Recommendations – Page 19

Filofax Girl For Life

October 20, 2010

Well, it’s October. That means, for university students at least, that life seems bleak and crazy, confusing and stressful. You’ve become forgetful, wound up, psychotic even. It certainly doesn’t help that on top of the endless avalanche of assignments, midterms, lectures and readings there is another impending avalanche – of snow – that is descending at a rapid clip.

It’s enough to make any girl cry herself to sleep! Not that I have..or anything..

Now would be a really good time to look at that article on stress-busters and pick me ups. Or the one on how to survive exam season, parts 1 and 2.

But what I want to talk about today is the thing that’s saving my life throughout this hectic time: MY FILOFAX. I have the Mode organizer in pink/green. And I love it.

Here she is, in all her glory:

Wow.

Sometimes I just take it out and look at it. Because I think it’s beautiful.

Our relationship is perfect: I am physically attracted to it and feel very strongly about its personality. Sigh. True love.

Maybe you don’t get it. I don’t reaaally blame you, it’s hard to know what this type of love feels like. Which is why I want to tell you 3 reasons I love this thing.

Three Reasons I Love My Filofax

1. It consolidates all my crazy.

Grocery lists, books-to-read lists (right up there with groceries, obviously), homework, important dates all the way until next Christmas, to-do lists, study plans, my Mom’s Kili itinerary, my blood donor reminder card, articles I loved and printed out, my wallet, sticky notes, a calculator, notes-to-self, affirmations, quotes, reminders..

There’s a lot of stuff in there. To be honest though, I wish I used it more! I’d love to have more lists in there, but right now I don’t have enough paper.. so I make my lists on other papers and slip them into the pockets. It works well enough, but the point is – I could exploit this thing even more! More paper! More crazy! More compact! I never have to remember anything except: “Bring your Filofax with you” and I’m good.

2. It’s prettttyyyy.

One thing I love about Filofaxes in general is that they’re all so adorable! I can’t tell you how much time I spent on the Filofax website before buying mine, just looking at all the features and colour combinations available. If you wanted to, you could get one made of ostrich! (Although, why would you want to..?)

They’re not too bulky, they come in a variety of sizes, they’re cute and fun and in every colour of the rainbow. Mine is bright pink with bright green (bright bright bright I love bright colours!!), in the Personal size. Personal is the most common size, I’m told, probably because it’s very handy. Anything smaller and my huge writing would take up the whole page. Anything bigger and I wouldn’t be able to carry it absolutely everywhere! :)

The red Domino was featured in the movie 27 Dresses, if a movie sighting means anything to you. (I think it’s kinda cool!)

Besides, just look at this pretty thing! I can’t take my eyes off it sometimes.. :)

3. It is amazingly customizable.

One of my favourite parts of shopping for my Filofax in the first place was reading the lists of all the goodies that come with each organizer. It seems endless: world maps, address book inserts, calculators, mirrors, plastic envelopes, sticky notes, to-do lists, notepaper.. so exciting. And if something doesn’t automatically come with the planner you choose, you can just add it into your order. They make it dangerously easy.

And all this pre-shipping customization is nothing compared to what you can do with it once you’ve gotten it into your hot little paws. I have sections for quotes, books I want to read, and affirmations. My front pocket is for important articles, notes-to-self and anything pretty I find lying around. Behind the front pocket is a long-term to do list..

Etc, etc! I have all my grocery lists tucked inside, receipts fit easily, I can even slip change into the pockets, I can fit a pen and a highlighter inside. It’s perfect for me.

:D = big smile demonstrating my love for this thing.

However..

..obviously this particular system can’t work for everyone. As I mentioned in this post about getting organized for school, there are tons of different methods you can try: anything from wall calendars to scribbled to-do lists. I just wanted to give my personal account of the system that works for me!

Also, I’d like to add: I am in no way endorsed by Filofax to say this stuff. The idea of that is simply ridiculous to me: as if Filofax would know who I was!! But I’ve gotten weird comments asking stuff like that before, so I just wanted to clear it all up beforehand. No people, this post is simply (dorkily) because I have a relationship with my personal organizer. Someone has to be this dorky in real life, and it’s me. You’re welcome.

Anyone else geek out about stationary/organizers/awesome stuff like that?? I’m looking at you Isabelle..back me up here! Let me know!

ALL MY LOVE & STUFF

XOXO

What to Bring to Your Dorm Room

August 27, 2010

[This post is the last in my Back to School Series]

So you’re going off to University. You must be terrified. Holy moly! Even as I was packing my bags this year, I was remembering my sheer terror as I packed them last year. Luckily, for me that has passed, but maybe you’re still feeling that way? All I can say is: it’s going to be okay! And read this if you want more encouragement. :)

As my last post in my very fun-to-write back to school series, I’m talking about what to bring.

Dorm Room Necessities

Besides the obvious – school supplies, bedding, books and knicknacks – there are tons of things that fill the average dorm room. Food, snacks, and beer abound, along with dirty laundry and stacks of paper. Depending on the size of your room, it could be neater (small space = higher organization!), but nonetheless, most dorm rooms are crammed full of lots of goodies. Now, I know you’ve been scouring the articles online about what else you might need, and you’ve probably heard it all. In case you haven’t though, here are a few awesome lists of what to bring: very comprehensive!

But maybe you’ve read it all before, and want my personal opinion on the subject. The verdict: for rez, you don’t need that much stuff!! I know how exciting it is to be moving away, and I know you want to take everything with you (I sure did..). But remember, you’ll be moving home for the summer most likely, so pack light! I had way, way too much stuff when I moved home! So besides the absolute essentials and a few homey touches, here are my picks for enjoyable dorm living:

Journal

On a notebook, far, far away — Image by midnightglory via Flickr

For me, one of the most indispensable items to have in your toolkit. Even if you can’t manage to journal every day about your crazy adventures, it’s still incredibly useful for when you feel sad or scared or just plain frustrated! I swear by my journal, and always pick ones that are bright and happy. You could also use a sombre Moleskine to record all your seriously serious thoughts.. :)

Plate, cup and cutlery

Because who knows when you’ll be munching on some real Thanksgiving dinner or lemon ricotta pancakes with blueberry sauce or a full Hanukkah feast? (Yes, all of which occurred my first year, along with countless brownies, cookies, muffins and other munchies.) Always be prepared! Who knows when the opportunity for food will come along?

Sleeping Bag

Very useful! Bring with you when you visit friends, or when they visit you! Also can be used for extra warmth if you live somewhere ridiculously cold.

Earplugs

So important! Who knows when the guy directly above you will blast Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin until two in the morning, while bouncing a tennis ball against his wall. Oh wait, I know when he’ll do that! Every stinking night. Avoid the drama and use earplugs. Use them when an ultimate frisbee tournament goes on for a month, every night, until midnight. Use them when you’re at the library for total peace. Love earplugs. Totally a necessity.

Flat plastic storage boxes

31 January 2007 (2): Stacking Boxes — Image by Ulleskelf via Flickr

These are perfect when you have a small space. They fit so neatly under any dorm bed and can act as your little pantry/pharmacy for the year. I kept extra kleenex boxes, contact solution, extra lightbulbs, and way more tucked into those handy little spaces. Great use of space, especially when you don’t have much!

Extra floor lamp

IKEA Lamp — Image by Matzelchen via Flickr

Ooh. So indispensable for me first year. When it gets dark at 5 in the winter, I get thoroughly depressed, especially if all the lighting I have is an overhead light and a desk lamp. Not feeling it. I favour tall floor lamps, cheap at Ikea that can stand in one corner of your room and cast a loving glow over the whole space. Lovely. :)

Rug

My rugs kept my feet warm, my room colourful and my floors cleaner. Love rugs. Yay rugs!

Your musical instrument

DanElectro & Kay Guitars - Ottawa 01 08 — Image by Mikey G Ottawa via Flickr

I found that playing my guitar was a huge stress-reliever last year. anytime I felt overwhelmed, I could just reach into the corner of my room and strum away. I also play the piano, and nearer to the end of the year I started playing the pianos downstairs in our rez. If you don’t play an instrument, sorry! But I really recommend bringing yours if you do have one.

Related Articles

Smart Spending: Do up your dorm room for under $75 (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
Essentials For Your First Dorm Room (apartmenttherapy.com)
Dorm 101: Must-Haves for Dorm Room Organization (collegefashion.net)

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How exciting!

Isn’t it fabulous to move into a new place and start making it your own?! I love that feeling of settling in somewhere so much, of laying all your things our and getting organized and making everything look absolutely gorgeous! I’m moving into my very first apartment tomorrow, and I couldn’t be more excited to make it wonderfully mine. I’ll keep you posted on that front!

What do you think about my picks for comfy dorm living? What changed your life when you were living in a tiny room? Let me know!

Good luck with the transition my loves!

xoxo,

Making, Sticking To, and Loving Your Budget

August 26, 2010

[This post is the fourth in my Back to School Series]

Budget.

What a scary word! Whenever I hear the word ‘budget’ I immediately feel sort of overwhelmed. This is because I hate thinking about money. I can’t stand it! I’ve never liked money (not that I’ve ever had any debt or problems with it) and I probably never will enjoy it! It just makes me uncomfortable. Sure, I enjoy making it, and spending it, but my immediate reaction when I’m forced to actually think about it is a strange sense of discomfort. Don’t ask me why this happens to me, but I’m sure others can relate – maybe you feel tense when it comes to money? I think most people do, for any number of reasons.

One of the things that does help with my (unnecessary) anxiety is creating a solid budget. Why?

Reasons I Love Budgets

I always feel like money is slipping through my fingers towards unknown sources, which is stressful! By using a budget and by tracking everything I buy, I’m able to get everything out into the open. I’m not constantly trying to remember what I’ve been buying lately, it’s suddenly dead simple to see that I’m bleeding money because of going out to eat. Suddenly, my finances aren’t so mysterious, they’re manageable.
By looking clearly at my personal finances, I’m able to start controlling them. I can set myself limits, which end up saving me money!
I end up having more money for the things I’d really enjoy having in my life, by cutting out the unnecessary expenses I always forget about. I don’t end up throwing away money on things I don’t love, by staring my finances straight in the face.
I can start freeing up money for things I love: setting aside some money each month for travel, future plans, shopping trips.. :)
I’ll be able to avoid going into any serious debt by way of tracking my purchases, and not just blindly swiping credit cards. Key word there: blindly. Budgets don’t let me hide from the truth!
Budgets take the scary out!

Alright, I hope I sold you on budgets (no pun intended!) because I really feel they’re like the coolest thing going. Take control of your life! (Have I mentioned lately that I’m a huge nerd? K, good.)

But now you’re all: “But I don’t know how to make a budget or use Excel!”, “What if I get all crazy when I go to the mall and I throw my budget out the window??”, “I have no idea how to live frugally!”..etc.

Luckily for you, I have compiled a lovely list of resources for your perfect budget, how to actually stick to it, and maybe even love it!

Budgeting Links

The budget I have recently adopted is Jenny’s simple 4 Step Budget from Life After College. It’s so simple to use, especially if you have a Google account. If you don’t, you could easily reproduce her idea with an Excel or Word document, or even a very well organized paper system. If you’re looking for a simple, easy to use system, I recommend this one.

If you’re looking for more variety, or perhaps a more complex budget, check out this list of budget templates from Budgets are $exy. Actually, if you have the chance check out his whole website. It’s a fantastic resource for people with big long-term financial goals (he’s trying to become a millionaire!).

If neither of the above works for you, I suggest looking through the other, numerous budget template options listed in Google Docs or checking out the ones in your word processing/spreadsheet program already on your computer.

Frugal Living Links

3313477849_811e90fc73 — Image via electrofantastic

Gala’s Guide to Sane Spending is a down-to-earth view of some budgeting lessons we all tend to forget every once in a while..

Zen Habits has a Cheapskate Guide: 50 Tips for Frugal Living, as well as the Golden Money List, which is jam packed full of articles on how to get more out of your financial life!

From College Fashion: 3 Ways to Make the Most of Your Money In College; the 2nd way is one technique I have to do more of!

48 Things Frugality Has Taught Me from The Simple Dollar reminds me of the little things in life, and how they don’t always require money.

A list of amazing resources from Money Ning on frugal living offers advice for every occasion.

A couple practical tips from Foximus, simple and quick to incorporate into your routine.

More to love..

With a little planning and dedication, I believe that you’ll find that “you’re richer than you think!”. Budgeting can be fast & straightforward, yet save you lots of money! To spend on things you really love! Who’s with me?

What are your strategies for keeping your finances in line? How do you save money? Let me know, I’m always learning!

Happy budgeting!

xoxo,

101 Great Stress Busters & Pick-Me-Ups

August 24, 2010

[This post is the second in my Back to School Series]

Down in the dumps? Crushed with stress? Falling apart?

Well, no. You’re probably not quite there yet.

But since it’s back to school season and the stress will soon be (unfortuately) starting to pile up on you, (and since I really don’t want that to happen to you!) I decided to compile a list of things to do when you feel sad/stressed/lonely/bored/boring.

Whenever you feel like the world is coming down around you, I hope that looking at this list and picking one or two ways to treat yourself ends up soothing some of your woes.

Got the blues? Here are 101 things to do!

Have a bubble bath, while listening to your favourite music, while reading your favourite book or magazine.
Paint your toenails, just because (preferably in a very vivid tone)
Skype with your best friend.
Drop Everything And Read time! (DEAR!) For an hour, forget your stress and unwind with a book.
Dance!
Make yourself an elaborate dinner in bed, and watch a favourite movie.
Take a long hot shower and change into some comfy clothes.
Meditate!
Do some exercise – the endorphins will pick you back up.
Eat some chocolate and drink some wine.
Disconnect: turn off your phone, computer, and Facebook, and have some ‘me-time’ to do whatever you want.
Smile, as big and bright as you can. It generally makes you feel happier.
Make plans! For a dinner date, or to go to the movies or the gym, or to watch a tv show with a friend.
Stretch!!!
Give yourself a massage.
Curl up on the couch and have a heart-to-heart with a friend.
Take a nap, and wake up relaxed and refreshed!
Gussy yourself up! Do your hair and makeup, and put on some clothes you feel great in. It’ll give you a nice little confidence boost.
Make yourself a green drink or fresh fruit smoothie, to hit your body with a yummy load of antioxidants and vitamins.
Sit up straight!
Do something indulgently luxurious: cook in heels, buy a gourmet lunch, write all your letters in cursive, put on a face mask and cucumbers, buy a whole bouquet of flowers for your apartment, only wear silk, sip champagne..
Treat yourself with something small and beautiful: a new eyeshadow, fresh notebook, a pair of earrings, a new book..
Write yourself some affirmations, and repeat them! Believe them!
Drink lots of water and flush out all those bad feelings.
Take a glamourous self portrait (or 50).
Journal about your frustrations.
Get takeout from your favourite restaurant.
Take a walk and marvel at nature.
Do a cartwheel or a somersault.
Cry.
Have a tea party.
Have breakfast for dinner!
Laugh!
Pretend you’re seven years old, and write a letter to yourself from the seven-year-old’s perspective. Chances are, you’ll seem pretty perfect to her.. If this is too odd for you, just write yourself a love letter.
Colour with crayons. Make art. Use a colouring book if you so choose.
Start writing your Life List!
Cradle a warm drink..mmm.
Get some sun!
Go out on a weeknight to have a beer and a long conversation with a friend.
Watch a Spanish soap opera and dub in your own words.
Play a game! Monopoly, Clue, Twister..
Lie flat on your back and listen to your favourite music, LOUDLY.
Sit quietly and focus on your breathing.
Do a puzzle to get your mind off your issues: crosswords, sudokus, word games..
Cuddle with a stuffed or real animal!
Get a haircut, manicure, pedicure, massage: something to make you feel transformed and uplifted.
Make some music! Play an instrument or sing your heart out.
Plan a vacation, even if you can’t afford to take it. Plant the seed in your mind!
Change your bedsheets.
Read 1000awesomethings.com.
Create a plan of attack for your upcoming assignments.
Sketch, draw or paint!
Smell something citrusy or minty to perk you up.
Play hooky for the afternoon and watch the Price is Right.
Start dreaming big: write down all the things you’d love to do one day!
Get some hugs!
Write down seventeen things that make your life absolutely awesome.
Do a few small tasks that are causing you stress: clean up your desk, return those emails. Get some of that stuff out of the way and you’ll feel much better.
Acquire a pet or a plant, and get some life into your life!
Bake some cookies, brownies or cupcakes and decorate them elaborately.
Read some inspirational and motivational quotes from special people throughout history.
Go window shopping.
Visit websites like Textsfromlastnight, FailBlog, or FML to get some giggles.
Eat your absolute favourite food.
Watch some trashy reality tv or cartoons!
Put on some brightly coloured clothing.
Escape! Go explore your neighbourhood, go to a museum, walk around downtown..
Eat some ice cream.
Seek out the nearest sauna (local pool/gym?) and release those toxins!
Smile at babies! Make them smile back. :)
Take a book out of the library that isn’t school-related!
Build a blanket/pillow fort and sit in it, eating junk food and reading with a flashlight. Be defiant if anyone tries to get you out.
Make a mind-map of all the different things on your mind. Very therapeutic.
Re-arrange the furniture in your room. Feng shui it if that makes you feel any better.
In the shower, perform a stellar scalp massage and get those nerve endings tingling! (or buy one of those head massagers for $5 at Chapters or Urban Outfitters)
Walk barefoot in grass, sand, mud or water..mmm
Write a to do list (getting all your worries out on paper) and then prioritize your tasks. Then only do the really urgent/important ones.
Have a tv marathon! If you can’t afford to not do any schoolwork, alternate between watching an episode and doing work for equal amounts of time (or until Megavideo lets you keep watching..)
Buy some lingerie. The frillier and prettier the better. I don’t care if you have nobody to wear it for! Wear it around your apartment.
Go swimming: excellent exercise, and it’s so soothing.
Jump on your bed like a small child.
Do karaoke in front of your mirror.
Start a blog/tumblr. (I’ll read it)
Read some tabloids for supreme distraction
Find a friend and go play on a play structure/swing set
Sign up for a class of some sort! Yoga, tai chi, pottery throwing, painting..
Sit underneath a tree, preferably a great big willow tree.
Invite friends over to cook dinner with you.
Go to bed early. Way early.
Stop and smell the (literal) roses.
Look at old pictures of you and your friends, smile and reminisce.
Make some resolutions.
Call your siblings/parents.
Help someone else out! You may not feel like it, but it might put your problems in perspective and also make you feel good too!
Spend some time getting yourself organized!
Take a break and just get clean. Take a shower, brush your teeth, change into fresh clothes, tie your hair back. You’ll come back to your work feeling refreshed and ready.
Vent, rant, scream, punch your pillow, yell. Get it all out!! Then take a break and cool down.
If you have access to a car, go out for a long drive with the windows down. Sing loudly.
Write a song/play/novel/story. It can be as silly or serious as you want!
Do all your homework with the goofiest pen you can get your hands on. I have one with a multi-coloured pompom at one end!
BREATHE. Relax. Calm down. Get some perspective. Take a step back. Breathe, and focus.

That’s all she wrote..

I would honestly love to know: what do you do when you’re having a bad day or are frazzled with stress? Please, please let me know! (Because I too, have bad days and can always use inspiration!). If you leave a comment about what you do in times of stress, I’ll add it to this post so we can all benefit!

Don’t be afraid to beat your stress over the head with a stick.

Much love!

xoxo,