Originally, I was going to post my top five essentials for back to school. Let’s face it – it’s back to school time and I’m missing out on the back to school hype a little with my year off. However, I changed my mind after a shopping trip to Target to pick up deployment supplies for my husband. The place was overrun with back to school shoppers and I found myself naturally drawn to the back to school aisles and one particular section in particular – the planner section. That’s when I realized I needed a new planner because I’m still operating on a school year schedule. It was time to shop (and in the shopping process came the inspiration for today’s very applicable post!).
*Affiliate links are included in this post. They serve two purposes. One is to share products that might help you when picking your planner. The second is they help keep the blog happy and running.*
As I shopped for my planner, I started asking myself some questions. I’m going to share those with you below and then I’m going to share the planner I chose to buy.
1. What will you be using the planner for this year?
Are you in college and will be writing down assignments? Are you a teacher who will be using it to keep track of lessons? Are you a mom who will be using it to keep track of events? Will you be meal planning with it? Will you be using it to schedule blog posts? Will it have a set purpose or will it just hold all facets of your life? It is important to first determine how you will use the planner. (P.S. If you decide that it has no use, then maybe you shouldn’t be buying a planner! They’re not for everyone!)
2. What kind of layout do you like?
Do you like to see the month as a whole or are you a by the week person? Do you need lots of room for each day or is a small space okay? Do you like plain and simple or do you like colors and room to decorate and write notes? Don’t know what layout you like? I suggest buying something with multiple layouts included.
3. Where will you keep your planner and what size do you need?
Is your planner going to sit on a desk all day? (Then, a desk calendar might be just what you need.) Do you need a planner that will fit in your class notebook? (You’ll want to make sure the planner you buy has three holes.) Will you be carrying your planner with you everywhere? (You might want one that will fit in your purse then.)
4. What is your budget?
Always consider what your budget is and how much you can afford to spend on something. A planner will help make your life easier and help keep you organized but it’s not worth breaking the bank over either. Set a goal amount and stick with it. (Personally, I wouldn’t spend over $15 for a planner but everyone has their own budget and priorities.)
Want to see which one I picked? I’m even going to answer the questions for you as I go!
1. I’ll be using the planner for keeping track of important dates and deadlines for blogging, Beachbody, spouses club, and other important obligations.
2. I like to see the month as a whole for events and planning purposes but I also like a daily or weekly view so that I can write down a small to do list for each day.
3. This year, I want a planner that can travel with me in my purse. I do have a fairly good sized purse but I don’t want the planner to take up the entire thing.
4. As I mentioned above, I like to stay under $15. This allows me money to buy pretty pens, highlighters, stickers, and other goodies to make planning more fun. This year, my goal is to get more creative with my planner.
And…..here you go, my new Day Designer that I found at Target today! You can find more details of it here. (Yes, I know – I said my budget was $15 and Amazon lists it for $40 or more. It was only $12 at Target.)
If you want to see the inside layout, hop on over my Instagram and check out the photos that I posted.
Do you have a favorite planner or planner resources? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!
Have you written a Back to School post? Link it up below and check out the other posts in our Blog Hop! (Feel free to grab the graphic and use it with your post!)
