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Man! I haven't been here in so long. Sorry about my absence. I surely didn't mean to be away for this long. As of now, I am in my bed binging Netflix shows & movies and trying to plan for this upcoming week. So much has happened since I last blogged, so I thought I'd give you the run down.

1. Work was so chaotic this Summer. Long hours, long weeks, and finally the students are back in school and we are well within the semester. I actually got a promotion this Summer, so I am now Assistant Director of Financial Aid. Here's to hard work paying off, my friends!

2. I had some not-so-good things happen early on in the Summer. After 32 years of marriage, my parents divorced. While the news was hard to hear, it wasn't a complete shock. I am still handling it pretty hard, even though I know my parents are doing okay. I guess you just never get used to your parents being apart. I am still adjusting.

3. My grandpa passed away peacefully, but he lived a full life and I am happy that he is no longer suffering. He was a kind man and my hero! I miss him a lot, but I am grateful I knew him.

4. The dating circle has been small these days. I was in a relationship for a few months, but it ended early this Summer and it's been hard out there. Dating just isn't what I'd thought it'd be, but it sure keeps life interesting. #datingnotmating #29andfeelingfine #whoneedsmen

5. F I N A L L Y went on a beach vacation for a weekend! It was glorious and exactly what I needed. I want to take another trip (mountains?) in the next month or two. I also want to go back to NYC so bad!

6. My roommate and I are moving to Columbus, GA. There just isn't a lot of opportunity in the small town we live in, and its the next largest city in GA aside from ATL. Since we cannot commute to our jobs from ATL, Columbus was the next best thing! We move in 23 days!

7. I am really hoping to get back to making my health a focus in my life. When it comes to eating and working out, I really struggle, but hopefully I can do some meal planning and working out after we move.

8. Parenthood. The best show ever! I have been watching this show instead of Friday Night Lights. I know, I just can't get that into Friday Night Lights. Maybe it's all the football?

Well, glad you got to check in with me! Happy Tuesday, xx.

ORGANIZATION: TIPS & TRICKS

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Are you rushing around trying to find your keys under a huge pile of stuff? Do you find yourself trying to answer those emails, but you can't find the time and they seem to be piling up by the second? Does this sound like a cheesy info-merical? Great! Because it's not.

Organization was not my strong suit growing up. I often found myself trying to find things on my closet floor. I always had an over-stuffed junk drawer in my dresser. I always lost papers or permission slips, which would drive my parents crazy. It would drive my teachers crazy, too. Then there was the 10th grade cheerleading uniform debacle of 2001. I looked everywhere for that uniform only to find it in my closet two years later. Yeah, it was that bad.

Over time (especially my college years) I began to take my space, time, and life more seriously. I had to be organized to balance my academics and my social life. No longer could there be a junk drawer, I just didn't give myself the option. Papers and supplies all had a home and for the first time in my life, I felt on top of it.

If you need some help in organizing your life and making it easier for yourself, here are some tips!

1. Take it all out. The first step in organizing any space is to remove everything and start with a blank space (not you, Tay). I am not asking you to take out heavy furniture or decor, but if it can be lifted and moved easily, it needs to come out. Set aside and we will come back to it later.

2. Have a purpose and a plan. If that spare bedroom makes the perfect closet or dressing room, then you really don't want to include things that hinder the space. If your desk is for work only, maybe put it my window with a view for those long working days. The point here is to have a purpose and set your sights on making it happen.

3. De-clutter (and do it fast). Part of disorganization can come from keeping (a.k.a. hoarding) things you don't need anymore. By eliminating unused or useless items you are freeing yourself from clutter. If it hasn't been used in a year, or has never been used at all, get rid of it and do it fast. Don't allow yourself to rationalize keeping something you know you won't need. If it has sentimental value, but hasn't been "used" set is aside, we will come back to that.

4. Clean. Another great way to keep an area organized is to keep it clean. Ridding the space of dust, mold, odors, etc. can do wonders! Stirring dust can really affect indoor allergies, so the less you have, the less clutter, the less dust. Simple is good!

5. Re-create your space. After you have taken everything out, made a plan, de-cluttered, and cleaned, it's time to put everything in its place. Depending on your space, you will want to place items where they are most functional. Keep things at eye-level (or lower) that are used all of the time. Tuck away cords, electronics, remotes, etc. in a specific place when they are not being used. If you are organizing a closet, be sure to put like items together (such as seasonal items). Be sure to purchase crates, boxes, or storage containers to keep items in when they are not being used. Everything needs a home and everything needs a purpose. If you have sentimental clutter that you want to hold onto, find a place to store it to keep it from dry rotting or breaking down.

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I hope these first steps help you to organize your space, time, and life! Once you have organized each space one by one, you will be able to focus on the people and things you love.

Happy Monday, xx.

SUMMER BUCKET LIST

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I love Summer. I am not a big fan of the heat, but I am appreciative of the extra daylight and the slowness that happens in Summer. Because my job can get quite stressful, I made a list of to do's to enjoy Summer and feel recharged when the Fall semester starts. Some of these I have already done, but I wanted to give you the full list anyway.

1. Take a cooking class.
2. Enjoy a girls weekend at the lake.
3. Go on a day hike
4. Take a girls trip
5. Go to a Braves game
6. Have a cook out at the house and invite people over
7. Day trip to the beach
8. Girls night in - cooking together
9. Go to a drive-in movie theatre
10. Go to a food truck festival (doing this next weekend)
11. Watch Hot Pursuit - Movie night!
12. Try at least two new restaurants in our area
13. Beach weekend in September

These are just a few of them, but I am really excited to finish my bucket list. I have roughly a month and a half before the Fall semester starts, although Summer last here through September, er, October.

What are your Summer plans? Do you have a bucket list you're trying to mark off?

Happy Friday, xx!