I partnered with PurpleTrail to bring you this post, however, as always opinions are 100% my own.
Tips to Make the Most out of Your Planner
Every single year I get a planner and I use it for about a month, and then it gets pushed to the side. But this year I partnered with Purple Trail and I know that this is one year I will use my planner every single day of the year! Here are my top tips to help you make the most out of YOUR planner.
Why is this year different?
First of all, it is the first year that I designed my planner and it includes everything I wanted in my planners all of these years. I could personalize my favorite “theme” on their website, so I went with a
Second, when you open your planner to the first page, you have “This Planner Belongs To” page so if you happen to lose it, it can easily find it’s way back to you.
Third, all of the holidays for 2018 and 2019 are listed in the front, which allows you to easily plan your year with no meetings on Easter Sunday or another important holiday.
What Makes a Good Planner?
What makes a good planner is an excellent question. The best answer I have for you is it’s the planner that fits your needs and has plenty of space for jotting down appointments, to-do lists and so much more. The fourth reason I love this planner is that it has a 2018 Calendar and 2019 Calendar layout that includes all 12 months. 2018 is on the left and 2019 is on the right, but the colorful planner page makes it easy to read and of course fun to use!
Fifth, I can start using this calendar in December of 2018 and it will last me until November 30, 2019. (Just in time for holiday planning & gift giving.
Sixth, Each month has a tab and it has a page that you can keep track of birthdays, events and important things to remember. Then, when you turn the page you have a month layout so you can see the entire month at a glance. Then to the right of that calendar is a section for notes. PERFECTION!
But if you are like me and work from home, that isn’t going to be enough room to plan out your days. So if you turn the page, you can plan out your entire week with the use of the columns. **The weeks start on Monday and end on Sunday so it’s perfect for planning those bigger projects. Plus, there are extra columns for brainstorming, list-making, and so forth each month. And there is an added bonus, each month is a different color to make the planner fun to use and keep you organized as well. WINNING!
After each of the 12 months, you can add in ADD-ON Pages. YES!
So I had them add the following:
To Do List: We all have them and mine seems to always grow, so this will be perfect for breaking down my list of things that I need or want to accomplish.
Notes: The notes section is perfect for jotting notes down while at meetings, interviews and so much more and a must-have for my paper pencil side of my brain. Plus, they are in the planner so I won’t lose them when I am traveling. WIN-WIN!
Checklist: Did I share on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Snapchat? Did I drink all my water for the day? When do I have time to exercise? With the Checklist feature, I can easily build all of that in and I have everything in one handy location.
Important: Did I mention this is important?? Never miss another Birthday, Event, Anniversary or Milestone because they is ample room to list them so you don’t forget them. Also a great place for planning out gift-giving, so you don’t over or under by presents for everyone in your life.
Buy Fun Accessories to Go with Your Planner
And last but not least, do yourself a favor and add in the Die-Cut Sticker Pack & Pocket Folder which allows you to purchase stickers to make your planner more fun. But also it comes with some stickers that will make your planner even more fun to use. Spoiler alert…I have a lot of fun sticker planners, accessories and pens that I use on a daily basis.
Make 2020 the Year to Commit to using a Planner
One of the things I did to organize all of my fun colored pens, scissors and things I use in my planner is to place them all in a plastic storage box that I can keep in my “office” bag. Because my office often times moves from one place to another I won’t have to dig around to find what I want. Don’t buy one with the intention of not using it, otherwise, it just becomes clutter in your household. Commitment is one of my resolutions in 2019! If I start something, I want to finish it and so far so good as we round out 2018!
How do you make the most out of your planner?
There is one thing that I’ve learned over time, making the most out of your planner is simple. Pick a planner that suits your needs. Commit to using the planner that you have chosen as well as keeping it with you at all times. The planner you choose has to be durable, usable and of course, keep YOU organized. But if it just sets at home you could have saved your money and printed out a free calendar each month. Don’t do that and use the one that you have daily. Check out PurpleTrail for all of your personalized planner needs. I promise you won’t ever purchase a stock planner again!
What is YOUR top tip to make the most out of your planner? I know I can always improve on something and love to hear from you!
Stefanie says
This planner looks great! I need to get my life organized.