That's What Chey Said: Organization and the New Year

For most things to run smoothly, some amount of organization is involved.  This applies to blogging as well...something I didn't really take into consideration when starting The Hollow Cupboards.  I just wanted a platform where I could have fun and post whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted.  As the blog grew, I realized that I wasn't the only one reading and I had to start putting out more content that readers, authors, and publishers would benefit from.

For a couple years, I just winged it.  I kept my to-do list in the back of my head and posted reviews immediately after I was done reading the books.  This worked for a while, as my motivation was at its peak.  I was working my way toward something, because as many of us know, a bigger blog means more perks, like recognition, friends, and ARCs.

I ended up burning myself out by mid-2013, and when I took a break, that turned into "Well, what's the point?  Maybe I should quit".  For a year and a half, I'd given up on blogging, and because of that, my reading also suffered.  Within that time, I think I read a total of 5 books.  Eventually, I remembered what I was missing out on and decided to dive back in, fully prepared to start everything over again, if I had to.

When I returned, I began making lists.  There were half a dozen, from books I wanted to read next and reviews I need to write, to discussion post topics and changes I could make.  I discovered Google Calendar next, where I plan which days I wanted to post.  After a while, I started doing what everyone's been doing for years--scheduling my posts.  I didn't realize how much easier that made things, and I vowed to keep up with it because then I could have regular content, even on my busy days!  Unfortunately, I realized that I kind of hate writing posts weeks or months in advance.  I'm a procrastinator...always have been.  As you can probably see from my total of 3 posts over the span of 20 days, I'm still working on that.

Halfway through the year, I became obsessed with watching planner videos.  Why didn't I ever think of using one before?  Even when it comes to writing, I prefer a physical notebook or journal.  After months of pining for a planner, I decided that the best time to get one was at the end of the year so I could get a head start on planning my TBR lists and write down the release dates of the review copies I receive.  As of right now, everything is color-coded and completely organized.  Though I don't do a majority of my planning until a few weeks in advance, I already have an idea of what my blog will look like from January to June, which makes me very excited for the new year!

How do you keep things organized?  
Do you have better methods that work for you?