Gardening in High Heels

cultivate a beautiful life

Be a Better…Organizer

I have a hard time letting go of things.  If there’s a possibility of saving it, I will.  (Just ask all of my DIY projects.  I’m the queen of saying, “I can make that instead of buying it,” buying the supplies, then never making it.)  So I have to practice great restraint when I try to get rid of items that no longer serve me.

Everyone has heard “If you haven’t used it in a year, get rid of it,” or, “If it was in the back of the closet, clearly you don’t remember you have it, so get rid of it.”  But I have a different set of criteria when I’m organizing.  I think they help me to be better organizer.  I don’t know if anyone who has been in my house would agree, but I say it works for me!

Not everyone is born with an organizational gene. Some people are just messy or hold on to things. I have 5 questions that will help you to be an organizer.

When I need to organize and pare down, I ask myself these five questions.

Can this be used for its intended purpose?

At some point, I adopted an Alton Brown-ian philosophy that everything I bring into my house should have multiple purposes.  If you don’t know, he has an adage, “The only uni-tasker in the kitchen should be a fire extinguisher,” meaning everything else should do at least two tasks.

If it can be used for its intended purpose, and you still have use for that intended purpose, keep it.  Just make sure it has a place to live and you put it back in that place.

Can I do something with it?

This is the question I struggle with the most.  I feel so bad getting rid of something just because I’ve upgraded or no longer am using something for its intended purpose.  If you’re looking at something saying, “Well, I have a new wine rack, so I don’t need this old one anymore, but it’s good so I don’t want to get rid of it…” see if it can fit elsewhere.

For a long time, I used a 12-slot wine rack as a shoe organizer.  It was small and compact and it provided some extra storage space on top, too.

That said, if you can’t re-purpose it naturally and it would be an even bigger hassle to tinker with it to turn it into something else, get rid of it.

Would someone else want it?

On the other hand, if it’s a good piece and you just don’t have a need for it, see if someone else wants it.  Put it online, ask your friends, or do what I did and send an office-wide email saying, “Hey, I have a houseful of stuff that’s gotta go.  If you need something, let me know!”  I felt so much better knowing that items that were perfectly good just no longer use to me would be taken home with someone who needs it.

They save money, we both get to practice Reduce, Reuse, Recycle…win-win, right?

Do I have space for it if I save it?

This is a biggie…  Let’s say your wine rack is perfectly good, but you don’t use it anymore and no one wants/needs it.  Maybe you want to try to re-purpose it elsewhere, but it’ll take some time to figure that out.  Do you have space to store it?

Trying to pare down my father’s house is proving such a challenge and storage space is going to be at a premium if and when he moves.  This is a big question when trying to figure out which serving platters are staying or going.

Do I already have these?

Okay, I know I can’t judge here.  I have backup pairs of my favorite jeans so when one wears out, I can jump right into a new pair.  But, if you’re looking at something and debating whether to get rid of it, see if you already have something that does a similar job.  If so, keep the one you like better and try to let go of the others.

No one will get me out of my gray t-shirts, though; yes, I need multiple pairs.

What are your organizational rules?

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Spring clean: makeup organization

A few weeks ago, I spent ages (okay, a few hours) rounding up all of my makeup and sorting through it.  I have a problem hoarding all the makeup seeing and storing what I have.  I’ve been trying to do #365DaysofEmpties to lighten up my collection, but it’s still raging out of control, so I had to find a better way to sort and store things.

Easy secrets to sort through and organize makeup for a spring clean! Use these tips to organize and store your makeup using things you probably already have around the house.

To get rid of what I had:

It pained me so much, but I asked myself these five questions.  If it was old, I didn’t like it, and/or just hanging out for the sole purpose of hanging out, I did my best to get rid of it.

How old is it?

If you’re unsure if something is still good, check out this post to know when something is telling you, Hey, I expired.  Or just do a search on Pinterest for “makeup expiration;” all of the recommendations are mostly the same.

Do I have this already in a similar shade?

If so, the older one or the one I like least has to go!  If it’s a backup for a product I love and use, though, it’s definitely staying.

Could I give it to someone else?

If it’s a new product (or mostly new and has been cleaned properly) and I can give it to someone who will use it, I will!  Anyone want to do a blog makeup swap?

Is it hanging around because I don’t use it and I feel bad throwing something away?

I’m so guilty of this.  I can’t throw away something if it’s still usable, even if I don’t use it.

Is it half-finished and I just have to make a point to use the rest of it up?

Guilty of this, too.  I can’t throw something away if it’s usable AND I still have product left to use.

To store what I have left:

What will allow me to use this the most?

I’m so guilty of “Out of sight, out of mind.”  If I don’t see it, I’ll forget about it.  So I pulled out a few of my favorite lip sticks/glosses and have them in their own holder outside of the sorted boxes of lip balm, stick, stain, and gloss.  I just pick the color I want for the day and go without having to paw through endless boxes (or yesterday’s work bag).  Then I’ll swap/rotate out weekly to start playing favorite with others and as the seasons change.

Can I group/store this with similar products?

I have a Quirky Zen Cosmetics from Jonathan that I love and was going to use for eyeliner, but I know liquid eyeliner should be stored on its side and I have pots of gel liner that wouldn’t fit.  It doesn’t make sense to have eyeliner stored in different areas, so I use an empty Birchbox box to corral everything and the brushes stay in the Makeup Zen nice and neat.

Quirky Zen Cosmetics for holding brushes, eyeliner, lip liner, anything!

Group similar kinds of makeup together to make it easier to store. You use it more, too, because you can see it all!

Use what will work for you

Maybe you have an extensive collection and need more drawers/containers that I need.  Maybe you only need a three-drawer container with one drawer for eyes, another for lips, and a final for face (at one time I could fit everything into a small storage tower like that.  Oh the days).

Use these tips to organize and store your makeup using things you probably already have around the house!

Use what works for you.  If a large organization project makes you shake, don’t do it!  If you need clear drawers instead of closed boxes, go find them!

Try other sections of Target

I found a clear desk/mail sorter in the clearance stationery/desk supplies section.  I was going to try using it for brushes and corralling small items.  That didn’t work, so I figured out something else to do with it.

Store eye palettes in an office organizer so you can see them all and easily reach for them.

But my point here is to think in terms of other sections of the store.  If the makeup caddies aren’t what you’re looking for, maybe another organizational section will have something you like.  Or try a totally different store, like Marshall’s or even Staples.  There’s nothing a little spray paint can’t make prettier!

Take unused items out of the collection

Weed out the new items that are waiting to get opened (like mascara, lip gloss, etc) to lighten up what is in the visible places.  It also helps me to use up what is left in an old container before I move on to something new.  I have a bad habit of wanting to use something the second I buy it.  Even toothpaste.  I’m like, “Yes, I want to try that Wintergreen flavor now!”

Store extra makeup items in boxes that can easily stack away in a closet and you know where it is when you need it in the morning.

So by sorting unopened makeup into groups for eyes, lips, and face, I can take out exactly what I need (new blush? mascara?) without having to paw through everything and make a bigger mess.

Also, join me for the #LipStockChallenge – a different lipstick every day until I run out.  Post your photos with the hashtag to play along!

Those are my secrets for taming my makeup collection.  What are yours?

How to make a planner with a Moleskine Square Journal

I am a proud organization freak.  I love planners, Post Its (true story: I got a box of Post It How to make a planner with a Moleskine Square JournalNotes for Christmas one year) and just about all things organization.  Pins with pictures of other people’s planners is like..organization excitement.  Imagine my joy when Meghan @ Hayes Days reviewed the Emily Ley Simplified Planner, a piece I’ve had my eye on for about a year!

I haven’t settled on a blog planner that I like (please let me know what your favorite is!) but I do have yearly planners picked out in October (only slight hyperbole).

It’s no surprise that I made my own this year.

I love Moleskine and have used their Weekly Diary/Planner Horizontal for 3 years in a row.  That’s some serious commitment, people.  As with all relationships, I didn’t love everything about it.  I wanted a calendar view and more room to take notes so I didn’t have to carry around a separate notebook.

So when I was in Virginia visiting my mom, I picked up this Moleskine Square Journal.  Even the book itself has a memory attached to it!

I started out by listing month-at-a-glance.  This is where I put all-day events or after work plans – big things I don’t want to forget.  I also have a space to write monthly goals.  After I finish my Stratejoy Holiday Council worksheets (I know, I know, it’s a little late for that), I will have an easy place to write my goals for the month.

Monthly goals and days at a glaceI’ll be able to see them in front of me and more likely meet them or make plans to work towards them.  I can also say, “Hey will this commitment get me towards my BIG IGEA this year?” if I’m on the fence with something.

Then I have a calendar.  Here will go fun plans, dates, appointments, weekend coverage for work, etc so I can see everything easily in a calendar format.

Monthly view of my Moleskine homemade plannerI know, it seems a little redundant, but I really missed not having a calendar view in the past years.  It’s easier for me to visualize what’s happening in the month in this kind of layout.

Next is the week starting on Monday.  I have plenty of room to write to-do lists and actionable goal steps along with weekly plans.  I do the Rapid Logging / Bullet Journal method in a smaller scale.  It really helps to say, “Okay here’s the Big Thing, now what steps need to happen to complete the Big Thing.”  I learned that from Molly (of Stratejoy)!

Stamp dates in a Moleskine journal to make a plannerI just used an office stamp to get the dates in there.  I embraced “imperfectly perfect” and didn’t freak out when some ink bled through or it didn’t get stamped down all the way.  Not being perfect is a first for me.  It’s a daily struggle that affects millions (god, I hope you people get my humor).

I’ve been doing “The Three” aka the three things I must complete today and I write them out here, too.  I heard somewhere that three is the number to list when you’re writing a daily to-do list, so…that’s why I picked three.

Weekly view of my Moleskine homemade plannerAnd finally, I about a third of the book is blank.  I was hoping to have a page-per-day layout and be able to journal a bit more / write out more lists on a day-to-day format, but I didn’t have enough pages…oops.

So I have a notes section instead.  Rapid Logging / Bullet Journaling definitely happens here.  For example, I wrote the big things to focus on for the change to Gardening in High Heels and the small steps under neath that will reach that goal.  It was so overwhelming to think about the tasks I needed to complete for GIHH, but writing it down in bite-size steps made it much easier.

I was also thinking about blog planning in the blank part so everything is all in one place, but everyone talking about blog planners made me want one.  It’s only child syndrome.

I will jazz it up with some washi tape, color-coordinated pens, Project Life cards, etc, but that will come later.  Organically.  I want it to be used and have a record of the great things that happened this year.

Do you use a planner? What’s your favorite way to track your day?

Get your organization on with the Post-it Study Notebook Kit

If you know me at all, you know I’m a Post-it hoarder.  It’s slightly embarrassing to admit that I probably have more sticky notes than I could possibly use in a reasonable amount of time.  I have no idea where the obsession came from, but it’s here, it’s real, get used to it.

Get organized with the Post it Study Notebook Kit

I usually keep a small pad of notes stuck to the back of my Moleskine planner to jot down quick notes, lists, or whatever thoughts I need to move from place to place.  So when I had the chance to try out the Post-it Study Notebook Kit, I was all about it.

Love my Post it Study Notebook Kit in my Moleskine planner

The pad just sticks into the back of your notebook.  It can be repositioned (it is Post-it after all!) and folds in when you aren’t using it.  It doesn’t take up much room when folded and it says flat when it’s open.

Just peel and stick the Post it Study Notebook Kit anywhere

Post It Study Notes in a notebook

I love how it has 2″ x 2″ notes and flags in easy reach for any kind of reminder I need.  I usually don’t use a lot of flags in my planner, but I do like them to mark different sections and months.

Post it Study Notebook Kit folds out and lays so flat

Lately, I’ve been using Post-it Notes while grocery shopping.  I use the e-offers available from the Giant Eagle app, but they’re really specific.  Without fail, I will forget which exact product qualifies, so I’ll go through and write down all the e-offers I have available for me to use on one note along with any other coupons I will use.  Then on another note, I write out my list.  That way I can easily see what I can save and what I need.  I like having two separate notes because if I have e-offers left over, I’ll just cross off the used offers and keep the list in my planner for next time.  Then I just recycle the grocery list.

Post-it Notes also are indispensable for me at work.  I write down one task on a small note and stick it to the wall above my computer.  When the task is complete, the note gets recycled.  I don’t like having tons of notes cluttering up my wall, so having one idea per note keeps me focused and I can visually gauge how much work I have yet to accomplish.

Big ideas go on bigger notes.  Anything that isn’t a task, but rather something I want to remember or be sure to mention to someone gets a big note.  It visually takes up more space and shows importance, but it also allows me more space to write details.

How do you use Post-it Notes to stay organized or how would you use the Post-it Study Notebook Kit?

Disclaimer: I signed up to have Post-it send me this kit to try out.  I wouldn’t be telling you about this if I didn’t really love it (they’re Post-its, come on, of course I do).  As always, all opinions are my own.

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