How do you organize your ideas/thoughts? If you are like me, when I am working on a project, ideas come to me constantly and in very unexpected ways. For example, I can look at a picture, love it then suddenly my creative wheels begin to spin and usually from that a new idea is born. This happens to me quite often.
Other times, while laying in bed, a random thought comes to mind. Often times I make a mental note, file it away for the next morning. Other times, I have to get up and jot it down so I don’t lose it.
Currently, I am working on 3 projects simultaneously. If you consider being a mommy a project then make that 4! Anyhow, to track down my ideas I currently use 4 separate books. Each one used for a different purpose although some overlapping is inevitable.
Currently taking advantage of- a journal, sketchbook, notebook, and planner. Don’t get me wrong- I don’t use them for their intended purposes. I use the sketchbook as my vision book (very little sketching goes in there!). The notebook is for random thoughts and a daily ‘to do’ checklist, etc.
This notebook (stolen from my husband!) has a transparent cover so I took one of our pictures and made it the cover. I love it!
I use the notebook to jot down my daily to do list. It helps me stay on track b/c w/ Zoey, I’m easily off track. Never know when she wakes up from her nap or just want mommy to hold her for the next 20 mins!
Tags help w/ the organization process.
Cute lipstick tags from Lucky magazine. This is an example of what goes into my Vision book. I love the pink color of the sofa and the gray of the wallprint. So I just put them next to each other so I can reference this color combo for one of my projects.
Another thing that goes into my Vision book are magazine clippings. I track down styles that I like. Navoh handbags is one of my favorites for chic, modern, trendy, + affordable styles. One of their bags got featured in Lucky magazine so I clipped that feature and placed it in my book.
Super affordable!
Yes! In the Vision book I actually reserve a small section dedicated for this blog. This is where I write down some of the subjects to be posted. I like this clipping b/c of the organizational layout of the pieces pinned onto the virtual bulletin board. And I love the image of the lady- it depicts a modern, stylish, confident woman in a white space.
The inside cover of my ‘planner’.
This is a great spread. Love the white Prada cosmetic case and the vibrant hydrangeas! All the blooms remind me of spring which I am so looking forward to. So close I can almost smell it!
I absolutely LOVE in fact am OBSESSED with this picture of Zoey. Maybe b/c I took it?!
This is the damaged that was done to one of the pages in the moleskin journal. As you can see, I love making lists! This was my packing list to our DC trip last spring. Imagine my list now with all of Zoey’s things!!
And lastly, w/o going into details, this is what I am currently contemplating over for one of my work in progress projects. Decisions. Decisions.
Hope this post got you into the ‘organizing your ideas’ mode! It’s not always convenient but if you have a place for all your random thoughts, it’s so much easier for later reference.
Til next post, Kellie.
lezoemusings.com 
Thank you for giving me a wonderful idea (which I will give you full credit for). I’m going to start having my students treat their school notebooks as an art project. Instead of only checking for completeness and accuracy, I’ll give them credit for creativity and artistry as well. I don’t know why I never thought of this before.
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Ha! That’s a great idea. What grade/subject do you teach? Best, Kellie
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Thanks! I teach high school math and physics. I’ll make a note to send you some pictures next year when I start doing this.
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Ok, my friend, I have not dropped by your blog in a while but you have been on my mind and it is time to do something you probably never expected – follow through.
I recently got a new job and I will be teaching an intensive summer school algebra II class on Monday. Six weeks long, four hours a day. Now I like to think that I am a pretty entertaining and engaging guy, but 4 hours of anything is enough to make anyone’s head explode. That said, in an intensive course every minute is crucial, and if my students are fading out by hour three then I am effectively losing the equivalent of an entire marking period.
So I think to myself, how can I fill that time in a productive, fun and creative way? And suddenly it clicked – devote a portion of every class to work on their personalized and artistic course notebook. This is going to be fun – I can’t wait to share the results.
Thanks again for inspiring me!
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Are you an interior designer, ma’am?
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Many times my brain storms produce the most when I am driving into work – it could be the graet scenery in the Chianti hillside – or just simple because I am in the middle of a rampage of gratitude.
http://www.pierotucci.com/clothing/new_collection/
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I like your method for when those ideas come. Whenever I read a book, I have notepad and pen ready. I find that reading makes one a better writer. My planner is a great place for jotting down ideas, right smack dab on the date I think it. One of the best tools on the computer is notepad, I sketch blog entries there before I sit down in a lotus position [I don’t have a desk] as I am right now writing this. Since I do a lot of writing, lower back pains! So I limit the time in front of the computer.
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Thanks for sharing and inspiring me to get a little more organised 🙂
Where did you get that gorgeous turquoise planner from? And is it a loose leaf one you can add to? Thanks jen@madeinminch
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Hi- the Blue Sky planner was gifted to me by a former boss. However, here’s the link the their website http://www.blueskyimg.com/
There’s a pocket where you can slip on/off a notebook.
Best, Kellie
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Wow, so lovely and ORGANIZED! LOL
My scribbles and notes do NOT look that pretty. Love the pink + turquoise and your images are so crisp and clean!
Also: that is a great shot of your daughter. I can’t get my daughter to take good pics because she is way too aware of the camera, and she’s always making a weird, “What are you doing, Mom?” look on her face…
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Hey thanks for stopping by my blog! I’m a to do list kinda gal 🙂 Great post!
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Love the way you tagged your things. So COOL! Seriously, I love the combination of pink & blue colour in the photos.
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Napkins, receipts, I’ve even jotted ideas down on the inside of coffee cups. Whatever’s at hand. I don’t even think I’d use a tablet if I had one, the ideas come too fast sometimes to wait for the darn thing to load.
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Such a great post! Serves as a daily reminder!
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I’m in the middle of a full-house organization. Good post for my life right now.
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I’m very impressed with your organization. I’m usually scratching notes onto the back of envelopes or whatever scrap of paper I can reach. It’s not such a great way of keeping my thoughts in order.
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I also have to have several journals and sketch pads for all the ideas I explore. Organizing your ideas and inspirations is enjoyable in such nice journals.
Thank you for sharing yours.
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I relate so much to the first two paragraphs. Ideas are always popping out of me, and the end up in a multitude of places.
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