Balancing my life starts with one thing: my planner. I am old school and still use a paper planner. As I’ve mentioned – I get satisfaction in checking things off. It feels…. More complete that way. If I don’t mark it off, it doesn’t actually feel complete. I also enjoy using colored pens, stickers, doodling, and making my planner…. Well mine! As an adult, and not in a teaching profession, there’s not much that calls for the use of stickers. Decorating my planner gives me that excuse. I use all kinds – and change what I like to use constantly. Planner ones that are seasonal, stars, stickers from my favorite shows, and holidays. My favorite planner is Erin Condren, and I love the stickers that you can get with her planners. Michael’s craft store has a huge selection, and Barnes and Nobles has some really cute booklets as well. And of course, Amazon.

I am not very artistic, so stickers, colored pens, and pre-made planners allow me to express myself creatively, without any need to actually draw or sketch. Plus, stickers add a pop of flair- that make life fun.

Over the years, I have tried so many different planners, journals, and ways to keep my life organized. Generic ones, fancy day planners, cartoon ones, homemade ones out of notebooks, and even tried some electronic versions. Even after finding Erin Condren, I did try a few other options. We lived overseas and before the company switched to USPS, it would take months to get the delivery. So other options were necessary. Thankfully, the company switched, and I was able to go back to Erin Condren- because nothing else held up to my satisfaction. They are just so incredibly nice, and easy to use. Plus with the multiple options, I was able to adjust what I needed each year as I moved jobs, countries, and schools. Between the options, the stickers, and all the other goodies she sells, I was in love.

The paper is thicker than most planners, so the ink doesn’t bleed through. There is plenty of room for notes, monthly layouts, with goals pages, weekly layouts that you can choose how its laid out. The best part for me was the weeks start on Monday! This was the absolute best thing I loved. Weekends are meant to be together on calendars – not split apart. So having a planner that was Monday – Sunday was exactly what my orgnizalization mind needed. My planner is my lifeline, and without it I would be lost. What is your favorite type or way to plan your life?