STUDENT SUCCESS: MY MOTIVATIONAL MORNING ROUTINE

I've learned that morning routines are key to having a productive day, so it only made since to kick off my Student Success series with my own personal morning routine! I've been working on perfecting it for the past few months since I'm still learning how to balance my schedule with classes, work and blogging and I think I've come pretty close to having the perfect mix between relaxing and productive (with the exception of sleeping in until 10 a.m. every once in a while...oops!) to give me the motivation I need to make every day a great day! Here's a little peek inside my mornings...

STEP 1: SHOWER

I cannot even think about starting my day without showering first. Showering the minute I get out of bed immediately wakes me up. Even though getting in the shower first thing in the morning might not be the most appealing (especially in the cold winter months), I make it more "fun" by using products that smell really good and feel really good on my skin. I've been loving my Juice Beauty cleansing milk along with my Michael Todd cleansing brush to wash my face- it's really helped with my pores and redness! I also just recently discovered Soap & Glory and I'm obsessed with everything I've tried so far (I've decided that this, this and this are never leaving my shower.) The John Frieda everlasting blonde shampoo and conditioner are always a favorite, they keep my blonde hair looking bright and fresh!

STEP 2: EAT BREAKFAST AND HAVE COFFEE

Coffee would definitely be my first priority in the morning if it wasn't for showering... after all, the brightest ideas always start with a cup of coffee! Coffee is essential for me to stay awake in all of those boring lectures during the week, plus it's a nice treat in the morning! Breakfast is also a very important part of my morning routine, without it I honestly couldn't function! Right now my go-to meal is two whole-wheat waffles with peanut butter, some fruit and my coffee with a little splash of almond milk; it's satisfying and keeps me full until lunchtime! 

STEP 3: PLAN OUT MY DAY

While I'm eating breakfast I like to plan out my day, or if I've already done it the night before I like to take a look through my planner and see what the rest of my day is going to look like. I like to make to-do lists of everything I want to accomplish in the morning and then check them all off during the day as I complete the task- checking off the boxes is my favorite thing!

STEP 4: CHECK SOCIAL MEDIA / WORK ON HOMEWORK

While I'm still sipping on my coffee I'll pull out my laptop and catch up on some blog posts, scroll though instagram (@filetostyle) and check my e-mail. I'll also use this time to complete any unfinished homework I might have, or have a last-minute study session before a test/quiz. 

STEP 5: GET READY 

The final step in my little routine is probably my favorite... getting ready! My go-to winter uniform has been an easy striped shirt with a fun scarf and my new favorite Tory Burch flats! I like to be comfy but still put-together no matter where I'm going, and this outfit combo never fails! 

I'm pretty simple when it comes to my beauty routine, but over the past few months I've found a few of my tried and true favorites I thought I would share! I wear my Tory Burch perfume almost every day, I love the scent so much especially because it has hints of peony in it! I really like to play up my eyes and I've found that the benefit roller lash makes my eyelashes look thick and curly while lasting all day, and I recently picked up this physician's formula eyeliner and I love it! It lasts all day without smudging around my eyes and it's easy to take off. Finally my Bare Minerals original foundation will always be my go-to because it's quick and easy!

And that's my morning routine! I do like to wake up a few hours prior to when I know my classes start to ensure I have enough time to do everything I want, and my mornings always end up being my favorite time of the day! Let me know in the comments below what your morning routine is, I'd love to know! 

XOXO

Angela

A PEEK INSIDE MY SUGAR PAPER PLANNERS

I can't wait to give you a little peek into how I'm going to stay organized this year.  The Sugar Paper/Target collab did not disappoint and had so many different items in the product line.  When it first came out I grabbed a few must have items without knowing how I was going to use them. I started using 2 planners simultaneously.  I always carry around the brown Sugar Paper calendar with note pages in my purse.  This allows me to always have a notebook handy to jot down ideas that come to mind.  I seem to do my best thinking in the car.  I then use the larger white with black polka dots planner for my desk.  I work from home a few days a week and I find the layout of this planner great to help organize all my to-do's.  Hope you enjoy the sneak peeks.  

Black and white Sugar Paper planner // Brown and gold Sugar Paper planner // Snow and Graham pen set // Similar Kate Spade purse 

xoxo ~ Amy

STUDENT SUCCESS: YOUR GUIDE TO YOUR BEST SEMESTER YET!

With everybody heading back to school for the start of the new semester, it got me thinking about what comes along with going back to school... endless hours studying, homework, waking up early to get to those 8 a.m.'s on time, group projects, etc. Then I also thought that heading back to class isn't all bad, I mean who doesn't love fresh school supplies, a clean backpack, and excuse to have an extra cup of coffee in the morning?! Over the past few weeks I've been brainstorming ideas on how to make the most out of your semester, so I came up with a little mini series for File to Style; Student Success! In this mini series I'm going to be covering...

How to take the best notes in class, even during the most boring lectures.

The in's and out's of everything you need to make the most out of your day spent on campus.

(Hint: sneak peaks inside my backpack... we can all admit we're a little nosy!)

The key to productive mornings that will keep you motivated throughout the day. 

(Spoiler: it may or may not be donuts.)

And of course, how to organize your crazy busy life with tips and tricks to get the most crossed off your to-do list!

I can't wait to start sharing more in this new little series! Since I just started going back to class this week I'll be working on getting these posts up very soon! As of right now you can expect to see these go live on WEDNESDAYS- so don't forget to check back for my first post next week! As always, stay tuned because we'll still have our usual posts go up in-between! If you have any requests for other topics you'd like to see me cover in student success make sure to leave them in the comments below!

XOXO 

Angela

DAY DESIGNER REVIEW: 2015 FLAGSHIP VS. 2016 MINI

Hello and happy Sunday! We both love our Day Designer planners so much, so today I decided to do a little review / comparison of the 2015 flagship edition and this year's mini edition. Both are really great and make planning out your day a breeze, however there are a few differences that I noticed with the mini version as compared to the full sized version. Keep reading for a peek inside both planners...

First off, the size of the planners is significantly different, which also offers a slight difference in price.  The larger flagship edition is 9" wide X 9.75" tall and is $59. The mini is 6.625" wide X 8.3" tall and $49. It all depends on your schedule and how involved your planning process is when you're deciding between the two sizes. Personally, I use the mini size for all my daily to-do's and my schedule is pretty packed being a full-time student, working 25-30 hours a week, any social commitments I want to do and now keeping up with our blog, and I find the mini to have just enough room to keep track of all that!

Both planners are super durable and made to hold up throughout your jam-packed year. The covers and the gold corners will keep your planner protected from tossing it in your bag or those inevitable early-morning coffee spills and the spiral bounding is sturdy and will hold up even after constantly flipping through all your to-do lists. 

The Day Designer offers a wide range in pattern options for the cover of your planner- we all know that picking out the pattern you want is one of the most important because you have to make sure you're going to love it all year long! Luckily, Day Designer offers classic prints and patterns that will be sure to never get old. They also offer more fun, colorful in collaboration with other companies that will brighten up anybody's day!

Each planner has a pocket on the inside of the front cover. The pocket on the larger planner can fit full-sized papers while the mini pocket doesn't fit much, I do keep a few things in the pocket that i find important, however I do have to fold up my 8x11 papers.

One thing that I loved from the 2015 edition was that there was a notes page before each monthly layout- in the 2016 mini there are only a few notes pages scattered through the planner, some months have them and others don't. In my opinion that's a little strange. I would prefer having a notes pages in front of every month so I could keep track of my monthly goals/progress/just have somewhere to jot down important monthly reminders. 

The monthly layouts are pretty similar in both planners. Basic layout with a Monday start to each page and neutral colors. I like the plain colors throughout the planner because it gives you more freedom to decorate with your own color scheme! 

Finally, the best part- the daily planning pages! The main difference between the larger size and the mini is on the "today" side; the larger size goes from 5am-9pm while the mini only goes from 7am-7pm. Personally I don't mind the shorter day, I think it helps me manage my time and prioritize everything I need to get done. However if you have a busier/ earlier/ longer day, it would make more since to go with the larger planner. 

There you have it. an overview of not one but two of the Day Designer planners! Overall, I love this planner, and after using it I can't see myself ever going back to a weekly planner. This planner helps keep me organized and motivated to get everything done and it's so much fun to use! If you have any other questions let me know in the comments below! Also, if you would like to see an in-depth post talking about how I actually use/ organize my planner that will be up very soon! Stay tuned!

XOXO

PRODUCTS MENTIONED/ PICTURED:

"Black Spotty" Day Designer planer

"Black Stripe" Day Designer mini planner

Sugar Paper x Target wall calendar

Snow & Graham pen set

Sweet Kawaii Designs "blog" stickers

Sweet Kawaii Designs "hydrate" stickers

2016 COLORS OF THE YEAR: ROSE QUARTZ AND SERENITY

Sugar Paper gold dot notebook // ABD "I Woke Up Like This" coffee mug // "But First, Coffee" journal // Blue & white candle (need this for my desk!) // Snow & Graham pen set (these pens are my fav!) // Evelyn Henson llama print // Sugar Paper scalloped note card set 

Hello, and happy 2016! To kick off the start of what is going to be the best year ever, we made a round-up of our favorite desk essentials inspired by the pantone colors of the year! Rose quarts and serenity are two of our favorite colors, and together they're even more beautiful. Just imagine a desk topped off with all these gorgeous goodies-perfect! In case you need any further convincing that you have to add these beauties to your cart...

This gold dot notebook would be perfect for jotting down all those boring lecture note or for writing down your daily to-do's in style. 

You need this sassy mug from Ashley Brooke Designs to sip your coffee from each morning because you did wake up like this, and you're ready for anything!

This journal, because we all know that every bright idea starts off with a cup of coffee. 

I bet this candle smells just as pretty as it looks! I'm imagining it on the corner of my desk while I plan out my day every morning.... bliss!

These pens are perfect to write down our things to do, places to go and people to see. (PS- these are some of my favorite pens, I never go a day without using one!)

This adorable print from Evelyn Henson would be perfect to hang right above your desk as a year-long reminder to ditch the drama (and save it for the llama...)

These scalloped note cards are perfect for valentine's day! Who wouldn't love a hand-written note on these beautiful cards?

Thank you so much for reading! We've got a bunch of fun posts we can't wait to share in 2016, so make sure to check back soon! PS- we've finally set up our pinterest account and we've been pinning up a storm! Make sure to follow along because our pins are pretty exciting.... hint: a recipe for homemade donuts is involved and you don't want to miss out.

XOXO

WRAP IT UP WITH SUGAR PAPER

Red and gold sugar paper wrapping paper // Black and gold sugar paper wrapping paper // White gift box // Red gift box // Gift tags 

How is Christmas eve already a week away?! It feels like the holiday season just flew by! With the big day quickly approaching I'm sure I'm not the only one who still has a lot to do... AKA wrapping all my presents! This year I was so excited about the Sugar Paper wrapping paper that was released at Target- with the cutest supplies at the best prices the hardest part was picking out my favorites! I can't wait to have all my presents wrapped up in Sugar Paper under the tree this year! Where is your favorite place to get wrapping supplies?

XOXO

DECK YOUR DESK

Similar plaid mugs (love these festive pottery barn mugs!) // Kate Spade pencil cup // Sugar Paper x Target red and gold wrapping paper // Sugar paper x Target black and gold wrapping paper // Sugar Paper x Target red box // Sugar Paper x Target white box // gold desk lamp 

Christmas trees with sparkly ornaments and neighborhoods lit up with twinkly lights are just a few of my favorite things during the holiday season. I love making my desk just as festive because I know that's where a majority of my time will be spent writing Christmas cards, making a list and checking it twice and of course wrapping a present or two! The white cork board was tons of fun and super easy to decorate and add a personal touch to pull the whole desk together! How do you like to decorate your desk for the holiday season? Let us know in the comments!

XOXO