I'm anything but traditional when it comes to planning.
Sure, I use a monthly calendar for appointments. Sure, I make to do lists.
Showing posts with label inserts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inserts. Show all posts
Friday, April 15, 2016
Think Differently About How You Use Your Planner
***This post may contain affiliate links. See my "Disclaimer" link for additional details.***
I'm anything but traditional when it comes to planning.
Sure, I use a monthly calendar for appointments. Sure, I make to do lists.
I'm anything but traditional when it comes to planning.
Sure, I use a monthly calendar for appointments. Sure, I make to do lists.
Friday, October 9, 2015
I Bought a Planner...Now What Do I Do?
***This post may contain affiliate links. See my "Disclaimer" link for additional details.***
A new planner comes with infinite possibilities, but it also comes with infinite questions and decisions to make.
A new planner comes with infinite possibilities, but it also comes with infinite questions and decisions to make.
Monday, October 5, 2015
How to Schedule Your Errands ... Backwards
***This post may contain affiliate links. See my "Disclaimer" link for additional details.***
Last week, I ran out of gas. As I rolled up to the gas pump, running on fumes and a prayer, I stared at the little EMPTY sign on my gas tank.
The computer in my car does this neat little thing where it tells you estimated miles of driving that you have left.
Mine said (smugly, I swear), "0 miles."
I was relieved as I finally and miraculously cruised on fumes up to the gas tank, especially since my baby nephew was snoozing in the back seat, blissfully unaware that we had almost gotten stranded on the side of a busy road.
Of course that particular gas tank was having problems with its credit card reader, because that was exactly how my week had gone.
It was my own fault. I had driven to the bank, then back across town to the YMCA, then back to the bank, then to the store (where I forgot to get the most important thing on my list). I ran out of time to get gas, so went to carpool and took my chances that I could make it to the gas station in time.
Last week, I ran out of gas. As I rolled up to the gas pump, running on fumes and a prayer, I stared at the little EMPTY sign on my gas tank.
The computer in my car does this neat little thing where it tells you estimated miles of driving that you have left.
Mine said (smugly, I swear), "0 miles."
I was relieved as I finally and miraculously cruised on fumes up to the gas tank, especially since my baby nephew was snoozing in the back seat, blissfully unaware that we had almost gotten stranded on the side of a busy road.
Of course that particular gas tank was having problems with its credit card reader, because that was exactly how my week had gone.
It was my own fault. I had driven to the bank, then back across town to the YMCA, then back to the bank, then to the store (where I forgot to get the most important thing on my list). I ran out of time to get gas, so went to carpool and took my chances that I could make it to the gas station in time.
Monday, August 31, 2015
Take Control of Your Planner Pages
***This post may contain affiliate links. These links help you find the items that I use in my planner and financially support this blog. See my "Disclaimer" link for additional details.***
Are your planner pages ruling over you? Do you use them exactly as intended and never deviant?
It's time to take control of your planner!
Are your planner pages ruling over you? Do you use them exactly as intended and never deviant?
It's time to take control of your planner!
Monday, August 17, 2015
Things I Never Do in My Planner
As a part of the day planner community, I consider myself a bit of a rebel.
I adore spending hours looking at perfect planners. I read everything I can about layouts and binders and inserts. I study and write about planning on most weekdays.
Then I break all the rules!
*I rarely color code.
Why bother carrying all those pens?
If I need to group things together, I can draw shapes around them. I have codes that represent my husband and each of my kids.
*I virtually eliminate all e-projects from my planner.
If something is being planned on-line, only deadlines and appointments go in my paper planner. Everything else gets planned in OneNote on my laptop.
I don't duplicate in two places because that gets so confusing.
*I never worry about perfect edges.
I only use my paper cutter to trim more permanent pages, like dividers. Normal day-to-day planning? I eyeball the paper and cut with scissors!
Guess what else I do?
I eyeball my hole-punching, too!
I know, right? I am such a bad, bad girl.
*I don't limit myself to matchy insides.
I use whatever layouts work best for me, without worrying about coordinating my inserts.
*I don't over-decorate.
In fact, other than doodles, I rarely decorate at all!
For someone as obsessed with planners as I am, this may sound shocking. But there are a couple of things that you should know.
First, I plan mostly to stay sane, so simplicity is important for me to keep my planning useful and relevant.
Second, I don't judge those who do things differently than I do. If decorating helps you use your planner, for example, I honor and respect that!
Etcetera.
If you enjoy what you read at Giftie Etcetera, please share on social media. Click here to join the Giftie Etcetera Facebook group.
I adore spending hours looking at perfect planners. I read everything I can about layouts and binders and inserts. I study and write about planning on most weekdays.
Then I break all the rules!
*I rarely color code.
Why bother carrying all those pens?
If I need to group things together, I can draw shapes around them. I have codes that represent my husband and each of my kids.
*I virtually eliminate all e-projects from my planner.
If something is being planned on-line, only deadlines and appointments go in my paper planner. Everything else gets planned in OneNote on my laptop.
I don't duplicate in two places because that gets so confusing.
*I never worry about perfect edges.
I only use my paper cutter to trim more permanent pages, like dividers. Normal day-to-day planning? I eyeball the paper and cut with scissors!
Guess what else I do?
I eyeball my hole-punching, too!
I know, right? I am such a bad, bad girl.
*I don't limit myself to matchy insides.
I use whatever layouts work best for me, without worrying about coordinating my inserts.
*I don't over-decorate.
In fact, other than doodles, I rarely decorate at all!
For someone as obsessed with planners as I am, this may sound shocking. But there are a couple of things that you should know.
First, I plan mostly to stay sane, so simplicity is important for me to keep my planning useful and relevant.
Second, I don't judge those who do things differently than I do. If decorating helps you use your planner, for example, I honor and respect that!
Etcetera.
If you enjoy what you read at Giftie Etcetera, please share on social media. Click here to join the Giftie Etcetera Facebook group.
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Monday, July 27, 2015
The Secret to Creating a Practical and Pretty Planner
***This post may contain affiliate links. See my "Disclaimer" link for additional details.***
When it comes down to a choice between decorating my planner and making it practical, I ALWAYS choose practical. After all, my planner keeps me sane. I do not want to mess with that mojo!
When it comes down to a choice between decorating my planner and making it practical, I ALWAYS choose practical. After all, my planner keeps me sane. I do not want to mess with that mojo!
Monday, May 21, 2012
Photos of My Planner
Note: See http://giftieetcetera.blogspot.com/2012/03/guided-tour-of-my-day-planner-warning.html for a Guided Tour of My Planner (a Day-timer FamilyPlus set of inserts in a Franklin Covey classic-sized binder), but for the more visual readers, I took pictures.
I read a lot of planner blogs and I've noticed that everyone has a thinner planner than mine. Mine does zip up, easily, but I admit that I used my Christmas money to buy a nice Franklin planner exterior binder (half-page size) while user cheaper, Daytimer inserts and homemade inserts.
My Daily Checklist:
My Master Task List:
A Project list:
A Packing list:
My weekly calendar is pictured below, with my four context lists: To Do, Errands, Computer, Home...plus my weekly menu, notes about calendar entries and tasks, running grocery list, and daily Appointments, Tasks, and FYIs. I LOVE this format because the weekdays are all on one page, but there is ample space in the weekend blocks and for tasks lists, too.
A Future page, for anything scheduled once my planner year ends. If you don't have one of those, go make one. NOW!
Every now and then, something doesn't hole punch easily or I just want to hold on to it in case. Those things go in this pocket.
Addresses and contact information is so much better kept digitally nowadays. So the address tabs (note some are removed for space purposes) are covered with a master, at-a-glance file list.
Filed items go on the master file list (above), plus the name of the file goes after an F with a circle around it on the upper right hand corner of the page. Can you tell that I used to be a school teacher? ;)
Envelopes, stamps, and self-addressed stickers:
Post-its and spare pencil lead:
Paper and pencil. Not pen. Pencil. (I do carry a pen in my purse.)
Etcetera.
I read a lot of planner blogs and I've noticed that everyone has a thinner planner than mine. Mine does zip up, easily, but I admit that I used my Christmas money to buy a nice Franklin planner exterior binder (half-page size) while user cheaper, Daytimer inserts and homemade inserts.
Big pocket holds all processed papers. Processed means there is a task associated with the paper or a date written in the calendar. The smaller interior pocket holds stuff for today's errands. Currently, that includes a receipt to be filed in my car for maintenance and the grocery list from my husband's e-mail. The credit card slots hold doctor appointment confirmation cards. (That really SAVED me once when I showed up for surgery a day late. I was able to prove that it was the office's mistake - they wrote the wrong date on the card - and not mine, so I avoided many cancellation fees.)
My Daily Checklist:
My Master Task List:
A Project list:
I use Monthly calendars until the 1st of each month, when I transfer next month to weekly calendars. I cross out the monthly calendar once it is transferred to weekly so that I don't accidentally write something on the now obsolete (but way useful for overview planning) monthly calendar. Note the monthly tasks in the colorful column!
My weekly calendar is pictured below, with my four context lists: To Do, Errands, Computer, Home...plus my weekly menu, notes about calendar entries and tasks, running grocery list, and daily Appointments, Tasks, and FYIs. I LOVE this format because the weekdays are all on one page, but there is ample space in the weekend blocks and for tasks lists, too.
A Future page, for anything scheduled once my planner year ends. If you don't have one of those, go make one. NOW!
Every now and then, something doesn't hole punch easily or I just want to hold on to it in case. Those things go in this pocket.
Addresses and contact information is so much better kept digitally nowadays. So the address tabs (note some are removed for space purposes) are covered with a master, at-a-glance file list.
Filed items go on the master file list (above), plus the name of the file goes after an F with a circle around it on the upper right hand corner of the page. Can you tell that I used to be a school teacher? ;)
Envelopes, stamps, and self-addressed stickers:
Post-its and spare pencil lead:
Paper and pencil. Not pen. Pencil. (I do carry a pen in my purse.)
Etcetera.