Sharing A System
My cousin Jill told me not long ago that "the longer she lives on her own, the more she thinks I'm not human." Don't worry ... it's a compliment ! Apparently, I accomplish lots.
I think my biggest "accomplishing lots strategy" can be summed up in one word. Organization. Yeah, you're right, you're going to get sick of me saying it ! But ... it's true !
Remember that post about everything in my house having a home ??
Well, this may be a bit freaky, but it goes beyond my stuff. Even my thoughts have a home !!
These little books that the kids use for school ... they are my brain !! You see, when the stuff is in my brain, it's all jumbled up. It's gets mixed together ... kinda gooey. I can't keep track of it. To make any sort of sense of it, I either have to talk about it ( poor Rory ! ) or I have to write it down ...
I think my biggest "accomplishing lots strategy" can be summed up in one word. Organization. Yeah, you're right, you're going to get sick of me saying it ! But ... it's true !
Remember that post about everything in my house having a home ??
Well, this may be a bit freaky, but it goes beyond my stuff. Even my thoughts have a home !!
These little books that the kids use for school ... they are my brain !! You see, when the stuff is in my brain, it's all jumbled up. It's gets mixed together ... kinda gooey. I can't keep track of it. To make any sort of sense of it, I either have to talk about it ( poor Rory ! ) or I have to write it down ...
These little books are great. They cost about .37 cents each, or .08 cents in the back to school sales !! They live on the little shelf built into my computer desk.
There's one called "Blogs & weekly ..." where I jot down those blog ideas that rattle around in my head ! or things I need to remember to write in my weekly letter to family and friends.
"Menu Planning & Recipe Ideas" ... you guessed it, I plan my menus in this book. I even do my grocery list in it and take it with me to the store. When it's time to cook, or do my Menu Plan Monday posts ... it's all there in one place. If I want to try a recipe from a cookbook, I write it in here, recipes I see online that I want to try straight away ... in the book !
"Budget Stuff" ... money saving ideas, things Rory and I talk about for our budget, calculations that I might want to look at later. This book doesn't have heaps in it ... but it's a good reference for the next time we talk !
"HTML & Photo Editing" ... I'm a learn as I go type person !! I see something I like and then try my best to figure out how to do it. If that doesn't work, I either get a book to teach me how, or ask someone !! I kept having little notes all over the place that I could never find when I wanted to do something again ... time to make a book !!
The black book with no title ... that's my "work" book. It helps me keep straight the things I have to do at work. I bring it home with me so that as I think of things I can jot them down ... otherwise, I may never think of them again !
The open book in the middle of the photo ... well, that serves a temporary purpose. That's my travel book. Right now it is telling me all the things I need to do before we leave for the States. It's got the beginning of a list of things I need to remember to take. It will soon hold a list of everything I need to pack. I told you ... these books are my brain !!! This book will travel with me so that when we are coming home, I can check that we've packed everything that went with us so it comes home ! Call me anal ... I don't care ! I'm not human, remember ?! :)
There's one called "Blogs & weekly ..." where I jot down those blog ideas that rattle around in my head ! or things I need to remember to write in my weekly letter to family and friends.
"Menu Planning & Recipe Ideas" ... you guessed it, I plan my menus in this book. I even do my grocery list in it and take it with me to the store. When it's time to cook, or do my Menu Plan Monday posts ... it's all there in one place. If I want to try a recipe from a cookbook, I write it in here, recipes I see online that I want to try straight away ... in the book !
"Budget Stuff" ... money saving ideas, things Rory and I talk about for our budget, calculations that I might want to look at later. This book doesn't have heaps in it ... but it's a good reference for the next time we talk !
"HTML & Photo Editing" ... I'm a learn as I go type person !! I see something I like and then try my best to figure out how to do it. If that doesn't work, I either get a book to teach me how, or ask someone !! I kept having little notes all over the place that I could never find when I wanted to do something again ... time to make a book !!
The black book with no title ... that's my "work" book. It helps me keep straight the things I have to do at work. I bring it home with me so that as I think of things I can jot them down ... otherwise, I may never think of them again !
The open book in the middle of the photo ... well, that serves a temporary purpose. That's my travel book. Right now it is telling me all the things I need to do before we leave for the States. It's got the beginning of a list of things I need to remember to take. It will soon hold a list of everything I need to pack. I told you ... these books are my brain !!! This book will travel with me so that when we are coming home, I can check that we've packed everything that went with us so it comes home ! Call me anal ... I don't care ! I'm not human, remember ?! :)
This system works well for me. I think that is one of the keys to living an organized life ... finding systems that work !! It's not hard ... I promise !
I'm submitting this post to Sandra's Tips on Tuesday. You can pop over there and see what others are sharing ! You just might find a system that could change your life !!
Or maybe you have something to share ...
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6 comments:
I love your system and your notebooks are pretty artsy too!
I do a lot of those same things. I write out a menu every 2 weeks and shop accordingly. I write out things I need to get done. I have a book I use for travel and all my hotel bookings, car rentals...go in it. It really helps me!
I can so relate. I am a pen & paper gal. If I need to remember something, I have to write it down. Your books remind me of the 'blue books' I used in college for exams. Love what you've done with the covers.
Love your system Bonnie :)
I also write a menu for 2 weeks and shop for those two weeks alone.
I'm sure if I had more room at my desk, a shelf near by or felt relaxed enough to do this, I would. Although, even though I have started books such as these, I often forget where they are, or don't understand my notes when I read it later to remember something.
Don't you hate not understanding your own writing? Or have you not experienced that b4?!?!? Oh ya you're not human, so maybe not. :0)
I have to do lists on my computer. If I didn't write things down...err, type them out...I would lose my head LOL!
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