Project Organize: Use a Planner

Updated on June 5, 2024

Project Organize: Use a Planner. Use a planner to increase productivity and calm your mind. Having everything in one place can help you to get organized.

There is something about putting pen to paper for me that helps ease my mind and clear my head. The first step to getting organized is to get all the jumbled thoughts in my head in one place! The easiest way to do this is to use a planner.

Project Organize: The Basics

This month, we are talking about the basics of getting organized. After months (or years) of dealing with clutter and disorder, you are finally ready to take the first step to get your life out of chaos and into order!

It can be tempting to start pulling your house apart, go on a shopping spree to buy all new bins and storage containers, and just get it done!

We definitely can all use that kind of motivation. But without a plan and some basic systems set up, you will burn out quickly and be left with a bigger mess than you started!

Why You Should Use a Planner

When jumping on the organization bandwagon, I believe the first thing you need to do is to organize your mind! And how can we do this? By using a planner!

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Having one place to record appointments, schedule your to-do list, write notes and ideas, remember important dates, and keep track of your family’s schedules and appointments is vital to long-term success.

Paper vs. Digital Planning

I find having a paper planner works the best for me. If I write things out, I remember them more than simply typing them into my smartphone or laptop.

I add all appointments and scheduled events to my Google calendar to access it anywhere on the go.

However, you need to do what works best for your individual needs. Be sure whatever system you choose you use it. Consistency is key!

Must Haves in a Paper Planner

Any planner will do, but there are a few key items I look for in my planner. Your unique needs may vary, but I think many of these criteria may also apply to you!

1. Plenty of Writing Space

You may have a preference for lined or unlined spaces to write. But, having space to write at least five to ten items each day is critical.

Ideas for What to Include in Your Planner:

• daily appointments
• to-do list
• daily chores
• meal plan
• exercise log
• water intake
• work to-dos
• cleaning schedules
• habit tracking

You can see how fast you can fill up a space in your planner if it is too small.

If you are just starting to organize your life and don’t normally use a planner, I suggest writing EVERYTHING down at first. As time goes on and more items on your list become a habit, you will be able to write down fewer details.

2. Month At a Glance

Having a monthly overview is important for current and future planning. It is much easier to tell someone yes or no if you know what you have planned.

My month-at-a-glance pages include birthdays, anniversaries, paydays, appointments, play dates, deadlines, etc. I don’t write down every little thing in my monthly overview, however, I do write down main events so I don’t over-schedule myself or my family.

Helpful tip: Use washi tape on monthly calendars to easily see activities that last longer than one day. Some examples of this may be extended school breaks, vacations, or weekend projects. You can also create the same effect using a highlighter to span several days.

3. Tabs

These do not have to be part of the original planner and can easily be added to any planner with the various tabs you can find at any office supply store. However, easily finding what you are looking for is a big time saver.

4. Blank Pages for Notes

Again, these can be lined or unlined based on your personal preference.

I use the extra notes pages to write out my master list. I also have a space to record shopping lists, blog ideas, and anything else I want to keep track of and refer back to.

Note: You can staple, paper clip, or tape extra pages into your planner if it doesn’t come with blank note pages. You can also carry around a second small notebook to record items that don’t need to be written down on your planner pages.

Optional (But Useful) Items in a Paper Planner

The items listed below are not 100% necessary, but they can increase the functionality of your planner. Some of these items you may not need if you keep your planner at home rather than taking it with you.

1. Zippered or Closed pouch

This is great for storing small little notes, your business cards, and other slips of paper, receipts, or appointment cards you may pick up (or hand out) during the day. You can also slip in a calculator, pen, paper clips, washi tape, etc., to help keep you organized.

2. Pocket Folder

This goes along with the zippered pouch above. Having a place to temporarily store papers you receive throughout the day can keep you organized and sane until you have time to deal with them later.

It is also a great place to slip your outgoing mail, return receipts, etc., that must go with you when you leave the house if you plan on taking your planner.

3. Pen Holder

This one should be pretty self-explanatory, but having a space in your planner that holds your favorite pen or pencil is great for ensuring you always have something to write with when needed.

4. Durable Cover

It is nice to have a strong, durable cover that can withstand some spills and be repeatedly thrown into a purse or handbag. You don’t want your pretty cardstock cover to fall apart after a few months of use!

4. Pretty

This last one may seem silly, but I am much more likely to tote around a planner and use it if I like how it looks.

People, in general, are very visual. Having something that looks nice can add that little extra motivation to keep using it. Also, you won’t mind having it out on your desk or counter as much if it is pretty. If your planner is tucked away out of sight, you won’t get much use out of it.

How to Use Your Planner

This will vary greatly from person to person as our life situations are unique. You may be in college, a new mom just learning to stay home full time, a work-from-home mom (like myself), a person who works a 9 to 5 job, a person easing into retirement, or any other number of scenarios.

There is no one right way to use your planner. Below I will share what works for me and you can take from it what is helpful to you! My planning style has changed and evolved over the years as my schedule and home/family life have changed over time.

So, how do I use my planner? Pretty much everything goes in there! It gets written down in my planner if I need to remember it. I take it with me wherever I go.

Basic Information

Start by filling out basic information. It is helpful to have all your important dates written down.

I use a perpetual calendar in my home management binder to keep track. At the beginning of the year, I transfer these dates into my monthly pages.

I also like to write a reminder in my daily planning pages (about two weeks in advance from the date of the birthday, etc.) to buy and send a card and/or gift for those special events.

Appointments

When I schedule an appointment, I write it in the monthly overview. When planning out the next week each Sunday evening, any appointments from the monthly section get written down on my weekly pages.

I also make a future note in my planner when I need to schedule things like dentist appointments, doctor appointments, haircuts, etc. Usually, I try to do this a month to two months in advance as those appointments book fast.

I also add reminders for oil changes, car maintenance, home maintenance, etc.

Meal Planning and Cleaning

On my weekly pages, I include my weekly meal plan for dinners. I also write down each day’s cleaning task.

I clean different rooms of my house on different days. For example, I clean the bedrooms on Mondays, so each Monday has that written down.  If you clean by task – say Mondays, you vacuum the house – write it down!

Master List

I will go into more detail about my master list in a later post, but I try to include at least one thing from my list to complete every day or at least a few times a week. I also write down an organizing goal or task for each day – even if I write down “declutter for 15 minutes”.

Work

If you work from home, you may keep all your work tasks in the same planner as your personal tasks. You can do this if you work outside the home, as well. However, some people like to keep them separate. Do what works for you!

Since I work from home, seeing my work and home tasks in one place helps me manage my time better. I have tried having a separate blog planner, but it was too complicated to have two separate planners when my work and home life are so intertwined.

Although I do have a separate blog binder that helps me with the more detailed aspects of my job.

Kids and School

When my kids bring home school papers with dates for events, I record those in my planner and then toss the paper. This cuts down on paper clutter and helps me not forget those important class parties, school projects, fundraisers, etc.

If the paper has detailed information I need to refer to later, I write the basic information in my planner and then file the paper in my home management binder either in the planning section by month or the children section, depending on what it is.

Notes

As much as the calendar pages are important, I find the notes section equally important. When I think of things I need to do, they go onto my master list. If I have a blog idea, I write it down. I just remembered something I need to buy. It goes on my shopping list.

Color Coding

In the past, I have tried color-coding my planner by using different colored pens for each family member and different tasks. As pretty as this made my calendar, it didn’t work.

Unless I planned on carrying all those different colored pens with me everywhere I went, I inevitably ended up somewhere where I didn’t have the right color pen to write down what I needed to. So I either wouldn’t write it down and then forget about it, or the item would get written down with whatever pen or pencil I had.

Now I use a black pen for everything since I always have a black pen with me.

Quick tip: Use a highlighter to mark off tasks

I used to use check marks to mark items off on my weekly list. But it was hard to tell at a glance what I had finished. I don’t like crossing things off because if I need to refer back to my list, it can be hard to read.

Now, I use a highlighter to cross items off my list. I can easily see what has been done and what is left. And if I need to read something later, I can still easily see it.

Use Your Planner Daily

Writing everything you need to do in one place helps you to become more organized. However, remembering to write things down AND look at your planner to make sure you are not forgetting anything can be a challenge at first.

Set a reminder on your phone to check your planner each time you finish eating a meal or when brushing your teeth. The key is to tie in looking at your planner with something you already regularly do.

I suggest trying to make a habit of looking at your planner twice a day, but soon, you will probably use it much more than that!

Ready to get started? Below are some suggestions for my favorite planners that may work for you.

Paper Planner Resources:

I have used each of these planners at some time or another over the last 20 years. I like each one for different reasons and have used them at different seasons.

• Plum Paper – this is my current planner (2024). It offers the flexibility of a discbound planner while being very customizable
  • Shop Now
• The Happy Planner – I used the Happy Planner in 2023. I like being able to add and remove pages using the discbound system. The designs are colorful and fun!
  • Shop Now
• Simplified by Emily Ley – the Daily Edition was my go-to for many years. I love the simplicity and amount of space it offers,
  • Weekly Edition
  • Daily Edition
  • First-time buyers: save $10 off a $50 purchase
• Erin Condren – colorful and fun, the LifePlanner is a great tool to have everything you need at a glance in one place.
  • LifePlanner

Printable Planners:

• I Heart Organizing
• Motivated Moms
• Scattered Squirrel
• Simplified by Emily Ley Printable Library
• The Happiness Planner
• Day Designer Printable Library

Online Calendar and Planning Apps:

• Cozi
• Evernote
• Google Calendar
• iCal
• 30 Boxes

Blog Planners:

• Home School Creations
• Infarrantly Creative
• Confessions of a Homeschooler
• Mama Miss Designs
• Designer Blogs
• WordPress Editorial Calendar – If you are on WordPress, this is a must-have plug-in to help you manage and schedule your posts

Planner Accessories:

• Post-it Page Markers
• Sharpie Pen Fine Point Pen
• Girl of All Work Tabs
• Paper Mate Flair Point Pens
• Self Adhesive Pen Pencil Loop Holder

Project Organize Daily Checklist

Each day, we will build on the previous day until we have all our basic daily routines on auto-pilot.

1. Use your planner and master list
2. Do chores from the cleaning routine you chose
3. Stop multitasking
4. Do the dishes
5. Complete one load of laundry per day
6. Daily pick up
7. Make the beds
8. Quick vacuum or sweep the floor
9. Sort the mail and papers

This post is part of Project Organize: The Basics. Together, we will work on setting up basic systems in our homes to conquer overwhelmed and busy schedules.

These are the basics we need to do daily that will set up the foundation for success. This will allow us the space to tackle the larger decluttering projects with ease.

You may also like:

• Why I Love my Erin Condren Life Planner
• Create Planner Stickers with Your Cricut
• How to Make Planner Charms