Planners | Pad Patter 8.1

Discussion in 'Chatty Pad' started by IntenseMagic, Aug 1, 2021.

  1. IntenseMagic

    IntenseMagic Some grannies cuss a lot. I'm some grannies.

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    Happy August!! I have a love/hate relationship with August. I love the weather, but I go back to work in 2 weeks so *boo hiss*.

    Other than the first of August, it's also National Planner Day! I am planning to go back in my planner and document some things that I have neglected lately. I adore my planner, but this summer I have really let it slide, I guess because I haven't had a whole lot to plan lol. But it's also another memory keeping tool for me. I really want to get back in to decorating it again.

    I'm a Happy Planner girl. I have tried others and even digital ones, but nothing works for me like the Happy Planner does. I used an Erin Condren for school last year and hated it every day. The paper was nice but the spiral thing was always in my way. I love that I can easily take pages in and out of my Happy Planner and add things that I need. I uses the classic size at home and the big teacher one for school.

    Just curious, are you a planner? Do you have a favorite? Do you use it for memory keeping or just dates and appts and things?

    And just FYI - if you like the Happy Planner - I got a text this morning that they are having a BOGO sale all day today on all planners!! I really kind of bummed because I just bought my teacher one last week :(
     
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  2. HavaDrPepper

    HavaDrPepper Space. The final frontier

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    I no longer use a planner of the type you are describing. Being retired I don't really need it anymore.

    However, I do have another type that is working for me. It is from Wal-Mart, SeeItBigger by PlanAhead. I have the 2 year Monthly Planner for Jan 2021 to Dec 2022. Since it fits a 3 ring notebook, I have it in 1/2" notebook and it sits right by the computer. I then record any appointments or reminders in it as needed. These days I like seeing a month at a time. Since it is in the office if I have an appointment I write the date and time on a small sticky note and stick it on the refrigerator so that I see it every time I'm in the kitchen or going out the door.

    I do also put appointments on my Google calendar as well so if needed I can check things on my phone when I'm away from home but it is only the "backup".
     
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  3. michelepixels

    michelepixels A pun is not fully matured until it is full groan.

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    Digital continues to work fabulously for me! Since 2018. I can't imagine returning to paper planners. :D I use both Apple Calendar and Google calendar. Google just so I can share with my Android-using husband. :)
     
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  4. sakura-panda

    sakura-panda Well-Known Member

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    I love planners, but I go back and forth between using and not using. I've always preferred either ring binder or disc binder styles so that I can add and move pages around. I always invest in a dedicated punch for adding handouts and other pages.

    I really like the Levenger Circa Smart planners, but their weekly format layout (half page horizontal) doesn't work well for me. Also, their "junior" size is too small. I love the Happy Planner, with the weekly horizontal format, and have used that the last two years.

    Despite my planner purchases, I actually handle my scheduling in Google Calendar. But I like having the physical planner for notes for/from phone calls, to-do lists, and a collection spot for handouts and other papers (which is why I have a dedicated punch.) I'm debating switching to a full-size for next year; I really like the size of the classic Happy Planner for at home, but in the circumstances where I actually consult the calendar for planning, the full size one would be better.
     
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  5. BevG

    BevG If I can't remember it, it didn't happen

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    I use a digital calendar for long term (anything beyond the current week) because I know things will likely change. I have used Cozi for years because the whole family shares a calendar and shopping lists (which we use a lot). We all have it on our phones so we know where people are and what else we could get at the store. And people can add stuff to the list when they use the last of something.

    That said, I have to a printed copy of the current week because I am always scribbling corrections, updates, etc. all over it. I used to just print the Cozi one out, but then I found the Happy Planner and became hooked - because stickers! I usually decorate the current week in all 5 of my planners on Sunday night - it helps me review the week ahead. So here you go -- it case you are wondering why I have 5. They are different sizes and layout styles.

    1) Everyday typical planner, sits open on my counter and has appointments and to-do items (I think the family looks at it too from time to time).
    2) Fitness & Wellness planner, I update it each morning with my weight and the number of hours I slept. I update it each night with my thoughts about the day, # steps, and my habit trackers.
    3) Prayer Planner/journal, use every morning to pray for activities that day, prayer requests I want to pray for every day this week, and then added in the back, I flip to the weekday page to pray for the topic of the day, i.e. Monday is jobs & school related, etc.
    4) Faith Planner, use each morning with a daily scripture reading plan.
    5) Gratitude planner/journal, each day at bedtime I write one or more things I am thankful for that day.
     
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2021
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  6. rach3975

    rach3975 Well-Known Member

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    I love digital for many things, but I can't keep a digital calendar. It needs to be paper! We have a wall calendar where I write everything the kids need to know and I have my own planner. My favorite style for the last few years has been Travelers Notebooks. I make my own inserts, so I can have exactly the page design I want. Before the pandemic I was using a cahier size (pages 8.25 tall x 5 wide) that I'd digiscrapped and printed the inserts. When 2021 started we had so much less going on that I moved into a B6 size (7x5) and printed undecorated inserts that I've been using stickers on (mostly boxes printed from resized 3x4 cards). I go back to work next month after being on a reduced schedule since March 2020, so either then or in January I'll go back to my cahier. I'm torn about whether I want to go back to my digiscrapped inserts or keep using stickers.
     
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  7. LivyBug

    LivyBug I should be considered yarned and dangerous.

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    I became a big-time planner gal in 2018. I LOVE disc bound. Currently I'm using a half letter disc bound planner with inserts I designed and printed. The layout is a spin on the HP Dashboard style. I love collecting stickers and decorating my months and weeks.

    I also use Google Calendar. I look at it each month/week to plan my paper planner.

    Here's a couple recent spreads I did with printable stickers! I love using my Silhouette to make stickers.
    [​IMG] [​IMG]
    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    I used to use the Classic HP planner, but after 2020 I realized it was too much space for me! My only complaint with a half letter size is less room for stickers. When I was using Classic size it was occasionally a memory planner too.
     
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  8. Cherylndesigns

    Cherylndesigns All glasses should be bigger than 1.5 oz

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    I have several planners (TN Journals) but I use them mostly for memory keeping. My hubby and I use the family calendar on our iphones. I've gotten him trained to use it and it works like a charm for us.
     
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  9. Karen

    Karen Wiggle it, just a little bit!

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    Google Calendar is my planner, but I used to have a daily journal that I kept in TN size booklets. I LOVED doing those and making fun little stickers for those and printing out my daily pictures. I was just having a hard time keeping up with it that way. So I switched to a Google Doc that I use for my daily journal now. It's only plain text and I miss the photos and stickers aspect a lot. I just couldn't find the happy medium between the ease of just typing my journaling and then the physical book part that I love with being able to add photos and goodies. It's ever evolving I guess. :giggle
     
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  10. Donitab

    Donitab If only the TV would yell back

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    I use a planner mainly to write menu plans and scrapbooking deadlines in. I really like having a hard copy (old school). However I do keep most important things like dr. Appts. And speed scraps on my phone with an alarm - if not, I get busy and forget.
    My favorite planner is Katie Daisy because of the bright colors, inspiring word art, and the fact that she includes so many graph lines. I live graph lines. It is spiral, but that doesn’t really bother me much.
     
  11. Memaw2Wm

    Memaw2Wm Well-Known Member

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    I have an old-fashioned monthly paper calendar at my office. It's a spiral bound 8½x11 and opens to 17x11. I've been using this particular calendar for at least 20 years. First I found them in my local office supply store, but I've had to order them by mail since 2003.

    I have a Shutterfly photo wall calendar at home that my sister makes and gifts to the family each year.
     
  12. michelepixels

    michelepixels A pun is not fully matured until it is full groan.

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    Sounds like Day One would be that happy medium. Very easy to journal and fun to add any kind of image, plus video, audio, etc. :beat
     
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  13. Scrapping with Liz

    Scrapping with Liz Crafts for days.

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    I use a mix of planners.

    I use the Cozi planner ap - thanks to @BevG for suggesting it. I've been using it for our family for at least a year or 2. Love it. I can keep everyone schedules on there and keep lists - I have ones for different things: groceries, to-do, books, to-buy, etc...

    Then I have a weekly paper planner that I use. I fill it out a couple days before the week beings. I use it to add in extra details and sort of visualize how much time I have for different things. I use it to make my menu plan & chore plan.

    Then every night I make I use a daily planner to fill out the schedule for the day and what needs to get done. I use my weekly planner & cozi to fill that out.

    Then I also have a wall calendar for the kids to look at so they can sort of see what we have going on.

    I know it may seem like over kill...but it's the only way I can stay organized with 7 kids, homeschooling, directing our homeschool group & running SwL!

    This is what I use for my weekly planner https: Mochi Weekly Scheduler
    I use something like this for my daily planner: Daily Planner
     
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  14. gonewiththewind

    gonewiththewind I choose joy.

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    I use Google calendar regularly. I was using my Happy Planner consistently, but then last year happened and yeah, it just fell by the wayside.

    Thanks to you, Jan @IntenseMagic , I am now the proud owner of two new planners. I couldn't pass them up with the BOGO offer (ends 8/3). I got both of the planners for $30, and that includes tax and shipping! Woo-Hoo!
     
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  15. Karen

    Karen Wiggle it, just a little bit!

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    I just went and looked at that one again. I think I originally decided against it because I didn't want to pay for it. Lol. I'm so cheap. I see they have a basic version, but for some reason they removed the Chrome extension to use it on my PC. I might have to try it out anyway on a different browser.

    I just downloaded the app on my phone to try it there.... :agree
     
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  16. IntenseMagic

    IntenseMagic Some grannies cuss a lot. I'm some grannies.

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    I like being able to see a month at a time as well. I usually have a monthly calendar on the frig because the monthly one inside the planner doesn't work well for me. I don't flip back and forth very often.

    I swear I have some kind of mental block when it comes to using digital planners. My son is always telling me to put stuff on my phone and I tried explaining to him that for some reason I just ignore stuff that pops up on my phone lol.

    I used the horizontal format for a couple of years and really liked it. My last two have been the dashboard layout but I may go back to the horizontal. I'm finding that I don't really use that left side of the dashboard like I thought I would. I have the punch as well and love adding things in as I need to.

    I really need to set a time to sit down and work on the week ahead. I love that you have 5 of them for all the different reasons. I'm going to check out Cozi!
     
  17. michelepixels

    michelepixels A pun is not fully matured until it is full groan.

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    I think the cost is a bargain, and I'm talking about the fullest version, because it's backing up our memories for us. I value Day One even more highly than Backblaze. I hope you like it. Feel free to ask me questions. Also there's a Facebook community that's somewhat active and full of helpful and inspiring posts. https://www.facebook.com/groups/DayOneCommunity
     
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  18. IntenseMagic

    IntenseMagic Some grannies cuss a lot. I'm some grannies.

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    I am the same. I have to write things down or I won't remember. I have some kind of mental block when it comes to digital calendars.
    I made my own for a year or so in TN size, but it got to be too time consuming while I was working and I just couldn't keep a good flow keeping up with it.

    I just love your planner pages!! I used to have the half letter size that was my "carry around" planner so that I could jot stuff down as it came up. I adore your inserts. I've been using the dashboard layout from HP for the last couple of years, and I love your spin on it!

    I'm not sure I could ever train my husband to use a family calendar haha

    Yep, that's the way I feel, too. I've tried so many different things. I love printing and decorating, but then time gets in the way. One of these days maybe I will find a good flow lol.
     
  19. IntenseMagic

    IntenseMagic Some grannies cuss a lot. I'm some grannies.

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    I try to make a section of my planner for menu plans, but I am so bad about sticking to that. Something will come up and the whole thing is off lol
    I just googled the Katie Daisy and it is so pretty!!

    I have a big wall calendar at work that I've been using for 20+ years. It has big numbers and I can see it from anywhere in the room, and I still order it by mail, too!

    You have a lot to keep track of, so I get it!! I know what a chore it was to keep track when I had 3 kids here full time, I can only imagine what it would be like with 7!!

    Yay!! I'm still so bummed that I had just bought one a week ago. I was on there looking a little bit ago and I'm seriously considering picking up a couple of the undated ones to have on hand.
     
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  20. jaye

    jaye My other car is a Zamboni!

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    I use google calendar on my phone but I have a beautiful pink leather day planner that my brother bought me for Christmas last time I had BC. I used it for all my appointments and notes but then it went by the wayside. Being diagnosed again last year I bought new inserts and used it again for all the appointments etc. I just went through and updated it last night but with treatments being finished, doctor visits are much more spaced out (plus fewer doctors) it isn't really being used.

    I return to work in September and bought myself a nice little Rae Dunn one for school. However, I do tend to keep my daily anecdotal on my work computer calendar, ie. logging students in and out and why they were in my office.

    I start so well with planners and then don't keep them updated. Interestingly, I love buying notebooks, journals, etc have a bunch of empty and partially used ones.
     

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