Plan to be Happy

It’s no easy task to keep track of doctor appointments, family get-togethers, playdates, extra-curricular activities, vet appointments, dinners, homework time, and household chores. More often than not, these logistics fall in the hands of the mom. Whether you are a stay-at-home mom, a work-from-home mom, or a mom with a demanding career, planners keep all your family’s appointments and activities organized, and your household running smoothly.

Find Your Perfect Planner.

In my quest to find the most functional way to become more organized, I discovered the wonderful world of planners. As I researched this new-to-me world, I learned that there are so many different types of planners, each as unique as every individual. From ring-bound binders, to spiral weekly books, and even plain notebooks, there is something out there for you. Being able to personalize your planner to your specific needs sets you up for success. No more missed appointments or forgotten activities.

Get Creative.

Once all the functionality of a planner is set up, it’s time for the fun. Today’s planners are not what you had in middle school. If I have to use and look at this thing every day, several times a day, I want it to look gorgeous! Not only have planners helped me with organization, it has produced a wonderful outlet for me to be creative. Making my planner beautiful with so many craft mediums has sparked my imagination. Using stickers, washi tape, colored markers, scrapbook paper, and even stamps, has become extremely satisfying and enjoyable. Making dividers and dashboards, then adding embellishments– like decorative paper clips and journaling cards with your favorite or inspiring quotes– makes it special. You can choose a theme or color that represents you. With the rise of planner popularity, many craft stores, paper-goods stores, and gift shops are carrying these supplies! For those not so into making your own tags, dividers, and paper clips, online stores such as Etsy sell every type of planner embellishment you can imagine.

Join the Community.

There is a ton of inspiration online. Planners have become an avenue to be creative and come together in new ways for so many. Youtube is also a wonderful resource for the DIYer. There are so many tutorials on how to make planner pages and all different kinds of embellishments.

Another place to find encouragement and inspiration is Instagram. This is where I found a wonderful community of ladies who love to be beautifully organized.

Though, I have always been a list maker, now I have a tangible system that I can make it gorgeous. It has made my life and my family’s life a little more peaceful. I hope it does the same for you! Plan to be happy!

Organizing Inspiration

Compartmentalizing helps tackle numerous tasks more easily. Here are just some ways you can organize your planner!

Calendar. According to month, track appointments, bills due and paid, paydays, family get-togethers, date night, my son’s activities, and vacations. Divided by week, household chores, family meals; as well as, personal tracking such as water intake, TV shows to watch, and planned blogging posts are tracked.
Family. Daily routines; daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning routines; pet routines, my health tracker, and children’s school activities are kept here.
Lists. From your grocery list, daily to-do list, to-buy list (including all non-grocery items), books-to-read list, wish lists for family members, and password trackers are kept here.
Finances. Keep track of all my purchases, online orders, and future sales to take advantage of should be noted here.
Contacts. Though most do not take advantage of this section because they keep this information in their phone, in the event of an emergency (including a lost, broken, or stolen phone), the contact information of important people and places might save a life.
Notes. Jot down anything and everything in this section! Utilize this as a brain dump– keep sticky notes, ideas, tasks or things to come back to at a later time, can all be kept here.