{how I stay [more] organized >> my Gussy Folder}

For weeks now {probably even months},

I’ve been writing little notes here & there with ideas, projects, tips, goals and dreams for me and the biz. More recently I decided it’s time to stop creating lists and to-do’s that scatter a half dozen journals and sticky notes >> I need them to be in one place. My first idea was to search Etsy for a shop that could make me a cute 3-ring binder to serve as my Gussy Folder — I need to be able to re-arrange the pages so a bound book just wouldn’t work. Sadly, I couldn’t find what I was looking for, but hooray! I decided to make my Gussy Folder myself.

I found this cute binder at Target (can also be bought online at www.russellandhazel.com {super cute biz name, by the way}) along with hole-punched pages & divider folders. Yippeeeee :]

Three categories I’m constantly using:
* goals
* blog ideas
* to-do

These three are the top most important categories for my folder. Having goals is SO, SO important — it’s the only way I was able to quit my day job back in May. Plus, goals are really great ways to grow my business and add motivation to my day. Another category that keeps my blog running {the second biz I have} is a blog ideas list. Usually in the morning is when I come up with the best post/blog ideas, and writing them down is a super easy way for me to come up with a topic/remember ideas. The last category in my Gussy Folder is a to-do list. Having this list in a 3-ring binder lets me add pages to my to-do list without messing up the order of everything else in my book.

Each divider page also has a pocket —

Lined paper inserts, perfect :]

My Gussy Folder was super fun to make and it cost me less than $20 to create [binder was $7.69, paper was $4.84 and divider folders were $5.17]. On each divider page, I wrote the name of the category on a small piece of fabric {pulled from my scrap bin}. I then used the zig-zag stitch to sew the smaller piece to a bigger piece of fabric. I finished by sewing the fabric directly onto the paper using a top stitch. These folders are card stock-weight so it will hold the stitch well ♥.

One thing that will be super great about this Gussy Folder is I can look back at the goals/topics/to-do’s I accomplished and be proud of myself. When I’m having a downer day I like to take a minute and focus on the praises in my life. Then I pray for some help *wink*

Materials used —
* 3-ring binder
* divider pages
* lined paper {graph would be cute, too}
* thread
* fabric
* fabric marker
* embellishments to decorate the front of your binder {stickers, photos, marker, fabric, glitter glue, etc.}