Where do you keep all of your #adulting stuff?? In a filing cabinet? Unorganized in a box? In your closet or desk drawer? Does your family member have everything (like the old me lol) scattered in tons of different places? Are you completely disorganized and have no clue at all? Thinking to yourself…”what even is adulting at this point lol?!?”
If having your shit together is at the top of your resolution list (especially this new year + new decade!) but you don’t yet have an organized adulting system in place to keep you on track and sane, then you need to make yourself an adult binder – aka a GYST binder! I got this wonderful idea from Youtuber, GYST creator, and blogger, Kalyn Nicholson, who makes great content on all things personal development and GYST, so I wanted to put my own personal spin on it and share this great idea with you!
But to start, what does GYST mean?!
In the simplest definition possible, all GYST means is “Getting Your Shit Together.”
Here’s why I LOVE it and why I NEED it:
- You can personalize and customize it more than a file cabinet or a random box/desk drawer lol
- It’s more orderly and easier to flip through your #adulting sh*t. Plus who doesn’t love feeling organized and as if they have their life totally together?! haha
- You can definitely find what you need quicker!
- It’s just all-around a cuter way to store your adulting sh*t! Not to mention, it can easily fit in a bookshelf or desk drawer and still be top-quality organized! But, of course, that’s my opinion! 😜
And you only need 3 things!…
- A binder! Obviously 😉 (Here is one very similar to mine!) The one in the picture is originally from Target.
- Clear folder envelopes or regular clear envelopes (they’re super cheap!) I’ve even punched holes in them to be able to hook the envelopes into the binder rings, or, normally I just use regular, clear page protectors! Whatever works best for you!
- Tab dividers or you could even use these tape-on dividers! I’ve used both and both work like a charm!
You can find all of this stuff on Amazon (linked for you!) or even at your nearest retail store. Like Target, Kroger, Walmart, etc.
How To Officially Create Your GYST Binder:
This is BY FAR the fun part! (As fun as #adulting can get lol!)
1. Start with a rough draft/plan! I’ll list the divided subjects I use for each year I make mine, but keep in mind, what works for one doesn’t always work for another person. Therefore, I’d recommend sitting down and drafting up a few important adult things you know you NEED to have, keep track of, or keep organized. Yours may be completely different from mine! And that’s totally okay, we’re all on this #adulting bandwagon at different stages in life!
2. Organize and divide your adulting needs into the binder using envelopes. (Linked above!). Dividers are optional! Plus, you could always use tape instead to label each section in your binder. I’ve used both in the past! Whatever works best for you to help keep you organized, simple, and sane lol!
Here are some examples from my GYST binder or other examples that could work just as well too:
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Go-to grocery list: (Get my college-friendly one here! Totally free + comes with many, easy-to-make healthy recipes!) I keep mine in the very front of my binder since I use it the most.
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Healthy recipes: (Sometimes taking screenshots of healthy Pinterest recipes can wind up being a waste of time since they get lost in my phone’s camera roll. Therefore, printing them out and keeping them safe in my binder has worked very well!)
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My go-to GYST List: (I have the exact one that I use linked > right here < for you to use for yourself or as a helpful guide to look off of! 🤗) This list includes planning, organizing, cleaning, and anything self-care related!
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My Weekly Budget: (0r even a monthly and/or yearly budget!) Trust me, this has helped a ton! Simply looking it at once a week, every Sunday for example, really helps to motivate me and keep me on track for the entire week.
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2020 Work Receipts/Expenses + 2020 Personal Receipts/Expenses
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Official/Important Documents or Papers: (Passport, Health Card, S.S Card (U.S.A), Birth-Certificate, Check Book, etc.)
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Car Insurance + Paperwork: (Or if you tend to keep it in your car definitely make a copy and stick it in your binder!)
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Packing Check-List: This is very essential! Plus, I love using the clear page dividers because when I’m packing for a trip and looking off of my check-list, I love to checkmark certain items with a dry erase marker! That way, I don’t have to take my list out of the binder and constantly print off a new one. I’m able to check off my items as I go and then simply erase the page afterward! 🙌
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Business Paperwork: Or any other important paperwork that you want to keep just in case for your business or even future business blueprints/ideas! #girlboss
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Safe Keeps: Such as birthday/holiday cards, movie tickets, pictures throughout the year, airplane tickets, theater tickets, notes, to-do lists, etc.
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Random: Leave a spot in your binder for things you don’t need but don’t want to throw away – like instructions! I keep all of my instructions tucked away in the back and it’s come in handy many times! Trust me! 🙃
3. Be sure to update your binder either daily, weekly, or monthly! It can be tough to remember at first, so try keeping it on your desk or in a spot in your room/house/apartment where it can easily be seen! Remember, out of sight, out of mind. So keep it in sight at all times until it becomes a regular habit lol!
Extra fun tip: in the front of your binder you could store gift cards or coupons that way you’re more likely to use them! I loved Kalyn’s idea on that!
And in the back of your binder, you could keep business cards (either yours or from other places), journal entries, drawings, your year “bucket list,” or even printed photos as keepsakes to remember the year and tie your GYST binder together perfectly!
I have also added little notes of positive things that have happened throughout the year. They are so fun and special to look back on at the end of the year or when you’re creating next year’s GYST binder! 🤗
(Go-To Grocery List At The Front Of My GYST Binder!)
I hope you enjoyed today’s short, yet exciting, post! I had a really fun time putting my GYST binder together this year and I hope this post brought you some inspiration to create your own as well! Also, be sure to check out Kalyn’s content and videos as well for more GYST inspo!
How are you going to create your GYST binder?
Do you have any additional tips or ideas on what to add to my list?
Let me know in the comments!
xo, Cydney
working on this TONIGHT! Where did you get that notebook? i love it!
Awesome!!! I’m pretty sure I got it from either Marshalls or Tjmaxx around last December! 🤗
I’m confused- Is everything in 1 of those envelopes or just for loose items? Can I see a picture of your completed binder please
Hey Carla! For me, I like to separate everything into its own envelope. Or, for things that involve maybe two or more sheets of paper (i.e recipes for the same type meal like healthy breakfast recipes, instructions, cards I get from my students at school, etc.) I tend to keep in one envelope altogether so I don’t waste envelopes. But for my GYST list and grocery list, for example, I keep by itself so they don’t get lost or mixed up. The more important things or the papers that stand-alone I prefer to keep in an envelope by itself. But whatever works best for you!! 🤗 And for sure, I’m not home with my GYST binder at the moment but when I get back home I can upload more in-depth pictures of the inside of the binder into this post! Hope this helps!
Where do you store the envelopes in the binder? Is there another envelope that I can put the envelopes in?
Also, the GYST link isn’t working and I wanted to see that list.
Hi Asia!
When I use those more heavy-duty, waterproof envelopes, I typically put them in the front or back pocket, I don’t use it for many papers, mostly just important documents. And you can even punch holes into them too so you can put them through the binder rings. I’ve done that in the past! 🤗 However, I prefer to use just normal page protectors, which I didn’t even realize that I forgot to link them until now lol! 🤦♀️ So, I’ll do that now so you’ll be able to see both types of envelopes/page protectors that I use. It really just depends on your personal preference and what works best for you!
Also, I checked the link for the GYST list and it seems to be working on my end on both the desktop and my phone. Let me know if you still can’t open it and I can always email it to you! Have a great day! 💛
As a mom of three, I don’t keep recipes in my
Life Binder. I have birth certificates, social security cards( a photo copy), marriage license, insurance info, shot records, important phone numbers, utility bills, emergency plan, cash , maps.
We live where there are land fires and hurricanes, so you have to be ready for anything!
Hi Gina! I love those ideas too!! Especially the ideas of keeping extra cash and an emergency plan! 🤗
I love this idea, i think I’ll make 2 1 for important documents and another for budgets grocery shopping cooking home projects ect
A mom version would be amazing this is great
Ohh yes, so true! 🙌
I LOVE 💕 this! I am so going to use yours as a guide. I agree with the Mom that posted earlier this year. I will use a little of hers, Thank You, I might add a spot for Will, power of Attonery, Copies of beneficiaries, all that stuff that I need todo so this will help me as a reminder. I am just finishing my Dad’s Estate and I know I may have not done things 100% correctly but I remembered a lot of things we talked about. I wish I would have jotted it down and have him sign it just so the Family knew that was his wish…….
THANK YOU AGAIN for sharing this!!!!
Hi!
I absolutely love this idea and will be making one! It’s been a few months since you’ve posted this, have you made any changes? Is there anything else I should keep in mind when making? 😊
Thank you!!
Little late to the part since it is 2021 and April haha. But its perfect timing because I am getting mine together for my milestone birthday on Sunday!!
Do you keep your binders together from previous years or purge at end of year and start over with some items?
Hi, the link to your binder doesn’t offer it on Amazon anymore (I love Rose Gold too!). I will hunt for another one.
What size binder was it??
TFS all if this information for adulting!! Anything more for DINKS??
😀
Ali @ Crafty Brooklyn Army Wife
Fitness plan would be a good add in
You’ve got some great advice in here. But please, don’t store your important documents like passports, social security cards, etc. in a binder. You can buy a small fireproof box on Amazon to protect those important documents. You don’t want to risk losing them in a fire or having them stolen.
what size binder did you use?(the link had expired)
I have plastic sheets that are made for 3 hole punch binders and they have about 10 spots for business cards or gift cards or credit cards you only pull out for trips or something. It’s great!! The front and back of the outside of my binder have a sheet pocket and I created art/inspirational words and things about me so I always see happiness! But I keep my keepsakes like greeting cards or movie stubs and instructions for things in a small portable file cabinet. Cause it’s too much to carry in a folder and I have more to life like health/ wellbeing/chores/school calendar for kids/and several other things I can ck off, add too, reference and remember day to day. But I’m so happy to see you think like I do!! Very helpful info!!
I really loved the examples you gave here for creating GYST binder. That’s worth sharing with others.
I love this. If you’re anything like me, then you’re in charge of all the billing and online stuff, as well as the main keeper of digital photos so I think I would include necessary website logins and passwords so that if anything happened, my family would still have access to my thousands of photos and the Netflix password 😂
I love this idea! Except I wouldn’t want to keep any important docs in a binder I’m using daily or weekly etc. I want those kept away and safe. Maybe I’ll make 2 binders. One that is just for important docs and such and one that is a daily/weekly life binder.
This binder is such a good idea! Can’t wait to get into my new house and get fully organized again!
I just found this post and I love it. I can’t wait to start, thank you!!!
I just found this post and I love it. I can’t wait to start, thank you so much!
I was just thinking about this! Sometimes there’s a lot I have to keep and write down all for certain reasons and this is just one way to keep it all together!! Thank you Cydney, this is great!!