I have a vivid memory from when I was little. One day Daddy & my step Momma came home with little gifts for me and my brothers. The boys both got a toy car but I got one of those 4 colored pens. I was thrilled! I felt so grown up with a pen of my own and with different colors too! Momma tried to apologize and explain that the pen cost as much as their cars, but I quickly tried to let her know it was EXACTLY what I would have chosen for myself. ...now... Where's the paper!! I'm sure I ran out of ink long before the tires were off those little cars. I never remember NOT having a paper fetish. I always loved coloring and paper dolls and stickers and construction paper...
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I'm not exactly sure when I started using a real "planner" but I kept calendars, notebooks, and journals in high school. After we married, I'd splurge on a pretty new journal each year and filled them up. (That was before internet was available and definitely before blogging!) Now, you all get the brunt of my obsession. I do still keep journals, notebooks, and planners around and I do still use them, but not to the extent. Of course my life has become more of a routine, so when things change (constantly) I just work it into my routine. It's constantly being tweaked.
When I was still in the midst of toddlers and nursing babies I got Managers of Their Homes. I LOVED it! Color coded with time increments for everything you can possibly think of that you can do in one day. (or several days...) My days NEVER turned out like the pretty chart I made. (Once a neighbor even noticed & said something!) But... The 'plan' helped me know what that next thing that needed to be done was. Like I said, I never had one whole day go according to plan, but when you are an overwhelmed, exhausted mommy, just having something to refer to when your mind goes blank helped me keep calm and do the next thing.
When life began to settle a bit, I found HisGraceWorks Purpose Planners. I have been using it for YEARS. (No, I'm not going to admit how many...) I've tried several systems through the years, but I keep going back to that one. They have several page options I've used through different seasons in my life but their basic Simplicity pages are my favorite. I like to see my whole week at a glance.
Well, this year I'm trying something new. The ladies I've been watching on Periscope have been showing off their Midori style "Traveler's Notebooks" and I simply love the idea! I always have a notebook or two, a journal, a legal pad, a ledger, and my planner(s) setting out. Now I can combine all of them into one smaller, yet totally flexible system.
If you'd like to look into this option, Etsy has a TON of little shops making and selling these covers, notebook refills, and fun things to add. Rebecca from HipHomeschooling has her own Etsy shop with printable page sets. They are pretty colors and nice layouts.
I'm going to sew an oriental button on my "Cowboy 'dori" cover and then hopefully do my own little video showing it off. ...After my coffee... (and breakfast, I need to eat something too!) You all have a blessed New Years!
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