I love music. Music has a way of setting the mood and changing the atmosphere for any day. When I began to think of music that way, I realized how powerful it can be.

When you’re having a bad day, it can be tempting to listen to music that matches your mood. But man, what a difference it can make when you choose to listen to music that encourages and lifts you up.

This is one thing I put into practice last year that really helped me. I enjoy listening to music on any day, but when I’m going through a hard time, I feel like it is almost vital to my survival (that may be putting it a little dramatically, but I think you know what I’m trying to say).

Last year I put together a playlist of songs that really spoke to me. I almost felt like they were written just for me and what I was going through. On those days that I felt like I didn’t have the strength to go on, I would turn on this music and it would encourage and fill me with life again.

So, I wanted to share this playlist with you! Whether you’re having a great day or a not-so-great one, I hope that these songs encourage you and brings joy to your day.

[If for some reason you’re not able to see the playlist above, you can access it by clicking on this link.]

If you love any of these songs, you can find them all on either iTunes or Amazon. I encourage you to go and support the artists listed!

Now, I would LOVE to hear…what are your favorite songs that encourage you?

I have to warn you that my nerdy side is going to be widely exposed in this post (although not entirely, because I will refrain from going into great detail of my love of Star Wars and Star Trek today). But this is a place of honesty and transparency, so here I am…nerdiness and all!

I mentioned earlier that I absolutely love this time of year and the newness and fullness of potential it brings. And I also love getting organized and preparing myself for the best year yet. That means a lot of things (and I won’t mention all of them now), BUT for me it does include fun organizational tools.

So that is what I’m sharing with you today! Here are some of my favorite tools for an organized year:

1. An amazing planner. For the past couple of years, I have tried going all-digital and using only my iPhone and Google Calendar for my planner needs. And as wonderful as these tools are, the lack of paper in my life proved to be an epic fail. I do much better when I can physically write something down and cross things off my to-do list. It makes my heart leap with joy! My incredible husband got me The Simplified Planner by Emily Ley for Christmas, and I think all our neighbors heard me squeal for joy when I opened it. That man of mine, he knows the way to my heart. This planner is everything I ever wanted in a planner, and it has helped me so much already this week. (Emily has one last shipment of planners going out at the end of this month, so if you’re going to get one, order fast). Of course, you don’t have to have this specific planner to have an organized year. But I encourage you to get one that makes you happy when you see it and that works for all your needs.

2. Goal Setting. The past week I have been reading and working through Lara Casey’s Goal Setting steps. Go read her posts on Goal setting! Go do it! It’s inspiring and amazing. Lara is one of my favorite people on the internet, she is always so life-giving and full of inspiration.

3. Power Sheets by Lara Casey. These sheets are designed to help you work towards your goals this year and to purposefully live the life you’ve dreamed of. I ordered mine at the beginning of this week with some birthday money, and I am so excited to get them in the mail! She is shipping this set on January 9th, so you can still order some to receive soon. Lara also makes them available throughout the year at different times, so stay tuned, if you don’t get them before this shipment. I’ll keep you posted on how I use them!

4. Pencil Pouch. I like having little pouches to contain all my pens and doodads. I picked out this one from Amazon, and I’m excited to get it in the mail soon!

5. White-Out Correction Tape. I am kind of a perfectionist at times, so I like to have some correction tape on hand in case I mess something up. This comes in handy, so I don’t have to scribble things out.

6. Washi Tape. Sometimes you just need pretty washi tape to decorate your planner or tape little reminders or lists into it. I am a fan of this variety of colors (and the price tag isn’t bad either!).

7. Pens and more pens. I am a fan of pens. The Sharpie pens are my absolute favorite, and Jonathan always gets me some for Christmas (I sure do love that man). I also wanted some colored pens specifically in kelly green and teal colors, so I am trying out these Uni-ball gel pens. I’ve read good reviews on them, and am excited to give them a try.

8. Paper Clips. Because you’ll never know when you’ll need to clip something (a list, a reminder, a photo, etc.) to your planner. And GOLD paper clips just make everything prettier and more exciting.

9. Post-it Notes. Post-it notes have been some of my dearest friends throughout the years. I love writing scriptures, to-do lists, reminders, love notes, recipes, etc. on them. I need more Post-it Notes in my life. And the fact that these come in pretty neon colors makes it even better.

So, there you have it! A few of my favorite tools for an organized year.

Now, I would love to hear, what are your favorite organizational tools? Do you have a favorite planner, pen, or something I didn’t mention? Please do share in the comments below.

Happy Organizing, my friend!