Re-organizing my planner and binders

I totally love using binders and my planners (have a separate one that I must keep at work to track DOT, Drivers, etc)  to key me organized.  I am excited to redo my planner because I found a new –never been used one at Goodwill for $1.00.  It is red and has pockets on one side as well as slots for credit cards, ID or whatever you want to put there.  Keep in mind that my planner is the size of a half sheet of paper – landscape and I have modified some of the pages to fit accordingly.

In the past I bought the expensive 2 page per day calendars pages for my planner and I have the software to make additional pages.  I am definitely a pen/pencil and paper person.  So I went to Target for some laundry stuff and went browsing in their office supplies and found a 16 month calendar on clearance for $7.  It is 2 pages per month and will work for jotting appointments, meetings, etc on.  It is smaller than one month of the other calendar so that also freed up room in my planner.  For my binders, I have printed some free calendars from the internet that are the full 8-1/2 X 11 landscape pages.  I prefer that size to the portrait size for some reason.

Here is how I currently have my planner set up – keep in mind that this is not in the order of my planner – just the sections:

The first page of my planner has my name, address and cell number and a “REWARD” if returned notation on the top and bottom. It also has emergency contact information of my parents and daughters phone numbers.  

The next thing I have is my pen/pencil pouch.  I also have a pink and yellow highlighter that I use to cross through things that are completed and to highlight something that needs my attention.  Pink is for completed, yellow is for attention.

Then I have plastic business card and CD size holders.  I use these for various things – holding business cards, post it flags, etc.

Next is the calendar and Maria’s www.getorganized.now monthly check list

After that is my To-Do list with the MIT’s (Most important tasks). This is an ongoing list so that I don’t have to rewrite an un-done task all the time.  That is both time consuming and non-motivating seeing what I did not get done.

Master List of projects with “Need List” for items that I need to purchase or get from Dear Ole Dad’s supply.

Wish list for other things/people – like scrapbooking supplies, gifts for friends and family – along with sizes, colors, styles, etc (having teenager Granddaughters who are picky – this is much needed.)

I have a section for websites, login and password information.  I DO NOT write the actual password but a tip to remind me what it is.  For example – I use an old employee ID so for the password I type Chase and I remember what it is.

Household staple list – this is for those items that you need to buy and can’t remember the size.  I have 3 printers so I list the cartridges that I need for each. Prescription information – pharmacy name, number, and medication, how many refills left.  I make a notation on my calendar so I remember to either call or go on web and reorder medications. I have the battery sizes , vacuum  cleaner belts and filters, Air conditioner filter size, etc.  You get the idea – basically anything you need to know and can’t remember when you are at the store.

A have a section for plain paper for jotting meeting notes, etc.

Last I have an address section – I have made white pages for friends and family and pink for business’ that I use like my bank,  insurance company, doctors, dentists, electric, water, garbage companies and I notate the account number in case I need to call or have a question. I do not have my bank information listed there in the event my planner is lost.

My planner is my life line and it goes with me everywhere – either in my purse or my briefcase.

Get yourself in the habit of using a planner.  Get rid of all the other calendars, notebooks and slips of paper that you use.  Have your planner accessible at all times – and write things down.  You can use it to keep track of appointments, meetings, birthdays and anniversaries, etc.  I also document family outings, and stuff the kids say – then at the end of the year my planner has become a scrapbooking tool as well as something to look back on and remember the good and bad times.  I make a note by meetings and places that I have been (such as restaurants or movies)  It the meeting was boring I write boring  - but I also jot down notes from the meeting.  If the restaurant was good – then I notate it – if not it is also notated.  

Some other tips for planners:

1)      I keep a list of quotes and motivational sayings that I have typed on my computer.  I print these out and tape them on my to-do list and calendar pages.  Make your planner pages Happy – uses stickers, artwork, etc to make them pretty so that you will use them.

2)      I have a reference sheet for emergency situations – Like evacuation routes, shelters that take animals, emergency contact numbers of my parents and kids cell phones as well as home phones, first aid instructions, 72 hour kit list and directions for purifying water.  Living in the South we are prone to hurricanes and tropical storms for about 5-6 months out of the year.  We also have electrical thunderstorms that can knock out your power so it’s better to be prepared.

3)      Sometimes I cheat with my address book and tape the company's business card or a return address from an envelope onto the page.

4)      I NEVER write down confidential information like drivers license numbers, social security numbers, or credit card information. I know some of the organizing and time management companies tell you to do this - but I think you are opening yourself to a potential disaster. Instead these are kept at home in my emergency binder.

5)       A good way to track spam or junk mail is to write down in your planner any information regarding a website where you ordered something or have registered to receive updates. Some companies sell your information and computer geeks are known to hack into even secure sites and get your information. I receive junk snail mail too as a result of going on some sites.

6)       Get those return address labels from those charity companies - I keep them in my planner so I can used them as a business card if someone asks for my address. I have them cut out on the paper they came with - so when I give it to someone - it can go directly in their planner/address book.

7)       I try to jot one happy thing a day in my planner - I also use my note section to journal and keep track of prayer requests and praise reports that I get throughout the day. I then transfer them to my Spiritual notebook when I get home.

8)      Get a pack of clear or white reinforcements. Constant use of my planner has resulted in torn holes - so this is a great and fast way to mend the page.

9)       Save time and money by making your own dividers - as a scrapbooker I have tons of card stock and chipboard. I purchased some self adhesive index dividers and I make my own dividers. I cut the chipboard to size and cover with a pretty paper and then add the holes and the tabs.

10)   . I am constantly making new forms for my planner and binders - so what I did was to set up a template for each size in Word. I have the information such as margins and page size already set up so all I have to do is design my form. When I save it I use the "Save as" button and this keeps my template ready to use again as well as my new document.

11)   11. Invest in page protectors. I bought a pack of 10 for my planner and I have one that I have a list of birthdays and anniversaries in. I also have one that I keep a copy of all the masters in. I also have coloring pages for the grand kids as well as crossword puzzle copies for me - keeps me from getting agitated if I have to wait for someone/thing.

I know there is more that I want to share - I am getting pestered by my dogs to go outside - so nature calls. Looking forward to your tips and suggestions.  There are many websites that offer tips and ideas and I have used some of them.  I am sorry that I do not have the links so that I can give credit where credit is due.  This is something that I have been doing since 2002.