Did you have an assignment notebook when you were younger? I loved mine. It was a beautiful example of collage and an altered book before I even knew what that was. I would doll up my August-to-August Chandler’s Assignment Notebook (Chicago-based company in the 1940s and closed in 1995) with stickers, drawings, and cut-outs from magazines stating my teenage pride and angst. Clear packing tape was my adhesive of choice. I color coded everything with my Stabilo Boss highlighters. Of all the journals I ever owned, I wish I kept those.
I gave up the Chandler’s Notebook, and graduated to a university-sanctioned notebook (AKA free). Then Day Timers and Franklin Planners came along in the workplace. I was a young professional and I didn’t think to accessorize my planner, to make it fun and colorful, except for the occasional highlighter and red pen for deadlines.
Fast forward to today. We’re all familiar with using regular calendars to plot our busy days as parents, and I’m not knocking online or electronic calendars. I just love paper! I’ve used a Mom’s Planner for the last three or four years. Mom’s calendars or planners have space for listing all family members activities. Next year I’m going back to my Franklin Planner (picture above)… and going back to making it my own. I’m so excited that I already started decorating. Lately I’ve been using washi tape and stickers to make the pages pop. Three inch by four inch cardstock (i.e., Project Life scrapbook cards) are used as weekly reminders or just inspiration. I was inspired by a pen friend who shared some of her paper goods. (A scrapbooker, I am not–but I will paper craft!)
Now there are companies like:
- Filofax (origin: loose-leaf system to hold engineering data in a small portable binder, file-of-facts);
- kikki.K;
- Blue Sky (check out Sugar Paper); and
- Erin Condren Design (maker of Life Planner).
These have exploded in popularity among planner geeks. You can also find upscale planners by Kate Spade, Louis Vuitton, and Tory Burch. So why are agendas and planners so popular? They’re just calendars in journal form, right? In the end what it holds is our life in progress, so why not make it personal and fun.
You’d be amazed at the variety and enthusiasm people have for their planners! Just try searching these keywords on Instagram or Pinterest: #plannergeek, #plannernerd, #planneraddict, #plannerlove, #plannerjunkie. You can also try looking up #filofax, #filofaxlove, #kikik, #erincondren, and #simplifiedplanner.
Are you a planner geek? How do you organize your calendar? We’d love to know!
I’m thrilled to see a planner post here! I am a long time planner geek. All the tech in the world can’t replace a good paper planner for me. I went all out and bought a mythical Hobonichi Techo this year. I love to use up scrapbooking supplies (and, of course, buy new supplies) in my planner.
Thanks for commenting, Kym! It’s been great hearing from long time planner pals… (we aren’t alone! hahaha)! Hobonichi Techo – are you loving it? It would be great to see some pics of your planner layouts, too! Happy 2015!
I’ve been a planner geek since I was a teenager. I homeschool, work from home, attend classes now and then and organize the local homeschool group–all from my Planner Pad (plannerpads.com). I highly recommend it! I don’t use mine the exact way they do (the “funnel down” method) but the different areas give me plenty of space for everything I need. And I totally cover it with my own art, stickers, washi tape, the works. I made some of my own stickers this year, including Phoenix, Hermione, Dany from Game of Thrones, Wednesday Addams… And on the cover page, I drew in Maleficent, Chihiro from Spirited Away, Falcor from Neverending Story, Poison Ivy, Hellboy and Liz Sherman, an ewok… It’s my favorite planner yet! 😀
I do something similar for my journal, which is a combo art/writing journal. I get a new one every year from Barnes & Noble for my birthday; I like their spiral-bound, blank page journals with sturdy covers.
Hi, Sara! That’s great that you’ve made your planner work for your needs… that’s what it’s about, right? And, artwork, handcrafted stickers – love it! Maybe we should have a planner geek roundup here at GeekMom?
I love planners! I’m a to do list person and haven’t found an app that can really replace my paper planner. Thanks for posting and giving me more options to look into.
I tried apps, too, Faith. Agree, paper planners are number one. I think there’s a paper planner revolution going on. 😉 It would be neat to hear about what you think of the options! Thanks for commenting!
I didn’t realize Chandler’s was no longer in business. I used to decorate mine each year with stickers and other embellishments. I kept a few, and recently found them in a box full of my high school keepsakes. It was fun to go through them. I have now graduated to an electronic calendar, but I also like paper and keep a Mom calendar at home too.
Amy, thanks for visiting! Yes, sad about Chandler’s, right? But how fun that you found yours. How do you like your Mom calendar and paper planner as an accompaniment to your electronic one? Long time ago, I tried to use my MS Outlook calendar and print out my weeklies. It didn’t last long.
I miss my Franklin planner! Every year at this time I consider a shift back to a paper planner, I feel like I was more on top of things when I had one. My husband has stuck to his Franklin all these years, despite his company-issued iPhone, iPad and various scheduling apps.
AH, Jennifer… fellow Franklin users! I imagine your husband might use the standard issue “classic” design. Have you checked out their offerings lately? I had no idea how much their designs have evolved, and have included more whimsy and female-centric prints. Did you choose a paper planner or calendar for the year? This year I chose a weekly planner. I think their daily pages are too much for my use. Thanks for leaving a comment! 🙂