journals are a girl's best friend

What great news I have today! My daughter has her Etsy shop, Simply Blissful, up and ready to shop from! Tracy has always loved paper. Even as a young girl she used to collect the cellophane that came wrapped around candy. Now, today, she makes the cutest journals. In her blog she says, "Honestly, though, I am still wondering if people will buy them. I mean, I think they're totally cute, but underneath it all, they're still just composition notebooks & anyone can make their own if they were so inclined." CAN being the key word. Sure, we could! We CAN do anything we want. But the majority of us won't. That's what I love about all the Etsy homemade craft sites. I can enjoy everyone elses talents without having to actually invest in all the different craft materials!

I love Tracy's journals. She gave me one a few months ago to write all my thoughts down; to vent. I was going through a difficult period of time (involving a 17 year old stepdaughter who came to live with us.... against her will....) and she knew this was an avenue I've used for years and years to keep my thoughts straight.

But journals can be used for anything, not just as a diary. I need a place to keep "all my ducks in a row," as my sister would say. But it's true! If I don't write things down.... it'll never get done, it may never get purchased, we may never actually arrive at our vacation destination site with our toothbrushes and underwear! Yes, I'm a master list maker and I'm proud of it! You, too, can be a master list maker by following the steps below:

STEP ONE. Find a notebook to keep all your ducks in a row. One of those note pads you steal... I mean take from the hotel room does not count.... You need something with some substance. Something you will navigate toward each time you need to write a thought down. It doesn't work if you have notes and thoughts written on a hundred different pieces of paper laying here and there.

A medium size notebook works best. You want something easy to write in. Although I have to say, I love Tracy's idea of a mini journal to throw in your purse! I also carry a little notebook in my purse that is mostly used for traveling. This mini notebook is where I keep my shopping list, most important email addresses, places to visit, etc. But a notebook, color coordinated to go with my purse.... hmmmmmm...... Okay, so, first step--go to Tracy's Etsy shop and purchase one of her journals! Or better yet--two--one of each size!

STEP TWO. Purchase some sticky notes. Post-it-Notes. These will come in handy to identify the different sections of your journal/notebook. I use them as tabs. Here's some of the sections in my journal:

1. To do. The items on this list range from cleaning the toilet to painting the bathroom trim white. I don't know about you, but often times I feel like nothing ever gets accomplished. Why? Because most of what we do has to be redone next week. And the next after that. It's not like our men can go out and chop a cord of wood and feel that sense of accomplishment. Woo hoo!! There's not a lot of satisfaction in knowing the toilet is clean... But there is sense of satisfaction looking at all the check marks on your "to do" list once it's been done. Do you agree?


2. Needs/Wants/Things to Purchase. This doesn't need much of an explanation. Most things I want in life are written down in this section. Items like: tv cabinet, white sheets, new pillows. Then there's the Bose stereo system.... Unfortunately this has been on my list for about 14 years now! It's a need/want of my husbands and not so much my need, but I still write it down and maybe one day....


3. Travel section. This is where I write down everything I need to take on a trip, plus some. I've mentioned before that I'm not a light traveler, and this is why. As long as there's room on the page.... it means I need to pack one more thing.... Maybe the mini journal would work better for my travel section! I also write down my shopping list and stores/places I want to visit while on vacation. These are eventually transferred into my mini notebook that I carry in my purse.


4. Landscaping section. Here I list plants I want to buy, yard art I'd like. You'll even find drawings of garden sites.


5. Holiday Plans. This is where I write my ideas for Christmas--gifts to buy, decorating to do, craft projects to attempt. I always keep track of birthdays and other special days and ideas to celebrate them.

This is just a sampling of what I write in my notebooks. Okay, on to the next step.

STEP THREE. Always, always have your notebook/journal handy. It won't do you any good if you have to search for it when you need it. Next thing you know, you'll have 100 post-it-notes laying around again!

STEP FOUR. When you've filled up the journal, don't toss it! No! I love going back over my journals years later to see what I was up to. Do be sure you write a date in the cover though so you know what dates/years it covered (June - December 2007).

So that's how you, too, can become a master list maker. And if you just need a place to keep your most personal thoughts, these journals are perfect for that too. Happy journaling!