i have been cooking up a new feature for honey living called "taking our sweet time," meant to be something you can do in a small amount of time (think 15 minutes or so) that can change your daily life. of course this could be almost anything, but the way i'm thinking of it is as far as organizational things that are always there, lurking, needing doing, and often getting pushed off. those things are often the type where once you do them, you realize how easy they were and how liberated and fresh you feel to have it done. so here we go...i have been driving myself crazy recently with my array of personal accoutrements - book i'm reading, datebook, notebook for personal stuff, notebook for blog stuff, notebook for counting weight watchers points...ENOUGH. i realized it yesterday morning when i felt the emotional equivalent of an eyeroll when i had to reach into my bag to find something. too much!
i don't know why i had resisted, but somewhere along the line, i got away from the idea of having it all in one place...well, bad idea. i'm now back to the one place, in the form of a pretty raspberry filofax (or "filo," as my high school self called them). i have a section for each category of my life with pretty lined paper and plenty of post-its to go around. to accomodate my new style, i'm going to go back to the one-week-at-a time point booklets which i can just slide right in the little pocket, rather than having a little book. sometimes it's little ways of rethinking the routines we get into that help to turn a problem on its side and come up with a different way of seeing it.
seriously, it's like a breath of fresh air. all in once place, organized, space-efficient, raspberry! doesn't it just look so much prettier?
what's in your bag? if it's a lot, does it bother you? could you condense? 
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12 comments:
I am a major bag minimalist. In my purse, I prefer to have these items and these items only:
-wallet
-small leather case with mirror, -lipstick, lip balm and dental floss
-sunglasses
-cell phone
-ipod
and THAT'S IT! If i ever have to have something extra in there, it upsets me and I feel cluttered. I also do not keep a notebook. I have a calendar at my desk and everything else is stored in my brain. I actually find when I write things down, I forget about them. If I only rely on my memory, I won't forget.
that's so daring to rely on memory. i'm getting nervous just thinking about that.
it's just a system that works for me. If i write something down in a notebook, it's like it leaves my head immediately. the only thing i rely on lists for (and very specific and extensive lists at that) is packing.
Seems like a no brainer Carla. Have you ever thought about getting a Blackberry or an iPhone?
All that info/images in one little device that weighs a lot less than a "filo".
Your advice is usually right on, but this time I think you missed the mark.
The notebook might be warm and cuddly but the Blackberry is cool and efficient.
i hear you anon - and i should have explained this in the post. i do have a blackberry, and i love it. i use it for my meeting schedules at work and scheduled reminders, but i love love love the written word - i love notebooks and post-its and lists and handwritten notes. my husband is always wondering (aloud) why i can't shake my ancient ways, but i just love it-it's what makes me feel organized and together in a way that a bberry just doesn't.
re: Anonymous’ comment:
There is a time and place for a blackberry, sure, but for people who truly love words and lists (and if you have to think about it for a second you're not one them) then nothing other than beautiful paper, e.g. pretty notebooks, Filos, etc. will suffice!
Also, who does something just because it's "cool"? How very sixth grade…
this is funny, everyone arguing about whether or not to use blackberries. carla, i am with you - a blackberry is a necessity these days, but i like things to be written down as well.... It's like when people have on their emails, "only print this email if necessary"... well, i don't want to waste paper, BUT if there is a huge block of text in an email that I need to concentrate on to read, I am printing that bad boy out. Plus, how do you make a packing list on your blackberry. That is just ridiculous. You need to be able to cross things out. Go words and lists!
and no list is complete without a highlighter!
I look forward to this "taking your sweet time" feature. I could really use some help getting organized!
I go back and forth every year between the electronic stuff (personal info on the iPhone, Outlook calendar for work) and the paper stuff (filofax for work stuff, list and weekend plans).
I have to write everything at work down- there are just too many details to remember.
My husband wants a community calendar for our social plans but doesn't want to post it in a prominent place in the kitchen, so it's useless.
This post makes me think it might be time to go back to my trusty filofax. Wonder where I put it?!?!
I totally agree Carla. I also have a blackberry which is good for some things, but I use moleskin notebooks for my list making and note taking.
There is something so satisfying about ticking things off my list and knowing that my bubblegum pink notebook has everything I need in one place. I just wish my handwriting was a bit neater! :)
omg - i SO need a penmanship lesson. even mitchell can barely decipher my handwriting sometimes. i just got a thank you note with the most beautiful handwriting and it made me so jealous! i'm going to look into some tips on that for us!
I use an old fashioned planner for my social events and even my clients. I use my blackberry for lists...shopping lists, book lists, website lists, etc. I can't seem to get used to the scheduler on the blackberry. I just like to write my clients in in pencil, its just what i'm used to and I like seeing each week laid out in front of me. It makes me feel organized to write it out and look at it. So i say do what works for you.
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