Planners are having a moment. If you visit Pinterest or Instagram, you’ll see many layouts and pretty pictures of planners. Calligraphy scrolled planners, bright BuJo planners, fanciful Day Designer planners. They are where it’s at my friends!
But, what if you are like me and try so hard to be a planner addict? You gleefully take your Michael’s 50% off coupon into the store. Thrillingly look at all the planners, stickers, inserts, layouts, and all the planner accessories. Then you get home, put it aside, and before you know it you have a stack of barely used planners that your 3-year old has mistaken for a coloring book.
That’s me, I admit it. I am kickin’ it old school style with my Post-its and spiral notebooks from the Dollar Store. So how do I stay organized without a fancy planner?
Central Hub
I have a designated spot in my kitchen where my things go. My purse, mail I need to catch up on, and all the other odds and ends that get collected. It’s my command center, nothing fancy, but by designating this space, my family can see what needs to be done each day.
Having a space for your own is all you need. Like I said, nothing fancy here! Consider a corner of a countertop for your calendar or even a space in your closet.
Paper Love
I love my cheapo spiral notebooks from the Dollar Store. I don’t feel bad if I go through the pages quickly or if my kids get a hold of them and color. They are handy to keep in my spot and they are a way to just get my thoughts down when I need to.
This especially comes in handy for my blog and direct sales business. If I need to map out a customer follow-up plan, I write it down. If I need to get some blog topic ideas down, the spiral notebook is there ready and waiting.
I am also a Post-it fanatic! I have so many different shapes and sizes. Each day I start by writing on a Post-it what I need to get accomplished by the end of the day. My family knows to check the Post-it if they want to know what’s going on. Any other Post-it nuts like me?!
Electronic Tools
I’m an avid Apple fan and have had an iPhone for years now. The simple Notes App is all I use to keep my days organized. Each day has its own designated note and a list of everything that needs to be accomplished that day. And it feels oh so satisfying to delete those notes when everything is checked off of my list.
Another platform I use daily is Google Drive. Not just for its Calendar feature, but to create files that are the beginnings of business ideas, files that track my sales and social media follower numbers, and more. Between the Google docs and the notes on my phone, I have a pretty good system for keeping everything organized.
A Year at a Glance
I’m a huge scheduler when it comes to my direct sales business and social media posts. My personal life details are mapped out the same way. At the end of each year, I look to the year ahead and fill up my calendar with important birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions.
I also make sure our miscellaneous fund is on track to cover any of the unexpected expenses that may pop up throughout the next year. A simple Google Doc keeps this info handy. It’s a way for me to track things as the year progresses. Thinking of things a year at a time can feel overwhelming, but once you do it enough times, it becomes second nature.
Consider the Time
Time is of the essence in our house, just like it is in yours. When it comes to planning and organizing, I try and spend the least amount of time writing down my plans so that I have the maximum amount of time to implement them. I do envy others who have gorgeous planners all mapped out and drawings to go along with their planned activities, but then I think how much time it would take me to do the same.
For now, I will live vicariously through my favorite planner profiles on Instagram and stick with my tried and true system. It works for me and that’s the most important part.
Create a system, tweak it so you feel confident in your organizational skills, and reward yourself when you’ve accomplished all you set out to do! The number one thing is that you are paving your way to reaching your goals. Share how you stay organized by commenting below and come follow my business page for more insightful posts!
Kristy E
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Great thoughts, Kristy, and so true. I didn’t get any more out of an Erin Condren Lifeplanner than an inexpensive one.
Thank you, Sue! I love to see pics of pretty planners and layouts! But, I always revert back to my notebooks and Post-its! 🙂
We have this in common. I have a pretty cover with tabs and lined or grid pages I can add. Got it at Offive Depot for not a lot. It can change as I need to change. Here’s to the plain paper planner girls!
Yay!! I always get envious at those detailed planner layouts on Instagram! You are definitely “my tribe” Penny!
I’m so glad to know I’m not the only one! I wish so badly that I would use all of the gorgeous planners, but I never do. I love little notebooks and a sticky notes! I’m also pretty excited about the Artful Agenda, but it’s brand new. I’m waiting until there’s an app, and then I’ll be ALL OVER IT.
Post-its run my life! 🙂 I’ll have to check out Artful Agenda too!