How I keep my life organized

Share

Lately, I've been in and out of the hospital, working my normal 6 a.m.-2:30 p.m. shift, researching the possibility of a second degree, and keeping the apartment in check. It may not sound like a lot, but by the end of the week I'm pretty exhausted. Most days I'm so spaced out I don't even remember what day of the week it is. Luckily, I have a system in check that helps me to keep the chaos in control.

For one thing, I love writing lists. Lists help me to focus my thoughts, and when I forget everything I'm supposed to do or buy five minus later, I can come right back to them. I make shopping lists, to-do lists, and budget lists. I’m pretty OCD about it, too. I split a lot of my tasks up by days of the week and plan out my grocery lists by what I’m cooking.

Speaking of cooking, I also plan my menu for the week... or at least, I try to. There are a few times I've fallen behind on my menu board or changed the meal of the night. Even if I do steer away from the plan, when I don’t have to think about what’s for dinner, the day feels a little easier.

To keep our bills in order we have a filing box. Bills always come in weeks before they are due, which means I forget about them easily. So that I pay my bills, and try to pay them early, I have a “to be paid” row in my filing box. I also placed the box right next to my computer, so anytime I sit down to blog or waste hours on Pinterest, I see the stack and remember what needs to be paid.

They may only be little things, but these organizational tricks help me keep my life in check. I’m obsessed with organizing, and when I have some extra money, I plan to overhaul my whole apartment as well. I’m thinking canisters for my pantry items and shelves for my fridge, like these. Watch this space. . . I’m sure I’ll blog about it when it happens!

This affects comments on all stories.