Planner Addicts Welcome

Are you a planner junkie like I am? I like to say I loved planning before it was cool. I’ve used a planner ever since I was a teenager and it’s the way I keep track of my schedule, my goals, projects—everything. Today’s planners have really evolved into something of an art form, with dozens if not hundreds of different types to choose from. There are even planner kits, sticker subscription services and other fun ways to bling your planner.
There are lots of different kinds of planners. Some really popular ones include the Erin Condren, the Passion Planner, and the Day Designer. There are simpler ones, too, like the accessible BlueSky planners that can be found at Target. You can also design your own with various online freebies, downloads for sale at Etsy and other sites or even with your own graphics program. You can even try bullet journaling, a type of planner and/or journal system I have just learned about and intend to try this week!
So how do you plan? Do you have a special system in place? Do you just keep it to your task list and events, or do you add in a journal? Do you use a monthly, weekly, daily or combination system? I have used the Planner Pad for the past few years, and while it’s still my favorite system, it’s still not enough for my journaling needs or my creative needs. So I designed my own planner for 2017 and I’ll see how that works out. Unfortunately it’s in a 3-ring binder, something I am notoriously known to ruin, so hopefully it will still be a workable system for what I use it for—which is everything from journaling to my daily tasks, assignments and events, birthdays, bills, library lists, etc.
People are always asking me how to get started on planning. To me, it’s second nature, so I just say, “Write stuff down!” Really, you could just use a notebook to keep track of everything, depending on what you want to track. That said, if you want to use a planner you can always check out the types of planners I have shared above and research more to see what suits your needs best. Maybe you need a meal planner or cleaning log in yours, or a daily planning page. Some people only need a monthly calendar. Just don’t be afraid to alter it however you need to for personal use, whether you add stickers for deadlines and appointments or box in different areas for various categories that you need to address in your life.
Photo courtesy of sarajean. This is the binder journal I made in 2014.