I’m always on the lookout for planner organization ideas.
Planner organization ideas – the best way to calendar
Ah, the calendar. Also known as one of the most important parts of your planning system. But what all needs to go into this key component? Deciding which method of calendaring is best for you really depends on the level of detail your schedule requires.
- Daily is best for folks who juggle multiple priorities, need a stricter schedule, or have a schedule that really benefits from hour-by-hour scheduling. (Personally, my days are not conducive to that level of detailed scheduling.)
- Weekly is usually a good “medium” level of scheduling. I tend to like this one myself – working on a to-do list over the course of 7 days instead of a specifically daily list. Sometimes I sneak in a daily page, if I have a particularly hectic day to organize.
- Monthly was my option of choice last year when so much of the year was spent inside the walls of my own house. But since life seems to be moving forward again, I will probably go back to a hybrid of monthly and weekly.
Planner organization ideas – using printables
While you can create your own or buy a pre-made calendar, printables make it so much easier to get started. Plus, when you browse printables, you can even get some new planner organization ideas! And don’t forget to download your free printables in my library.
- monthly habit and water tracker
- project planner page
- weekly planner page (several different designs)
- one-page monthly
- budget planner
Within the first five pages of my planner, I always include these Year at a Glance and Year in Color pages. The Year in Color is a great way to track your moods throughout the year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should every planner have?
This is obviously personal question. There are two main criteria about what it needs to include:
- What do you need to track or calendar?
- How do you plan to use your planner?
Firstly, I prefer a paper planner myself. I like the tangible aspect (plus so many beautiful planners and stickers). I generally prefer a monthly calendar system, but will occasionally supplement that with a weekly planner page. And I like to carry mine with me so that can dictate the size that works best for me.
The main things that your planner needs to include (and everything else is based on your needs):
- A calendar system (whether that be daily, weekly, monthly, or a combination)
- A note-taking system (that can include graph paper, dot grid, lined pages, or blank pages)
What is the best way to organize my planner?
This is such a subjective question but I prefer my calendar at the beginning and my notes at the end. I also like to have a few notes pages within the month as well.
How do I use my planner to organize my life?
The BIG question! It’s all about creating the habit of using your planner. If you have the “perfect” system set up but continually forget to use it then it really isn’t helping. If you can, try to start your day and end your day with at least 10 minutes of “planner-ing”. In the morning, work on your plan for the day and in the evening, work on your plan for the next day(s).