Planner Culture

Last week I talked about getting back into the swing of using a planner. I didn't put too much effort into researching what was out when I chose mine because I didn't know there was a whole culture of planner addicts like myself out there.  There are several aspects that go into determining your planner style. I'd like to go through some here for those of you considering changing your current style or those of you who've never used a planner and want to make a more informed decision. Buckle in, it's a bit of a lengthy post.

Vertical vs. Horizontal
There are typically two types of layouts that you can choose from and not all planner companies offer both options. A horizontal layout may be favored if you like to be more descriptive when scheduling your day.  You could also use this format to monopolize on space by lining down the middle, as shown in the second picture here.  Then you could divide the day between home and work or day and night, or any other combo you might prefer. 
If you prefer more of a list format, then a vertical planner might make more sense. Some of them come with hour blocks already incorporated, but either way, you could still do some kind of alternative split.  I used washi tape to cover up the printed hours on my planner.  I found that I like the vertical layout, but didn't want to be restricted to the hours and decided to break up the days into different categories.

All Rights Reserved

All Rights Reserved

Dated vs. Undated
You can choose to go with an Academic year planner, where the beginning month is typically August. Or you can choose a Calendar year planner, where the beginning month is January.  At this point in time I gravitate toward calendar year, but I imagine I will transition to academic year once the kids begin elementary school. I imagine the feeling of when my year begins will start to shift in line with school because of all the activities that come along with that.

The advantages of a dated planner include being able to journal a bit on each particular day to have a record of not only what you did, but maybe how you felt, or a memory you want to have logged in writing.

The advantages of an undated planner include being able to spill over into another day if you need the extra room. You can also explore your creativity by writing the dates in a fun new way. If you've gotten into learning script lettering or modern calligraphy, putting in the dates yourself can be a way for you to practice different styles.  Lastly you can also use fun and themed stickers, which I'll get into down below.

White Space vs. No White Space
First, let me introduce you to the planner term, "spread." The word spread in planner lingo simply refers to the way you organize your layouts for the month, week, and/or day.  If you do a search for "planner spreads" in google images, you will see exactly what I'm talking about. What primarily comes up are the Erin Condren or Happy Planner spreads people have shared.  Essentially, it's the before or after of what your week looks like, after being organized, written and out, and more than likely stickerfied, (yes, I'm making that a word 😎). 

Those who like to giver their planners more of a journal or scrapbook feel tend to use sticker kits to cover up all the white space. They write on top of the sticker, rather than just leaving that space empty to write on. If you're aesthetic is more streamline, you may be okay with having white space and maybe only using the occasional decorative element.

If you want to geek out with me, there are also "plan with me" videos you can search for to get ideas about how you may want your spread to look. There's something oddly satisfying about watching others seemingly getting their lives in order while they fill out their planners 😌. Just be sure to indicate in your search which planner you're curious about, otherwise all of the initial searches are bullet journals.

Stickers - Functional vs. Decorative (or both!)
Now onto my favorite part of planning, STICKERS!! I have awakened the inner child in me when the days of Lisa Frank brightened every corner of my binder, notebook, diary, and anywhere else I could think of to put a sticker.

Remember these beauties 😍! I went nuts when it came to wanting these stickers all the time! I have awakened that desire as an adult with planner stickers. I absolutely LOVE using stickers in my planner, but tend to lean toward the cute functional ones. There are stickers that help you make lists, track habits, stay on top of bills, and just about anything you can think of to organize. I tend to lean toward a combination of functional and decorative, specifically kawaii stickers.  Kawaii is the culture of cuteness in Japan.  These kinds of stickers can be people or a number of objects personified with a face which has the eyes and mouth close together and they don't have a nose.  Here are a few examples from my personal stash.

The first picture shows a couple of my kawaii functional stickers I use for lists and meal planning.  The second picture shows strictly functional stickers.  The last picture are some kawaii fall drink decorative stickers.  Can you tell, I can't wait for fall y'all 🍁🎃🍵! The cute cups are actually extras from a sheet that included the same cups, but with numbers, so I can use them as dates for my weekly spreads in November.  Can you guess which design I chose for October?

I just love opening up my planner and seeing all these happy little face looking at me.  It helps to relieve the overwhelming feeling that might accompany seeing a weeks worth of stuff to get done.  Whatever your style might be, I recommend searching Etsy for a variety of options.  If you like anything you've seen in the pictures above, the Etsy shop names are printed on the sheets.  The mugs are also from A Happy Blue Tree, which happens to be my favorite shop 😍! Let me know in the comments below which style (functional, decorative, or both) you would prefer.  Below is a closeup of one of my weekly spreads.

                       

Writing Instruments - One color vs. Color-coded

These options are also based on your own personal aesthetic.  You can choose to keep everything written in black or blue and use your stickers to infuse color and be the more functional aspect of your system. Or you can choose to use colored markers or pencils to color code your tasks and opt for black and white stickers, there are plenty out there. If you're super minimalist, strictly black ink and B&W stickers may sound appealing.

In any case, no matter which way you're leaning, don't go crazy with committing to a style you think will work for you right out of the gate.  Just experiment until you find what works for you!  I'm still trying to figure out where I am with organizing my spread and to color-code or not to color-code is my burning question.

Next week I'll do a "plan with me" style blog to walk you through how I organize my weeks; including what items are absolutely non-negotiable and which are flexible. Let me know in the comments if there's anything else you would like to know. Thanks for your patience in getting this post out to you.  Enjoy your three-day weekend!