Best Organizational Tip For Surviving Nursing School

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I am exceedingly disorganized. I just am. My house is disorganized, my car is a mess, and my kitchen/laundry area resemble tornado alley in spring.

In getting my pre-requisites done, it was not a problem. In other careers, it was not a problem. In both cases, I was able to 'work around' things, so I never got organized. This has affected me this semester, both because I couldn't find things, and because it just bugged me. So over Christmas break, I am going to try to get - and stay - organized. But how to do it??

I was thinking that a thread with BEST organizational tips would help. Because I am not as unique as I like to think I am, maybe this thread would help others, I suspect others are in the same muddle as I am...so maybe this thread will help everyone.

Anyway, I am looking forward to seeing your hints, helps, tips, and suggestions...

Best-

Lovin Learning

Use lots of 3 ring binders and divider tabs, make different sections for different things. homework, work to do, work to turn in, and use the pocket in the back for things "other"like handouts or graded papers? I suggest using the front pockets for the most important things so you can see it when you open it and not have to look for anything. Use 1 3 ring binder and 1 big notebook for each subject, and keep them with you always or alternate them around, maybe label them the days of the week with the subject? color coded? Just anything to catch your eye.

Hope I don't sound like a broken record? haha.

My little girl turns 4 in Feb, it's crazy with her running around:lol_hitti, and my husband, basically 4 as well. haha

take care!

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
Is your toddler on a schedule? I have a 22 month old and a just turned 4 year old--oh, and a husband who travels about 50-60% of the time. I can say with almost 99% certainty which hours of the day I'll be doing what--unless of course one of them is sick. I think kids as well as us grown ups function much better on some type of schedule.

He is on a schedule, but I'm married to a military servicemember...so I'm a single parent a lot of the time :) So it has to be a flexible schedule. He's functioning pretty well and I'm still making good grades, so it's working for us...just one more semester to go.

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Specializes in ICU.

If you want to get organized and STAY organized, try www.flylady.net...

It would be a great thing to start while on break, so that all you have to do during school are the daily and weekly routines to keep up on things. I've started and stopped a few times because I never really gave myself time to get into a rhythm...I started today by scrubbing the grout on my bathroom floor.

I plan to go through EVERY nook and cranny in my house...my goal is to get rid of about half of what I currently own. I also plan to cook like a fiend...and the advice to stock up on canned/frozen food as well as oft-used items like trashbags and toothpaste is fantastic! Keep the tips coming!

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A wall calendar/dry erase board calendar is a nice way to start getting organized, same with a planner/agenda. That is what helps me :)

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Polka Dot, that site is quite...well, insane (but in a good way). However, it is something I've bookmarked. I'm not sure where to get started...but that site will definitely help. Everyone should check it out!

Thanks for the link!!

Best-

Lovin' Learning.

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I'm in the big-binder-3-hole-punch camp. As soon as I get a handout for school or get an assignment back, I get out my 3-hole-punch and put it in the binder. Otherwise, I am soon drowning in disorganized paper. BTW, I'd suggest buying a sturdier 3-hole-punch if you can afford one (one that sits on table). I have found the 3-hole punches that you can pick up to be inefficient because (a) they don't hold many pieces of paper and (b) you have to empty them more often.

Having one or two designated shelves for your class materials is also very helpful. I always know where my books and papers are. But you have to be religious about putting them back when you are done using them.

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I plan to go through EVERY nook and cranny in my house...my goal is to get rid of about half of what I currently own. I also plan to cook like a fiend...and the advice to stock up on canned/frozen food as well as oft-used items like trashbags and toothpaste is fantastic! Keep the tips coming!

My new mantra is "Less stuff! Less stuff! Less stuff!". I am sick of shepherding stuff and wasting time. I started by selling a bunch of junk on eBay before Christmas. Lots more to go! :)

I stock up on paper towels, soap, trashbags, toilet paper, pet food, etc. I also try to have lots of quick meals handy (canned soup, Rice-A-Roni, Trader Joe's meals, etc.) so that I don't have any excuses to pick up take-out on the way home. And we're going to buy a freezer, so I can buy things like bread when they are on sale.

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I keep my planner handy all the time and write down everything on the same planner. I tried palm, but writing down manually works the best. Surviving from nursing school=having excellent organization skill.

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I have a desk where I keep ALL of my school stuff! I keep binders for current semesters work, I punch holes and put everything in it right away so I don't lose anything. I keep a planner, I write every clinical, lecture, lab, exam EVERYTHING in it. I write out what assignments/readings I need to get done every day to help me prioritize! I have kids to, a 3 year old and 1 year old so my time is super limited, I feel writing everything down helps so much for my prioritizing! I have a locker at school which is helpful because I leave my lab coat, goggles, stethoscope, pen light, ID, all that good stuff so that I can't forget it! Best of luck to you :)

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Specializes in ICU.
Polka Dot, that site is quite...well, insane (but in a good way). However, it is something I've bookmarked. I'm not sure where to get started...but that site will definitely help. Everyone should check it out!

LL--the flylady always recommends starting with your sink...the book that accompanies the site is called Sink Reflections. Anyway, start there and then I'd suggest doing what she calls the 27-fling boogie. You go through your house and find 27 things to throw away, then go through againa nd find 27 things to give away. You can also incorporate her timer routine where you set a timer for 15 minutes and just focus on organizing/cleaning one area for 15 minutes at a time.

So far this break I've cleaned out the bedroom, two closets, the kitchen and the living room/dining room. All that's left is to scrub the tub and go through the den and my closet. I saved the biggest tasks for last! After I get all this done, it's just daily upkeep.

I have to say it's very therapeutic seeing my sparkling clean bathroom floor...and my desk is a vision of zen-ness! (well, at least it is right now...I'm sure that will change when school starts!)

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I am starting my 1st semester in a week and I plan on implementing the same plan I had to put my 13 yr old on two years ago when he became suddenly disorganized - would forget his head if it weren't attached. (Seriously)

I made an area in our dining room that had a 9 cube bookshelf thing - and in it, I put bins: they were very specific and it's part of their chores now to clean up the area.

My bins go something like this:

1 for pencils

1 for markers/colored pencils

1 for pens

1 for staplers/staples/scissors

1 for calculator/batteries/post-it notes (various sizes)

1 for tape/glue

1 3-drawer bin for lined paper and computer paper

1 bin for paper clips/thumb tacks/ruler/erasers

1 shelf is dedicated to dictionary/thesaurus

You can use anything - those plastic bins from dollar tree or the nicer fabric ones.

The reason I did it was because by the time he'd get home from school he'd have 45 min to complete homework before rushing off to baseball and then back home to get ready for bed. I found ... no, WE found ... that if he had every possible item he "might" need right at arm's reach - it kept him from having to run around to find an item.

I am 100% positive it annoyed him at first because you know how it goes ... He's doing a project and can't find a marker -- then he finds it and finds it's dried so he decides to use a colored pencil only to find out the lead is missing -- off to find the sharpener. There's another 20 min wasted as he gets distracted by the "shiny" tv (LOL). Back to the table and now he cant find the glue, etc...

With this being said - I am now putting up a similar station in 'my' study area that will have cubicles that will hold extra pens, pencils, my books, etc. I am hoping this helps eliminate unnecessary time running around trying to find items.

Good luck!

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Great tip, Blessedx2! And your discussion of not wasting time running around reminded me of a time-saving/organizational tip I put into action last summer when I was getting up at 5:00 AM every day to take Chem II. I would organize my pets' meds (I have several on medications) for at least a few days ahead of time. I put them in little containers or ziploc bags. That way, I only had to touch the bottles once; no standing at the kitchen counter every morning, fumbling with 10 different bottles, counting out pills, etc. I also gathered up their morning food for a few days at a time, so I didn't have to stand in front of the cans and say, "Let's see, 1 Turkey & Giblets, 1 Ocean Fish...." LOL!

This tip can work no matter what task it is you have to do each day, and it can shave significant time off your morning routine because you're not repeating tasks all the time. All you have to do is grab that day's items and you're good to go.

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