THE CHAOTIC GIRL'S GUIDE TO GETTING IT TOGETHER

It's back-to-school season, and while some of you may be thriving (we see you, Type A girlies), others...not so much. The end of summer is blah enough, but for chaotic girls, just thinking about being organized for the new school year can be, well, overwhelming.

- AMANDA KOHR

You may be asking: What's a chaotic girl? Simply put, she's someone who "talks a lot, daydreams and has her mind moving in a million different directions," says counselor Jasmine Bishop. She's spontaneous and fun to be around, but when it comes to planning and organization, she's more all-over-the-place than orderly.

Relatable? If you identify as a chaotic girl, take these simple steps to keep on track all year long.

REIMAGINE YOUR PLANNER

"Lots of chaotic girls have tried traditional planners...only to lose them," says therapist Kelly Peyton. So before buying another book to toss in your backpack, take her advice and make your planner your own.

Maybe it's trying a bullet journal ("an easy and efficient way to get information out of your head and then cross it off or carry over to the next day," shares Peyton) or adding a mini whiteboard to your room and locker to list immediate to-do items. Maybe it's planning by week, by day or even by hour instead of thinking through the entire semester. Maybe it's going digital with an app (try Trello). Or maybe it's saving space in your planner for doodles, stickers or journaling moments that don't feel so confining.

Annika K., 16, was tired of recycling near-empty planners at the end of each year. "Now, I just take out my Notes app each morning, jot down the five most important things I need to do that day, screenshot it and make it my background wallpaper," she shares. Remember, it's not about having the prettiest aesthetic-it's about making your life easier and your goals more achievable.

MAKE IT VISIBLE

There's a reason Annika's tactic works: Bright, visual reminders of to-do items make them harder to ignore, Bishop says.