Three Tips to Get Organized (and a Few Products to Help You Get There)

Whether heading back to school or not, many of us still take advantage of the end of summer and beginning of fall (Wow! How did we get here already?!) as one of those "refocusing" times in the year. It gives us the opportunity to look back on what we've accomplished in the first 3/4 of the year (Another shocker, right? We're already 3/4 of the way through 2013...) and decide what changes we need to make to make those last few months count. I don't think I know any better way to do that than to get organized! So, today I have for you 3 simple steps to help you get organized and a few of my favorite products (if you're interested) to help you get there! Read on and let's finish this thing strong together!

1. Compartmentalize. One of the first steps toward getting organized is finding a place for everything. This could be as simple as getting a few totes, separating a few items, labeling them (of course!), and neatly fitting them into a closet. However, if you're more focused on "organizing life in general," this may be a bit more difficult. Let's make it easy on ourselves, though, and consider it with the same mental picture in mind. If you can simply section your day, your time into neat "labeled" chunks, you'll be a lot more efficient and much more organized. Think of it as stuffing your hours into "totes" labeled with their respective responsibilities--relationships, health, work...Once you have some of the major sections of life compartmentalized, consider breaking it down even further.

2. Minimize. I don't know of anyone who doesn't have a little extra of something. So, the second step toward organizing? You got it, minimize! If you don't need it, get rid of it. (A good rule of thumb is if you haven't used it in the last 6 months, you aren't going to.) This step applies to "stuff" just the same as time. I think we're all guilty of devoting our time to unnecessary things, so think about it, and decide what you need, and ditch the rest. You'll be amazed how freeing this is!

3. Utilize. The final step toward organizational perfection is utilization--using what you have or what you're best at--to maximize you're capability. If you have a system for organizing your home, put it to use. (Personally, I like to revert back to compartmentalizing here. Our home is organized by purpose and design. My business supplies are organized using folders, totes, etc.) In terms of work or business, structure your time, so you can "divide and conquer." For some, this may mean completing the tasks that aren't your "strong suit" first, while for others you'll need to complete your favorite projects at the beginning of the day to get your focus going. At this stage of organization, you're simply finding what works for you and applying it.

Now, I promised you 3 Tips and a few of my favorite products, so I'd  be remiss not to include both. My favorite products focus on the three same premises as my tips, and this, honestly, is how I organize my work (and life). I like to call this set "My Mobile Office." It is composed of the Organizing Utility Tote, Fold'N File, and Zipper Pouch (three of my favorite Thirty-One products), which come together nicely to help me compartmentalize, minimize, and utilize.

The Organizing Utility Tote has lots of pockets to carry pens, glasses, snacks...or anything else you'd need in a day. Even better? It has enough pockets that you can compartmentalize everything!

Another aspect of this set is minimizing what I have to carry but maximizing my efficiency. The Fold'N File does this perfectly! This product is designed to carry hanging file folders (which I love), but it is also spacious enough that I can also stick some binders and other folders in the back half. So, I can carry everything I need for my business and for teaching all in one place and everything still has it's section. Score!

Finally, the Zipper Pouch is perfect for all the extras. This product can be utilized as a bit of a catch-all, but for me, it actually carries my computer and other technology needs. (I have a netbook, so it fits perfectly!)

Put the three together, and you have one very organized set! What are you waiting for? Get organized! I promise it'll make life Tote-ally Wonderful!

--Leesha

Looking for your own "Mobile Office" or interested in creating your own organizing set? Visit my website at www.mythirtyone.com/leeshachamberlain or connect with me on Facebook. I have a great special going on right now that I'd love to tell you about!

(Disclaimer: I am an Independent Thirty-One Consultant. The views expressed here are mine alone and do not reflect those of Thirty-One Gifts.)

Tote-ally Wonderful Saturday Morning (Breakfast)

Okay, so don't unsubscribe yet, but here is another post about, you guessed it--FOOD! We have a bit of a Saturday morning tradition in the Chamberlain household. Every (or at least almost every) Saturday morning we do a special breakfast, compared to weekday breakfasts at least. These range anywhere from just eggs and bacon to french toast. With some fairly recent health concerns, though, we are trying to make some small changes to our diet to facilitate better health. With this as a focus, I have been doing a lot of research, reading, and hunting for different recipes to try, specifically for Saturday mornings. (While tasty, french toast is not one of the most health friendly treats...)

When I came across this recipe at Minimalist Baker (big shout to Dana for a wonderful blog and tastefully simple recipes!) for Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pancakes, I couldn't help but think this was a perfect Saturday morning breakfast. With an easy-to-follow recipe and all whole food ingredients, I just had to try it. (I literally texted my husband a pic on Wednesday telling him we'd be trying them on Saturday morning! He was just as excited.)

Ergo, I woke up this morning and headed straight to the kitchen. Following the recipe exactly as written, I had quickly whipped up this interesting looking concoction...

At this point my determination began to wane just slightly. I was afraid I might have been wrong in so readily trying a new "treat," but nonetheless, I carried on. To my great surprise, as I glopped a fair-sized dollop on the pan, I began to see the promises of the Minimalist's "cookie."

It looks exactly like an oatmeal cookie, right?! Shwew, that was a close one...I proceeded to measure and cook the rest of our cookies, er pancakes, and I quickly had two tasty plates for our Saturday morning tradition!

(I added a small glass of almond milk for each of us too. I mean really, who eats cookies without milk?!)

Thanks for sharing in our Saturday morning tradition! Are you thinking about starting your own? My personal suggestions--make it simple, enjoyable, and together, and it's sure to stick. We don't make a lot of fuss over Saturday morning breakfasts, but it's something we know we can look forward to each week. It's a welcome reprieve after the week--time spent enjoying together. It's Tote-ally Wonderful!

--Leesha

2 Tips for a Tote-ally Wonderful Evening

Okay, so this post will be a slight contrast to my previous (really old) posts, but nonetheless, it'll help you get a feel for the vibe I'm hoping to achieve with a bit of a "blog redesign." Let me know what you think!

So, focusing on living, leading, and sharing a Tote-ally Wonderful life, I'd have to say this evening was beyond a success! Now, you may be slightly different than me, but I think we can all appreciate a tasty, easy, healthy meal. Let me tell you, this meal qualifies as all three plus some.

In keeping with my two tips...

1. Make really (really, really) great food! Like I said, maybe you're a bit different than me here, but personally, my husband and I love cooking (and eating). However, what I really love is cooking easily and successfully. One of the ways I achieve this is by meal planning (but more on that in another post), and on the plan for tonight was Crockpot Pork Tenderloin. Super easy, extremely delicious, and simply healthy! I tweak the recipe a bit using more seasoning, our favorite apples (Granny Smith), and local honey, but I must say, this is simply the best tenderloin recipe we've tried and all I did was toss it in the crock. Step #1=successful!

2. Stay on budget. Yep, I said it, the dreaded "b" word...While most people don't really enjoy budgeting, I enjoy making a bit of a game of it, particularly with grocery shopping--I like to see how low I can get our costs. With a renewed fervor for budgeting as I am not working full-time this year, I've been looking into different options for cutting costs. This week's new tactic was a definite success. To score this delectable meal, I collected my weekly ads from various stores--namely Kroger, Target, and Aldi--and perused them prior to planning our meals for the week. On opening the Kroger ad, I saw the sale on pork tenderloin. Score and Double-Score! (It's one of the mister's favorite meals.) On shopping day, we made our way to Kroger, picked our prize tenderloin (and other groceries) and checked out, using our Kroger card. (It definitely pays to take the time to get store loyalty cards and use them.) That being said, we got our beautiful meal for under $7.00, normally over $12!!

Add some fresh veggies, and you have one fabulous plate of food. Check it out!

So what are my 2 best tips for a wonderful evening together? You've got it. Make deliciously simple food and do so budget-consciously. We didn't have to sacrifice anything here, and it was Tote-ally Wonderful! Enjoy!
--Leesha