone and some of my favorite apps on my phone that make my life easier and more efficient. Now, as 20 year old, I do use social media a lot on my phone both for my blog and for my own personal use. However, I am just going to focus on apps, that make my life easier and more organized. This post is not sponsored or an advertisement, I’m just sharing what apps work best in my life and how I keep my phone organized.

What’s on my iPhone?

On the first screen, I keep most of my apps in their original place. I don’t like to move my apps around too much because I like to keep it simple and not complicated. My phone, safari, mail, music, messages, and notes are all near each other so I can access them easily.

First screen

On my second screen are the more speciality apps.

Second Screen

My first row are my apps for social media which include Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and the E News app where I get all the scoop from Hollywood. I use these every day even multiple times a day.

The second row are apps that I use that are clustered based on use. (minus pinterest- another form of social media but I ran out of room on the first row). My first cluster is for school. Outlook is great for collecting my school emails, GroupMe is so helpful for group messages, Schoology keeps all my assignments in one place, Cam Scanner is great for copying notes, and Remind is a great Reminder app.

School Apps

My second cluster is for work which include Linkedin, Facebook, and Messenger all used for work purposes not fun.

Work Apps

The last cluster is all the other apps that I don’t use all the time including Contacts, Stocks, Files, Compass, any other apps that I don’t use all the time.

Extra Apps

The third row includes my personal apps which include my online banking app, my Fitbit that tracks everything on my Fitbit, my Countdown app for important days, and Sprinkle of Jesus, a great app full of inspiration.

My last row includes three clusters.

The first for entertainment; which include Amazon Music and Video, Netflix, Pandora, and Podcasts, they are tucked away so I’m not distracted.

Entertainment Apps

My second cluster  has my favorite shopping and food apps which include Apple Wallet, Amazon Prime, and Panera Bread and Chipotle, my favorite eateries.

Food and Shopping Apps

Lastly, photos and videos which includes Layout, VSCO, Followers, and Repost all important for blogging.

Photos and Video Apps

Now onto my favorite apps.

–       Notes

Everyone with a smart phone has some kind of notes app and it is so helpful. I use my notes every day. I keep To-Do lists, Reminders, Movies that I want to watch, and Books I want to read, Passwords, and anything else I need to be accessible at all times. I use my notes all the time and it is so helpful to have it be synced with laptop and ipad to I have all my notes with me on any device. Notes keeps me on top of anything that gets thrown my way through the day.

–       GroupMe

This is one of my most used apps. It is an app just for group messages. It is so helpful to keep all my group messages in one area and not mixed in with all my other personal messages. For my job at school, we use GroupMe to communicate fast and efficiently. GroupMe is also super helpful when it comes to group projects, work meetings, or just friends making plans.  This app is free and can be found in the app store. Overall, GroupMe has made my life at school much more organized

–       Sprinkle of Jesus

Not an organizational tool but this app sends you positive reminders and mantras throughout the day. Whenever, I need a pick me up, Sprinkle of Jesus is always there. Some of the quotes hit close to home. They also have great content too. This is free and found in the app store.

Whew, that’s a look into my phone and what apps Im totally hooked on. Also, I keep my background fairly simple so I’m not distracted with a busy background. What apps are you hooked on and what tips do you have when it comes to organizing your phone?

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Fabulous living

Summer Picnic and Party Prep

Hello and Happy Tuesday! Tomorrow is the Fourth of July. It’s crazy that we are already in July! Is it just me or is summer flying by?!

One of my favorite things to do in the summer is entertain! I love having friends, family, and relatives over for a barbecue, swim or just to catch up. We always like to celebrate the Fourth of July with a big party with family and friends. I have learned a lot about hosting and entertaining from my parents especially my mom, these are things that I will use when I have my own place one day. Here are a few things I have learned about prepping and hosting summer dinners.

-Plan ahead

It may seem daunting to plan a picnic or dinner party. But don’t get overwhelmed. Plan what things you need to get done and how long it will take you, this comes in handy for time managing. Also, no matter the size of your party-lists is your best friend. Make lists for food you need, decorations, guests,  or any paper products you have to get. It’s also smart to have a menu in mind for your food. Keep in mind to use what you have. If you already have food at home use that before buying more food. Be sure to take inventory before you go shopping. With that in mind, keep your eyes open for things on sale. Maybe you don’t have a picnic coming up but if paper plates are on sale, pick up a stack for later,

-Have others help

If you are hosting a big barbecue with lots of families and friends, don’t be afraid to accept their offers of help. If someone asks if they can bring something-say yes.  They will feel good that they are doing their part to help. There can never be too many appetizers or desserts. This also makes your guests feel appreciated for helping out and it allows you to try new recipes. Who doesn’t like to try new things?! Making a list will also come in handy when keeping track of who’s bringing what.

-Enjoy yourself

After all the hard work is done be sure to enjoy yourself. Don’t worry about cleaning up while your guests are still eating or talking. Be present and enjoy the company. If something doesn’t turn out the way you planned, don’t sweat it the only person who will notice is you. You have worked hard for your party so enjoy yourself with your guests.

I have loved to help my parents through the years to help plan and put on parties and get-togethers. What tips or advice do you have for when it comes to putting on and celebrating the holidays?! I would love to hear anything you have to offer! Have a safe and memorable Fourth of July! God Bless America!

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Fabulous living Fun Ways to Organize Travel

Weekend Away Essentials

Last week, I blogged about my weekend trip to Chicago! I love to travel, and I try to take any opportunity available to me to travel whether it’s near or far. Throughout, my weekend away I made mental notes of things I want to remember when it comes to future traveling, especially for a college student on a budget. Here are my must haves for weekend adventures:

  • Don’t over-pack. Yes, it may seem tempting to pack several cute outfits and figure out what to wear when you get there, but that’s not the answer. Pack simple and efficient. For example, for my trip I packed one pair of jeans, a few different tops to alternate, an outfit to wear at night, and two pairs of shoes, as well as comfortable clothes for traveling. I wanted to make sure I had the essentials and things to mix and match for the weekend. Although, I didn’t look the cutest in all my photos wearing my north face, jeans, and sneakers, I was very comfortable walking several miles each day. I also packed pretty simple when it came to luggage. I had a duffel bag, small tote, and cross-body. The small tote came in very handy for the souvenirs I bought while I was away.

All packed! Simple but efficient

  • Plan accordingly for traveling. We drove down to Chicago over night on a bus, so I made sure I was comfortable for the long bus ride, therefore I made sure I brought a blanket and pillow for the bus. This came in extremely useful when I was able to sleep a few hours driving down. The same goes for flying, planes are notorious for being chilly, be sure to throw an extra sweatshirt or socks in your carry on so you aren’t freezing your whole flight. Overall, be sure to pack for your destination and any accessories that may come along with it.

It’s was very chilly in the Windy City. The weather was in the 30’s the whole weekend so i was bundled up. Yes, it may not look super cute, but I was very warm

  • Make a Plan. When we found out that we were going to Chicago, my friend and I made sure we had a plan of things we wanted to get done and when. There is nothing worse than going to a new city for the first time and not knowing what to do or where to go. Don’t be afraid to ask for suggestions of places to try. I have several friends who live in the Chicago area, so I made sure to get their opinions on their favorite spots. This helps to ensure you get the authentic experience while being in the city.

I found these tricks to be most helpful while traveling for a weekend away. Do you prefer weekend getaways or week-long vacations? What helpful hints do you have for trips? Let me know in comments below!

Have a happy Tuesday!!

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Fabulous living

DIY Dorm Decor

Hi friends!

I’ve got something fun planned for today. Like any college student, money is tight for me and Pinterest always tempts me to try new things.

I have two fun DIY crafts for your dorm room, apartment or home. I’m also collaborating on these crafts with my good friend, Olivia. We met through our job and classes and I’m so glad I got close to her this year. Give her blog Liv Simple a read for all things from fashion to college living. After you are done reading my blog, head over to hers to see how she put her own creative spin on these DIY crafts.

Now, onto the DIY part. The worst thing that can happen to any college student (or adult) is to lose their keys. Now, we can always say we are going to put our keys on our desk or in our purse, or even buy a plastic command hook to stick them on. But, let’s be honest, dorm rooms are kinda sterile if you don’t have decorations. So why not kill two birds with one stone and make a place to hold you keys and have it decorative. I made this cute key hook for $11!!! And here’s how you can too.

First, I got all these supplies from Michael’s Craft Store, but I’m sure you can find them or similar ones at your local craft store. I got paint, a hook, and wooden decorative pieces to make my key hook more fashionable. I spent a while on Pinterest finding what I wanted to do, but once I did I was happy with it.

Here’s your materials: a hook with a plaque (already assembled), paint, a wooden letter, and some other decorations,

Plan out how you want your key hook to look, play around with it before you paint it.

Now, comes the fun part. Paint it. Choose colors that will go nice in your room. My room is turquoise with black and white so the colors were easy to choose. Having a hard time deciding colors? You can never go wrong with neutrals.

After I let them dry over night, I assembled them the next day using a hot glue gun, wood glue would also work.

The finished product

Now onto DIY craft number 2. I am a huge fan of candles, I love how they can change to mood of a room but unfortunately, they are not allowed in my dorm building. This is a great alternative to making it feel you have a candle burning with worrying about the fire. Also, not a fan of the smells but love the look of a candle, this is another great idea. Olivia found these mason jars at Pat Catans and they were on sale for $1!!! Buy some tealights from any craft or home goods store and pop them in to the mason jar. Another inexpensive way to decorate a room. When you turn the tealight on, it will make you feel like you are burning a candle when you aren’t at all. These could go in your bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, even living room, where ever  you like to put your candles. This is another inexpensive way to make your dorm, apartment, or house a bit more cozy.

You can style it on your desk

Here it is all lit up at night

These are two inexpensive and DIY ways to make your dwelling more cozy and functional. Overall, a Pinterest success. Have you had any Pinterest successes or fails!?

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Fun Ways to Organize

Spring Cleaning Tips and Tricks

It’s out with the old and in with the new. Spring is upon us which means Spring Cleaning is right around the corner. Throughout the year, I have been reading Emily Ley’s Simplified Life. It discusses straightforward ways to simplify our homes, families, and lives. Whether you love to organize like myself or don’t even know where to begin when it comes to organizing, this book is for you. When it comes to spring cleaning, you have the power to do as much or as little as you please. For example, I do it little by little when my schedule allows, some others like to get it all done in one day, choose a method that works best for you. Work at your own pace. Here are three easy tricks I have found when it comes to Spring Cleaning and organizing.

  • Clothes

I saw this on pinterest and I couldn’t resist…such great advice.

We all love our clothes and sometimes have a hard time getting rid of things. Since I am in college, it doesn’t hurt to have two closets, one at school and one at home=double the closet space. Haha! Our style should reflect out personality so when we have things in our closest that we don’t like or wear, it’s a waste of space. I make my decision to get rid or donate clothes based on: if I have worn it in the last year, if I feel good in it, and how its quality is. If I have a shirt that is stretched out and stained, then it’s in the trash. If I have dress that I haven’t worn in two years, then its donated. If I half 10 t shirts from high school, I try and weed out which ones I really need and want to keep. I keep this criteria in mind so I can make decisions fast and efficiently.

  • Work Space

Love this motto for organizers and non organizers

Whether it’s a desk in our bedrooms, home office, or work office, our work space is crucial. At school I only have the essentials in/ on my desk. That includes my blotter calendar, writing utensils, post it notes and important papers. I work my best in a clean and organized space so having a clean desk is crucial for me. We all love to see the cute and matching accessories you can get for your desk from Staples or Target but don’t let decorations take away from your desk. Remember, a desk is your place to work, not just another shelf.

  • Clutter

A tidy room is a goal we all can work towards

We all have things in our homes that we don’t have a home for. Or we got something that we don’t need now but we will need in the future. Does that sound familiar? I always like to hold onto things that don’t have a purpose at the moment (or ever). For example, I got mailed a care package a few months ago, yet I still have the box… now I don’t have plans to use it, but I will need it…right?! Wrong! Why hold onto something that has no purpose in your life?! If you don’t use it, toss it.

These tips have helped me make my life more organized and simplistic. Give them a try, if they work, great. If not, try something new. Have a great rest of your week.

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Fun Ways to Organize

How to Keep Yourself Organized

Hello Friends!

We are halfway through January, finally. I don’t know about you, but January always seems to drag for me. Today, I’m sharing my tips on how to organize for the new year. Whether you have everything colored coded like myself or can barely remember when you have a doctor’s appointment these tips can help your life run smoother for you.

  • Have a planner or calendar or both. As a college student staying organized is a priority. I have a large desk calendar for my room and a small day planner that goes wherever I go. I like the layout of the big calendar, so I can look ahead at things but it’s always convenient to have a small pocket planner with me. I typically write most of my assignments in the smaller planner since I refer to it throughout the day. Although it takes time at the beginning of every semester, I write every test, assignment, meeting, and due date in BOTH my pocket planner and desk calendar, so I am always on top of things. Hard work at the beginning pays off later.

My big desk calendar with all the important information written down, from assignments, meetings, work. It’s all in one place and color coded.

My planner goes wherever I go and once again its color coded for every class

  • Color Code. I can’t stress the importance of color coding. I have a colored pen for every class I take, typically I have it match my binder as well. For example, my advertising strategies binder is blue, so I take my blue pen and write all the assignments and projects in both my planner and big calendar. I do this for every class. I typically reserve a bright color like red to write down important meetings or unexpected thing that may come up. Not in school anymore? Not to worry this system works great with kids, have a separate color for each of your children and write all their activities out on the calendar in that pen. It makes finding things on the calendar easy.

Post it notes and colored pens are crucial when it comes to organizing.

Matching a colored pen to the colored binder makes it easy to spot things on the calendar.

  • Post It Notes. Post it Notes are my best friend. Whether its for little reminders, a to do list, or just marking a page in a book, I always have post it notes handy. A trick I have used to college is to write everything I need to get done each weekend on a post it notes and cross stuff off as I go, at the end of the weekend, throw it out.

    I write everything I want to accomplish on a post it note and cross it off as i complete it each weekend.

I work best when I am organized, and these are just a few ways that have worked well for me. What ways do you keep yourself organized? What are your favorite products you use to stay on top of a busy schedule? Let me know in the comments below!