Planner addict, yet undecorated #planneraddict #lifeplanner
I’ve been using the Erin Condren LifePlanner for several years. I think I’m on my fifth LifePlanner? I had used other planners before, but this one just worked for me. I started using the LifePlanner before all of the add-ons came into play, and before it was cool to decorate your planner. I remember when the covers were pretty, the inside quotes were plentiful and there were just some plain stickers in the back you could use to mark important dates.
I’m a washi addict. I haven’t denied that – ever. I love washi tape. I love pretty embellishments for card making and scrapbooking. I love adding decorative tape to anything I feel needs a little boost. (Like a light switch plate or random envelopes.)
If you search the hashtag #planneraddict on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest, you are going to find a LOT of photos where people have gone above and beyond in decorating their planners. I will admit that their planners are pretty. I have tried decorating my planner, and eventually realized it wasn’t for me. Decorating a planner is equivalent to scrapbooking. (I do occasionally add a strip or two of washi tape to one of my weeks, usually on a whim.) After reading multiple posts from other self-proclaimed planner addicts, I realize that some people spend hours decorating and planning their weeks.
I don’t have time to decorate. I don’t have time to sit down and do traditional scrapbooking these days, why do I think I would have time to scrapbook my planner? Maybe if I schedule my time in my planner, I can fit it in, but….I could also be doing other things.
The stickers, the tape, the embellishments. They all take up valuable space in your planner! If I cover up my already pretty planner, where will I write the things I actually need to remember to do later?
I do love a simpler look, and the LifePlanner is simple, while still being pretty and encouraging. (I love the quotes that are on each month.) I have stickers in the back that I can use that mark certain appointments, birthday, vacation, days off – and pages of blank stickers I can use. I haven’t used the doctor appointment stickers because I have so many, and the folks at Erin Condren didn’t take into account the 5 billion appointments I’d have this year.
Normally I don’t do any of the add-ons. Last month, I had a gift card and I purchased the menu planner snap-in and the pen holder. I’m still not 100% sold on the menu planner (I use a Sharpie to write on it, and the ink still rubs off a little), but the pen holder has been a game changer. That’ll be in all of my future Life Planner orders.
I’m curious…do you use a paper planner? Do you decorate it? What kind of planner do you use?
**I was not compensated for this post. Some of the links above are referral links, meaning if you purchase a planner, I get a credit towards my next Erin Condren purchase (which usually occurs in November, when I am ordering my next planner.) All opinions are my own.
I have always loved the idea of paper planners. Have had many over the years but until 2015 I never had one that worked for me. I found Passion Planner and I *love* it. It sits on my desk and everything goes in it. With 2-4 kids in my and their schedules and my schedule and the man’s schedule I need the constant visual reinforcement of my day to day. The Passion Planner is black and white. No color anywhere. I write all my scheduling stuff in pencil and highlight over it when it’s completed (different colors for different things). Pickups and dropoffs for kids & their stuff is one color. Work hours are a different color. I am not an artsy person so I don’t add a ton of embellishments etc to my planner. But every so often the crayons or colored pencils make their way to my desk and I will doodle in blank spaces on days that have passed. (The idea of taking up good space that may be needed to plan or list in order to make it pretty seems silly and wasteful)
So that’s my take on planners. 🙂
Love this. I have a friend who loves the bullet journal (and I’ve met others who love the bullet journal and the Passion Planner.) I think they’re all great options, if they work for you. I didn’t even get into the digital calendar aspect. I have to check my husband’s digital calendar often when planning anything that involves him. But a digital calendar wasn’t working for me.
I pay roughly $50 for my LifePlanner, which is not cheap. I can’t justify spending even more to scrapbook it. I’m amazed at the people who can do that.
I’ve used a Lilly planner since college. I don’t decorate it, but that’s mostly because I will completely cover the pages in notes and reminders and ideas. Can’t live without my paper planner!
i spent way to much on my planner this year. i like it, and its been helpful, but its too big to tote around. a page for every day of the year. and i certainly don’t decorate it!
‘…when I’m in the verge of using google calendar for my schedules, I jump right into buying a paper planner. There’s something about writing down the events, reminders, to do things etc that satisfy me. Yes, I use paper planner but I incorporate what I’ve written down into my google calendar which is an app in my phone, for when I’m on the go.
True enough…when searching for planner images there’s loads of pretty things online & an inspiration too. I don’t do that though. My planner is an endless scrawl of my less than tidy handwriting that eventually became a total mess after the end of the day. But Im OK with that…and Im happy.
Nice post here and I can totally relate. Have a nice day!
I definitely need something analogue to compliment my almost-all digital life. I just had a conversation about having a planner with a client this weekend. And, though I have one for work, it got me thinking that maybe I should have one for my personal life. Wish I could find one that would work for both!
I use mine for work and personal (because, really, my work life is still part of my life and the two intersect.) I still have to keep an Outlook calendar at work, but if it isn’t written down, it probably isn’t going to happen for me.
You have your planner so organized. My planner is a pile of sticky notes….yikes.
I like to think I’m a queen of sticky notes. I’m obsessed with them (and the more colorful, the better!)
I’ve never used a life planner before, but I love this idea – and how it’s decorated. I can see how you could do this to both make it more fun to use (and therefore encourage it’s use) and for better organization
I am a huge paper planner user. I love being able to see things written out and easy to see at a glance. I love the layout of this plan.
I use a day designer and really like it. I love yours!
A Planner is important to us, I love your planner, the design looks so nice and cool. I’d like to have a planner like yours.
I am all about the daily planner. Keeps me organized and not so overwhelmed by my to do list…but mine is basic and not pretty like yours:(
I don’t use a large planner–I use one of those small ones that can fit easily in your pocketbook. It used to be filled with all my appointments for bookkeeping. Now that I am semi retired–clients, my doctor appts, my Mom’s doctor appts. There is no room now or then for decorating it!! I have been thinking about getting one like the above to keep in my apartment. These sound nice and I will go take a look.
I LOVE this planner too!! I use this one and a Lilly one and I love them both so much!
I love these planners! They are great for everything. I used one a few years ago and really need to get a new one.