MASTERING ORGANIZATION. HOW TO ELEVATE YOUR LIFE AND BUSINESS.
PERSONAL GROWTH SERIES-CHAPTER ONE
Today is the day to stop making excuses. We all know that there is not enough time in one day to do everything we have on our to-do lists. That is why you wake up earlier. If you get up a little earlier, then boom, those are the extra hours you’ve been searching for. See, I wasn’t kidding about putting in the work. That’s all I did to get me to where I am today, and quite honestly, it’s why you are here. You were curious. And in your subconscious mind, you are all ready to do more today. To be more.
It’s why you are reading this right now. You are ready. You know it. You can feel it, and you just needed that extra push, so here I am. I just want you to know that I will be your biggest cheerleader throughout our time together. I know you can crush your goals. Again, I am not an expert; I am just following a highly successful formula.
The first step is to get organized. Like I mentioned earlier, your mind, thoughts, home, office, kitchen, busy brain; all of it. Find the time to make a list of everything you want to accomplish, put together a schedule, and create achievable goals.
My routines (especially morning) have made the biggest difference in my life. I start with a gratitude practice. Meditations, sound baths, repeating my favorite affirmations, and breathwork. I wake up and make my iced coffee. I sip slowly (I try) so that I can thoroughly enjoy it throughout this morning ritual I have created for myself. My evening ritual may include some movie watching, Bravo binging, book reading, a hot salt and essential oil bath, or just some white noise, healing music, or meditations to go to sleep. It absolutely includes my crystal-filled weighted blanket, as that has been a game changer for my sleeping and anxiety. The best pandemic purchase yet.
All my rituals, whether morning or night, will change depending on my mood, and that is perfectly okay as they are my rituals. Yours will also look different, and that is the best part about getting creative and tapping into your intuition.
I’ve always been a super organized person. I’m fully aware of how that may not come so easily to you. But again, that is why you are here. I want to keep everything in this book as simple as possible. Basics! I want to set you up for success, so let me tell you what you are going to need.
A notebook, sticky notes, a highlighter, pens, pencils, a cozy little area just for you, whatever is going to make you feel good right now. If you are not prepared, make a list and come back to me. I love the note section on my phone. I literally have thousands of them saved. As soon as I think of something, it gets put in there. So many ideas and recipes for this series you are reading right now started there. If you are here for growth, use this series for journal prompt inspo. There are going to be some hard projects to tackle throughout our time together, but so many of them will come much easier than you ever knew possible.
It’s just that you’ve chosen to take this path now. I’m a huge “use what you have” supporter. That’s honestly how I came up with some of my best recipes and business courses. The purpose of this series is to help you heal and grow, not to spend money. So, go to the damn dollar store if that’s the kind of budget that you’re rocking with these days. Aghh, the dollar store. I love that place, and I’m telling you, all you need is a writing utensil at the very least so that you can take notes. This will be your number one tool to help you up-level and create the happy, healthy, positive, and productive life you’re currently craving. And you are so deserving of it. We all are. Isn’t writing in a notebook the best? Just make it your own. Own all the feelings here!
Now that you know what you need and how to start this process, I want to get into the gritty part of getting organized. I’m a huge planner, always have been. It’s such a good trait to have. An even better one would be to know how to roll when shit on your list doesn’t get checked off, a wrench gets thrown into your day. That took some work for me as I am hands down a perfectionist and borderline OCD, but in a good way, you know…
Is your kitchen clean? Let’s start there. What do you need to do to get it the way you want? I’m guessing you can throw a lot of stuff away. If you can give it away, obviously do that. Only have what you use out and readily available. Store everything else away. This is where my professional organizing advice comes in. Use what you have, old shoeboxes, unmatched Tupperware, new finds from the dollar store, and put everything you need directly in front of you. Anything clear and/or open so you can see it.
When I made the decision for this personal growth series and my healthy recipes to join forces, I started to search for a little pantry to have in my room so that from the moment I wake up, I am immediately inspired. I saw my cute little dresser I purchased from an app for $50 and started to organize everything I wanted in there. What dry ingredients, cans, boxed goods, and cooking utensils made the most sense. This is what you need to do. Start to get inspired.
I also have six rectangular-shaped bins that hold my spices and other dry goods that are arranged by shape and if they are for baking and cooking. Keep it simple. Find a cute little space for you to makeover if you don’t have one. Create the space, go through cabinets, and clear out the shit that is no longer serving you. I’m telling you; it feels incredible! Put together everything you use daily, and then let’s do the same with your fridge and freezer. I’m a big meal prepper and use plastic bags and storage containers to allow more space. I also reuse and wash everything. No single uses over here! I would love to tell you that I am a minimalist, but I’m not 100% there. Maybe in my next series. However, I have slowly transitioned over to glass, so please don’t come after me because of the plastic.
When it comes to cooking, I want you to enjoy the process of using the ingredients you already have. Use those damn leftovers. Think about what you have in your refrigerator right now. Can you maybe add one or two more ingredients to make it a whole new meal? I bet you could if you had an organized pantry and freezer already.
Everything has a shelf life, so when you start this cleaning out, please check those dates and again throw away what is not going to work. I want to share a great tip with you. I do this in my office and in the kitchen at night. Everything must be clean and put away. For example, my planner and notebooks must always be closed at the end of the night with the next day already planned out. This way, when I wake up, I’m starting the day on a clean, fresh slate. Every day is a new beginning and another 24 hours that allows you to chase those dreams.
I meal prep for two reasons. One, because I love the organization aspect of it. Two, it keeps me on track when it comes to eating healthy. I’ll be honest; when I’m at my computer, I can easily put in a six-hour day without even getting up. Not even to go to the bathroom. I know, it’s such a terrible habit…
When I meal prep, everything is done the night before, usually a few days. My green juice and protein shakes, lunch, and dinner options are already prepared and ready to go. If I crave something different and have the time, then I make that. Again, always have a few varieties ready to go!
I have several friends that hate freezing meals or blending juice and shakes two days ahead. Listen, I’m just sharing what works for me. I know my recipes last, and when you make them, and follow my directions, you will agree. I love a good mason jar. Small, medium, and large. All the sizes. I use these to keep my juices, milks, and protein shakes fresh.
They will stay for up to three days. The fourth is really pushing it. When it comes to meals, I have a few tricks. Obviously, the containers to hold individually prepped meals. This trick is also a great idea for kids learning how to feed themselves with healthy treats. Especially on the days that they open the fridge 500 times a day looking for something. Show them the system. Have them write their names on them or set alarms. Kids are smart; they’ll figure it out in a day. If you have a meal you want to eat every day, then keep it in the fridge. Backups can be frozen. Sometimes, rather than prepping individual meals, I just prep each ingredient separately, so if I decide to create something else with it, I’m not wasting. For example, sautéed green beans, jasmine rice, marinated black beans, quinoa, salad mix, etc.
There are so many meals I can create here. Now think about what you have in your freezer. Why is it there? There’s this little thing called rotation. Make a list of everything in there and start using them one by one. A great idea for meals and simple recipes for you to create would be delicious soups, veggie burgers, stews, a stir-fry, and more. A potluck “night in” full of apps (aka leftovers) will work too! I freeze everything. Even my almond milk. I have now created recycled iced cubes that I just throw back in my juice or protein shakes. Same goes for fruit or veggies prepped. I make soup or smoothies with them right away. Same flavor and no waste.
If you are unsure of what to create with what you have, please be sure to check out my recipes in this series and, of course, substitute with what you have on hand. Be creative in this process. If you’re not in the market or just want to save yourself time and not become the next best chef, then make a dump soup. It’s all how you look at things. Whether you are throwing all the ingredients in a pot and hope it tastes okay or really want to put in the effort and create something amazing; how it will always start is in your mind. Mindset is everything, and how you look at what you need to accomplish is how you get the best results.
Let’s recap here…
Plan ahead, prepare the night before, wake up earlier, make your list, use what you have, and get organized. Put alarms on your phone if you need them and put yourself first so that you can be the best for those around you.
Can’t wait for the rest of the series? Grab your own personal growth and self improvement guides here!
If you haven’t listened to the latest episodes of the Kelly Ann Cares Podcast, please click on the links below to tune in on your favorite podcast app or YouTube today.
Mastering Your Podcast Launch: A Step-by-Step Guide for 2024. A Substack Exclusive (365)
SEVEN YEARS STRONG. REFLECTING ON MY PODCASTING JOURNEY. (364)
INSIGHTS FROM THE PODCAST COMMUNITY. LISTENER FEEDBACK AND BEYOND. (363)
BATTLING INFLAMMATION. NATURAL STRATEGIES FOR A HEALTHIER BODY. (362)
FROM SILENCE TO SUCCESS. A PERSONAL GROWTH STORY. (361)
BREAKING THE SILENCE. NAVIGATING MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES. (360)
If you would like to work together whether that be getting organized in your home or business please reach out to me today! I would be honored to help you get to where you truly want to be at in life! Send me a message for a discount off my services today! Just mention you saw this series on Substack!
Wishing you a happy, healthy, positive, and productive month!
Talk soon,
Kelly Ann Gorman
