If I had just a dollar for every planner out there that I’ve tried, well, I’d have a lot of dollars.
I used to be able to get away with just a small monthly pocket planner (the kind you can buy for $3 at Target).
But then, I outgrew that and needed a larger monthly format.
Then, I outgrew that and decided I wanted a monthly calendar with weekly pages as well.
Then, I outgrew that and the size of that (I was using a medium size one).
To say this has been frustrating is pretty much an understatement.
The reason for the ‘outgrowth’ of each planner is because frankly, we are busier than ever. And I make my planner WORK.
Here’s everything I track in my planner:
Monthly Pages:
Doctor’s appointments (me and husband)
Paydays (me and husband)
Work meetings/outings (me)
Spiritual assignments (me and husband)
Bills to pay and dates they are due
Travel (me and husband)
Visitors
Other appointments (Weight Watchers, Watson training, hair appointments, etc.)
Daily Pages (Weekly Spread):
Daily tasks I want to accomplish. This can include things I do every single day, and also extra things I would like to accomplish.
My planner does other things too though. I get planners that have a pocket of some sort. In this pocket I keep any bills to be paid, any items to be done, stamps, checkbook and stickers. Sort of like a portable office. I do all of the bill paying/budgeting and I do this at work mostly, so I need everything with me.
It’s easy to find a medium sized planner that can fit in your purse that has everything listed above. But…the pages are small. The pockets are small. I was folding up my ‘to be paid’ bills into fourths to shove them in the pocket. Then the pocket would be huge and stuffed full and I would try to shove the whole thing inside my purse.
I thought and thought. What was the solution? I already knew that going all electronic would not work. I have to see the entire month at once. Always. And I need the weekly pages as well to write down my daily ‘to-do’ lists (instead of using sticky notes that get buried and crumpled in my purse). And I derive great satisfaction from actually crossing things off of a paper list (actually I highlight each item as it is completed)
I’ve always gone the ‘smaller’ route with planners because I always thought that they HAD to fit in my purse. Well, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that they do not need to fit in my purse. Here’s why.
The main two places I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS take my planner is work and meetings. At work, I have a tote bag that I throw my lunch bag in, the current book that I’m reading, my water bottle, my breakfast shake, etc. A larger planner could easily fit in there as well.
At meetings, I don’t take a meeting bag anymore, since everything is on the apps on my iPad (even my studied and marked up PDFs). So I just take my purse. But I can carry my planner, no problem. I take it to meetings to check the board and write down every part that me or my husband has coming up and any other important dates (assemblies, co visits, etc. for both French and English). Usually, we get certain schedules and assignments emailed to us, but I always check the board anyways.
So off to Staples I went with a new idea of what my planner could look like. Staples has TONS of ‘At-a-Glance’ planners. I’ve always been a fan of their designs and products.
I selected a notebook-sized planner and a planner cover.
I liked the large pages of the planner, both the monthly and weekly pages. The planner cover I chose is plain black. They had a bright red one, but I wasn’t a fan of that one. The planner cover came with a notebook in the back, and multiple pockets both on the inside and the outside. The whole thing zips up to keep everything contained.
In the large pocket on the left, I keep everything I need ‘to do’ (renew my AHIMA membership, make my eye appointment, etc.) and also keep the bills to be paid. The small zippered pocket holds my stamps and stickers (I get a smiley face sticker each day I am 100% on plan with Weight Watchers. Yes, I am 3). In a hidden pocket in the back is my checkbook. I only write one check per month, so I don’t need to access it regularly.
The daily/weekly spread is super helpful. I write EVERYTHING on here...the mundane tasks I want to accomplish every day and the not-so-mundane things I need to do. I highlight each item as it is completed.
I really like it. And I like how my purse isn’t weighed down anymore by a heavy planner. I only need it at home, work, and meetings. I don’t need it when I go to the grocery store. Or anywhere else for that matter. I don’t know why it took me this long to figure this out, but oh well. At home, when I don’t have it opened up to my to-do list, it lives in the same cupboard that my purse is kept.
So far, so good!
