ARE YOU READY TO LEAVE THE CYCLE OF SURVIVAL AND BEGIN TO THRIVE?

 Then it’s time to start organizing your life!

 If you can’t see what you are doing with your time you can’t manage it better. Or maybe you just need to remove some clutter from your brain so that you can be more present. Whatever it is we all need a plan. And for me, the best way to do that is with a planner. Here’s my ultimate guide to buying your first planner!

  You know who you are. 

I see you there constantly carrying a paper planner in a world that tells you to simply use your phone, but you know better than that. You know that your brain is more likely to hold onto information you write with your own hands.

 You are a Planner Person!

 I have worked as an executive assistant for 3 years, and before that as an office manager and secretary. My work is generally focused around organizing everyone else’s lives. Which typically means that my life is a hot mess. That is, without serious organization and a way to keep it all straight.

 I started using a paper planner when I started as a secretary and needed a place to keep appointments and notes for work. I noticed that when I entered information into my phone, I just didn’t retain it as well as if I had written it down. Not only that, but I found that when I needed to remember something, if I was only using my phone, I would lose that note. If I wrote it on a sticky note, I would remember and be reminded as needed.

Since we all think differently, we all need to find our own ways of organizing our thoughts so they make sense for us. But figuring that out can be a process. I knew I needed a paper system to help me stay on top of things, but there were so many options. It was overwhelming. Not to mention, I didn’t want to spend a ton of money on something that wouldn’t work for me.

If you are just starting this journey, here are a few things to think about when you are looking to buy your first planner:
1. What do you need to organize?
2. How much do you need to write? 
3. How much time and energy do you want to invest in your planner?
4. Budget

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO ORGANIZE?

You know you work better with pen and paper. You know you need to organize things. But what are those things?
I found that when I first started with my paper planner, I was trying to put all kinds of things in there. My home life, meal planning, exercise, to do list, a schedule, a doodle area, and oh my goodness so many other things. I quickly realized that I really didn’t need to incorporate all of that into one planner.

Make a list of the things you want to actually organize. For me, this ended up being any appointments I needed to remember for the day (meetings, doctors appointments, activities), a to do list for work, a notes section for things I needed to jot down quickly, and an area to write down home things that I needed to keep track of.

HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED TO WRITE?

 For most of the things I need to organize, I create lists or buzz words. I don’t need to write a full paragraph. In order for me to best visualize that, I prefer a vertical layout. If you are lost, let me translate. There are three main layouts to consider (there are actually so many other layouts, but these are the main ones), vertical, horizontal, and daily.
Essentially, one version has columns vertically on the page, and the other has them horizontally on the page. The daily layout is pretty self explanatory. There is one day per page.

Now if you are super busy, write largely and in complete sentences, you will want to consider that as you look at layouts. Since I don’t use complete sentences, and I create more lists than complete thoughts, I like to use a vertical weekly layout. There are a million posts on deciding which layout works best for you, but here is my advice: print one week of each layout and then use it for a week. You will quickly discover which layout works the best for you.

HOW MUCH TIME AND ENERGY DO YOU WANT TO INVEST IN YOUR PLANNER?

This is a big one. If you are the kind of person who is on the go, and just needs to write a few notes to get through your day, you are going to need a planner that is ready for you to simply open and jot down notes in. However, if you are the kind of person who wants to doodle, design your own pages and create a one of a kind planning system, then there are options that allow for your creativity to fly!

If you are looking for something to jot notes in, you will want to focus primarily on planners which are predated. This means that the dates are printed in and you simply open to that date, and you fill in what you need to fill in. This is essentially the simplest kind of planner. If you want to add a bit of pizazz but don’t like to draw or doodle, you can purchase some cute stickers and stick them in to personalize. Easy peasy.

Now if you are the kind of person who wants to express themselves and wants to put time into creating a planner which truly shows who you are, I’d suggest two possibilities.

1. An undated planner with lots of room and lots of stickers, pens, and washii tape.
2. A Bullet Journal

I’m not good at drawing. It’s not that I don’t like it, I just over critique myself and end up frustrated. So I love the idea of stickers, pretty colorful pens and tapes that are adorable to amp up my planner style. However, if I’m looking to plan something super creative and just want space to empty my brain, I love the bullet journal. If you are someone who is super critical of yourself, I’d say stick to the preprinted undated planner. I find when I use my bullet journal I tend to over think and sometimes I have to step away. Keep in mind how your brain works and what you need to plan! 

BUDGET

Last, and probably most important is your budget. As you begin to think about what kind of planner you are looking for, budget is a big factor. I found that the kinds of planners I was interested in were way out of my budget, but that didn’t mean I didn’t want them. Make sure you know how much you want to spend on your planner (including add ons like pens, stickers, tapes and more) before you start shopping, or you will spend more than you think. 

MY FAVORITE PLANNERS

Alright, so you’ve thought all about these above categories. You are ready to buy your first planner! But you have no idea where to look. Without further ado, here are my top picks for budget friendly, customization and creativity. 

MY FAVORITE BUDGET FRIENDLY PLANNER

 My pick for budget friendly planners is The Happy Planner by create365.

I love this planner for lots of reasons, but chief among them is that is is super affordable and easy to get. Most Michael’s stores carry several versions (undated and dated, fitness planners, and more) or you can order directly online. They also carry their own stickers for a great price!

I also love that even though this brand is crazy affordable, they are still great quality. I used these planners for about 3 years before I switched to my current planner. They also carry multiple sizes which is awesome for those who want something smaller or larger than the standard.

Click here to check out styles and sizes! And don’t forget that if you purchase through Michaels, Joann’s or Hobby Lobby, you can also use coupons!

The Happy Planner brand is also my absolute favorite for planner sticker options. They are affordable, accessible and work great! They also carry kits to get your started and allow you to find what you like and dislike!

MY FAVORITE CUSTOMIZABLE PLANNER

 My pick for customization has got to be the 7 X 9 personal planner from Plum Paper.

I absolutely love this planner, and the level of customization you can include. Not only can you customize the cover, the layout and more, you can add your own holidays, birthdays and family events to your planner. You can add note pages, planning pages, and themed pages. The customization is not only awesome, but affordable. It’s easy on the budget and absolutely gorgeous. Check out all the options at www.plumpaper.com!

My favorite part of the Plum Paper planner is the paper. Pens don’t bleed through, and it’s easy to find and see what I need. 

My Favorite Creative Style Planner

The top pick for creativity is the ZenArt Bullet Journal (modernist series).

This bullet journal allows for complete creativity. You can create layouts for planning, doodle pages, areas for brain dumps. There are so many options and that’s why it’s my pick for creativity. Click here to purchase from Amazon!!

Do you have a planner you adore?

What are your must haves in your planner?

Leave your comments below!