A couple of months into the new year and I think I've finally come up with a planner system that fits my life. I don't think I can call this thing a bullet journal, since I'm not following the rules for that.
My husband works a rotating eight day schedule that defies explanation. Setting up my planner around those eight days makes the schedule so much more clearer than it would be if I tried to follow the actual calendar.
I keep track of my blog post for the day, and what we had for dinner (after it's actually eaten -- it's not an advance plan, it's a way to figure out if we've already had spaghetti this week and how old those leftovers that just turned up in the fridge are) and whether we've got any classes or appointments that day. In the blank spot below the days, I keep track of stash bought/used and finished projects.
I could have kept doing this with a composition book I pulled out of our school stuff and a random ball point pen, but I'm having too much fun with my pretty supplies.
The notebook I wound up buying is a Leuchtturm 1917. The link is just to help you find the specifics -- I only paid about twenty dollars for mine at Craft Warehouse, a local chain of craft stores. They had a huge display of them with samples to show different layouts and lettering styles, and how much different markers and pens would show through the back of the page. Now that I've fallen thoroughly in love, I'm wishing I'd bought a red one when they had the 40% off sale. I'm sure I'll want another one for next year.
The binding is sturdy and slim enough to slip into my purse or tote bag. Unlike those spiral bound planners I've been using for the past few years, I don't have pages tearing loose and falling out. The dots are just visible enough to keep my lines of righting sort of straight. (Neatness is not one of my obsessions, in case you hadn't noticed that already.)
My Paper Mate Flair felt tip pens make me smile. I don't know why I'm loving the felt tip pen idea so much, but it's a thing and I bought a big pack of them when they were on sale at Target...and my sons don't like them, which is another big plus.
It would be soooo easy to go overboard on pretty supplies. Michaels has aisles of stickers and washi tape and different planners. This box has forty different rolls for $10.00. They're only five yards each, instead of the usual ten, but they also only cost quarter each. There's a new collection out, but I haven't been able to find that one in our local stores.
The tapes on the lefter are from the Target Dollar Spot, the ones in the middle are from the new ms. sparkle & co. bins at Joann's ($1.99 for a package of two rolls...and 40% off when I bought mine), and the ones on the right are from the Dollar Tree.
Have you been bitten by the planner bug? What are your favorite pretty toys?
Can't say that I have the planner bug ... yet. I did get The Quilter's Planner this year, but haven't developed a routine for keeping up with it. I have a 7-day white board on the fridge for planning/tracking meals. If there's a leftover, the item stays on the board as a reminder until I find a day to use it up. I also label and date my leftovers and I keep an inventory of what's in the freezer. Over time DH has learned to abide by the rules! We need to have a turkey loaf cookoff!
ReplyDeletePlanners can be fun and I have toyed with them in my life but never more formally than in an excel spreadsheet format. We both use daily "To Do" lists, on occasion. (Rob)
ReplyDeleteAn eight day schedule, wow, I can see that a self made planner would really work here. Good idea to keep track of meals and left overs.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for linking up with Needlework Tuesday. It's good to see how others are using their planners/journals.