Well Planned Life

So, it has been a week since posting about my big insert dilemma . After this week I have come to a conclusion about the DayRunner inserts . I love the layout of these inserts. They work well as far as providing much needed space for everything I keep track of in a day. However, I just can’t get over how small the spacing is between lines. True, maybe eventually I would get used to it. But how long do I have to go on testing this theory if I’m not enjoying the act of writing on the pages to begin with? For now, I have returned to the Filofax 2 pages per day layout . However… Zoe’s recent post got me to thinking. Franklin Covey offers some great inserts as well. Really, the only reason I have not used them in the past is because they are a little wider than the Filofax inserts. So while they fit into a personal Filofax binder, they run to just about the edge of the binder (unlike the Filofax inserts which are narrow enough to leave some space between their edge and the edge of the bin...

A note on the following post: This is the first in a new series I will be doing—Filo on Location. This idea sprang in full force from Steve’s Philofaxy post . I kind of took this idea and ran with it. I might have gone a little overboard here, but I had so much fun doing it. My husband helped with providing some of the story line (he may not understand my obsession, but he sure does support it in small—big—ways!). I’m sure some of you will understand my enthusiasm and may have even done your own little story as well. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this “Tale of Woe.” It’s a sneak peek into what my weekend involved… There once was a Filo named Malden . He was a grand Filo—full of buffalo beauty , unmatched smarts, and a life full of wit and humor. He spent many of his days in the same way—filled with routines and planning and organization . Although he loved his life as a daily planner, he decided he needed something new—an adventure he would not soon forget. His new plan? He would take...

‘Tis the season for trying new inserts and hoping to find the right ones… Since last week , I have been pondering which inserts I’d rather use—the Filofax 2 pages per day or the DayRunner 2 pages per day . There are pros and cons to both: With the Filofax 2PPD, there is plenty of room to write my to-dos and appointments . DayRunner’s 2PPD lines are a little squishy , making me adjust my writing, which isn’t a huge deal but an annoyance to me. (1 point for Filofax)   The layout of the Filofax 2PPD is clean and uncluttered. DayRunner 2PPD isn’t bad, but the ones I had to buy are of a garden theme, which is fine but not really me. If I stick with this layout, I’ll have to buy the un-themed version for 2012 (there weren’t any 2011 available). (no points added or detracted for either product since the un-themed DayRunner version cancels out the garden theme)   I’ve been using Filofax 2PPD for a while, so I am used to their layout and have my own way of keeping track of ...

My Day Runner inserts have arrived! Before I write about how I’m using them and post pictures of them in use, I’m going to write about whether or not I will use them. Here’s the problem: I love the layout of these inserts . There’s plenty of room for everything I want to record in a day—appointments, to-dos, notes, exercise, food and water intake, plus anything else that I want to remember. The flowers are a bit girly for me, but they’ll do (at least for now) – the colors and prints are light enough that the pages don’t scream pink-powder-puff-girl-power. However, in doing a test-run, you can see that the lines on the inserts are very close together and that my writing overlaps from one line to the next. This is a problem for me. I like to have ample space for my writing, especially considering that I don’t write all that big (though not tiny, either). Compare that with how my writing sits very nicely on the Filofax lines . So, readers, I need your help. Do I adjust my writing to fit...

I have been having a slight planner crisis lately. Basically, I’ve been wanting to simplify my system, maybe make is smaller or thinner. After some contemplation , I’ve decided to stick with the Malden , at least for now. However, I’m still having a problem with my planning regimen . Since the start of the year, I have been using all three insert formats (monthly, weekly and daily). This has worked very well for me. It allows for future planning as well as daily detailed information. The problem lies with when, where and how I plan. I use the monthly pages for just about any kind of future planning. My work schedule is done on a monthly basis, so this format cannot be cut out. Plus, in trying to keep myself sane and not over schedule myself, I can easily see which weeks/weekends are too busy and pick one weekend a month just for me. When I get next month’s work schedule, I enter the hours I will work on my monthly inserts. Meetings will go here too, though just a mention that there i...

The other day, I was at my local office supply store when I came upon these . They are Avery Note Tabs, mini size . I was very excited when I found these. I already have the small size in use . But the mini ones are perfect for top tab use . I’m sure they could also be used for tabs along the side of a binder. I use the Filofax blank tabs though, so that’s how I came up with the top tab purpose. I bought three different packs because they each had different colors. And as anyone who has read this blog long enough knows, I love to color code my items. I am now using these tabs in my Happiness Binder . I was using Post-it Labels tabs . These are still great, but I was not able to color code with them, so the Avery tabs are a better choice for me. I now have certain items color coded based on the tab the live behind. Behind my “Yoga” tab, I have certain practices labeled with the green tab . My notes for anti-anxiety are marked in blue , behind my “Calm” tab. The “Gratitude” tab hol...