Planners & Organizers. "Write It Down!"

For years I've used a planner to write down appointments, tasks, grocery lists, etc. These days, I still use a planner to write down everything I need to remember. I also use my smartphone's calendar to write down certain stuff and to remind me (with a ring tone) to call here or, there's a doctor's appointment on Thursday, etc. but, with a planner, I can write down even more of what I don't want to forget; but stuff that I don't need a ring tone reminder for. You know what I mean? Also, I think it's easier and faster to write down everything than to type it all in on the smartphone.

SMARTPHONE APPS

For lists such as groceries, I like to use Evernote. For example, I will list all the stores I go to on one note. During the week, I look at each stores fliers and type in under each store the items I need. I also add a check box next to each item and I check the item off as I put it in my cart. I have tried Google Keep but, Evernote seemed better for me. I may try Google Keep Again.

OLD PLANNERS


I used to use a Cambridge monthly planner and before that I think I had an At-A-Glance planner as well. These last few years, I have bought a monthly desktop planner at the Dollar Tree store which works but, you really don't have extra note pages that you sometimes need for when you need to write down ideas, lists, etc. The Dollar Tree calendars had only come in a black, red, green or blue vinyl cover with the year stamped in gold on the outside front cover. This last year, when I picked one up in either November or December, they had some really cool covers (finally) and I bought the one shown. I was really excited when I saw some great graphic designed covers.


NEW PLANNER

Recently, I bought myself a new Franklin Covey planner at OfficeMax. It's a reddish kind of color. All my other planners were usually black. This new planner has a zippered pocket on the outside and a pocket right behind it, another zippered pocket on the inside as well as a big pocket behind it, six pockets for cards or whatever you'd want to put in them and a pocket behind the card pockets. It also has a notepad on the back.

The calendar that comes with it is monthly and you have to write in the dates (numbers) yourself. It also has weekly pages and a name/address section. I did take out the weekly pages and the address book and I added some lined note pages, dividers and a pocket folder as well as some sticky notes.

I would like to get some nicer monthly/weekly pages with some kind of color and decor so they're not so boring even though I will do some decorating to the pages. Maybe this weekend I will go to the stores and just look around and see what's available. Although it does seem like there's not a huge assortment to pick from unless you go online. Being a graphic designer, I am going to design my own calendar inserts as well as some dividers, etc.

One other thing I need is a seven hole punch. My old planner only had three rings which was nice. So even if I bought paper that had more then three holes, I could just stick it in. This new Franklin Covey planner has seven rings. Some of the paper I bought has only three holes which, I started punching the other four holes into but, I gave up after about some five sheets. LOL Amazon has a Franklin Covey seven hole punch and that's the one I'm going to buy.

UPDATE: Week of January 18, 2016. I found it!! I've been looking everywhere (in stores) for a Franklin Covey seven hole punch. If they (any store) had it, I'd have to order it on their online store. No store carried (carry's) it at all. I stopped by my local Office max to pick up some Scotch washi tape that they have had on sale for $1.00 (3 in a pack). They're practically out but, I did buy one pack. Anyway, before I left the store, I decided to checkout the clearance section and there it was!! A Franklin Covey seven hold punch for $6.93! It was the only one on the shelf. I couldn't believe it! I mean, I had been in that store as well as some other stores (Hobby Lobby, Michael's, etc.) quite a few times the last few weeks and nothing. It's just so weird. I have had the Franklin Covey seven hole punch in my cart on Amazon ($21.25 or more depending on the vendor) but, I kept holding off and had not ordered it. I almost did a few times the last couple of weeks. That was a great find!

What's your favorite planner? How do you use it?

PLANNER DECOR

I have been watching some You Tubers show and talk about their planners and how they decorate them, how they use them, etc. I've always used highlighters and some stickers. Anyway, I went to Target and searched their dollar bins and found some cool stuff like the notepads, sticky notes, stickers, etc. I also got some planner accessories at Walmart and at the Dollar Tree. Oh, I also got some Scotch brand washi tape at OfficeMax on sale!! The package contains three tapes for only $1.00!! The sale ends around March 12, 2016. I'd like to get a couple more packages.

Do you take some time to add some "flair" to your planner?

          

ACCESSORY STORAGE

Another item I bought were a couple of photo boxes at Walmart to store all my planner stuff in. These boxes are really nice and they're only $2.00!! There's one more box I want to get. It has black and white vertical stripes on the box and the lid (I think) is black with a big red heart and it says something about being my Valentine. It's really nice. Hopefully, I can get that box within the next couple of weeks.

What types of storage do you use for your planner accessories?

NEW YEAR, NEW PLANNER?

Maybe next year, I'll give another brand a try such as an Erin Condren, Kate Spade, Kikki K, Sugar Paper, Happy Planner (MAMBI), Bloom Daily, Passion Planner, etc. Only thing is, some of these planners are kind of expensive so, I'll have to do some research.

Yes!... Planners have been a part of my life for quite a long while. It sure does help to "write it down!!"