With the start of the new year, I felt it was only appropriate to start with a new planner. I wanted to try something new this year. I went to Instagram to chat with my BFFs (you guys!) and ask what your favorites were.
I got the best response from you guys and I had so many requests to share the most recommended and which I chose + why!
R E C O M M E N D A T I O N S
I pretty much got the same three recommendations from everyone.
– Target // So many of you messaged me about Target’s planners. I’ve gotten some from Target in the past and they are great! Super cute and similar to the Erin Condren for around $10. During one of my weekly (daily) Target visits, I checked out all the 2018 planners but eventually decided I needed something larger (I’ll explain why below!).
– Erin Condren // I’ve always heard great things about these planners and they are super cute. This was almost the planner I went with BUT most of the ones I found were hardback bound and I prefer the spiral bound books.
– 365 Happy Planner // Winner, winner! I ended up going with the Happy Planner and I couldn’t be happier ha! First, it’s spiral bound which I love and it’s huge! Pages can be removed or added as needed and there are pockets. This is the pack I got, it’s under $30 includes a huge planner, stickers and a pen that fits in the binding so you’re never without! It’s seriously amazing.
I also had a couple girls recommend the Simplified Planner and the Lily Pulitzer Planners.
the H A P P Y P L A N N E R
I wanted to dive in a little deeper on why I chose the Happy Planner. When you’re looking at it, it’s pretty! It has a motivating quote on the front and the inside is cheerful and positive, everything I love when planning out my year. It’s a great size but not too heavy, it easily fits in my tote bags that I carry while running errands, to work, etc. I also loved that the pages were removable, this is great when purchasing expansion packs, adding your own pages that you download from Pinterest or make. One reader told me she removes some of the later months (or past months) to make her planner even lighter.
Inside, I love the way it’s laid out. It has a large pocket that’s great for storing my extra stickers, bills, documents, etc. The first page is a place to right goals, birthdays, notes, what you’re doing/into that month and more. Next, it has a large two page monthly calendar. The following pages have the week spaces. Each week is split between two pages and has a ‘Notes’ column on the side. Each day is divided into three large sections with plenty of room to write! It’s really the perfect lay out.
Like I mentioned above, there are many add on’s that made me excited for this planner. The disk binding makes it a breeze to add or remove pages as you wish but the pages stay put so well! You can purchase extensions packs online or download ones from Pinterest. I made a whole Pinterest board of pages I’ll be adding to my planner, I hope you’ll follow along with it too! If you have any great additions, I would love to hear about them!
This month I’m going to add a Water Intake Log, Excersice Log, Weekly Meal planner and Home Cleaning Schedule to my planner. I will be sure to keep you update on how I like them/use them.
O R G A N I Z A T I O N
One of the biggest questions I get in regards to my planner is how I organize it. Between real life, blogging, work and everything else going on in the world, if I don’t write it down.. I will forget! Something I really loved about the Happy Planner was the way it was divided.
M O N T H // I love how big the month section in this planner is. I use this section to plan out all posts. I did make the mistake of not writing this part in pencil and things got a little messy in January! I also write out when all our bills are due, important dates or birthdays and trips.
W E E K // The week section is really what sold me on this planner. I love how large it is and I love how great it’s sectioned off. A week is span between two pages and also has a column for notes on the left side. Each day is then broken down into three sections.
D A Y // Since the day section has three parts, it’s SO easy to keep your day organized. You could easily use this section for Morning, Day, Night but I use mine for Work, Blog, Personal. The top section is for work. I can write out meetings, important deadlines or even just little notes about things I need to remember for that day. The middle section I use for blog, this is such a game changer for me because I can write what post I want to publish that day + any ideas I have for that post such as.. what to wear when shooting, where to shoot, any props I need for the shoot or just a small outline for the post. Having this all in one spot is a life saver. The bottom section is for personal life! I use this area to list my workouts, what errands I need to run, doctor’s or personal appointments, grocery lists, etc. Like I mentioned above if I don’t write it down, it won’t happen.
N O T E S // In the side column is the notes section. This is where I write random reminders for the week, things I just need to get done at some point that week, small notes or recipes or just positive messages.
I hope this post is helpful! If you have any specific questions DM me on Instagram or comment below. I’m so excited this week is the start of February, anyone else feel like January has lasted 500 years?! I hope you have a wonderful Monday! XO
| The Happy Planner Kit *On Sale | Fur Slides *On Sale | Coffee Table *On Sale 42% off! | Candle | Prayer Beads (Similar) | Living Room Rug (SUCH a great price & quality) | Wool Tassel Blanket | Mercury Glass Box (this is so great for storing remotes!) | Initial Mug | White Tray | Vintage Milk Can | Polaroid Frame: Hobby Lobby | Books: Vintage |
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