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  1. This planner will be a great tool for focusing my year long project on home organizing!

  2. I make a lot of lists (and frequently lose them :/ ), so I am still figuring out how to be most intentional with planning. One thing I’ve learned is to start my day with my “MIT’s” so that, if nothing else gets done, at least we’ll have food to eat and clean clothes to wear. Thank you for hosting this giveaway! I would so love to win an Emily Ley planner. I love her shop!

  3. I would love to use this planner to better organize my blog schedule.

  4. I would love to win this. My planner ends this month and I need to really get a good view of my family’s 2016. I want to be more intentional with my planning so I don’t feel so frazzled. I have to work to be organized, it isn’t something that comes naturally to me. I really like the tips of sitting down monthly, weekly, and quickly daily.

  5. I am a planner junkie. I don’t know what I would do without one – it definitely keeps my brain straight and keeps me on track each day. Thanks for the great give away. Cathy

  6. I’ve used a planner for ages, but I’ve never been very intentional about setting it up. I’ll be implementing some of the things you’ve shared in your post. Thank you!

  7. I write in all my birthdays and standard appointments at the beginning of the year. I also meal plan monthly.

  8. I’m so excited that I found your blog! It is such an inspiration to me!

  9. I am brand new to paper planners. Making the switch from digital to paper.

  10. I am new to the planner world and am still getting a handle on what will work for me. I look forward to implementing these tips and a chance to win an Emily Ley planner. I’m currently using a simple planner from Target to write down events a few to-dos and dinner plan.

  11. As with many of the other comments, I am very new to the Planner lifestyle. I am embarking on a lot of new adventures in my life and have decided to start using a planner but am a bit overwhelmed on where to start. I’m very excited about this blog post because everything seems to fit with the way that my brain works. So hopefully by the beginning of the new year I can be a “real” adult and start organizing my life and implement an intentional use of my time!

  12. I set mine up in an hourly format so that I can manage my time properly. I also have several inserts that help me keep track of bills, groceries, fitness, etc. 🙂

  13. I used to keep my work and my home life planners separate but I’ve been working on putting them in the same place and it has helped me feel more organized!

  14. My planner is my happy place! I would love to win this one!! Thanks for all the helpful hints!!

  15. I love planners, the use of planners some times eludes me 🙂 I’d love to try this!

  16. Thank you for posting these great, practical tips! I hope to incorporate them into my planning.

  17. I tend to put too much information in my planner at first, and I become overwhelmed. I need to keep it simple.

  18. I NEED a planner, I don’t have one yet – it’s always on the ‘maybe’ list and never gets bought LOL..scattered notes is all I have now and they usually get left behind or stay in the van while I go shopping!

  19. Would LOVE this, I so enjoy having an entire page per day to plan but haven’t found the perfect on yet, this looks great!

  20. My kids are just getting to an age where a planner will be necessary (practices, appointments, etc.), so I really need to figure all this out because my memory is not what it used to be! This one looks great and so colorful 🙂

  21. I am hoping to learn and get more organized with my schedule this year. Thanks for the tips!

  22. I’m currently using the Uncalendar Lifestyle and I love it. It gives me plenty of room to right down my appointments, tasks, and to do lists. Lately I’ve been trying to be more intentional about creating and updating my to-do lists.

  23. Hi! I’ve not used one in year’s, but loved them so much when I did, color coded and all! Was planning to get one for this new year so very excited I came across your post. I make lots of lists + dinner menu + shopping list weekly so this will get me organized and help set goals for my new blog, Frugally Blessed!

    Thanks for the giveaway!

  24. I’m still working on getting my planner organized. I’m learning a lot by seeing what others do. I love the idea of planning – when I keep up with my planner, I feel so much more accomplished!

  25. I like your tip about reminders to schedule yearly appointments. I seem to forget those until the last minue. This is a good way to stay on top of things.

  26. I use a weekly list to keep track of all general things and on Saturday get ready for the upcoming week.

  27. I have always loved planners, notebooks, and any kind of paper and pens. I have tried all kinds of planners but still on the lookout for one that fits my personality type. I would love to try this one! Blessings:)

  28. I currently use google calendar and a notebook for my to-do lists to keep me organized, but I think I would benefit from having a regular calendar review/planning time!

  29. I love my Emily Ley planner but I would love to win this for a friend! I use mine daily! I utilize it pretty much the same way you do! This year with four kids though I am going to *try* to color code their activities and appointments and things.

  30. I set my planner up to be more intentional by using color-coding and some simple, but functional stickers. I write everything down in my planner, even just thoughts or ideas.

  31. What a beautiful planner! I pencil in my week on Sunday’s so I know what I have coming up.

  32. I do a version of what you do, and need to step up my planning game. I’m learning my planner is too small forcing lists here and there. I need everything in one place.

  33. Love the idea of planning. Always use a planner. BUT, I’m not consistent. I want to be more consistent. I think it’s cool to see all these SAHMs using planning.

  34. I need a paper & pen planner; if it’s not written down, it doesn’t get done. This includes appointments, home management, even meals.

  35. I start the year filling in all the known dates that are taken – birthdays, vacations, apts, etc. Then I pencil in tentative items.
    I also take my goals for the year and assign them to different months

  36. This will be the first year for me using a planner at home. I use a small planner at work but it never seemed to have the space for my plans for different classes or instructors so along with searching for a better planner for work I have decided to start one at home for 2016. With 3 now teens and very busy schedules something has to settle the families routine down and I am praying that this will help.

  37. Im still trying to find something that works for me. I am a list junkie and have lists and notebooks all over the place. One of my goals for 2016 is to get everything into one planner and then maybe I will actually get things done!

  38. oh boy I love this planner. I too have a planner obsession but have never found the right one. I’ve tried electronic calendar/planners but always go back to paper

  39. I saw your post last year on planners and by using your suggestions, I made my own planner! I would be lost without a planner and love your idea on MITs! And you are so right about not using different colored pens for different areas. I did that and yes, more than once, I didn’t have a certain color pen with me so I couldn’t write it in the planner and guess what? By the time I got to the specific colored pen, I had totally forgot what I was suppose to write down! LOL!

  40. I love the idea of taking the yearly goals and breaking them down by month and by week. This is an area I am working on and improving on.

  41. I always have to have a planner. Between my school and church schedule and my daughters high school activities it is an essential part of my life and I never leave the house without my planner.

  42. I recently worked my way through Mystie Winckler’s Work the Plan program, and now I’m setting Interval goals, rather than yearly or monthly goals. I set my intervals for six week periods, with two weeks off in between. I only give myself three big projects to work towards, at most, each interval (the first interval of the year will have me planning birthday parties for my husband and son, as one project). I also work towards a handful (about three or four) smaller projects, and I set two or three habits to work on. The two weeks off are critical. I use them to “catch up” on things that might have fallen behind in the home, to plan the next interval, and to relax and treat myself to sleeping in, small rewards for a job well done (a pedicure, for example) and to pour into my family with relish and no stress from other things weighing me down! If you haven’t heard of Work the Plan, go check it out. I highly recommend it!

  43. The intentions are there but putting them into practice is not. I’m still looking for the best paper planner to go with digital reminders (that we definitely need). I know having the paper will get things written down immediately (that may seem counter intuitive with the supposed ease of digital but I’ve found it to be the case for me). I also know the weeks I schedule time to sync with myself go the smoothest.

  44. Love your Planner ideas!!! I have been a planner girl for 22 years…. I’m just discovering the “Planner Love” OMG I am so excited!!! I actually take a day off from work to set my planner up and get organized for the next year!!!

    Thank you for sharing your ideas. 🙂

  45. I usually do weekly planning and monthly planning it need to get back into daily planning the night before. I also do monthly meal planning.

  46. I make sure that I have everything that is recurring set up so that I don’t have to worry about remembering it. It is just one less thing to try to remember. Simple descriptions seem to work best for me too.

  47. I make to do lists, although having a planner in which to keep them would be super helpful.

  48. I haven’t used a planner since I stopped teaching. As time goes by I seem to accomplish less and less. It is time to reconsider using a paper planner or a digital.

  49. Without my planner I would be lost! Junior year is proving to be a busy year and I need my planner to keep me on top of homework, work, and extracurricular activities. xoxo

  50. I love the peek inside this planner. I am a color coder kind of planner, so I like the simplicity of this design. Plus this would make the PERFECT birthday gift to myself (so I may just have to buy one if I don’t win one! lol)

  51. For 2016 I set aside a day just to plan for the year. I will also set aside an afternoon at the end of each month to plan for the next month. A big change is to write all my notes, lists, etc. in one book rather than on hundreds of scraps of poo paper.

  52. Emily Ley’s planners are so beautiful! I’d love to win!

    I use sticky notes to be able to move to-do lists from week to week if they don’t get finished.

  53. My planner is typically the first thing I pull out of my bag each day and the last thing to go in at night- I don’t know where I’d be without it!

  54. I’d like to go back to a paper planner, from my phone. Looking at paper is much more rewarding than a computer screen. And this looks like just the planner to get me started again.

  55. I am saving this blog to refer to when I set up my 2016 Inkwell Press planner. It’s full of great helpful tips.

  56. I love love love the daily sheet idea! I tend to do that with random post it notes everywhere and then it gets all confusing. I also like the checkboxes at the top with 4 things you do everyday. Great organization tips!!

  57. I love my planner! I tend to have 3 going (1 online so my husband can easily check it, 1 @ work for appts, and 1 master planner for me). I’ve started using washi tape to block out events and vacations and love to plan things for the upcoming year in December.

  58. I would love to have this organizer. I have been scattered this year. Perhaps this will help in the coming year.

  59. Thank you for all the info you shared in this post. I entered the contest but even if I don’t win I gleaned useful helps for planning and goal setting.

  60. I try to use my planner for daily to-do’s as well as notes from books I’m reading. Love writing things down to help me remember. Thx for a great giveaway!

  61. I divide up my day into categories and only try to only have 3-5 things in each category to accomplish.

  62. this is such a great idea. i love making lists and seeing that i’m getting the little things done.

  63. I have been using planners since I was in high school many, many, many, years ago, lol. I start with a year long calendar, monthly & weekly. I put in tabs for each section & dividers. I put everything in one binder I decorate myself. I have all my printable pages on my cpmputer.. I spend an hour each night before bed updating tomorrow’s calendar. I write my to-do list, cleaning tasks, chore charts, meals for the week, (I update on Sunday nights for weekly planning), etc. On Monday morning I start with my budget section paying bills for that week, planning all my weekly tasks etc. Without my planner I would be lost & nothing would get done. I love paper planners, I just can’t seem to get the hang of digital.

  64. The idea of living intentionally tugs at my spirit! I have struggled all my life with ASD sniff finding a planner that organizes the basics of my life has, so far, been impossible to find. I am truly excited to start a fresh new year with your program. Thanks for sharing!

  65. Thanks for the tips, this planner looks great! I live by my paper planner and will never switch to a digital planner! Hope I win this one. 🙂

  66. Every evening I write down my first few tasks of the next morning. It helps me to be more focused with my morning time.

  67. Love how you set up your year! Going to go over this again this weekend when I set up mine.

  68. I have never been very good at keeping a planner but this year I am determined to do it because I keep forgetting important events. The problem is my ADD butt can’t decide on a planner to get before it sells out.

  69. I copy things over from my pad and place in planner or over my google calender I try to update calender once a day.

  70. While I am a huge list maker, I have never actually used a planner. I would love to give it a try though and appreciate all of your information in this post! Thanks for the opportunity to enter the drawing! 🙂

  71. I don’t currently use a planner but am thinking it might need to be my goal for the new year.

  72. To be honest, I’ve tried a million ways to get organized. Maybe this would be the missing piece for me. I sure would be thrilled to win!

  73. On Sundays, I write down everything for the week ahead. I look to see what plans I have, what needs to be done, dinners to make, etc. I also make lists and notes each day.

  74. Would love to start using a planner! I’ve been wanting to for a couple of years, but my life got busy with moving away from family and starting our own family. I think I’m finally ready to get organized and motivated!

  75. I am trying to figure out how to keep track of appointments on paper, so that I don’t double book appointments for the children! A calendar on the wall is necessary, but it doesn’t fit in my purse!

  76. I have heard these are great planners, would love to win one and start putting down my goals for the year.

  77. I keep everything in one place to stay organized and so I don’t miss anything! This planner looks great! 🙂

  78. I have a planner each year and like to use it to keep up with daily tasks, appointments and special events.

  79. I like to put all routine appts. , birthdays, etc. in the beginning of the year, along with any reminders for the upcoming year. without a planner, I find that I just drift along.

  80. Such creativity! Love how thorough you are, but I find that writing that much down doesn’t work for me. Simple reminders generally work better, but when needed I will add more info. Also love how colorful your pages turn out!

  81. I make sure to set different plans for both short-term and long-term goals. Thanks!

  82. I need the planner, I have so many unfinished projects, and a very messy desk

  83. Every afternoon I write a to-do list for the next day with several tasks that I would like to accomplish. I have a master list tucked away in my brain (I sometimes write it down!) I’ve also implemented an autopilot schedule which really helps me to get those daily tasks out of the way. I don’t even write those down. For everything else, I use the Google Calendar app on my phone. It works, though I prefer the old handwritten planning that I did in college where I would capture my weekly to-do list at the top of a notebook page, and then on the bottom third of the page, write down all the assignments due this week on the left, and then on the right, write down everything else (special campus events, oil changes, movie nights, etc.) I have yet to develop a post college system that I’m happy with! It’ll come eventually!

  84. I am always looking out for a new planner but am always afraid to buy them because I have yet to find one that I like.

  85. I’m a planner addict too! I love my planners and don’t know what I would do without one! I make sure I sit down every Sunday and plan out the week so I know what’s going on. Thanks for hosting an awesome giveaway!

  86. I set my planner up with a daily, weekly and monthly view that I can see at once. Makes it easier to see the whole picture. I’d love to win this beautiful planner though!

  87. I love this! Just the motivation I need to kick-start my own organisation efforts! I just finished The Fringe Hours too and it’s transformed the way I look at my time.

  88. What type of pens/markers are in the pictures? The link for you favourite pens don’t look the same!

  89. Pingback: Picking the Right Planner for Intentional Planning – Creative Lifestyle
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  91. I’m not organized at all. I usually use a small calendar to record my work schedule and appointments but I’ve kept it pretty simple. I always wondered how some women can keep on top of everything little thing while I struggle to get things done but I really got a lot of great ideas from this article. I’ve already bought a planner for next year and I definitely want to be more intentional about my planning. Thanks for writing this and helping me get my family and life organized.

    1. You are so welcome Melissa! I hope some of these tips will help you plan for your year but I also think it’s great you like to keep things simple in your planner! 🙂 Finding out what works best for you and your planning style is what is going to allow you to become successful with achieving your plans and goals!

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