What Not to Say During Sorority Rush Week

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Sorority rush week, one of my favorite times of the year. For me and my chapter it means finding and choosing the best women to carry on our legacy here at my school. We want the best of the best girls, someone well rounded, positive, smart, sweet, and can hold her self to a higher standard. Sounds pretty hard to be right? No one is perfect and we surely know that, trust me we aren’t either! But during sorority rush week it’s highly important to stray away from certain topics so as not to offend, up set, or turn anyone away from you, so let’s talk about what’s not okay to say during sorority rush week.

  1. Boys. It’s okay if you’ve had a boyfriend for 4 years and you love him a lot, but the woman you’re talking to doesn’t want to know about him she wants to know more about you! Same goes for those of you who are a little more boy crazy, it’s not appropriate to ask sororities which fraternity men they hang out with the most or something along those lines, trust me you’ll get the chance to meet plenty of boys once you’re in greek life.
  2. Money. Yes it’s important to know pricing for the sorority you wish to join, however during a recruitment conversation is not the time to ask it. Most will post that type of information in a packet, booklet, or on their website.
  3. Politics/religion. This one should be a no brainer, because you don’t want to say the wrong thing to the wrong person and offend them. That won’t be a good time for either of you.
  4. Partying. Yes a joining a sorority means you’re joining a social organization, some of the members choose to enjoy their free time at parties or get togethers, but not everyone is into that scene. So stray away from party topics to avoid coming off as someone only interested in sororities for the parties.
  5. Negative Topics. This can get pretty broad but stay away from topics like bad grades, a horrible breakup, a girl you don’t like, bad mouthing other sororities, how you’re broke, etc.

Overall I suggest trying to get to know the woman you’re talking to, try to connect with her on a personal level so you too can get more out of her and what her organization has to offer. I know this may seem like a lot of things that are off limits but if you can remember to just keep things positive and make sure to present your self in the best light you won’t have any problems finding the right sorority for you.

Have more specific questions regarding sorority/college life? Feel free to e-mail me at [email protected]

Also check out my youtube channel for more sorority and college related advice!

Lauren | Simple Southern Belle

Time Management Tips for College Students

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Classes, organizations, work, friends, sleep, and working out?! How does one balance all of these things, it seems almost impossible to get everything done in a day with so much going on. Take it from me when I say time management is essential to any college student. It will help you manage your time efficiently by getting the most done in one day.

Here are my tips I use to keep myself organized and hopefully will help you as well.

 

  1. Actually use your planner. Anyone can have a planner and write down dates and times for events but unless you’re looking back at it and editing things and referring to it, then it won’t be of any use. I live for my planner and without it lord knows how many things I’d miss.
  2. Use an efficiency calendar. Something new I’ve been using to keep myself on track and getting the most out of my days is my efficiency calendar. I do this weekly and sit down and plan out my week hour by hour. Of course some things change, but for the most part it remains. This is a great way to see when you have extra hours in your day where you could fit in extra studying, working out, catching up with a friend, etc. Here is a peek at my week.

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As you can see I schedule every hour of my day to include something important. There are days where I don’t have as much to do, which is fine because I do like to have some free time to do things that make me happy like Netflix, pampering nights, etc.

I also schedule in everything from blogging, classes, studying, meals, sorority events, etc.

3. Color Code. Even if you don’t use an efficiency calendar I suggest color coding your planner so that you know what events are for what class, organization, etc.

4. Sync your calendars on all mobile devices. It’s great to have you calendar updated on your computer and your phone so that at a glance you can see and remind yourself of any events that are coming up that may be very important to you.

 

Time management doesn’t have to be some huge task to get yourself organized, but choosing one or two of these tips and implementing them into your life could help organize yourself and your time. Then you’ll be on your way to being a more productive and time efficient person.

Make sure to check out my YouTube for frequent videos!

Lauren | Simple Southern Belle

How To Survive Early Classes In College

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So you’ve been blessed with an early morning class while you’re at college, but let me guess you aren’t a morning person by any means? Yeah I thought so, because I’m the same way! Since coming to college I’ve gotten into the routine of staying up late and sleeping in until noon. However I have this dreaded 8 am class twice a week which requires me to be up bright and early, and be ready to pay attention! So, I’ve managed to collect a few tips along the way to help y’all have a smooth sailing morning that’ll have you wide and awake for your morning class!

  1. Wake up at least an hour before you have to leave. You’ll want to give yourself time to get ready and time to do a few extra things to get you awake and ready for class.
  2. Set your phone just out of reach so it requires you to get out of bed to turn your alarm off. Once you’re up you’ll start to feel more awake.
  3. Take 5-10 to just stretch out all of your muscles, doesn’t have to be yoga or anything to intense I just like to stretch out my legs and arms and neck to really loosen up my body.
  4. Rinse your face with cold water. This should help your eyes and face feel more awake and it’ll get any excess oil and dirt off that was collected from your pillows! (Wash those frequently)
  5. Have your clothes laid out the night before so no thinking has to go into what you’re wearing!
  6. Head to the kitchen for some breakfast! This is incredibly important to staying awake and having energy. I usually eat instant oatmeal because it’s quick, yummy, and filling!
  7. Don’t forget to brush your teeth!
  8. Have your bag ready and packed the night before so the rest of your morning you’re not running around like a chicken with their head cut off.
  9. Enjoy your morning! Do what you like to do whether it be watching your favorite netflix show, reading the news, meditating, reviewing last nights homework, or catching up on Instagram.

Welcome to the world of morning people! You can now wake up feeling refreshed, positive, and productive because you’ve taken that extra step in the morning to feel ready and calm for your day. Having an easy morning routine like this makes you ready for your day ahead and you’ll be on your A-game in your morning class! Don’t forget to pack a big bottle of water to keep yourself hydrated and focused during your class!

Have you checked out my Youtube channel yet? NO?! Head on over there today for new videos every week!

Have another tip that might be helpful for early mornings? Leave it in the comments below!

Lauren | Simple Southern Belle

How To Make Good grades In College

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Going into college I had the mind set that I would be able to get by without studying for tests, doing assignments last minute, and not reading my assignments. WRONG. High school was easy for me and I’m sure it’s like that for most of you, but I’m here to say college is not like that! YOU NEED TO STUDY, READ, AND DO YOUR WORK! College is not the time to goof off and forget quizzes, class, readings, and tests. These next four years will decide what career and life you will have so it’s time to get serious! So, let’s jump into some tips for making those 4.0s.

  1. GO TO CLASS. I can not stress this enough. Class is optional for most in college, but that does not mean you just skip. You will likely miss important notes, questions, pop quizzes, or hints for questions on the test.
  2. You don’t have to read. LIES. Read your textbooks before class, it’ll help you get a head start on the material and you’ll be able to soak everything in during class time.
  3. Review your notes right after class. Reviewing them directly after class will increase your likely hood of remembering the information. It’s a great way to get ahead on studying.
  4. Create study groups. The classes I’ve done the best in have been the ones where I have a group that I study with. We are able to help teach each other topics we don’t understand and we get more work done because we can break it down.
  5. Attend study sessions provided by your school. These are a great time to get in some extra practice for homework or discuss topics you’re having a hard time understanding.
  6. Don’t be afraid of your professor. Attend office hours and ask those questions you’ve been wondering about. Review information with them. Look over your tests with them and really get to know them. At the end of the semester it could mean the difference between an A and a B.
  7. Sit in the front of the class. There are less distractions, you won’t be tempted to play on your phone and you’ll stay focused on the subject at hand.
  8. Study at least a week in advance for tests. This gives you ample time to go over each chapter, subject, and topic in depth and review them all several times.
  9. Make study time fun! Grab your friends, a pizza, and your books and head to the library. You’ll have a little fun and get work done. Just don’t get too distracted.
  10. Write your notes versus typing them. It’ll be more likely to stick in your head and is one step to remembering the information better.

Welcome to college, where you actually have to work for that A and not just sit back and hope you do well. Hopefully with all my tips from the post y’all will be on your way to making those 4.0s and on your way to an awesome career you love.

Have more tips you want to share? Leave in the comments below!

Make sure to check out my Youtube channel where I’m posting every week!

Lauren | Simple Southern Belle

How to Choose the Perfect Big

 

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What’s better than bid day? That’s right big-little reveal. It’s the one thing that every new member in a sorority looks forward to from the start. Everyone is itching for that perfect big-little relationship, you know the ones you see all over Pinterest and Totalsororitymove.com. Well I’m here to help y’all find YOUR perfect big, whether you’re someone looking for the perfect person to have some fun with or someone that helps you push yourself in ways you wouldn’t imagine.

One of the best ways to pick a big is to really ask your self these questions, it helps to narrow down your decisions and really help you choose the type of big you need in your life.

1. What do you want to get out of a big?
     A mentor, friend, someone to push you to do fun things, someone to help you get involved, someone to study with?
2. Do you have anything in common?
     Does she have the same major? Are you from the same city? Do you both love a certain sport?
3. Has she been kind to you and not pushy or rude? Will she treat you with respect?
      You want a big who isn’t going to make your life miserable. You’d hopefully want someone upbeat and positive!
4. Is she someone who talks behind others back or is she sweet and supportive?
       To really get a feel for this hang out with her one on one and with her group of friends, this will be a great way to really see how she truly is.
5. Will she be there for you when you’re upset?
       One of the most important things a big can do for you is be there for you and support you with whatever you do.
6. Will she tear you down for a bad decision or help you make a better one next time?
       Everyone makes mistakes, everybody has those days (comment if you understood that reference) seriously though, a true big would be there for you and help you get over anything whether you made an awful mistake or not.
7. Can you see yourself going to her for advice and help?
       Try to reach out to her before you decide and ask her for advice on things. Boys, school, work, anything at all and see how she responds.
8. Do you like her whole family, g-big, gg-big, twin?
        This is something not a lot of people think about, but you’ll want to try and hang out with her family too and make sure you click with them as well!
9. Will she help you become a better version of yourself?
         A big is there as a mentor and someone you can look up to. Without my big I doubt I’d be where I am now. She’s been the one to push me to try leadership positions, study for tests and quizzes when I really didn’t want to, and even cheer up after a few boy incidents.
A big can make a world’s difference when it comes to your time in your sorority. She’s someone who should not only inspire you, but should be there for you and mentor you every step of the way. Words can’t even begin to describe the love and appreciation I have for my own big and I hope my little would think I was even half the big that mine was for me. Which is why I want you all to find the best big out there for you! She should be someone to lift you up and never tear you down, and make you feel like you’re never alone.
Lauren | Simple Southern Belle
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Backpack Essentials

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College can be a tad confusing when you’re a freshman. You don’t know what all you will need for a class and how long you’ll be away from your dorm, should you bring money, snacks, clothes, headphones? The list is never ending and after a while your backpack ends up stuffed to the brim and your shoulders are left sore and aching from carrying the weight of everything in your bag. With that being said I thought I’d share my backpack essentials so you know exactly what to pack in your bag without overloading it and hurting your self!

1. Sturdy backpack/bag
     The first and most important backpack essential is a sturdy backpack. Mine is a North Face Recon and I’ve had it for 3 years and it’s still going strong. It’s comfy, has lots of pockets, and it’s black so it never goes out of style.
2. Laptop

     I always recommend taking a laptop to your classes, it’s easy to take notes in, study with between classes, or watch Netflix when you have a break! Mine is a Macbook Pro 13 in.
3. Notebooks
     My personal favorite for taking notes in class or rewriting typed notes is 5 star notebooks. They are great quality and perfect for class time. I even use Moleskin notebooks for daily task reminders, writing random ideas or jotting down thoughts or doodling.
4. Folders
     I suggest having one folder for each of your classes to keep your syllabus, loose papers, scantrons, etc. so that you can grab it and run out the door and head to class.
5. Pencil Pouch
     A pencil pouch is extremely important when trying to keep all your supplies organized. Mine is from Vera Bradley, but several stores have them. This makes finding a pencil or pen easy and quick in class!
6. Pencils/pens
     Steadtler, these are my favorite pens. They are colorful, thin, and write so smoothly. I use them in every class to help things stand out in my notes and for color coding my planner.
7. Chargers
     What’s worse than being at school and your phone dies? Not much, to keep this from happening keep an extra phone charger in your backpack and don’t forget your computer charger too!
8. Headphones
     Headphones are perfect for listening to music while heading to class, watching Netflix (in between  class not during of course) and even listening to assignments and videos for your classes.
9. Wallet and keys
     These two are pretty obvious, you’ll need your keys to drive to class or get into your room after class, you may need your student ID to get lunch in between classes and your wallet for other personal reasons.
10. Snacks/gum/water
     I am one of those people who always has snacks in class. I find it hard to focus when you’re hungry in class, so having a few snack options is always a smart idea. Also don’t forget to stay hydrated in class and drink up your water!
I hope that by me sharing my backpack essentials you’ll be able to prepare your self and feel ready for your next day of classes. I always suggest packing your backpack the night before classes so you’re not rushing in the morning to find what you need and so you don’t forget anything important.
What’s one thing you always have in your backpack? Let me know in the comments!
P.S Have you checked out my YouTube channel yet? I’ve been posting weekly and have several new videos coming soon!
Lauren | Simple Southern Belle

Game Day

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Dress | Booties | Crossbody | Watch

Game day is here and I can’t help but love this adorable garnet colored dress. From the ruffled back to the gorgeous color and flowy style it’s perfect for tailgating and football games. Usually I’d pair it with a pair of cowgirl boots but today I decided to show you all the versatility of the dress and pair it with my favorite booties, a black cross body purse and my favorite Kate Spade watch.

Keeping it simple makes this outfit casual and fun, but it can easily be dressed up for a fancier occasion. I never understood the concept of dressing up for southern football games, but I sure do love it anyways. I look forward to throwing on this cute dress on Saturday mornings and heading out to tailgate with my friends and root on my school’s team!

What do you like to wear on game days? Let me know in the comments!

Lauren | Simple Southern Belle

Being A Leader in Your Sorority

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One thing I’ve always encouraged and pushed people to do is to get involved and take on a leadership role in their sorority or organization. I believe it’s  an awesome way to learn useful skills that you’ll need when you’re in the adult world working. After taking on several smaller positions in my chapter I decided to run for a council position, where I am now our Vice President of Membership Education. With this title comes a lot of responsibility, hard work, and long days, but in the end it’s made me a strong leader, sister, woman, and student. So now I’m going to tell you why YOU should be a leader in your sorority.

 

What You Should Know:

Holding a leadership position can first be a big time commitment, depending on the position that is. Smaller positions are better for those of you who want to take the initiative and be involved while still having time for other things.

There will be criticism, and you will probably get stressed out and upset at some point, but don’t let that ruin it for you! You’re making a difference in your chapter and you can’t always please everyone! So smile and move on because one persons opinion doesn’t mean everything and you’re probably doing a killer job anyways!

You will have to sacrifice some things. By this I mean sleep, time with your boyfriend, and some times just free time. Honestly it can be tough to turn all these things down when you have a huge task at hand, but once you see the results it’s totally worth it.

 

How To Do It:

So you’ve decided you can handle the stress and task now let’s get into how you go about being a leader. Most sororities have several smaller positions and large ones as well! So take it from me and start somewhere small. I took on three small positions my freshman year in Kappa Delta. It was a great way to learn what areas I wanted to really work in and I met a ton of sisters and learned a lot about my leadership style.

After holding smaller positions and doing them successfully run for a larger position for example a council seat or executive position. All sororities have this and they are the main women in charge of large portions of the chapters events, PR, membership, finances, and more!

Maybe you want to hold a position on your Panhllenic council, make sure to have some experience under your belt and know that you’ll have enough time!

At some point you may have to give a speech for why you should be chosen, my tips for those are to stand up tall, speak loudly and with confidence, and plan your speech ahead of time and practice practice practice. People love strong confident people to be leaders of their organization! Just believe in yourself!

Talk to girls who hold large positions and get to know their duties, tasks, and how things work. This will be a great way to figure out which position is for you!

Get involved where ever you can! That’s being a leader!

 

How to Manage Your Time:

With being a leader comes meetings, scheduling, events, planning, and more and it’s crucial to plan out your days and time efficiently so everything is getting done. You’ve probably heard this a thousand times but don’t procrastinate. The sooner you start on your project or event planning the smoother it will go!

Keep a planner with all of your dates and times and schedule in time for planning or anything that deals with your leadership position duties!

Make time for fun things though too!

 

 

Overall being a leader in a sorority will teach you a lot about your self and what type of person you truly are. In turn you’ll also learn a lot about others. Just remember that as a leader people are looking to you for answers and have expectations so be the best role model and figure for them and you’ll do an awesome job! Don’t forget to be confident in your self and get involved in however you can. You don’t always have to have a title to be a leader.

Have more tips you want to include, leave them in the comments below!

Lauren | Simple Southern Belle

My Morning Routine: School Edition

That’s right college has finally come back to town and it’s time to get myself into a routine schedule and start off my mornings productive. With a hectic schedule and numerous classes piled with work and sorority life, and even my blog I have to make my mornings early and productive so I get the most out of my days! So I thought what better than to share with you all my morning routine and what it consists of.

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I start my morning off by first really waking my self up. I spend time stretching out my muscles and doing a few quick workouts like crunches and squats. This is a great way to get my blood flowing and myself truly awake!

I then move to the basics of getting ready. I start with a clean face and clean teeth so I’m fresh faced and ready to go.

Next I start with my hair, I typically curl it with a 1 1/4 in. curling wand for loose curls that are casual and cute!

I then proceed to my makeup where I typically do the same thing every day. Starting with BB cream, concealer, powder, blush, eyeliner, and mascara to top it off!

I then of course pick out my outfit or put on what I chose the night before and then throw all my stuff in my backpack and head downstairs!

When I have early classes I like to grab my breakfast and take it on the go and eat it as I walk to class or in class. I also make sure to pack a water bottle so I’m staying hydrated throughout my classes!

My normal morning has 2 classes and then I can walk back to my room and relax for a while or do homework until it’s work later at 3pm!

 

 

School rolling around really made me realize the importance of organization, consistency, and a routine so I decided last week to implement this structured morning routine and so far I’ve found myself being more productive throughout my whole day and just in a better mood overall.

 

What’s your favorite part of your morning routine? Let me know in the comments!

 

Lauren | Simple Southern Belle

Plan With Me: First Week of School

 

 

 

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Planner stickers, I’m kind of obsessed! Maybe it’s the crafty side of me or maybe it’s the OCD side, either way decorating my planner with stickers should come as no surprise to some of you! Which is why I’m back again today with another Plan With Me, this one being the first week of classes and well as my birthday weekend! Here I will show the stickers chosen for this week and the lovely shops that they are from! Let’s jump in!

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The first thing I did was go ahead and add in a few header labels that match a little better with my daily schedule and also break up the vertical layout. These lovely aqua ones are from The Everyday Planner. She can even custom make ones for whatever your busy day holds! After that I went ahead and added in a few flags to the side to just add some more color and cover up the numbers. Again these are from The Everyday Planner and are perfect for just about anything!
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My next step was to add in some full size boxes because I’m someone who likes a lot of color and pretty patterns. The one from The Everyday Planner were perfect for the coral and turquoise color scheme I was going for.

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Here you can see the entire spread with the labels, flags, and full size boxes. I tried alternating the colors from pink to blue to balance out the spread. You’ll also notice that Monday is not decorated due to the fact that it was Tuesday when I finally got down to planning the spread!

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Next I got a little excited and added this adorable quote sticker from Craft Cake Designs. She has amazing quote stickers, summer themes, and even made a few Kappa Delta stickers which you’ll see later in the post! I also couldn’t resist adding that adorable blue donut sticker from Anxiety Aids. Her donut stickers were to die for and I wanted to seriously use all of them!

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My next step was adding these awesome college related stickers from Crafted By Corley. These stickers were perfect for marking off the days this week that I didn’t have class, I can’t wait to use the exam and quiz stickers once the semester really kicks in!

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One of my favorite things to do is to mark out the weeks weather by adding these adorable weather stickers from Crafted By Corley. Luckily it’s nothing but sunshine this week!

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After working a little on the actual week I decided it was time to pay attention to the weekend, AKA my birthday weekend! Woo, if you’re curious I’ll be 20 on Saturday so holla! Starting at the top the adorable tassel banner is from Starlets Doodles. The banner was seriously the perfect color for my color scheme too! I next had to of course add a cupcake from Anxiety Aids to symbolize my actual birthday! Woo hoo! The green watermelon was just really cute so I had to add it, you can find it at Planner Envy’s store! Sunday I decided to add a cute water color full size box from Planner Envy as well and just the usual weather stickers to add a pop of color!

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The next area I wanted to focus on was the bottom of the page for daily tasks and such! As you can see I added the adorable Kappa Delta stickers with bows from Craft Cake Designs to symbolize the sorority recruitment practice nights! I later wrote in the time and location beside them! Under I added to each day 2 bars with tear drops and interchanged the colors! Both are from Rima Nur and they are such adorable pastel colors!

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I began to add icons on top of the teardrops.  The laundry baskets were a reminder to do laundry for the week and they are from Starlets Doodles! Adding onto every other day are the little tennis shoes from Eve’s Sticky Room which were perfect for marking the days I needed to work out!

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My next thing I decided to do was add small icons to the different sections. The cute camera at the top is from Anxiety Aids and was a reminder to photograph this for my blog! Underneath an adorable trash bag from Eve’s Sticky Room so that I wouldn’t forget to take the trash out that day! I also added these adorable YouTube and Instagram stickers from CSIllustrations to remind myself of tasks I needed to get done! Also from CSIllustrations I added 2 chevron wash strips to fill in space and act a background that still went with my color scheme!

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After all that was done I decided to use these cute water tracker stickers form The Everyday Planner so I would remember to get my 8 glasses of water each day!

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I decided after that to move to my side bar! So I started out by adding a To Buy header from Starlets Doodles along with a little checklist from Rima Nur to keep track of my list! I also thought to add a few makeup stickers from Anxiety Aids to the bottoms because I’m obsessed with makeup and I thought they looked cute!

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The last touch to the spread was these perfect flag stickers from Eve’s Sticky Room to remind me to do online work, they come with lots of different labels which are perfect for students!

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Sticker Stores Mentioned:

Eve’s Sticky Room: Thankful15 for 15% off

Anxiety Aids: NOTREADY for 20% off

Rima Nur: FREESHIP50 for orders over $50

Starlets Doodles: SSB25 for 25% off

The Everyday Planner: SIMPLESOUTHERN15 15% off $5 or more

CSIllustrations

Craft Cakes Designs: STICKIT15 for 15% off

Planner Envy: PLANNERENVYSAVE5 Spend $35, save $5

Crafted By Corley

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Anyone else loving planner stickers and decorating your spreads? I know I just can’t get enough, it’s a great way to relieve stress and have fun! Anyways, what kind of planner do you guys use? I love my target Day Designer it’s the best bang for your buck and seriously so cute! I hope this plan with me was fun and interesting to see what stickers I use and how I organized and decorated my planner for the week!

Don’t forget to check out my Youtube channel for new videos every week as well!

 

Lauren | Simple Southern Belle