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.
