My First Real Week in Digital Printables

Honestly? I felt like I made zero progress this week. I kept moving things around, changing how I wanted to sort my files, and rewriting to-do lists instead of actually checking things off. By the end of the week, I found myself staring at my laptop thinking: “Why does it feel like I’m going in circles?”

I needed to reevaluate my process because nothing worth wild will ever get done if I continue down this path.

Organizing isn’t easy because it’s not just about putting things in order it’s about creating systems that actually work for your brain, workflow, and lifestyle. Like any craft, it takes practice, patience, and constant tweaking to shape it into something that feels natural and sustainable. Something that worked for one project just might not work for another.

The Many Attempts at Organization

I tried so many different methods to get my projects in order:

• Digital Folders: I created categories like “Planners,” “Party Games,” and “Mockups.” But halfway through, I started second-guessing. Should I separate things by theme instead of product type? Or by what’s finished versus in-progress? Every time I started a new folder system, I confused myself more. After awhile I thought it would be better to use pencil and paper.

• Paper Planner: I bounced between writing tasks in a notebook and tracking them in Google Docs. The notebook felt good for brainstorming, but it was harder to update. The digital version was neat, but it lacked the satisfaction of physically crossing things off and feeling like I wasn’t just adding and adding things.

• Sticky Notes Everywhere: At one point, I had sticky notes covering my desk, my notebook, and even the edge of my laptop. It looked organized… until it didn’t. Notes got lost, duplicates popped up, and I had no real timeline.

The Struggles That Came With It

This messy in-between stage brought its own set of frustrations:

• Decision Fatigue: I spent more time choosing “how” to organize than actually creating designs. It felt like a weird cycle.

• Feeling Stuck: Every time I tried to start designing, I worried my files weren’t in the right place or my planner wasn’t good enough so than I went down a rabbit whole of looking at what other peoples look like and how to make mine better.

• The Illusion of No Progress: Even though I was learning what didn’t work, it felt like nothing was moving forward. That’s a hard feeling to sit with when you’re just starting out. I felt like I wanted to throw it all away and start a whole new idea but there wasn’t time for that.

What I Learned From the Chaos

By the end of the week, I had to accept that perfect organization doesn’t exist especially not in the beginning. Even as a person who is normally very organized I had to remind myself that each project looks extremely different when you get down to it. Systems evolve just like ideas do. Instead of treating my lack of order as a failure, I started reframing it as a necessary part of the process.

Here are a few small takeaways that helped me reset:

• Pick One Method and Stick With It (for Now): I chose to use my notebook and told myself I’d use it for at least a a full day before changing it again. I also adding in post-its only in my notebook to try and move things around in a more physical sense before writing it down.

• Separate Brainstorming From Organizing: Some days are for more messy, creative idea-dumping. Others are for sorting and cleaning things up. Mixing them only made me feel scattered. I think I was struggling to find a good middle ground between

• Progress Isn’t Always Visible: Even though I didn’t produce a ton of finished printables this week, I did learn what tools and workflows don’t suit me. That’s still progress. I think with a clear head I can start off next week better off.

• Lower the Pressure: Organization doesn’t have to be perfect to be useful it just has to make things easier than before.

Moving Forward

Looking back, I realize this week wasn’t wasted, even if it felt that way in the moment. Trial and error with organization is part of building any creative business. Each “failed” system gave me clarity about what I really need. Progress isn’t always a stack of finished products it can also be the quiet shift toward finding a process that finally clicks.

Ideas: