#OneBookJuly | Wrap Up

I decided to move back into rings (a new Gillio) for my personal planner once OBJ was over.  What OBJ has taught me is that even though I've learned that I can use a traveler's notebook as my main planner, I also know that I prefer to use rings for planning.  I prefer notebooks for note taking and journaling, and I prefer a traveler's notebook for work!  I like different types of planners for different things.

Why do I prefer rings for planning?

I love my archiving system and can't imagine being without it.  The bullet journal is OK for me if it's random lists and notes, but I definitely don't like it for planning, or for tracking.  If I want to go back and find some information (which I tend to do more than you would think), I don't want to have to sift through all the flotsam and jetsam of the note pages, I just want to flip to the date and find it.

I also love the flexibility to add and remove pages and sections as I need, it allows me to switch things up without changing the whole system.

What do I prefer to use notebooks for?

Notes that are taken in chronological order (in other words I don't have to go back and add more notes later - for example - daily notes, meeting notes, notes from a doctor's appointment), or one subject per notebook, tracking things like expenses, random lists and jots.

My goals for OBJ were to see if I could stick to one planner for a month, determine if I could use a traveler's notebook as my main planner, and see if I could use a bullet journal.  The answer to all three is YES I can!  I realize that I have a solid system and can use any planner I choose, as long as the system remains the same.

#OneBookJuly | Week 2

This week I'm finally settling in to my new system!  I am so happy with my DIYFish weekly chart, that's something I've learned that I don't want to live without. 

I asked KiddyQualia (on etsy) to make me a personal size booklet with week on one page plus notes and I received it in the mail this week (she is going to start selling them in her shop). The books are fantastic - they have a clean, simple design and fantastic quality - the paper is so smooth.  I should mention that I'm in no way affiliated with her, I just love her products!  I haven't added the book in yet because I've got to transfer all of my data over - so I'll probably wait until August.

I even started my project in my bullet journal, like I mentioned last week, and surprisingly it didn't drive me crazy to have everything mixed in together.  I just left a few pages for additional notes, and then started back up on my daily pages.

Speaking of daily pages, I really miss having a dedicated day on one page.  I feel like I need them for really busy days.  Actually, I feel like I need them for days when I need to get a lot done, so I have to schedule out what I'm doing when.  I find without some structure, I tend to sit on the couch and binge watch TV!  Downton Abbey on Amazon Prime?  Yes please! So instead of adding in a day on one page, I just created one in my bullet journal.  I kind of like it!

Next week will be an interesting test of the system, as I'll be on business travel the whole week.

Thanks for reading!

Find me on Instagram @PrettyLittlePocket

My YouTube Channel:  PrettyLittlePocket

OneBookJuly2015 | Week 1

I'm back to give an update on how #OneBookJuly2015 is going! Take a look at last week's blog to take a peek at my setup, if you missed it.

I had an aha moment this week. I realized that the reason I have such a hard time with a travelers notebook, is lists and projects.  Really anything that requires me to add more information at a later time.  I don't like having it spread out in the notebook.  I want to have the  full list/project grouped together and add more pages if I need.

I like using a notebook for anything that I can write out and then move on to another subject without having to worry about adding more information to it later - like journaling, daily tasks lists, daily notes, etc.  

I have a project I have to get started on, but I find myself not wanting to start it in the travelers notebook.

So to use a travelers notebook as my main planner, I need to see if I can get over my preferred way of organizing lists and projects and live with things spread out in random chaos ;), which is why I'll be starting my project in my bullet journal this week.

Are you participating in OBJ?  If so, how's it going?

Thanks for reading!

Find me on Instagram @PrettyLittlePocket

Check out my YouTube Channel:  PrettyLittlePocket

OneBookJuly2015 | My Set Up

I'm so excited to take on the #OneBookJuly2015 challenge - I really need it this year!  As of late I've been on the planner merry-go-round, and getting tired of it.  My focus for this challenge will be to stick to one planner for the entire month, to quit flipping back and forth between the various styles of planners.  I really want to know if I can use a traveler's notebook for my main planner.  I'm also going to see if I can track my diabetes management in this book as well.  I've tried several times to incorporate this into my planner, but I've failed each time.  There's a lot of information that I need to track and having everything in one book would be ideal.

What I'm not changing for this challenge is my work planner set up.  That is completely separate and needs to stay that way for privacy reasons.  I'm also going to stick to journaling in a separate notebook.  I've done that for over 30 years and I don't want to change it now.  Finally, I'm going to keep my photo journal/smashbook/art journal (I can't figure out what to call it) separate as well since that system works for me too.

So I may not be following the rules exactly, but I still think the challenge will give me some valuable insight.

So on to the set up... since I know that's what you really came here to see ;)

I'll be using my creme brûlée personal size traveler's notebook from ChicSparrow.  This notebook has four elastic bands.

The first elastic houses my cover page, a zip pocket envelope with my personal/emergency info card, some sticky page flags, loose notepaper, stamps, sticky notes etc.  the zip pocket is wrapped around a notebook which holds all of my more permanent reference lists and information.

The second elastic contains a folder with frequently used stickers, and some papers from my Filofax that I haven't completely transferred over yet.  This folder surrounds my calendar.  I stitched together a book that uses an undated week on one page + notes (from PembrokePapers on Etsy) with my DIYFish weekly chart tipped in.

The third elastic houses my bullet journal, which is a Midori grid notebook cut down to the personal size.  I'm new to bullet journaling, but thought this would be a great time to start using one.  I can put in daily notes and anything relevant to my health and diabetes management.  So we'll see how this goes!

The last elastic is for my tracking section.  I have a yearly chart (from DIYFish) that I use to track workouts, medical things, travel, paid time off from work, and products that I want to track to see how often I'm ordering.

For a closer look at my set up, be sure to check out my (very first) YouTube video!

Happy Planning!  I can't wait to see what everyone else does with this challenge this year.  I'm hoping to see lots of new planner posts,  pictures, and videos :).

Archiving Planner Pages

It's that time of year again when a lot of us are starting a new planner, and if you use a ring-bound planner system, it can be a challenge to figure out what to do with the old pages.  Personally, I like to keep mine.   Not only do they serve as a record of my life, I like to leaf through them every once in a while, and sometimes I need to refer back to something in an old planner.   Here's how I manage to archive my pages:

Storing the Pages

Since starting with Filofax in 2012, I've been creating an archive book using binder rings.  I create new dividers that mirror whatever sections I had in my planner that year and add the pages to the appropriate section. It makes it easy to flip through them, while still keeping everything together. Plus it's fun to see all of your pages and memorabilia together in one chunky book at the end of the year.

Referring back

I keep a running list of important dates throughout the year, and I also keep a contents page of all of my notes.  Then at the end of the year, I type this into Evernote.  This makes it easy to search for a note or important event later if I need to.  If it's something I know I'll refer to often, I'll either type up the note, or take a picture of it and store it in Evernote.

Do you archive your planner pages?  If so I'd love to hear about your archive system!

Filofax Flex Setup for Work

I can't believe I've been using my flex for work with the same setup for about five months!  The system is working really well for me, but I'm getting antsy to change my setup.  So I decided I would share my current setup first.

                  

I'm using the Filofax A5 Leather Flex Lizard Print in the color blackcurrant.  When the binder is closed I wrap a Martha Stewart fabric elastic band around it.  I've traveled with it this way several times  and it keeps everything nice and secure.

I have three notebooks in the Flex...

• Franklin Covey Compass Weekly Classic - This is 8.5" x 5.5", so I had to trim the back cover slightly for it to fit in the flex.  I need to be able to report my time, by project, each week.  So I track my time throughout the day, then highlight time spent on each project with a different color.  It makes it very easy to report hours at the end of each week.  It also has a month on two page calendar where I track business travel, deadlines, project deployments, and paid time off. There is a monthly task list where I track accomplishments for the month.

• I use an A5 notebook for random jots and to take notes during meetings.  I use lots of sticky flags to mark projects or important notes.  After I finish a notebook, I archive the pages in a Staples mini binder.   That way I can always go back and find any notes, if I need to, without having a ton of notebooks hanging around.  I go through a notebook about every 2-3 months. Important meetings and notes get typed up and stored electronically.

• Lastly I'm using a Filofax Flex A5 Thin Ruled Notebook to track my To Dos. It's a very similar system to what I wrote about here. 

I also have a Flex pen loop that holds my new favorite pen, the Pentel EnerGel Pearl Needle Tip (0.5) with black liquid gel ink.

Thanks for Reading,

Tonya

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Planner Update

I decided to delete my blog because I was just so busy with work and travel and such that I wasn't posting very regularly.  Then I felt like blogging again, and was sad that I didn't have a place to post.  So I have decided to restore the blog and just blog whenever I feel like it without feeling pressure to post on a regular schedule, so it could be an erratic posting schedule. I hope you're OK with that!

So what I been up to, planner-wise?

For 2014 I decided to stick with the personal size.  I am pretty much using the same setup with a few tweaks.  I've added a projects section, removed the diabetes tracking sheets (I'm doing that outside of the Filofax now) and adding a monthly goals sheet.  I am currently using an aqua malden, but will soon be moving into a medium Gillio Compagna Croco in shiny Coral.  It is on it's way to me now from Belgium!

For work I am using an A5 Filofax Osterley in Grey.  I had a crazy number of sections in this filo to begin with but after using for several months, I whittled it down to just what I need.  Along with the Filofax, I use a simple spiral notebook for taking meeting notes.  I found that I didn't like taking notes in a ring binder.

My collection has changed some too.  As you will see, most of my Filofaxes are not in use.  I like to be able to switch around my main Filofax when I feel like it.  I need to sell off all of my pocket Filofaxes, but I just can't bring myself to do it!

• A5 Ochre Malden - Not in use but will be my Reference/Household binder once I get it set up
• A5 Grey Osterley - Work Filofax
• A5 Crimson Lizard Print Flex - Not in use (yet) - I need to find an excuse to use this, let me know if you have any good ideas.
• Personal Aqua Malden - Personal Filofax
• Personal Orange Osterley - Not in use
• Personal Plum Osterley - Not in use
• Personal Deep Pink Domino - Not in use
• Pocket Raspberry Chameleon - Not in use
• Pocket Red Amazona - Not in use
• Pocket Deep Pink Domino - Not in use
• Pocket Orange Domino - Not in use
• Pocket Plum Osterley - Not in use
• Pocket Blackcurrant Lizard Print Flex - Gym Filo

I also have a few Franklin Covey binders too...

• Compact Black Leather - I don't know the style - Not in use, going to sell
• Compact Burgundy Aurora - Storage Binder
• Classic Black Her Point of View - Not in use
• Classic Red Her Point of View wire bound cover - not in use

Yes, I think I have a slight planner addiction!