Since launching a second blog, taking on contract legal work, participating at my son's school, and working out nearly every day, my life has suddenly felt overwhelmed. Then, I got sick. Our bodies tell us when we need to slow down and regroup, don't they? Over the weekend, I spent a lot of time resting, then, feeling better, got motivated to start clearing out lots of places in our house that really needed it.
I knew I needed a better way to organize all the stuff that goes into running two blogs, but hadn't quite figured out how to arrange everything until I was reading Jen's blog this week. She created a genius, and gorgeous, blog binder that you can even buy at her etsy shop.
Taking ideas from Jen, I created my own binder, that contains everything I need for my blogs, and also a daily agenda for my days in general.
I got my binder and supplies at Staples (the Martha Stewart Collection).
I created custom templates on my Mac in Pages, but I'm sure you could do the same thing with Word. I just copied and pasted my blog's header from my blog onto the page and printed it in color.
Because I wanted a "week at a glance" for what my posts will be for each week on both blogs, I created a template for that too. I prefer to have my blog posts scheduled in advance, but that doesn't always happen.
I'm also keeping my workout worksheets here. I take them to the gym with me, then put them back so I can keep track of my progress. (If you're interested, I'm doing the Jamie Eason Live Fit 12-Week Trainer).
The first page in my binder opens to the Daily Agenda. This is my "go to" list for my day. I like to plan it before bed the night before, but sometimes, I make my daily plan in the morning while I eat breakfast. I usually pull out the agenda and stick it in my purse so I have it to refer to when I'm out and about.
I also printed out a free downloadable calendar from Today's Creative Blog.
I loved Jen's idea of using Washi tape to create labels. I printed the date with my labeler, then affixed it to a piece of Washi tape. So fun! I think I got most of my tape at West Elm or Paper Source, but it's widely available online if you do a search.
Do you use a binder or something like this to keep your blog and life organized? I still use a big calendar in our kitchen for appointments and reminders, and that helps a ton too! I also like the calendar app on my iphone that syncs with my computer.
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Linking up with my friend Courtney!
