At the beginning of September, darlings, I wrote about using fall as a time to organize and get focused. Well it’s now the beginning of October…have you started?

And, as I shared with you this week, darling readers, I’ve found my solution  for my calendar and paperwork fiascos so if you haven’t started working on improving your organization for the new season fear not. I am here with practical things for you to consider to keep you on track.

Planners

As I told you darlings earlier this week it took me FOREVER to find one I loved because there are tons of options. As I said the Week-At-A-Glance was really one of my favorites. As you know my writing started with journaling. Did you know there are now planners that double as journals? How fabulous! Pictured above is a planner/ journal by Rifle Paper Co. available for $38 at Anthropologie. If you are thinking of starting a journal maybe this would be a good way to dip your toe in the water?

A morning routine

I love the stillness of the morning. Getting an early start to my day really helps set me up for success, but I know not everyone is an early bird. Consistency will help you get a good start. Establish a morning routine and that will make everything a little bit easier. And your morning routine may even start the evening before. Maybe it’s ironing your clothes the night before, or pre-packing your lunch for work or setting up the coffee pot before you even go to sleep, but once you get up try to do the same thing every morning so you feel in control of your day.

Minimize clutter

Clutter can infiltrate anywhere! I have talked before about how to clean out your closet and I told you earlier in the week about my paperwork conundrum. As for all those clothes, do a fall clothing purge, if you aren’t going to wear it donate it! As for paperwork I now have my three tray system in place and it’s working great. To see if the same system works for you these Safeco trays for $19.98 from Target might be a good way to test it out. If you are up for more of a commitment maybe try the tray pictured above from West Elm. You can buy them here for $29 each and they will add a little glam to your workspace with their metallic finish.

There’s an app for that

Remember those old Apple commercials with the tag line “There’s an app for that,” well there are tons of things you can put on your phone to help you organize your life! I obviously use a phone calendar, but there is a Weather Channel app and the Big Oven app which not only organizes your grocery list but gives you recipe ideas and there are no shortage of apps for news. If you own a smartphone it can be a great tool and a weapon in the battle against disorganization because there’s probably “an app for that.” There’s even an app called Mint to help you track your spending if you feel like your finances are disorganized!

Blocking out distractions

Now comes for the “focus” part of the tips. It can be so hard, dear readers, with everything that demands our attention IMMEDIATELY to focus on a task at hand. But unplugging and getting down to business is so often necessary. What about popping on a pair of headphones and escaping from what’s around you for awhile. Some studies indicate that music may actually help you disengage from what is going on around you and help you complete tasks. Music that you already know and that doesn’t have lyrics tends to work best. And if you absolutely can’t afford to miss a phone call the Urban Ears headphones above that retail for $50 have a built in microphone and will allow you to pick up calls when plugged in to your phone.  

Don’t overbook

Taking on a few important tasks per day will help you focus on those tasks. I know, I know, darlings! We don’t like to let people down! We want to do it all, but trust me it’s better to do important tasks well and just say “no” than it is to not accomplish anything to your full ability. And if you need to know how to say “no,” consult my blog.

Make fall great! Identify your problem areas and work on solutions to get yourself organized. You’ll be glad you did once the hustle and bustle of the holidays come around( they are right around the corner!).