Office Supplies - Corporette.com https://corporette.com/category/office-supplies-office-decor-2/ A work fashion blog offering fashion, lifestyle, and career advice for overachieving chicks Fri, 25 Aug 2023 13:26:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.2 https://corporette.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/corporette-favicon-150x150.png Office Supplies - Corporette.com https://corporette.com/category/office-supplies-office-decor-2/ 32 32 20 Cool Desk Accessories and Other Office Stuff https://corporette.com/20-cool-desk-accessories-and-other-office-stuff/ https://corporette.com/20-cool-desk-accessories-and-other-office-stuff/#comments Thu, 06 Apr 2023 17:32:12 +0000 https://corporette.com/?p=146913

Hunting for cool desk accessories and other ways to personalize your space (and make it more functional while you're there)? Here are some of our favorites to keep at the office.

The post 20 Cool Desk Accessories and Other Office Stuff appeared first on Corporette.com.

]]>

Settling into a new office (or resettling into your old one) and hunting for some cool ways to personalize your space, or to make it more functional while you're there? These items are cool and clever -- great to keep in your office.

COSOOS Fast Wireless Charger with Desk Organizer

Want to charge your phone while being able to easily see the screen during your workday? This charger/organizer combo looks like a great way to keep all your supplies close at hand.

RCA 6-Can Refrigerator

Tired of people stealing your stuff out of the communal office fridge? This super mini fridge was one of my must-haves when I was working long hours. They're generally affordable ($50ish), use as much energy as a typical lightbulb, and are a great way to save money and time.

(Pro tip if you often get takeout for lunch: Keep the pricier add-ons like cheese, avocado, and bacon in your mini-fridge to save money.)

Goodies Lab Insulated Lunch Bag for Work

If you love to bring your own lunch and snacks to work, but hate having to carry bulky bags, there are a number of sleek lunch bags that look like purses instead of lunch boxes. They claim to be able to keep food cold or warm for up to six hours. Nice!

Sunrise Sensations DayBright Light Therapy Lamp

Hat tip to readers who turned me on to these gorgeous light therapy lamps. If you suffer from seasonal affective disorder (or need a major pick-me-up in the afternoon!), these light therapy lamps are stylish and functional.

Walfront Decision Maker Pendulum Desk Toy

Whether you actually need to make decisions with this pendulum -- or just like your minions to THINK you're making decisions with it -- this desk toy is great.

Chapman & Grand Cat Tape Dispenser

A little personality at the office can be a great thing. There are a lot of cute tape dispensers out there, but this kitty cat one looks amazing. P.S. Kate likes this similar cat post-it dispenser and has one on her desk AND one in her kitchen.

Welaxy Felt Drawer Organizer Trays with Lids

Sure, you can use almost anything to organize your desk drawers or cubicle, but these gorgeous felt organizers give you a fun pop of color while you're doing it. They come in seven solid colors and prints.

Let's Make Memories Personalized Conference Call Bingo Mousepad

Suffering through a conference call or Zoom that could have been an email? Yeah, been there -- but this conference call bingo mousepad can make it a lot more lively. (You can even get it personalized with your name!)

Gaiam Evolve Balance Board for Standing Desks

Already have a standing desk, and want to challenge yourself even more? There are a ton of balance boards out there to help you work your core while standing and working. This Gaiam one is top rated and doesn't look nearly as wobbly as some of the other options.

Wick Em Moisture Management Bra Liner

Trying to fit in a hot girl walk on your lunch hour, but hesitant because you know you'll get sweaty? Hat tip to the readers for introducing me to this -- it's a great little product to keep at the office to tuck under your regular bra. This way, if the weather and your work schedule cooperate, you can head out for a brisk walk without a major change of clothes.

SINGER Black and White Safety Pins

If you have any concerns about gaping shirts or other fashion gaffes, these white and black safety pins are great things to keep at the office to keep those disasters to a minimum. There are a few more DIY options to fix a gaping shirt, too!

VIVO Ergonomic Height-Adjustable Standing-Desk Footrest

Even if you're using a standing desk, a footrest can provide some relief -- and this platform looks great. The platform has a non-slip surface and a three-year manufacturer's warranty.

LILIONGTH Anti Blue Light Screen Protector

Blue light glasses are great and readily available -- but they also tend to look really bad in photos. One option is to use a screen protector like this one to block your major source of blue light: your monitor.

SUN-FLEX Ergonomic Height-Adjustable Footrest

I'm one of those people who cannot live without a footrest under my desk -- it makes my whole office experience more comfortable. There are a ton of options here, from slings to more, but I particularly like this version from SUN-FLEX because of how high the bar goes.

Fearless Double Sided Tape

Another great item to keep at the office in case of fashion gaffes: this Fearless body and clothing tape. It can work for gaping shirts, shirts that show a bit more cleavage than you expected, skirt slits that go a little bit too high, and more.

Varhomax Desk Dry-Erase Glass Whiteboard

If you're the kind of person who likes to have reminders right in front of you, or to dash little notes during the day, there are a number of white board strips you can choose from. I like this minimal, inclined version with storage space for paper clips and more below it.

FURTALK Cashmere-Feel Pashmina Shawl

A wrap at the office is a must -- not only can you use it as a shawl if you're cold (even on top of blazers!), but there are a ton of other uses for it. (We've rounded up 9 ways to use a pashmina at the office, in fact!) For example, you could use it as a lap blanket (especially if you're wearing a skirt or dress and want to sit comfortably), a pillow for a quick nap, or more.

Smart USB Coffee Cup Warmer

Hate when your coffee gets cold before you can finish it? There are so many cool USB-powered ways to keep your coffee hot. (If you work from home, you could also use one of these to diffuse a candle's scent without burning it.)

Misby Desk Fan

Whether you're dealing with aggressive heating in the winter, are being baked by windows in the summer, or just want to cool down after your commute, this USB-powered fan looks minimalist and chic -- and it comes in several color combos.

Kbinter USB Hand Warmers

If your hands tend to be freezing while you're typing, these USB-heated gloves could be a great find -- and the toast image is so cute. These have adjustable wrist straps. (There are more glove-like versions, as well!)

The post 20 Cool Desk Accessories and Other Office Stuff appeared first on Corporette.com.

]]> https://corporette.com/20-cool-desk-accessories-and-other-office-stuff/feed/ 1 Essential Items to Keep at Your Work Desk https://corporette.com/essential-items-to-keep-at-your-work-desk/ https://corporette.com/essential-items-to-keep-at-your-work-desk/#comments Mon, 11 Apr 2022 18:03:34 +0000 https://corporette.com/?p=129989

Readers, what are your essentials to keep at your work desk, office, or cube? What would you bring in the first day?

The post Essential Items to Keep at Your Work Desk appeared first on Corporette.com.

]]>
multi-colored office supplies peeking out of an desk drawer

If you’ve been working from home for the past two years and are returning to the office, or you’ve gotten a new job recently (congrats!), this post on what essential items to keep at your work desk is for you.

We’ve had lots of office supplies and office decor posts over the years, but it’s been a while since we did a general post on what to keep at your desk. After seeing this comment thread about what to bring to a new office and this one about how to get ready for a new job, we figured it was time for a new post about what to keep at the office!

Readers, what are your essentials to keep at your work desk, office, or cube? What would you bring on the first day? (Are any of your employers moving to hot desking?)

This post contains affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!

{related: how to make your office more comfortable}

Essential Items to Keep at Your Work Desk

Food & Drink Items to Keep At Your Desk

  • Mug or travel mug
  • Water bottle (We like Ello and Vmini, for example)
  • Tea bags
  • Snacks: nuts, granola bars, trail mix, etc.
  • Mints & gum
  • Napkins
  • Reusable or disposable utensils
  • Favorite condiments that are hard to get — check out Minimus if you need/want to stick to travel sizes

Cleaning Items To Keep At Your Work Desk

{related: 10 uses for office supplies in a pinch}

Hygiene Items To Keep At Your Work Desk

Beauty Items/Hair Items to Keep at Your Work Desk

  • Comb/brush
  • Hair supplies like elastics, bobby pins, clips, headbands, and more
  • Nail file — this is our favorite!
  • Lip balm / lipstick
  • Any makeup you may need to touch up
  • Lotion
  • Tweezers

Eye Care

  • Glasses case / extra glasses
  • Contact lens supplies: solution, case, extra lenses
  • Eye drops
  • Reading glasses

Health/Medical Items

Tech Stuff

Comfort/Seasonal Items

Office Decor/Personal Touches

Misc.

{related: how to decorate your workspace}

Readers, what are your essentials to keep at your work desk, office, or cube? What would you bring in the first day?

Stock photo via Stencil.

The post Essential Items to Keep at Your Work Desk appeared first on Corporette.com.

]]> https://corporette.com/essential-items-to-keep-at-your-work-desk/feed/ 10 How to Buy a Blazer to Keep at the Office https://corporette.com/buy-blazer-keep-office/ https://corporette.com/buy-blazer-keep-office/#comments Mon, 27 Sep 2021 18:03:00 +0000 https://corporette.com/?p=60983

What are your best tips for how to buy a blazer to keep at the office, or general tips on how to wear a blazer as a separate?

The post How to Buy a Blazer to Keep at the Office appeared first on Corporette.com.

]]>
mannequin wears pants, a white top and a blazer as a separate -- it's a great blazer to keep at the office

Ladies, what are your best tips for how to buy a blazer to keep at the office, or general tips on how to wear a blazer as a separate? (Does anyone have success with wearing suiting blazers as separates?) 

I often suggest to readers that they keep a blazer in their office to grab and go if you get an invitation to a meeting at the last minute or otherwise need to look (or feel) Very Professional.

{related: The Ultimate Guide to Business Casual for Women}

As another plus, it can also be a way to stay warm (whether with chilly air conditioning or a cold day), and — depending on the needs of the situation and the blazer you have — I might even grab a blazer with pockets if I were going somewhere and just wanted the use of the pockets.*

But how do you know which blazer to keep at your office? We haven’t talked how to wear a blazer with something other than a suit in years, so I thought we’d discuss.

{related: the best blazers for women this year}

Update: Our Latest Favorite Blazers to Wear as Separates

Some of our favorite blazers to wear as separates include:

collage of 5 women wearing blazers as separates instead of as part of a suit
Some of our favorite blazers to wear as separates in 2024 (all come in black): one / two / three / four / five (not pictured but also) — see our top 16 blazers for women in 2024!

{related: do check out our regularly updated list of wardrobe essentials for work!}

How to Buy a Blazer to Keep at the Office:

Some of my top tips for buying a blazer to keep at the office include:

Pick a blazer in your base color.

Whether you believe in a capsule wardrobe or not, we all have a base color that we feel most comfortable in and end up building our wardrobes around.

Mine is black — for you it may be beige, gray, navy, or white. I wouldn’t necessarily wear a black blazer with unmatched black pants, but you can’t just break up a suiting set and wear the black suiting blazer with gray suiting pants and call it a day either — the best thing is to do is to buy a blazer that has a totally different texture than most of your suiting material, and likely never came with matching pants to begin with.

{related: investment/statement blazers}

Look for a blazer with texture. 

This helps signify to other people that you know you are not wearing a suit, even if your pants or skirt is the same color as the blazer.

For fall, a tweed or bouclé might work, or even a corduroy (or velvet is huge this year!) — for spring/summer look for linen, ponte, eyelet, or a lightweight cotton blend  — you can also look for other subtle patterns or textures.

Sweater blazers might also work — here are some great ones:

collage of 5 women wearing the best sweater jackets for the office in 2023-24
Pictured above, great sweater jackets for the office as of 2024: black* / olive* / black* / navy / black (also this $70 one, and Kat loves this one*!) (* available in plus sizes; see our roundup for more)

Avoid too many details on your blazer.

You want it to be a neutral that will work across outfits — so having a colorblocked detail or zipper detail is going to make it more memorable and harder to wear multiple days in a row (if warranted).

That said, keeping a statement blazer at the office can be helpful if you don’t want to bother with layering it under coats, and wear enough neutrals and other complementary items to know that you would reach for it often as a way to “complete” your outfit when you get to work.)

{related: how to wear a blazer with something other than a suit}

As a bonus, look for functional pockets. 

Note that many blazers with functional pockets are sold with the pockets sewn shut so they lay better (ditto for blazer vents and skirt slits).

For pockets, you can very carefully check to see if there’s a lined pocket in here, or — if the rest of the blazer is unlined — look on the inside jacket to see if there’s a lined pocket in there.

As you start to have more fun with blazers and buy more, you may find you want to keep several at the office — I remember keeping a black one, a white one (for summer months), and a slightly crazy gray leopard print one (to wear on top of all black outfits).

April 2023 Update: These are some of our latest favorite white blazers...

collage of 4 white blazers
Some of our latest favorite white blazers: one / two / three / four (not pictured but also) — if you’re looking to splurge, try Smythe or L’Agence

Ladies, what blazers do you keep in your office? How many blazers do you keep, and what do you look for in a good blazer to keep at work? how to buy a blazer to keep at your office

{related: where to find Chanel-style jackets for work}

* Back in my, ah, glory days of lawyering, I had a long stretch where I had to go to the archives of the law firm to look through old documents, and I often wound up carrying an entire bankers’ box or two back to my office to review more closely — if I knew I might be carrying boxes back with me, I would often grab the blazer I kept at the office to take with me to the archives so I could put my phone, tape flags, lip gloss and ID/security card in my pockets.

(Lip gloss not because I really wanted to look pretty while working in the archives, but because I’m one of those people who gets distracted if my lips are too dry.)

Social media picture via Stencil.

It's advice a lot of young working women get -- buy a blazer and keep it at the office. But what kind of blazer will be wearable if you keep it at the office -- what color, what fabric; what other qualities should you look for when choosing a blazer to keep at the office?

This post was originally written in 2016, but has been substantially updated as indicated.

The post How to Buy a Blazer to Keep at the Office appeared first on Corporette.com.

]]> https://corporette.com/buy-blazer-keep-office/feed/ 29 Coffee Break: Welaxy Felt Organizers https://corporette.com/coffee-break-welaxy-felt-organizers/ https://corporette.com/coffee-break-welaxy-felt-organizers/#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2020 20:37:13 +0000 https://corporette.com/?p=110125

I'm always a sucker for a colorful and affordable desk organizer...

The post Coffee Break: Welaxy Felt Organizers appeared first on Corporette.com.

]]>

 

I’m always a sucker for affordable little ways to organize desk drawers — particularly if they bring a nice pop of color. A friend was recommending these felt organizers from Welaxy, and I’m totally smitten.

Of course I’ve pictured the blue, but they have two really lovely pinks, a nice dark gray, as well as a brighter turquoise blue — and they have a TON of products that all look fabulous. A step up from the plastic drawer dividers you find at the Dollar Store, but not quite as fancy as some of the leather or other options.

The pictured set is $46; there’s a coupon for $3 off today.

This post contains affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!

Workwear sales of note for 1.21.24

Our favorites are in bold!

Workwear sales of note for 1.21.24

Our favorites are in bold!

Some of our latest posts here at Corporette…

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Stay tuned for a list of our latest threadjacks!

The post Coffee Break: Welaxy Felt Organizers appeared first on Corporette.com.

]]> https://corporette.com/coffee-break-welaxy-felt-organizers/feed/ 150 Must-Have School Supplies for Law School https://corporette.com/must-have-school-supplies-for-law-school/ Sun, 06 Sep 2020 21:17:30 +0000 https://corporette.com/?p=108152

What do you think are the must-have school supplies for law school and grad school?

The post Must-Have School Supplies for Law School appeared first on Corporette.com.

]]>
school supplies such as paperclips, pushpins, pencils and pens sit near a white notebook with staples on top

Here’s a fun topic for all the would-be lawyers and recent law school grads out there: what are your must-have school supplies for law school?

We’ve talked about a ton of law school-related things, including putting together a guide to law school resources for women, rounding up the best blogs for women law students, and even answering reader questions about what to wear to law school. That said, I don’t think we’ve talked about the best school supplies for law school!

Here are some of the things I would recommend that new law students stock up on for school:

Bags for Law School: What to Carry to Class and OCI Interviews

Don’t kill your back — as we all know, law school books can be crazy heavy. I don’t recommend this for first-year students, but — sometimes, in law school, if I knew that there was only one or two decisions we’d be discussing in class, I would just print them out from Westlaw and bring the printouts with me.

(An idea for the digital age: you could also just upload the cases into a digital journaling app, like Good Notes — that way you can still highlight and scribble notes on it as you go through class. Here are all of my tips for digital journaling.)

In any event, a laptop backpack is probably your best bet — these are some of our favorites if you’re looking for something polished enough that you can use during internships and summer associate events:

{related: here are all of our resources for summer associates!}

Update: Hunting for the best work backpacks? Some of our favorites in 2024 are below — see the full post for all the details!

black backpack for work with gold hardware

The Overall Best Work Backpack

Tumi Celina Backpack

$475 at Nordstrom
black convertible backpack for work

The Best Convertible Laptop Backpack

Lo & Sons Rowledge

$485 at Lo & Sons
black backpack with laptop compartment; there are gold zippers

The Best Affordable Backpack for Work

Samsonite Mobile Solutions Classic Backpack

$79 at Amazon

Of course, for interviews you may want to consider a simpler tote bag — depending on your system with casebooks you could also get one of these. If you’re going to want a rolling backpack for class (like these), look for a tote bag with a travel sleeve, like the ones from Lo & Sons — the travel sleeve really makes a huge difference!

{related: our best on-campus interview tips and resources}

Some of the best work bags for women as of 2024 include great totes from Cuyana (with a zipper), Tumi, Tory Burch (lightweight, a laptop tote), Lo & Sons, and Madewell (north/south). Also try this highly-rated organizing insert or these clever pouches with some of the less structured bags! If you’re looking for a budget tote (or one in a specific color) check this Amazon seller (22K+ good reviews) or this Amazon seller (60K+ good reviews).

black tote bag
Cuyana
a great interview bag for females (and great work bag in general): the Tory Burch Ella
Tory Burch
black leather tote bag
Tory Burch
black laptop tote
Lo & Sons
black laptop tote
Tumi
one of the best work totes for women in the north/south shape: the Transport tote from Madewell
Madewell

(Looking for a luxury work bag? Here’s our latest roundup…)

{related: what to wear to law school}

School Supplies for Law School

{related: the best office supplies to get for yourself}

Some of the favorite pens and other writing utensils that readers have mentioned in the past include these…

As I’ve noted in the past, I love using pretty file folders… These can be hard to find online, but Target’s a good spot to look them (like the ones below from brands like Barker Creek and UBrands). (While you’re there, readers have also noted they love their Blue Sky planners!)

Also, if you’re a tax law student: bible highlighters will help you highlight the Tax Code without bleeding through. (You’re welcome.)

{related: where to get cute office supplies}

Random Other Must-Have School Supplies for Law School

Psst — check out all of our must-have school supplies for law school; some of the more random things are below (see the post for the fuller explanations!):

Some of my must-have school supplies for law school included a lot of things that are also great for business travel, including:

  • An extra wall tap so you can “share” outlets without fighting
  • a extra long charging cord for your phone, like these lightning chargers — a mobile charger with a USB tap is great also!
  • noise canceling headphones (great for airplanes AND law school libraries!) (Nordstrom also has them if you have Nordstrom Notes to use or want to do a Triple-Point day!)
  • velcro ties and cosmetics bags (control your cords!)
  • a lightweight, bluetooth keyboard can help you take electronic notes without lugging a laptop around — if you’re working with tight desk space (such as on an airplane or train tray) I actually prefer to use my bluetooth keyboard instead of a laptop or Chromebook (or, fwiw, my Apple keyboard)
  • an iPad (if you want to try to mark up cases and docs with digital journaling tools) or Kindle (less mark-up capability, but you can always send lengthy documents to your Kindle to save your eyes)
  • an Apple pencil or dupe (I have no complaints on this $27 one!)
  • (I also made major use of hornbooks like Glannon’s during law school (and even while during my pre-1L summer, dork that I am!)

Readers, what are your must-have school supplies for law school?

The post Must-Have School Supplies for Law School appeared first on Corporette.com.

]]> Tips for Digital Journaling https://corporette.com/tips-for-digital-journaling/ https://corporette.com/tips-for-digital-journaling/#comments Thu, 03 Sep 2020 17:23:00 +0000 https://corporette.com/?p=106354

I'm really into my GoodNotes bullet journal for keeping track of to-dos, goals, and habits -- so I thought I'd round up some of my best tips on digital journaling.

The post Tips for Digital Journaling appeared first on Corporette.com.

]]>

I have recently gotten into digital journaling, and I’m doing better than I have in years (possibly decades) at keeping track of to-dos, goals, and habits, and just keeping a personal diary. I especially love that when I move to a new journal, everything can easily be PDFed, and (at least with my app) my handwriting is searchable. 

Have you tried keeping a digital journal (or digital bullet journal)? What are your best tips on digital journaling?

A Quick Note on Why I Love Digital Journals

I think there are three big reasons why I love digital journals:

First, the science says that writing things out by hand helps you process them better (see, e.g., this Guardian article). I don’t know if that’s true or not, but I do feel a lot more connected to my thoughts (if that makes sense) than I do when I’m trying to work things out in, say, Microsoft Word. 

Second, I’m such a dork, but I love stickers. I have a variety I use throughout my journals — some to keep track of habits or mood (where I actually color them in as I go), some to motivate me or remind me of my goals, some just to look pretty on the page.

The third reason why I love digital journals: Everything I need is in GoodNotes. My bullet journal actually has a zillion tabs, and that’s the main one that I use, but I don’t have to worry about where I’ve left the clipboard with my worksheet, or where my task journal is, or where’s the journal that I use for taking notes on calls. 

I should also note here that I’ve always been intimidated by the idea of bullet journals in the past since so much of what you see of them is beautiful, hand-drawn layouts from super creative people. Meanwhile, my handwriting is ugly and I can barely draw a box if you give me four squares. The great thing about digital journaling is that Etsy is filled with gorgeous layouts and lists, allowing you to create your perfect Franken-planner. You can also create some of your own in affordable programs like PicMonkey, WordSwag, and more. 

Tips on Digital Journaling

Step 1. Buy and download GoodNotes

I mentioned this in our post on how to cut down on printing at home — I originally got into GoodNotes for keeping a digital food diary and then fell in love with it for the ability to mark up paperwork I didn’t feel like printing out. If you’re the kind of person who takes a lot of self-help classes with worksheets and things (e.g., No BS Weightloss or the Take a Break program for drinking), this is also tremendously helpful! 

The app is currently $8, so it isn’t a huge investment. Note that there are other apps you can use — OneNote, Evernote, and even other digital journaling apps — but I’m most familiar with GoodNotes for digital journaling. 

Step 2. Get an Apple pencil or other writing device

This can be pricey — truthfully I have one actual Apple pencil ($94) and one dupe ($27), and because the dupe is at my desk I tend to use it more. I actually purchased a $9 dupe at one point — I’m not entirely sure where it is right now, but I really hated it. (I think I gave it to my son to use to play around with the art app Procreate. You can also use Procreate to make fun images for your planner, fwiw.)

If you find your Apple pencil (or dupe) uncomfortable, or you worry you’ll lose it, you can get a writing grip like this one, which I bought — no complaints. 

Step 3. Start a fresh template, or hit Etsy to start downloading

You can actually start a fresh template very easily in GoodNotes, but I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted, so I hit Etsy. Some of the things I’ve bought include:

  • this tabbed digital bullet journal ($5) — it’s blank, undated, and uses the signature square dots,
  • a separate digital sticker journal ($7) — I’d watched a video about how to keep all your stickers in a separate journal; this one is very pastel-y. (You could also just use the first journal for this!) The goal here is to collect the stickers you’re going to use in one place, but have it separate so it doesn’t make your main digital journal too “laggy” or heavy. 
  • stickers — my first stop was Pinterest to pull all of those beautiful graphic quotes and other things that I’ve collected into the Motivation board. You can buy inspirational/fun stickers at a lot of places (like BloomPlanners, pictured below); you can often find them available to download for free if you sign up for email lists; and you can also find fun charts and templates to use. Some things to take a look at include cleaning charts, mood trackers, and weekly/monthly layouts. Sellers I’ve heard readers sing the praises of over the years include ShePlans, Bloom Planners, and more. 

Step 4. Decide how to set up your digital journal

I’d never kept a digital journal and wasn’t sure what would work for me, so I did some Googling. The current setup for my digital bullet journal is this:

TOP TABS

Future Log (I never use this but it’s supposed to be really helpful! Maybe in years that are not 2020?)

Yearly Notes – I keep:

  • a self-devised cleaning chart, and try to do one or two things on it every week (inspired by our discussion on how to deep clean your house!)
  • a yearly planner I got from another planner, with goals for professional, personal, health and fitness, fun & recreation, and interpersonal goals
  • a list of projects around Casa Griffin
  • A chart where I keep track of various numbers like money spent on groceries, days in cycle, # of days in the month I moved my body

Monthly – I’ve lately been trying to do two two-page spreads each month: (1) a brain dump with goals, “what success looks like,” and next steps on big projects (pictured below), and (2) a monthly review. The monthly review template I’m using right now is this one, but I might create one that fits my uses a bit better. I also use a “romance book bingo” sheet that I found on Twitter. (I need a protagonist who plays something other than guitar or piano — and I think I just started a book in which bagpipes are involved. Eeee!) I’ve also tried an Eisenhower quadrant but didn’t like the setup I created; maybe I’ll add that to my monthly goals.

An important note for both the monthly and weekly tabs: Because of how you click on tabs, I tend to add pages to the FRONT of the section rather than the back. That’s just the way I’m doing it, though.

Weekly – This is where I spend the majority of my time, to be honest, mostly because I don’t find daily tasks/to-dos as effective (at least for me). Each week I make lists of to-dos for the kids, the blog, and “other,” I plan dinners for the next seven days, and I keep a chart of “money spent” that I move from week to week. I’ll usually add some stickers here, and I might have other lists or notes regarding one or two of my tasks. One of my favorite ways of tracking to-do list items is to color something in (like this grid) with the different colors symbolizing different weekly goals/habits I’m working on. Went to bed before 11:30, listened to podcast, did something on to-do list, moved my body, spent quality time with kid, etc. 

{related: how to keep track of different to-dos}

Journal – This is the more traditional form of “diary.”

The final tab is currently “Milestones and Memories,” but I don’t use it very much because it’s already part of my monthly review template.

HORIZONTAL TABS

Meal Plans/Weight Loss Notes — I spend entirely too much time thinking about weight loss (I keep gaining and losing the same 2 lbs., hooray) but this is where I spend a ton of time tracking habits, weight, workouts, and more. I also have a “Moods & More” tracker I created myself to vaguely keep track of my family’s moods, the kids’ behavior, and possible related issues like weather, sugar, allergies, and other ailments. The bigger template I use each week for my meal planning is here (one I created myself; it’s just a table). This section also has my massive sheet of all the different meals we make organized by theme, as well as scribbled notes on recipes I’d like to try, ingredients to use in the freezer, fridge, or pantry, and more. I still use this silly workout tracker I got in law school.

Workouts – I mostly just scribble notes on what I did each day, whether it’s “Fitbod App” or “Les Mill Body Combat 68,” or whatever. I’ve also imported my spreadsheets from NROLFW and my “leg day” spreadsheet, but because I’m recently using the FitBod app I’m not using those. 

Television/Movies/Books – I have a whole tab for this, but I’m not sure I really need it. When I create my only monthly review planner I might add it in there. You can get really lovely planner sheets to keep track of books read, books you want to read, and more. 

My next step I think will be to go back through the various lists that are sprinkled in B-Folders (my Palm pilot replacement), OneNote, Evernote, and my iPhone, and figure out what is going to be best to keep in my digital journal. I kind of forget about what’s there.

(Tabs I’m not using but might be helpful for you as you consider how you’d want to set up a digital bullet journal: “Inspiration,” “Quotes,” and a few more I’ll have to look up. I used Microsoft Word and a “pretty” font to make headers for the front of each section, but that’s me.)  

A few random tips on digital journalling:

  • You can pinch in and out to increase the writing area; when you zoom out again it looks like you actually have nice handwriting.
  • If you color in/fill out a chart or template, you can move it to a different place in your journal by drawing a lasso around it and then clicking “take screenshot.” You can then crop it either as a rectangle or in freehand style. So, for example, my finished tasks and habits chart from a week ago is pictured above. (I am… obviously not a perfectionist. Although! if you are! you can either a) zoom way the heck in and do it carefully, or b) use the pen in white to “clean up” places where you go outside the line.) 
  • If you do end up importing homemade stickers that have multiple stickers per image file, you can just copy/paste the entire “sheet” from your sticker book or camera files, and then crop them as a rectangle or freehand. 
  • Don’t let your journal get too big, or it’ll be difficult to export in PDF. Separate from my bullet journal, I also keep a digital journal for food diaries and the like, and three months of daily sheets is apparently too much. 

The post Tips for Digital Journaling appeared first on Corporette.com.

]]> https://corporette.com/tips-for-digital-journaling/feed/ 1 Back to Top