I haven’t written a good planning post in awhile….

I miss my planner. It sat there for months- mocking me. At first, it mocked me and my carefully laid out plans. It mocked me with shows that I was supposed to attend, book clubs, lunches, museum exhibits…

Then it mocked me with it’s emptiness…. day after day…page after page…empty…

I don’t like when anybody mocks me. Especially my planner. Yes- my planer is a person. I call her Sheila.

So Sheila looked so sad and lonely with all those empty pages…

What’s a planner supposed to do?

So I made a plan to add to my planner…

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First off- I added stickers!

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Here’s my case for stickers-

  1. It’s creative
  2. It brings out my inner child
  3. It’s cute
  4. It makes me feel good
  5. It gives me something to look forward to

What else have I added to my planner?

  1. Movies/TV I want to watch
  2. reminder to text friends
  3. Word of the day
  4. How I’m feeling
  5. Highlights of the day
  6. Lowlights of the day
  7. Gratitude
  8. Actual reminders of things to do
  9. Blog schedule/ideas
  10. Whatever I’m thinking when I have the planner open

The hardest thing about the pandemic is my lack of control….

Shocking revelation….

Playing with my planner has given me a little control over my days- on the page at least…

What other organizing ideas have you come up with LA? (face it- I know you’re thinking this. Who doesn’t think about what I’m doing to organize my life…)

These are my chore charts. I have them up in my kitchen. One of them are all the things that must be done on a daily basis. One is things that are done on a weekly basis. The other is a list of things that get done monthly or biweekly. It is so much easier to keep track of what needs to be done. It’s also easy for my family to see what needs to be done- you know- in case they want to help out around the house…

And there you have it!

Another planner post in the books…

54 thoughts on “Just Another Planning Post”

  3. Great ideas to make my planner look alive again! Love the Stickers!! I too am a list maker for everything, chores, shopping, books to read, movies to watch, I even make up a weekly list of dinner plans! Planners and lists are a way of life!! Thanks for the great ideas. Now to decide what to name my planner…..

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  5. I have two planners. One big one I keep in the house and a similar but smaller version I keep in my car. Then March came and…well, you know the rest…
    Recently I was lamenting the waste of money in their purchase and thinking I should just put them in the recycling bin.
    But once again you’ve inspired me. So today, I’m going to look at my planners and see if I remain inspired…if not, the recycling goes out tonight, so I’m good either way.
    In all seriousness, I’m pleased you’re finding joy and satisfaction in your planner again! ❤

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  8. So just between us are the chore charts for you or other inhabitants of your household? I know the things that need to be done everyday, but I am afraid if I wrote them down on a chart my husband would call to my attention if I didn’t get it done or “why didn’t you ask me?”

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    1. I like things in list form, but writing those same jobs every day is a pain. So I simplified with a list on a dry erase pad. But I will admit, with pandemic, my family does check to see which daily tasks need to be done. My daughter will do the dishwasher and wipe the kitchen down. My husband will wipe down the bathroom. So, it started out for me as a tool, but has actually helped family wise

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  11. Funny, this is a planning day for me too. Husband is out of town so plenty of quiet time. Airlines are letting me know I won’t get my money back. I know I need to rethink priorities. Not so much pencil and paper, but reorganizing my brain and goals. (And as a former elementary teacher I can only say whoohoo to your stickers–love them! Stickers bring smiles.)

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  12. Yep, stickers. I have a ton. I like to put them on random days in advance so when that day comes I get a surprise message. Maybe if I start the day thinking “Today is a great day” or “You are amazing” it actually will come true. I’m using the one I designed from Plum Paper this year, on your recommendation before. Washi tape is also fun to use. Happy Thursday!

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  13. I love a list, so I got everything to create a really amazing bullet journal and…..March. You are inspiring me to work on it now. Thanks! BTW, why does your pink chore list repeat? Just curious.

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    1. Ok…some things I do twice a month, like cleaning the coffee maker and the Brita. I break other things down in manageable pieces..I don’t clean the insides of all the cabinets at the same time. I do one cabinet one day. The one next to it the following day. I find I need to keep things small so I don’t get overwhelmed. I clean one drawer at a time. It gives me time to focus on what’s in there

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  14. I couldn’t stop smiling and nodding throughout this whole post! Most importantly, I offer hearty congrats on coming up with ways to placate Sheila.
    I use stickers and fun art supplies in my ‘artists way’ inspired Morning Pages as I find the original premise of them can get dry & old quickly otherwise!
    Chore charts, however, in our teeny living abode wouldn’t bode well for us at all!
    Hang in there!

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  15. I haven’t opened my planner in months! Shit, she’s probably going stir crazy. Stickers could be the answer here, at the very least I’m motivated to see who’s birthdays I’ve missed! C

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  16. I’m fairly flexible because…self-preservation. However, this pandemic has me planning meals that I actually cook…on a daily basis…again, self-preservation, which is forcing me to be more organized than ever. Now I spend a lot of time researching and coming up with meals for each day of the week for weeks in advance, coming up with a workable budget and grocery list, and then I must utilize space planning to get everything organized and easy to find, especially in the refrigerator. The pantry, too. I was disappointed with the fridge hacks I saw on an episode of GMA. The guest organizer had a lovely refrigerator, but there weren’t any leftovers in hers. That isn’t real life. Where do I store the leftovers? There wasn’t a hack for that!!!! Ugh. I’m ADHD. You have no idea how difficult this is for me. All I know is the family knows not to mess around with my meal plans. BTW, using stickers and doodles — isn’t that a specific type of journal planning? I can’t remember the name, though. Is it called bullet journaling, maybe? Only it’s really planning, not what I consider journaling. Still, very creative and cool. Also, I know a Sheila. She’s very organized. Perfect name for your planner! 😉 Mona

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    1. As I have nothing to plan anymore I needed to branch out….I was tired of empty boxes!! I do plan meals though. Ok…your fridge. What style do you have? What’s your preferred method of leftover storage?

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  18. I have a very old and large GE. One door and freezer on top. In fridge, two bins on bottom and one drawer under first shelf. We use bins we bought from dollar store to store dairy (sour cream, yogurt, ricotta, etc.); tomatoes, celery, onions, etc.; and hard cheeses. Everything that can fit on the side door goes there. Butter up in the butter area on side door. Potatoes in bottom drawer. My daughter keeps her veggies (we’re not allowed to touch) in the other drawer. 18 egg carton and margarine go on bottom shelf. Milk, juices, etc. go on top shelf. Flour tortillas slide between drawer and shelf below it (it fits perfectly.) I have green beans sitting on my counter because there is no more room. We won’t eat those until tomorrow. There’s no room for freaking leftovers unless I stack things precariously on one another. Bad things have happened. I’m now telling people if they don’t eat it, it’s going to the dogs. Period. I’d love any ideas you have. The dogs are well fed. Too well fed. Mona

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    1. They make reusable zip top storage bags…different sizes. Would that be a good solution? You could stand them up in a bin

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  19. My planner isn’t as creative. I still use a Franklin planner but with pages and a cover more suited to my retired life. Even in this digital world, I prefer writing things on paper. I don’t have a daily chores list so it often seems like I get nothing on my list done!! If I didn’t have my planner I would have lists all over the house. I like it all in one place. I couldn’t survive without it!!

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    1. I used to keep daily chores in my planner, but it wasn’t working. I find for stuff like this, that repeats, I need to see it in from of my face. I’m always tweaking stuff

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  22. I can totally empathize with you on your planner plans! I wouldn’t be able to get by without mine, but I occasionally do fall into the habit of…well, forgetting to fill it out during this pandemic.

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