Feeling more put together instantly is what I like to call, an indigo day. It’s the whole motto behind this entire blog. I truly believe that feeling a little more put-together does not have to be complicated or hard. And what you do may make you feel better, may not work for someone else and vice versa.
These little tips and hacks can be a part of your beauty routine, your home, how you get dressed and everything in between. Some of these are tips that I personally swear by, and some are from the Indigoers of this community.
As part of my series of my best tips, today is all about my go-to tips and tricks for making your life, in general, feel more put together. It’s the little habits and things you do to set yourself up for success to make your life feel a little more put-together.
Life Tips To Feel More Put Together
Stocking Your Fridge, Freezer & Pantry
Nothing like dinner time rolling around and being starving and having nothing to eat. Having easy-to-make meals at your fingertips will make your life feel more put-together and allow you to not stress about mealtime.
The key to always having quick and healthy meals at your fingertips is a well-stocked fridge, pantry and freezer. This also doesn’t mean you need to live at the grocery store. Figure out a handful of things you can easily make with the essentials you almost always have on hand. Every kitchen will be different, but for me, I like to always have the following on hand no matter what.
Pantry & Fridge Staples
- Eggs
- Yogurt and granola
- Cheeses
- Bread – you can also freeze this to have on hand
- Tortillas
- Jarred sauce
- Dry pasta
- Dry rice and minute rice
- Oats
- Beans
- Coconut milk
- Frozen shrimp
- Frozen broccoli
- Frozen stir fry rice
- Frozen chicken
- Chicken broth
- Cartons of soup
Frozen Prepared Items
- Cauliflower gnocchi
- Daiy Harvest Flatbreads
- Trader Joe’s burrito bowls
- Trader Joe’s potstickers
- Kevin’s Paleo Korean Style BBQ Chicken – anything by Kevin’s Paleo is great!
- Trader Joe’s Vegetable Stir Fry
Believe it or not, with the above ingredients, I can whip up quite a few meals that are packed with flavor, protein and nutrients. I also like to keep those few things in my freezer that are already prepared that can be heated up quickly. so whether I need something in 5 minutes, or have 20 minutes to spare to make gnocchi or pasta, I always have it as an option!
Meal Prep
I’ll be honest, I kind of hate meal prepping. So instead of it being really specific meals, I just try to freeze things when I make them. In fact, I love my FoodSaver for this very reason. It makes frozen meat especially, much more likely to be consumed and not thrown out. If I’m making any sort of protein, I try to freeze a couple of servings so I have it ready to go. It makes dinner easy as can be when all I need to do is heat something up and maybe make a small side, or heat up one minute rice.
Set Digital Boundaries
I need to personally be better about this, but I’m at least trying. Putting your phone on Do Not Disturb for a portion of your evening and morning will force you to enjoy that cup of coffee without the distraction of the phone. It’ll also decrease your time spent staring at a screen and aimlessly scrolling. So I can’t recommend it enough. I also try every day to be better. And the days I truly don’t stare at my phone all day long, really do feel like the best days.
“My phone is set for automatic Do Not Disturb from 8pm-7am everyday. Boundaries are important.” – Melinda
Have A Morning And Nighttime Routine
Creating even just a simple routine helps you feel more accomplished once you complete it. And usually results in your completing yet another task and the domino effect begins. Having some routines can also help to create more control over your day, and your time which will make you feel more put-together.
Write In A Journal
Taking a few minutes whether at the start of the day or end of the day to reflect is an incredible habit to start. I have an entire blog post on the benefits of journaling here.
Set Aside Self Care Time
Carve out time either once a week, once a month, whatever, to get in some self care time. It’ll make you feel a whole lot better, allow you to de-stress and fill up your self care time. For me, it’s doing my nails, going for walks and sometimes doing some baking. By doing those things I feel more at peace, more aligned with myself, and I feel more energized.
Organize Your Purse And Car
Nothing is more annoying than digging into your purse to try to find something. I am a firm believer in a well organized purse and car. And not only having it be organized, but having it serve your needs too. Make sure you have all the things you usually need, and also only need every once in a blue moon, in your bag. Your life will feel so much less chaotic if you can reach into your bag and grab what you need without digging through a mess.
Automate What You Can
From paying your bills, to automating your dogs food delivery, these little things are easy to do and can make your life so much easier. I automate everything I possibly can from Pork’s dog food, my bills, my savings draft each month and so on.
Schedule Everything
In addition to automating what you can, I also put on my calendar anything and everything so it repaets when I need it to. This helps to make sure I don’t forget to get that oil change, or call the HVAC company to service my house every 6 months. Just put it on the calendar and let it remind you in 1 month, 6 months, whatever it is. I personally even have change toothbrush head on my calendar or I’ll never remember to do it. And don’t forget to add in everyone’s birthdays and anniversaries. You’ll stay on top of all your scheduled maintenance, bill payments, and more.
Have Greeting Cards On Hand
I always have a handful of greeting cards in my office for emergencies. Whether it’s a last minute birthday I forgot I had to go to, or just a random sweet thank you note, having these in my office to grab instead of having to drag my butt to the store makes it so much easier (and more likely to send) to give cards. And if you’re the type to gift wine, I also always have a few bottles on hand and wine bags for quick and easy gifts when I completely forgot about that celebratory girls get together.
