Grocery List + Printables

Need a quicker way to keep track of what groceries you need?

Well, instead of re-writing a grocery list week after week, now you can use my FREE grocery list printable to expedite the process. Use this with yesterday's free meal planning printable and grocery shopping will become easier than you ever expected!


Tips: 
- Highlight the items you need to pick up at the grocery store.
- Add details to more vague grocery items on the list.
- Use the included blanks to add additional grocery items to the appropriate category.
- Once you've put that item in your grocery cart, check off the box, and immediate satisfaction awaits you!
- An entirely blank category labeled "kids and/or pets" allows you to incorporate grocery items for your child or pet.

I have also provided an example of the grocery list printable in use. Make sure to glance it over to see how I use the list to help me stay organized when grocery shopping! I hope you find this printable helpful. If you have any suggestions or requests for grocery lists please kindly let me know :)




Surprise! I've got another grocery printable too! This printable is just an alternative way of organizing your grocery list. This grocery checklist printable allows you to only see what you need to buy! This can be used in conjunction with the previous grocery list or just used to create your own list.








Enjoy & happy grocery shopping!! 


Meal Planning + Printable

Meal. Planning. Is. Incredible.

If you don't do it already, I highly encourage you to.

What is meal planning? 
Meal planning is an effective way of planning out every meal you will eat for the upcoming week. This includes breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner. I personally suggest not including dessert... if you haven't planned for it, you won't eat it! :)

Why should I plan my meals?
Meal planning is a wonderful way to stick to a healthier way of living, save money, and actually eat all of the food you buy at the grocery store!

How do I effectively plan my meals for the week? 
Be detailed. The more details you include, the better your planning will be.
Be honest with yourself. You don't have to cook every meal and if you eat out for dinner a lot, that's fine, just make sure to incorporate that in your planning!
Don't set your standards too high. If it's a stressful week, it is okay to eat frozen pizza... this is real life.
Think in terms of leftovers. Try to plan meals that have ingredients that can be reused in other meals throughout the week.
- List your ingredients. Make sure to have a place to list off EVERY ingredient you need in order to eat that week, including the things you already have. After you have planned your week, go through your pantry and refrigerator and cross off any items you already have. Using this, you will be able to effectively put together an organized grocery list!

How can I organize all of this information? 
- Use my meal planning printable! :)
- Not only have I prepared a FREE printable for you to use to plan your meals, I have also included an example of how to effectively use this planner! Make sure to check it out!





      {download here}

Now what??
- Plan your meals, make your grocery list, and go get your groceries! 
TIP: Make sure to put your week's meal plan somewhere visible so you'll remember what you planned to eat that week! 
- Check back in tomorrow for my FREE grocery list & grocery checklist printables




Updates!

Hi all!

I have quite a few posts already lined up for this upcoming week (starting on Monday) so get ready for some useful printables and a few other things coming your way!

Until then, I have a few quick updates to catch you up on:


1) New design!
I'm sure you've already noticed, but I have made a few design changes to the blog! I was hoping to make the blog more colorful and exciting and I hope this does the trick :) I anticipate changing the blog design seasonally but for now I'm just loving this spring inspired look!


2) Bloglovin'
I just joined Bloglovin' and I would really appreciate it if you would follow my blog with Bloglovin! It is a great site where you can follow all of your favorite blogs and get notified when there are new posts. I have added this new link under "Follow Me" on the right side of this blog. So even if you aren't using Bloglovin' now, you can easily follow me there if you use Bloglovin' sometime in the future.
3) Facebook
Thanks to everyone who has followed Organized Meg on facebook! We reached 25 "likes" earlier last week and that allowed me to create a custom URL for facebook... yay! So now you can stay up to date with Organized Meg via facebook.com/organizedmeg. :)


That's all for now!
I hope you have a wonderful rest of your weekend & I'll see y'all again on Monday!




St. Patricks Day Pinspiration

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I figured this week's pinspiration could be all about St. Patrick's Day! Enjoy and Happy St. Patrick's Day! :)

[ Food & Drinks ]


{ 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 }


[ Decorations ]


{ 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 }



Packing Planner Printables

Just the word "packing" fills me with anxiety. Most of this anxiety is because of the dreadful packing list. My desire to be prepared for "anything" often means that I become a victim of overpacking. If you have similar issues, or are just looking for a better way to be thoughtful in your packing, then I have what you need: the Packing Planner.

This document is something that I have doodled on a piece of notebook paper more times than I can count and I am thrilled to say that it is now finally a printable! This packing planner is set up for seven days and allows you to record the weather forecast, general plans, daytime outfit, and nighttime outfit for everyday that you're gone. There is also an additional row deemed "Other Items" that is a place to put everyday items that you need to pack (i.e., cosmetics, hair products, etc.).

I have uploaded this Packing Planner in seven different colors and I hope you enjoy!
 

{ Download ALL seven here! }

I hope you find these helpful and if you have any special requests regarding this packing planner please let me know! :) 




This Week's Pinspiration

I don't know about you but just thinking about Pinterest brings joy to my soul and a smile to my face. Thousands of pins are about organizing and being more efficient in your every day life, so I've decided to incorporate that into my weekly blog posts. Every week I will highlight some of my favorite pins about organization and creative storage solutions. So, without further ado, it's time to show you this week's pinspiration!



( Wallpaper in a Kitchen Pantry )

{ pin } { source }


Why does this work? 
- The gray background makes an unexpected statement and makes the pantry visually stimulating.
- Using baskets, containers, and labels make everything seem neat, orderly, and intentional.
- You'd never lose anything in that pantry!

Organizing tips to take away from it: 
- Use paint and wallpaper in unexpected places.
- The color gray is wonderful way to add depth without clashing with any other surrounding objects.
- Use glass containers to store grains, flour, etc. and label them to avoid confusion.
- Store cans and bulkier items at the bottom of the pantry.
- Use baskets to store loose and non-structured grocery items.
- Clear containers with plastic lids are a great way to store cereal, chips, and all kinds of snacks!



( Behind the Door Cleaning Storage )




{ pin }

Why does this work? 
- Hanging these cleaning supplies on the back of the door saves space and keeps all cleaning products visible and within reach. 
- You'll never misplace a cleaning product again because each one has it's own special home!
- Hiding your cleaning supplies behind a door allows them to remain out of site from visitors and provides for much needed available space below the sink. 

Organizing tips to take away from it: 
- Repurpose organizers! Just because it's supposed to hold shoes, jewelry, or silverware doesn't mean it has to. 
- Everyone has a door! Take advantage of the doors in your home and create vertical storage space. 
- Use clear or mesh storage products in order to find items quickly. 




( Chalkboard Furniture )
{ pin } { source }

Why does this work? 
- Labeling with chalk allows you to easily know which drawer contains what you're looking for.
- The navy color of the chest blends well with any residue left from the chalk and creates a vintage and well-worn look. 
- The loose style of the handwriting gives the room an unexpectedly casual mood. 
- Chalk is temporary and allows you to reorganized and relabel the drawers as often as you want without any wasted money or effort. 

Organizing tips to take away from it: 
- Don't be afraid to add a casual feel to your organization... it doesn't have to be perfect! 
- Use label that are easy to change in areas that change often get reorganized or repurposed. 
- Chalkboard paint doesn't have to be black! Mix it with your favorite paint to get the chalkboard paint color of your dreams. 



( Clipboards Instead of Bulletin Boards )
pin } source } 


Why does this work? 
- Hanging multiple clipboards on the wall provides more visual interest and texture than the standard bulletin board. 
- The clip on the clipboard means you'll never have to go searching for another thumbtack again! 
- Displaying cards or important documents with a clipboard prevents any damage from occurring to the item. 
- If you're referencing a specific document while working at your desk, hanging it on the clipboard allows for easy access and puts the document right at your eye level. 

Organizing tips to take away from it: 
- Think outside the box! Reconsider everyday objects and try to think of other ways they can utilized. 
- In order to keep your office space efficient, make sure you have a place to store (or display) all the paperwork that can easily overwhelm you. 
- Next time you need a versatile but interesting way to show off something, consider a clipboard. They could be used to hang children's art, meaningful cards, save the date reminders, important deadlines, or even the goals you have for yourself. 
- Mix textures, colors, and patterns on your wall to keep the mood of your office light, fresh, and inspiring. 



( Beautiful Bookshelves )
{ pin } { source }


Why does this work? 
- The simple color scheme used on this bookshelf is unifying, simplifying, and invigorating. 
- Using magazine holders that are the same color as the bookshelf creates a less overwhelming visual. 
- Letting some objects have their own cubby fills the space without making it seem cluttered. 
- The main accent colors are scattered throughout the cubbies and keep the eye interested no matter what part of the bookshelf you're looking at. 

Organizing tips to take away from it: 
- Keep all visible storage items within your color scheme that will outlast the changing colors and shapes of your accessories. 
- Use storage boxes, files, and magazine holders to keep unsightly or unstructured objects hidden but organized. 
- Stack books on their side to give off a modern and unexpected alternative to the standard bookshelf. 
- Distribute colors sporadically throughout the bookshelf to prevent a look that feels stiff. 
- Display pieces of art on top of a taller bookshelf to provide a greater sense of purpose to the piece. 



I hope you found these pins as inspiring as I did! If you're in need of further inspiration, click the links associated with each pin and you'll find even more ideas for getting organized. Happy pinning :)


Blog Update

After thinking about the future potential of this blog and where I would love for it to go, I decided to change its name to something more versatile and unique... Organized Meg! This new blog name will allow the blog to grow and change as time goes on and will allow for much for opportunity in the future. Plus, the change allowed for more consistency in the accessibility of the blog.

Please make sure you're up to date on all the new information regarding this blog...


Blog: www.organizedmeg.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/organizedmeg
Twitter: www.twitter.com/organizedmeg
Email: organizedmeg@gmail.com 

If you have any ideas, suggestions, questions, or requests please contact me. 

Thank you for being flexible in this change and make sure to bookmark the new blog address, like the facebook, and follow me on twitter :) 



P.S. There should be another new post either tonight or tomorrow! Yay! 

Best Purchase Yet: My Agenda

Let's be real, I have always been a sucker for agendas. I can never go to Target or OfficeMax without staring at them, flipping through them, and convincing myself not to buy them because I already have three at home. This agenda-addiction of mine has plagued me my entire life. That is, until a few months ago. That's right ladies and gents, I have found "The One" of agendas. Its name, you ask, is MyAgenda.

Now let me give you a tour of this wonderful product. I chose this beautiful turquoise color and personalized with my name in the bottom corner. I love this tiny detail... something about having my name on something makes me so much more productive. One of my favorite features of this agenda is that it has two ribbon bookmarks. I keep one marked on the current month and one marked on the current week.






The myAgenda is very practical because it has helpful and informative pages throughout. After the introduction, it explains various ways to use this agenda, lists online resources (useful websites), toll-free numbers, and then the date of holidays for 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. After this there is a yearly calendar for 2011, 2012, and 2013.




Next, we begin the monthly calendars! On the left, there are small monthly calendars for the month before and the six months following. Every month also has a special quote at the top of it. 




The weekly calendars are divided up into five sections: one large section at the top and four smaller sections below. Each week has a unique quote on it and a small monthly calendar for the current month and the next month. I use the top section for my weekly to do list (chores, dinner plans, meetings, etc.). Since I'm in college, I use the bottom four sections for my classes. I put due dates for those classes in there according to that week. I like to put check boxes next to everything (even dinner plans!) because I just feel such a sense of accomplishment when I get to check those boxes off. These smaller sections could be used for so many things and I just love the versatility that it provides! Once May comes, these boxes will no longer be filled with class assignments and I cannot wait to find a new way to use that space. 




After the weekly calendars, there is a vertical column for every month in 2013. This is a great space to do some future planning and make note of upcoming events! Next are eight lined pages that allow great versatility. The individual pages are titled: books, movies, music, fashion, restaurants, wines, health, and fitness. Next are pages to keep track of expense records, entertainment resources, party information, vacation ideas, and vacation planning. Then there are twenty-eight lined pages to use for whatever purpose you want! I use mine to write in schedules, workout classes, internship hours, and several other things.  




Next is a separate booklet titled "myEssentials." This is attached to the agenda with a small elastic band and is easy to take out if you desire. The purpose of this booklet is to keep permanent information (addresses, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) within reach - but also save you some serious time in the long run! You can remove this booklet after you're done with this agenda and stick it into the back of your new myAgenda. Which means, no more refilling out birthdays every year! Yay!!





If you're wondering how this system works in relation to my templates from my last post (class assignments, to do list, week at a glance) let me tell you... I primarily use those printed templates as my attempt at not procrastinating. Sometimes I re-print them several times a week because I didn't get enough done one day or something came up and changed. I fold up the most up to date version of those printouts and keep them in my agenda at all times. I primarily use my agenda, however, to keep track of due dates, meetings, and plans that usually don't change. This system really allows me to feel like I'm always in-the-know and on top of everything I've got going on in this ever-changing life!

MyAgenda can be purchased online at momagenda.com! I would highly recommend going and looking online at the variety of sizes, colors, and patterns available to you. They release new editions as we get closer to the next school year but they are currently selling the 2011-2012 edition at 50% off!! If you're in need of an agenda to get you through 2012, this is an incredible deal!

I hope this review of my agenda has given you some ideas on how to organize your own life, as well as given you some insight into the wide world of agendas! Keep an eye out for more regular posts from me coming up - just trying to figure out what routine will work best for my current schedule (once a week, twice a week, etc.). So please keep checking back here! :)


Note: I am receiving no compensation for this post and it is not an advertisement. Just wanting to share my personal opinion on a product that is very near and dear to my heart.