the blog.
2017 Bullet Journal Plan With Me
I can't believe it's already the last day of 2016! How did this happen?? Despite the many wonderful things that came from 2016 (not the least of which getting married!) I must say, I'm happy to start fresh. One of my favourite ways to do this in the new year is to rethink my bullet journal - a new aesthetic, new spreads, and getting creative.
Come along and plan with me for 2017!
I can't believe it's already the last day of 2016! How did this happen?? Despite the many wonderful things that came from 2016 (not the least of which getting married!) I must say, I'm happy to start fresh. One of my favourite ways to do this in the new year is to rethink my bullet journal - a new aesthetic, new spreads, and getting creative.
Come along and plan with me for 2017!
As always, check out the video right here on this page OR jump on over to YouTube!
My BUJO Pinterest Board for loads of inspiration... https://www.pinterest.com/elizabethgturn/bujo/
Rachel El's Channel (the inspiration for the drawings in my journal!) https://www.youtube.com/user/notesfromthecity
Want to learn more about bullet journals?
- Last Bullet Journal Update
- How To Use A Bullet Journal To Stay Organized
- How I Plan My Day Using My Bullet Journal
- Plan With Me: Social Media Sharing Tracker
Until next time,
Bullet Journal Update
I'm excited to finally do the much anticipated bujo update post! Bullet journalling has become an integral part of my life and organization strategy. I never go anywhere without my planner, and I am constantly thinking of new uses for it and ways to make it better!
I started a brand new bullet journal while I was on the ship (my third to date! See my first one here) and got to introduce some friends to the concept - as exciting for me as it was for them!
I can't wait to share my most recent iteration with you! I've put my heart and soul into it (yes I know it's only a planner and this is ridiculous but BUJO IS LIFE) and I'm so pleased with how it's turning out!
Ok, enough blabber. Let's go!
I'm excited to finally do the much anticipated bujo update post! Bullet journalling has become an integral part of my life and organization strategy. I never go anywhere without my planner, and I am constantly thinking of new uses for it and ways to make it better!
I started a brand new bullet journal while I was on the ship (my third to date! See my first one here) and got to introduce some friends to the concept - as exciting for me as it was for them!
I can't wait to share my most recent iteration with you! I've put my heart and soul into it (yes I know it's only a planner and this is ridiculous but BUJO IS LIFE) and I'm so pleased with how it's turning out!
Ok, enough blabber. Let's go!
If you're new to the concept of a bullet journal I suggest you check out my post on how to build your own first to get the basics!
Ok, you can either watch the video (here or on YouTube) or go through the post I've put together, full of pictures! Or, you know, do both. I'm 100% enabling your bujo addiction.
This post contains affiliate links. Please scroll to the bottom for the full disclaimer and affiliate link policy!
For my notebook I am using a hardcover moleskin, which I reluctantly chose over the May Designs notebooks I have been using from the start of my bujo journey. As I mentioned in the video, May Designs notebooks just don't have enough pages for me. I would create some gorgeous spreads and then run out of pages for weekly planning and have to start all over!
So far I'm loving how durable this notebook is, and I don't mind the classic black over a more loud pattern as I've had in the past. It has 200 grid pages, which are my favourite for bullet journalling along with dot grids!
On a day to day basis I only carry my journal and my 4-colour bic pen for writing in my calendar and weekly pages. I leave the gorgeous Staedtler coloured pencils that Jason bought me at home for relaxing colouring when I get home from my day (and night) jobs!
The first page you see is my 2016 year at a glance. It was important to me to be able to see dates in advance for long-term planning, especially with my wedding coming up in September!
On the opposite page is my index for easy reference.
Then we come to the key (across from an empty page on hold to be page 2 of the index at some future date). My key has morphed quite a bit since I started, though the bones are still there. I feel very comfortable with the format now as I've found the sweet spot - not so many icons as to get confusing, but enough to keep things separated and organized.
And here is my very first attempt at a mandala (be kind!)
The next spread is all about life goals and tasks...
I loved the rainbow banners I used for the titles so much I used them again for the next spread!
Next up is another spread for my blog - a list of blog post and video ideas on the left and a simple editorial calendar on the right.
I write out all of the posts and videos for each week in pencil until they're published, then I rewrite them in pen. This way I have more flexibility to move things around!
Next up is one of my absolute favourite spreads - my wedding planning timeline! This is the same one in my wedding planning timeline post, if you're interested in the specific tasks!
My second favourite spread is my reading list! A bookshelf that gets filled up and coloured in as I read...
Next up is mine and Jason's cleaning schedule for the house, and my blog and social media publishing schedule!
One of my favourite parts of using a blank notebook for my bullet journal is spreading my monthly calendars throughout my bujo. Having only a page or two to flip to get between the week and month views rather than returning to the front repeatedly is a nice change, and drawing the calendar myself is oddly relaxing!
Lastly there's my habit tracking spread. I love this one since it allows me to keep up with daily tasks without having to rewrite them every day!
There you have it, my newest bullet journal as it stands today!
Want more bujo inspiration? Check out my Pinterest board!
Do you have a bullet journal or another type of planner? Tell me about it in the comments!
Until next time,
6 Best Minimalist YouTube Channels
In honour of my picking up YouTube again I am sharing my 6 favourite minimalist YouTube channels for your viewing pleasure! Go check them out and get inspired to make more steps towards minimalism in your own life.
In honour of my picking up YouTube again I am sharing my 6 favourite minimalist YouTube channels for your viewing pleasure! Go check them out and get inspired to make more steps towards minimalism in your own life.
Coco was the first minimalist YouTuber I started watching, and she's still my favourite. Her life is so relatable, and her tips are extremely helpful. Her video on digital organization was the inspiration for me to organize my computer and email! I also love her aesthetic and calm demeanour.
This couple actually sold their home and began living in a VAN. Talk about inspiring minimalists! They share great tips, snippets from their life, and other minimalists' stories. They're actually incredibly relatable, despite their extreme lifestyle. I've found them more recently but have found myself spending lots of time on their channel!
Not only does she make really helpful videos on all aspects of minimalism, but she's also a vegan! (10 points for gryffindor!) She's concise and very warm in her videos and I love her personal style (she wears almost as much black as I do - which is really not an easy task!).
I have a serious hair crush on this girl. Oh, and her videos are great, too! Aileen's a big fan of the KonMari method, just like I am, and I really enjoy her videos about her journey with decluttering using Marie Kondo's book as a guide. Her channel is wonderful for those of you who are just beginning your journey with the KonMari brand of minimalism as she has quite a few helpful tutorials on methods from the book!
Jaime-Lee's capsule wardrobes are on point, and really helped me while I was in the planning stages of mine! She is definitely very style focused, so if you're a self-proclaimed shopaholic her channel might fulfill your urge to shop without actually having to buy anything. (A major pus when you're trying to reduce your belongings!)
Cynthia's another great one to watch for fashion inspiration. She's all about sustainable fashion, which really aligns with my perspective on clothing. She also does capsule wardrobes and encourages thrift shopping! Her videos tend to be on the longer end with a LOT of helpful information!
Who's your favourite minimalist to watch on YouTube? I'd love for all of us to find more quality YouTubers to pull inspiration from on our minimalist journeys!
Until next time,
Declutter Your Computer!
Most of us use our computers everyday. So why do we let them get way more cluttered and disorganized than our home? I recently did a laptop rehaul and wanted to share my tips and tricks to a minimal, organized computer with all of you!
Most of us use our computers everyday. So why do we let them get way more cluttered and disorganized than our home? I recently did a laptop rehaul and wanted to share my tips and tricks to a minimal, organized computer with all of you!
Keep your desktop clear.
The desktop of your computer is like your desk. It's home base, and everything you do stems from it. Or, thinking of it another way, it's like your foyer. The first and the last thing you see when using your machine. So why do we clutter our desktops up with random screenshots, files, gifs, and folders? I don't know about you, but when my desktop is cluttered it adds to my anxiety to a significant degree, without my even realizing it. Keeping my desktop clear at all times has been incredibly refreshing! I'm never going back to keeping 3 or 4 folders and countless random files there for "easy" access. Because, let's be real, how hard is it to just go to the file you need in finder or to search for it in the search bar?
I only keep files on my desktop that I'm currently working on (like graphics for my blog posts that I'm creating in photoshop). But as soon as I'm done working on it, away it goes.
Oh! Another thing, for Mac users specifically. Please oh please keep your doc tidy! A doc with 20 applications on it clutters up a desktop just as quickly as 20 files. I like to keep mine VERY minimal - just the finder, system preferences, mail, calendar (to remind me of the date quickly), iMessage, downloads, and trash. Anything else I need I can quickly open using the launchpad shortcut (by pinching with my thumb and three fingers).
Behold the glory of my clear desktop (and my handsome fiancé!):
Clean out your contacts.
Friend from elementary school's mom's cell number? Delete. Coworker from three part-time jobs ago? Delete. Ex-boyfriend with whom you never again intend to speak? Delete. When you clean up your contacts it makes life so much easier. No need to scroll through 12 Nicks to find the one you're trying to email. Bite the bullet and make friends with the delete button!
Another thing to try, especially if you have a lot of coworkers or acquaintances that you need to keep in contact with, is to add how you know them in the "company" field. This way you'll always remember which Susan is from your book club and which one works with you!
Sort your photos.
We take so many more photos than our parents, so shouldn't we have more captured memories to enjoy? Not quite. So many of us have such a disorganized photo folder that once a picture is taken, it never sees the light of day again. I find that sad. Why let thousands of photos take up precious storage space on your laptop without reaping the rewards?
But I know that you already understand why sorting your photos is important. So let's get to the real question: how the heck do you do it?
- Start by compiling all photos in one place. I choose to use a Dropbox folder, so that I can access my photos from anywhere and they're safe if my computer breaks. I don't use the carousel feature, however, as I just don't like it.
- Automatically backup new photos from mobile devices when you plug them in. I downloaded dropbox onto my computer and set it up to automatically save new photos from my camera roll whenever my phone or iPad are plugged in. This way every time I charge my photos are being backed up to dropbox!
- Create a naming system and stick to it. I like to keep it simple. All of my general photos are named in the following manner: year_month_day_short description (ex. 2015_10_19_autumndate3). Graphics I create for use in blog posts and on social media I name following my filing naming system (described below!). This makes it easy to find any photo! Even if I forget the specific day it was taken on or description I used, scrolling through that month's photos brings me to it pretty quickly! *For full disclosure, I'm still in the process of updating older photos to this naming system. I have quite a few and it's taking me a while, but I'm doing it and noticing a big difference!
- Delete duplicates and unnecessary photos. While it may take 20 selfies to get the perfect one (believe me, I've been there) - you don't need to keep them all. Delete all of the photos you're not going to want to look again again to remember a specific day or event, or need to post in the future. Be harsh when critiquing photos. Keep only the very best! Your future self will thank you. *I like to do it once a week so that I don't get a build up of too many photos that need to be sorted through. It also helps exponentially if you delete unnecessary photos on your mobile devices throughout the day before syncing to your laptop or desktop!
Create a filing system and follow it.
This is a big one. I keep all of my actual files on Dropbox (which just shows up as another file on my hard drive since I have it installed on my macbook) rather than in the "documents" folder. This way, all of my files are accessible from anywhere and protected from computer crashes!
The next step is to create just a few folders for your main categories of files (just like in my Take Control Your Email post!) Here are mine:
Within each folder I may have a couple subfolders, or not, depending on the category. For example, my PLANT BASED BRIDE folder has a couple of different subfolders for different purposes, while my HOME folder only has one: HOME_ARCHIVE. Each main folder has an archive folder for old files I don't reference regularly but may need someday down the line.
I also have a system for naming each individual file. Each file name starts with the shortcut for it's category (the main folder it belongs in). So blog files begin with PBB while financial files begin with FIN. Next comes the year and the month, then a short description. Here's an example file: PBB_2015_10_declutteryourcomputer_pin (category_year_month_blog post title_graphic type). Another example: HOME_2015_07_leaseagreement (category_year_month_short description).
You may have noticed my file named TEMPORARY. This is exactly what it sounds like! I keep this file for random screenshots and photos I save for short-term use. I make sure to delete everything in this folder on a weekly basis.
Backup your files.
Once a month I plug in my external hard drive and copy and paste my Dropbox folder into a file labelled: (year)_(month)_dropboxbackup. It's easy, and means I have a backup with all of my files easily accessible if dropbox ever goes down!
Reset once a year.
Once a year I like to reset my computer to its factory settings to keep it clear of cookies and hidden files that slow it down. It's like getting a brand new macbook each year!
And there you have it! My tips to declutter your computer and keep it organized all year long. I hope you try some of them out and that they simplify your life as they have mine! Watch out for my next post in the Living With Less series: all about decluttering your phone!
Until next time,
Do you have a system in place that you find keeps your computer in tip top organized shape? Please share it in the comments!
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