Continuing this conversation even though it has been a few months....
I was really into figuring out my planner system last year. And now I'm steaming along with my current one and doing good but looking ahead to 2020. How can we take this whole thread and change the title to 2020 so we can keep the history on it?
I loved the Happy Planner and Erin Condren but I couldn't quite make the layouts work for my needs.. I doodle calendar icons in them as I'm trying to teach myself how to draw. Baby steps, right?
I chose the Arc Junior Planner system from Staples. The covers are very sturdy. Also the pages can move easily which was important to me. Then I went through these steps:
1. I popped a hairband around the front cover which really gave it a custom look and one I can swap out at any time.
2. I YouTubed how to make my own planner pages in MS Word (which needs work if you ask me because it would be SO much easier if there was an easy way to view "2 pages up" in MS Word. But I got it done and then changed the shadow colors by season.
3. I bought a box of paper in the right weight online. Then I paid a few bucks to have staples cut it to size for me. The whole box. Done.
4. Made a whole bunch of templates I use all the time to go into it. Grocery, To-DO, etc....
5. Bought dividers at Staples and use Washi Tape for labels. Love the look and super easy.
6. Now I have this notebook in 3 colors for different purposes so I must be pretty happy with it.
6. Then lived happily ever after....til this year. All is well except the calendar.... 2020 is coming. The thought of dealing with that calendar is daunting if MS Word hasn't upped their game a bit. I might be looking at Erin Condren again. I have a feeling it will have like ONE thing on the page I won't like and I'll be back in front of MS Word again in January.
But tis the season!