How To Create A GYST Binder #Adulting

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!…

1. A binder! Obviously 😉 (Here is one very similar to mine!) The one in the picture is originally from Target.
2. 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!
3. 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: 

• 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.

• 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!)

• 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!

• 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.

• 2020 Work Receipts/Expenses + 2020 Personal Receipts/Expenses 

• Official/Important Documents or Papers: (Passport, Health Card, S.S Card (U.S.A), Birth-Certificate, Check Book, etc.)

•  Car Insurance + Paperwork: (Or if you tend to keep it in your car definitely make a copy and stick it in your binder!)

• 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! 🙌

• 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

• Safe Keeps: Such as birthday/holiday cards, movie tickets, pictures throughout the year, airplane tickets, theater tickets, notes, to-do lists, etc.

• 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