Get Organized in Less Than One Month (+ a Printable!)

Happy Friday! 

I hope you had a great week, and that you have something fun planned for the weekend. Spencer and I will be in New Jersey celebrating the wedding of two great friends. Yay!

This week, I ran across an article from PopSugar that lists 116 items to throw away (or donate) in your home. If you're anything like me, a list of 116 items seems pretty daunting! Have no fear. I am sharing the list with you (original article here) and also suggesting a way to tackle it.

Blog Takeover: Love the Here and Now

I hope by now you know Anne from Love the Here and Now. I did a Q&A with her earlier this month (which you can read here if you missed it), and have loved following her and her blog for the past year. And if you blog, or want to blog, she has some of the best blogging tips anywhere on the internet.

Welcome, Anne!

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People often ask what the toughest part of offering sponsorships is. For me, without a doubt, the answer would be staying organized. If you are not organized, sponsorships can be a nightmare. People are paying you for a service and you owe it to them to follow through. Keeping track of highlights, blog takeovers, and other services you offer is crucial. Today I am sharing one of the things that has helped me most; using Google Drive to stay organized with sponsorships.

I have both a blog and personal gmail address. I love all of the options that gmail provides; Blogger, calendars, hangouts, and more. Google Drive allows you to create spreadsheets, forms, and documents. All of your information is kept in one place and can even be shared and edited by others. Google forms are a wonderful way to request and store information from your sponsors.



Log into your google account and click on the grid in the upper right hand corner. There you can access all of the wonderful things available to you. Click on Drive.



Under the "Create" tab you will find a drop down menu. We will be working with forms.



Each form is customizable. Google offers several themes to choose from or you can upload your own design.



Once you have chosen your theme, it is now time to create your form. Each sponsorship spot I sell has its own options. For example, some ads come with sponsor highlights so on my forms, I ask the questions that you see on my highlight posts. The forms allow you to ask open ended questions or multiple choice questions. It's also nice to add a quick note to your sponsors at the top of the form.

Here's a glimpse of one of my forms.







I created a form for each ad spot I sell, as well as a sponsorship survey that I send to my sponsors after their ad ends. Getting feedback is key to improving your sponsorships.

You may be wondering, how do your sponsors get the forms? Easy. When your form is complete and you open it, in the upper right hand corner is an option to send the form. Click on that and you will be taken to this screen.



I simply copy and paste the link into my welcome email sent to each new sponsor and send it.



Each time one of your sponsors fills out the form, their answers are recorded in a spreadsheet.

You can access the responses by going into each form. You will see exactly how many people have responded. Click on "View Responses" and a spreadsheet will open.



You can also set it up that each time someone responds to the form you will be notified via email.

What has helped keep you organized with your sponsorships?

Tips for Easing Anxiety

It's not something I blog about regularly, but I currently take medication for anxiety. (Who's with me?!) For me, a panic attack was the last straw, and I asked Spencer to make a doctor's appointment for me. I have felt quite a difference, but I still have days (or weeks) where I can get overwhelmed, anxious, and lose perspective. During these times, I have to find a way to cope. I have developed a few mechanisms that seem to work well for me, and want to share these in case any of you are experiencing these same feelings and need some help.

1. Deep breathing.
I know it sounds cliche, but it really does help. The trick, however, is to do it correctly. When you inhale, do so through your nose. Also, your stomach and chest should be taking in oxygen with each inhale and in turn should expand (you should see your chest visibly move). When you exhale, do so through your mouth, slowly, and try to exhale all of the air from your lungs. This will take longer than a typical inhale+exhale. If you are in a position where you can also close your eyes as you do this, do it. Try not to focus on anything but your breathing.

2. Take a break.
Briefly remove yourself from whatever is seeming to trigger your anxiety at the moment. If it's work, kids, a public place - get yourself alone for a few minutes. Take a walk, close your eyes, shut your door, listen to a song - find something to do that can clear your head and calm you down. There have been instances when my anxiety returns when I put myself back into the situation, but even a moment away is helpful.

3. Put things in perspective.
Often times, we get so wrapped up in our current situations that we forget what is truly important. Is work overwhelming you? Ask for help and remember that the projects will pass and so will the day. Are your kids running wild? Imagine them in 5 or 10 years, and how much you'll miss the craziness - even in the insane moments! A trick I've found helpful is to talk to Spencer - he is great at talking me down, and reminding me that what I think is a huge deal and completely overwhelming, is in fact not very important in the grand scheme. It's wonderful to have someone I trust who can be completely honest with me, while also letting me talk and express my feelings. 


I'd love to hear any other suggestions, tips, or tricks you have on reducing anxiety. This seems to be an ever-increasing topic among people, so anything you can offer would be helpful to me as well as to others reading!

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Definitely hop on over and check out the second part of  the "Making Pinterest Work For You" series by Love the Here and Now is live TODAY - Finding and Joining Group Boards. Don't miss it!

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AND - I'll be popping in on Feast + West tomorrow with a travel guide, so don't miss it!



Until next time - - 

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How to Write a Great Thank You Note

One tradition I love to uphold is writing thank you notes. Yes, they can be time consuming and make your hand hurt if you have to do many at once, but there are few ways that better express gratitude than a kind, well written thank you note.

Here are a few things I think are important when writing a heartfelt note of thanks.

1. Pretty Stationary
While a sheet of notebook paper will do the job, nothing really takes the place of a pretty piece of stationary. Whether it has your name, monogram, or a simple design, make sure it's something you've picked out and feel proud putting in the mail.

2. Handwritten
Don't send a "thank you" email! Take a minute to sit down and hand write a note to someone who has given you a gift or taken the time to do you a favor. It doesn't matter how bad you think your handwriting is. It's so much more special than anything electronic!

3. Be Specific
Be sure when you're writing your note to mention the "what" (the specific gift they gave you or the favor they did for you) and the "why." Why was it so special to you? Why did it make your day easier? How will it be used or make a difference to you? The recipient of the note will love to hear how useful a gift may be to you beyond the initial time you receive it, or how the favor they did for you made such a difference in your day/week.

4. Express Gratitude
This goes beyond the gift or favor. Be sure to let the person you're writing to know how special they are, or how much their thoughtfulness means to you. I love knowing that aside from a gift I send, that the recipient enjoys having me as a friend or family member. I am grateful for my friends and family, so it's nice to know it's reciprocated!

5. Sooner Than Later
My general self-imposed rule is to mail a thank you note within 2 weeks (or longer for showers and weddings). However, life sometimes gets in the way! If you feel that it's too late to send a thank you note, send one anyway! It's better to send a late note than to not send one at all. You can even mention how busy you've been in the note, but that it in no ways is indicative of your appreciation. 


What do you try do keep in mind when you write thank you notes?


Until next time - -