Using a planner correctly?

Whilst having lunch with some girlfriends recently, talk turned to keeping ourselves organised and how we use planners. My friend cooed over my Filofax before complaining that she loved planners but didn't think she would use one right.

When I got home that evening, this really got me thinking. Is there such a thing as a right way to use a planner? 

With a multi planner system on the go, I would argue there is no hard and fast rule about how to use a planner. It's all about what works for you. A planner is a deeply personal thing, by the time you have it in your hands you've already chosen colour, size, style based on need and taste, so why would what goes inside be any different?

I use separate planners for work because I want to keep my home and work life separate. There are some people who can't abide a multi planner system, but personally I need the compartmentalisation. 

I also use a Filofax as a reading journal, again, I could choose to have a book section in my planner but I like doing it this way. I know of some people who break their planner use down even more with reading, exercise, dream journals, housekeeping all being managed in separate planners. This isn't right or wrong. It's what works for them.

For my personal life I have two planners, one on the desk and one in my bag. I also decorate my pages, I find it quite cathartic. This isn't everyone's cup of tea, for some my pages are too busy and difficult to keep track of my schedule.

One thing I'm certain of, there is no right or wrong way to use a planner so long as it works for you and more importantly so long as you use it. Everything else is just details.

Shopping Around

Sometimes being a planner addict isn't the most inexpensive of hobbies. As such I firmly believe in shopping around for my planners so I can get the most bang for my buck.

It means I'm a nightmare whenever I want something however. I'll search eBay  endlessly, just in case, and I'll check as many stockists as I can. Invariably I end up ordering something online.

I discovered something amazing this week however: price match. 

Shopping in John Lewis last weekend, Mr S picked up the filofax he knew I'd been itching for so I can plan our trip to Walt  Disney World. 

There was only one issue however, the price. I knew I could get it for significantly less somewhere else. So Mr S walked up to the counter and asked if they did price match.

It was that simple. The lovely lady agreed and five minutes later I was on my way and planning my holiday. You have to show them the website where it's less money and it can't be a web exclusive deal, but it was definitely worth doing. I'll certainly be going back to John Lewis again!

Planner Pals - A lesson learnt the hard way

As a planner newbie, there are some lessons you can only learn the hard way. This was one of them. We recently got three kittens: Poppy (the snuggly one), Pixie (the cheeky one) and Flossy (the naughty baby one). They're all from the same litter, but Flossy unfortunately was very poorly when she was a few weeks old and subsequently lost an eye. She's extremely loving and isn't hindered by it at all, but she also knows she's got us wrapped around her little finger.

Do you know what doesn't mix well with kittens? My domino. That's what!

My poor filofax has been subjected to paw prints, bottoms and most horrendous to watch: Flossy tries to ping the elastic if you don't keep an eye on her. Not only that but tiny scratches have started to appear. No one else seems to be able to see them, but I am accutely aware that they are there. So guess who's shopping for a protective pouch for her filofax? 

How do you keep yours protected?

My planner hints

A little while ago, Amanda over on She's Eclectic ran a competition and in part of this asked planners for their best advice. At the time I was pretty daunted, I've only been planning for a few months what advice could I possibly give? In the days and weeks that have passed since though this has given me some real food for thought.

Now I'm always learning, so I'm certain this will be interesting to revisit in a few months, but these are these are the hints and tips I would pass on at this stage.

1. Fill your planner with things that make you smile. 

Quotes, pictures, photos. Anything. The daily slog can be pretty tough sometimes and it can be hard to remember to smile. If your planner is always filled with things that make you smile, you've always got something to smile about.

2. Plan the little things too.

 I always note down when I need to take out the rubbish, put a washload in, even worm the cats. It's only small stuff, but if I've made time in my day for it firstly it actually gets done and secondly I don't stress out over it. Since I've started doing this my stress levels have been way down.

3. Keep work and play separate.

This is a deeply personal choice, but for me it's far more beneficial to have work in a filofax all on it's own. This stops work creeping into my personal life and vice versa. For me it's been deeply liberating and it's the first time in my adult life wherein I have a work life balance.

4. The internet is a dangerous place.

I am forever seeing beautiful planners, tapes, papers and what have you online. In a world full of beautiful planner paraphernalia it is far too easy to buy more than you need. 

As a self confessed hoarder a little self control has to exercised to prevent me having to build an extension on my home to house my goodies. I'm not saying you shouldn't treat yourself, just be warned you're probably going to see lots of things you want to buy. Be prepared for some of them not to be available where you live too.

5. Don't be afraid to experiment 

I'm always surprising myself by trying out new things with my planner. Currently, I'm having a love affair with journalling cards and scrapbook paper. Mixing the two together can create some very pretty dividers and dashboards, which will allow you to put your own stamp on your planner and make it something truly unique.

How about you, what's the best planner advice you've been given? 

For what ails you?

For a long time I've suffered from sinus issues and last weekend I was in agony with sinusitis, so much so I sent Mr S out for medicine which I would normally try and do without. 

Much to my surprise however, Mr S also returned with this: 

A new planner without diary, marked down as a result. Apparently, it was too good to miss and he thought it'd cheer me up. I didn't need another planner but I sure as heck wasn't complaining. It's not unusual for him to pick me up stationery when I'm feeling down.

This got me thinking, a bad day usually results in some sort of new planner supplies; perhaps some stickers or a new pen. The worst day for a long time at work resulted in a trip to the poundshop for supplies.

I don't know about you, but my pick me up is always stationery and planner related. I think it's because it lasts unlike wine or chocolate and I can continue to get enjoyment from it, unlike clothes.

Even if I don't purchase, I'll window shop for planners and think about how much sunshine they would bring into my life and reflect on how much the ones I already have do. 

New Planner

Another filofax joined my little family of planners yesterday. I'd been casually keeping an eye out for an affordable pocket or personal sized planner for a couple of weeks. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely adore my tweed but it doesn't fit in my handbag and several times Mr S has asked me for information whilst we're out and about which is at home in my planner. 

I've really had my eye on a patent compact in either egg shell or lemon but a visit to our local W H Smith revealed a small selection on sale. 

I had a real struggle to choose as I was torn between two pretty floral designs... Blossom and Floral Burst. Both were personal size and fairly close in price, albeit the Floral Burst being marginally more expensive.

I eventually chose the Floral Burst as it felt sturdier than the Blossom, even though I preferred the design of the Blossom. It somehow just felt unfinished, perhaps because it has no pockets? 

Either way I'm happy with my choice and looking forward to customising my new handbag sized planner, as well as being able to have all my information to hand all the time. Mr S I think was just happy I stopped sitting on the floor whilst I weighed up my choices. 

Is one ever enough?

The arrival of my paperchase tweed planner was like anticipating the arrival of a newborn and it has been cherished as such since it's arrival. It was hotly followed by my domino so I had something to help keep me organised at work. It looks stunning in it's special pocket in my work bag, rocking a blue and red contrast that makes me go weak at the knees. I love my planners! 

Yet every chance I get, I'm on Pinterest, Amazon, even eBay drooling over planners and keeping my fingers crossed for a bargain. In theory all my planning needs have already been met. 

I've snooped around my favourite blogs and I know I'm not alone on this, and let's face it with the range of colours and sizes available is it any wonder one might not be enough? 

Having a few to choose from allows you to match your planner to your mood and the time of year. You'd have to get everything in the same size so you can just transfer your set up of course, but it is great to coordinate. 

Different planners can be used for different needs. Mr S. Knows exactly which filofax I'm going to get when the time comes to plan our wedding. Similarly, I adore my A5 I wouldn't change it, but I can't just slip it in my handbag when I go shopping.

Given the opportunity I'm sure I could justify my entire Wishlist without difficulty, however I'm pretty sure I'm preaching to the choir. So, can one ever be enough?

Sales Joy!

Now you may remember I was a little upset a few weeks back as I'd attempted to buy a domino via eBay which went missing in the post. We're still trying to resolve that at the moment but in the meantime I've been doing a cheeky bit of sales shopping.

As such I landed myself a lovely domino A5 in red for less than £20! I like that the domino is budget friendly compared to some of the other Filofax products, but I thought this was a real steal! 

It's got plenty of space inside and as I'm going to be using this one for work, the week to view layout is perfect for my needs. The cover is lovely and smooth, really nice to touch and the red is a great deep red.

I'm a bit unsure about personalising the pages at the moment, I'm not too sure how that'll look in a meeting or what have you, but I will be personalising my dividers and dashboard as soon as I can. 

Happy Christmas!

Morning my beauties! I hope you've all been thoroughly spoilt and had a wonderful and restful Christmas! It's been a crazy few weeks so I'm enjoying some down time to enjoy and share my favourite Christmas present! 

Ta da! I was super excited to unwrap this beauty on Christmas Day! Mr S was a bit cheeky and kept it back until last so I was really surprised! 

It's really beautiful, A5 with a tweed cover and I'm itching to get going so I can share all of it's pretty pages with you. 

There's lots of space on each page so I can decorate and include all of my important information too. Mr S has also bought me lots of supplies so I can keep my pages pretty which I'll share with you a bit later... In the meantime, I'm off to play' 

Domino Disappointment

Last week I won a Domino Filofax for the bargain price of £6 on eBay. It was gorgeous! Even better it was red, my favourite colour! I could scarcely contain my excitement when it had been shipped.

So you can imagine my disappointment when the package arrived in one of those Royal Mail baggies in a mess. Even worse when the package turned out to be empty! 

Naturally paperwork has been filled in to try and recover my missing item, I'm vaguely hopeful that it'll turn up in some sort of lost property however it looks like someone opened the parcel. I'd hate to think, especially given the time of year, that someone has stolen it but it's certainly put me off using eBay again any time soon. 

Fingers crossed I'll have some good news to share with you really soon, but in the meantime there are only 10 more sleeps until I can start filofaxing with you beautiful people instead of just showing you my supplies. 

Fineliner Love

I had a lovely little delivery from Amazon today of fine liners. I opted for staedler ones as I personally find the colours are brighter and last longer than the stabilo ones. These also come in a fantastic sturdy case, which if you're as clumsy as me is also always a win.

I've got fineliners and felt pens and I can't wait to start using them both. Again I'm not 100% certain I can wait until I receive my Filofax, even if there now are only 23 days remaining. You'll notice I decided to opt for the box of 20 over the box of 12 as I love the extra range of colours that is made available through this option as it means I've consequently got pens that co-ordinate with virtually every theme I could possibly choose in my organiser.

So of course I just need the organiser now. I can scarcely contain my excitement thinking about it, good job I haven't got long to wait now!

Ebay Blues

So I've had a few woes with eBay this weekend. I discovered in addition to the possibility that one Filofax might not be enough, I would not get the Filofaxes that made me believe this. Now, there is of course the very real probability that I was rationalizing the ownership of the beauties I had my eye on in the event of winning them, but alas it was not meant to be!

The first cutie that made me swoon was a delectable Disneyland Paris organiser. Pocket sized and dark coloured it would have been perfect on my desk and for those trips we take to Disney to ensure my loved ones receive their postcards without delay. According to the description there were Disney themed pages, although there were no pictures to go with this so I guess I'll never know. I was pipped to the post in literally the last second by 20p!

The second delight to further wet my appetite for the anticipated Filofax was a Radley one, which not only had a matching purse but actually matched one of my handbags. It was personal sized and came with a pen which is always a win. The little beauty also had a dust bag and was the perfect size for keeping with me when out and about, as well as organising all those dinner dates with Mr S and lunch dates with the girls. I would always be happy to let Radley help me keep my social life in check. Alas this too was not meant to be as the 8 other bidders who were also after this gorgeous item outbid me yet again.

So it seems I am still destined to wait until Christmas, even if that is AGES away. Well ok there are 24 days left, but that feels like ages.

New Goodies

Now one of the wonderful albeit dangerous things about Amazon, is that there are so many wonderful things available in one place at the click of a button. Cue a little insomnia and the result is... you guessed it, more supplies for my Filofax. Thankfully at this point there are only 33 days or 4 Saturdays left before Christmas and getting my Filofax. 

I wanted some ring reinforcers as I'm a touch clumsy and wanted to minimize the number of accidents I have with pages, Naturally I chose colourful ones as I love all things bright and colourful and these seemed a fantastic way to brighten up any pages. I've also been oggling some cute ones on etsy but I think I'll wait until after Christmas and maybe make a dent in the supply of things I've already begun to hoard.

Whilst I was shopping I couldn't resist these Mickey Mouse stickers. Mr S and I love a trip to Disney, so there is always ample opportunity to use these in the dates ahead. After all we're going to be seeing in the New Year there and then we're back there for Mr S' birthday shortly after.

Crayola twistables are fantastic as the colours are lovely and they're bright enough to be seen without overpowering or bleeding through pages. I love that you don't need to sharpen them. I was really upset when I lost my last set to my niece and nephew so treated myself to some of my own.

I also picked these up for the bargain price of £1.50 or something. I was a little disappointed as they're actually tiny but then at that price what did I expect? Something bizarre also happened when I photographed them as the picture looks really vibrant and fun, however in reality the colours were actually quite dark but they'll still be perfect for prettying up the Filofax.

Shhh!!

Soooooooo,,, I may have been a very naughty little starlet today! I nipped into town and spotted at a few bits and pieces that will be great little additions to my stationery collection. By a few, I of course mean I bought probably more than I needed but there were so many cute bits how could I resist?

I got some fantastic bits from the good old pound shop. I've got a real thing for paper clips at the moment so I jumped at the opportunity to stock up on some cute shaped ones. I particularly like the fish shaped ones.

I couldn't resist adding to the washi tape stash and picked up some fab ones from The Works and Wilkinsons. Now I've just got to find somewhere to keep them all, At the moment they're still in their packets in a big bag currently known as the filofax supplies.

I also picked up these sweet little pads from the pound store. I couldn't choose between the two so I got both as they will go quite nicely with most themes, plus I just love a good list so special paper for it is always a bonus!

I also stocked up on stickers as I've been threatening to stick them everywhere in my impatience. Although I got some cute tatty teddy ones in the pound shop I also picked up these as they're basic and versatile. In addition to that they were really easy on the pocket at 50p a packet. What's not to love about that?

One thing is for sure, Christmas needs to hurry up and get here so I can get my organiser and get decorating, otherwise Mr S is going to need to get me a work room for Christmas rather than just a filofax! Not that I would complain about having a whole work room instead of just a work space of course.

Paperchase

Now what sort of stationary lover would I be without a good old haul from Paperchase? It forms a staple part of my pen and paper diet, even if it is sometimes a touch pricey. For me, going in there is a bit like going into a sweet shop. Well actually it's better, given the choice I'd pretty much always choose pens and paper.

I treated myself to some schedule stickers as they were a bit prettier than the ones I'd already got. Added with the fact I have a big family, I'll probably need the birthday stickers! Overall, I was really pleased with this little haul as I felt I got a lot for my pennies. It may have been preemptive but I picked up some to do pages and some A5 coloured paper as it worked out cheaper than buying the pre-punched stuff and I'm not too worried about it being lined, I may even give some of the pretty templates I've seen on Pinterest a go.

 Ah washi tapes... I'm completely new to washi tapes so ridiculously in love with them and added them to my supply bag every opportunity I get. I couldn't resist the cute little penguin design which I thought would be perfect for winter. The polar bears are pretty sweet too. The loose one is apparently a mushroom design, I liked its monochromatic graphic style.

I couldn't resist a new sticker haul either, especially the Parisian ones with the sweet little Eiffel Towers. I'm also really drawn to weather stickers as well for some reason. I think it's because they have faces when they shouldn't have faces. Either way, they make me smile and that's something I will definitely need in my planner.