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Paper planner gals, have you seen Bullet Journals??


Moxie

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Saw this several weeks ago and *loved* the idea, the look, the organizational perfection...in theory :lol: There's just no way I'd have the patience or skill to be so consistently attentive to it. I'd have to view it as an ongoing exercise in creativity or a continued art project rather than something practical in order to keep it going.

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It sounds similar, less technical, than the Franklin Planner method. I used that for years. Right now I am using a graph Moleskine and I do it one month at a time, making my own monthly page and daily pages. I'm a really picky planner user, so making a custom one has been heavenly. 

 

I do more traditional days, using 1/2 page for each day. I need to read more on this and see what I can incorporate. 

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It sounds similar, less technical, than the Franklin Planner method. I used that for years. Right now I am using a graph Moleskine and I do it one month at a time, making my own monthly page and daily pages. I'm a really picky planner user, so making a custom one has been heavenly. 

 

I do more traditional days, using 1/2 page for each day. I need to read more on this and see what I can incorporate. 

 

I thought it looked like the Franklin Planner method, too. I defintely write too big for this particular notebook, but you could easily use any old notebook, I would think. I really need to keep this in mind when I'm frantically looking for THE planner (that doesn't exist & I don't have the time or skills to make on the computer).

 

El, do you use this method for your homeschool planning, too?

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El, do you use this method for your homeschool planning, too?

 

No, I have complex system for my homeschooling planner, one that ends in a weekly schedule (which I print each week so I can modify). I then write that info in a regular 8 1/2 x 11 planner from Target. Ds copies his daily schedule from a white board into his planner. 

 

I use a lot of Donna Young pages in my homeschooling planner/ 

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I just started using this system:http://www.storycraft.bigcartel.com/product/day-sheet-notepad

 

I really like it for organizing my days. I use a separate calendar online for our appointments. It keeps me from being overwhelmed if I just plan a single day at a time.

 

 

 

edited to add the pdf that you can print. I do like their paper, so I ordered a set.

 

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/6986826/DaySheet.pdf

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I am looking for something I can do on the computer and then print out pages to put into a binder.  I like it to be pretty as well. Just a few colors or images or borders.  It makes me happy!

 

I used some things off of Donna Young, but they are plain.  I made some things up, but I'm not really good at that.  I love putting everything in a binder to have in my hand.

 

Do y'all know anything like that?

 

 

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Whoa. He had me at graph paper. I am an old school paper and pen kinda gal and this looks terrific. I am fascinated along with you, Moxie.

 

Uhh, I like graph paper too. I glanced over the rapid logging thing but did not have time to check into everything. Would it really be as nice as my Franklin Covey??? Or as functional? Price?

 

ETA: Just watched the video - so any grid paper journal will do?

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I am looking for something I can do on the computer and then print out pages to put into a binder.  I like it to be pretty as well. Just a few colors or images or borders.  It makes me happy!

 

I used some things off of Donna Young, but they are plain.  I made some things up, but I'm not really good at that.  I love putting everything in a binder to have in my hand.

 

Do y'all know anything like that?

 

Do you use Outlook at home?  It has a great calendar!  I use that to sync with my iPad, Galaxy Note and you can print it.  Mine is very colorful because I'm very thorough in using coloring coding for all events.  That's a super easy way to pull out what you want.  You can also use Google Calendar (yes, an evil beast) but you can have a school calendar, holiday calendar, football calendar, whatever you want.  You can choose to show all or hide individually.  Basically my Outlook syncs via Google Calendar then to my devices (via Calengoo app) but there is a new app called ?upto? or something like that on Apple only.  When it is available on Android, I'm probably going to switch.

ALL that to say, I love having my techno calendars, but I duplicate it all in my 'trial' "The Well Planned Day" calendar that I got on clearance because they are now outdated.  It's just SO PRETTY!  I won't be paying their price for it tho :)

 

Kriss

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OH.. I have Android!  I do like on-line for the family and connecting everyone. It's just during the school year I need to have paper calendars and schedules for my binder.  I have no idea why I'm so attached to paper.  It's seem real or something.  I even need something for planning lesson plans and my oldest is going in to high school.  

Well-Planned Day is so pretty!  I had one of their planners one year.  That is what inspired me to really try and create my own binder where everything is useful for us. WPD was almost perfect, but not quite.

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I like my paper DayTimer for the calendar and monthly/daily to do lists, but this bullet and indexing system looks great for organizing the notes, ideas, etc, that I'm currently just writing in random days in the planner and struggle to find again later.  I also like the idea of the monthly review and migrating things up as I'm pretty dysfunctional about that, just leaving some things undone without making a conscious decision about it.  

 

Thanks for posting!

 

Amy

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How fun and also obsessive! I am such a fan of making boxes, redoing lists, etc etc.  Keeping this planner seems like an incredibly satisfying (though ultimately futile) hobby.

 

I like that in the 'Get Started' section you can see he makes an index too.

 

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I am looking for something I can do on the computer and then print out pages to put into a binder. I like it to be pretty as well. Just a few colors or images or borders. It makes me happy!

 

I used some things off of Donna Young, but they are plain. I made some things up, but I'm not really good at that. I love putting everything in a binder to have in my hand.

 

Do y'all know anything like that?

Washi tape!!

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How fun and also obsessive! I am such a fan of making boxes, redoing lists, etc etc. Keeping this planner seems like an incredibly satisfying (though ultimately futile) hobby

Somewhere in an alternate universe I am being obsessively productive making this planner and having a lot of fun at the same time :lol:

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I love this!  I put appts on my phone, but I like things on paper.  I like to do lists and to make random notes.  I might have to give this a try.  Thanks for posting!

 

Yes, thank you, OP!

 

And High Heels, we really are soul sisters. Too bad you're the young cute one and I'm the old, ugly one, lol!

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I'm older than you!  And I am NOT feeling cute today.  I'm feeling exhausted!

 

I don't think you're older!

 

And I meant to ask how you've been feeling. I'm sorry you're exhausted, but other than that, how are you doing? Have the dizzy spells stopped? I sure hope so.

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I'm intrigued by this.  I dearly love a paper planner and over the years have tried a zillion different ones.   They all have ended up getting trashed so about three years ago I made my own pages in word, printed them half-sized, and then spirally bound them.  It's wonderful.  I have everything in there I need and it's JUST the way I want it.  I highly recommend it.  I think it's only $10 a year to print all the pages and have it professionally bound.  

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I am looking for something I can do on the computer and then print out pages to put into a binder.  I like it to be pretty as well. Just a few colors or images or borders.  It makes me happy!

 

I used some things off of Donna Young, but they are plain.  I made some things up, but I'm not really good at that.  I love putting everything in a binder to have in my hand.

 

Do y'all know anything like that?

 

Maybe something like Clean Mama Printables? I'm not sure if you can edit them and add your info before you print them or if you have to print them then write on them, though. 

 

Another option would be to use Google Calendar and then just print it on pretty stationary paper, like this or this. 

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This is brilliant.

 

I keep a small notebook in my bag, and make notes in a much more rudimentary style. This puts some polish on the freeform notemaking that I love.

 

 

 

 

 

I am looking for something I can do on the computer and then print out pages to put into a binder.  I like it to be pretty as well. Just a few colors or images or borders.  It makes me happy!

 

I used some things off of Donna Young, but they are plain.  I made some things up, but I'm not really good at that.  I love putting everything in a binder to have in my hand.

 

Do y'all know anything like that?

I felt the same. I added some pages from this site to my practical-but-plain Donna young pages.

 

http://www.tinasdynamichomeschoolplus.com/free-printables/

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I don't think you're older!

 

And I meant to ask how you've been feeling. I'm sorry you're exhausted, but other than that, how are you doing? Have the dizzy spells stopped? I sure hope so.

 

I thought I was older than you.  Are you sure?  I was 41 last week.

 

I'm feeling a little better.  PT has helped, but they think I might be suffering from migraines.  I don't feel like I have them, but maybe.  I have a neurology scan coming up, and then we'll know more.

 

 

 

I just ordered my moleskin notebook, so maybe I can start this next week.  I am so all over the place.  

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I thought I was older than you.  Are you sure?  I was 41 last week.

 

I'm feeling a little better.  PT has helped, but they think I might be suffering from migraines.  I don't feel like I have them, but maybe.  I have a neurology scan coming up, and then we'll know more.

 

 

I just ordered my moleskin notebook, so maybe I can start this next week.  I am so all over the place.  

 

41? Belated birthday wishes, you pupa, you. Larva! Yeah, I'm sure I'm older than that, though the number on the box of hair color I just used is 41, so, if it's OK w/ you, I can say we're the same age. 

 

I'm glad you're getting tests done, and that PT is helping. I hope you don't have migraines. (((High Heels)))

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Posted Yesterday, 11:47 AM

I just started using this system:http://www.storycraft.bigcartel.com/product/day-sheet-notepad

 

I really like it for organizing my days. I use a separate calendar online for our appointments. It keeps me from being overwhelmed if I just plan a single day at a time.

 

 

 

edited to add the pdf that you can print. I do like their paper, so I ordered a set.

 

https://dl.dropboxus...26/DaySheet.pdf

 

 

What do you put in the "Map It" section?

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This is very similar to what I used to do before I went digital. It's a fantastic explanation. I've been encouraging my son to use "to-do" lists, I just might share this with him. 

 

Thanks for the link. 

 

Yes it's very similar to what I do. I use loose pieces of scratch paper for my lists rather than a bound journal, and sometimes use color coding. I never thought of it as a "system", though. :lol:

 

He's not selling anything, is he? It's just a helpful video/website?

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Yes it's very similar to what I do. I use loose pieces of scratch paper for my lists rather than a bound journal, and sometimes use color coding. I never thought of it as a "system", though. :lol:

 

He's not selling anything, is he? It's just a helpful video/website?

 

No, he's not selling.  He just recommends which type of journal he's found effective and shows you how to do it on that type (Moleskin, large with grid/box paper). He doesn't even link a type of journal, as  he states that you can use any kind of journal you like, the one he uses just happens to work for him.  I found this fascinating, as I love grid paper, and think I can make this system work for me.  I think it would work well for James Bond too.  He's one of those scraps of paper people, and it makes me crazy to find them all over the house.  Of course he can never find the one he's looking for, so he gets panicky.

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Oooh.

 

I try to organize my chores and appointments with iCal but I hate piling it up with to-dos (especially since DH and I cross-reference our calendars and I don't like him seeing how long my to-dos stay un-done). I love carrying a Moleskine Large notebook everywhere in case of mind dumps, bigger projects, days when I need a checkable list of to-dos, note taking, thought jotting, or doodling. I have also been looking for a good way to keep track of what I do in the garden so that I can easily refer back next year to see what worked.

 

I am kind of stoked by this idea of joining it all together. I just looked and my newest Moleskine is pretty much full (my DD had a thing for grabbing it to draw doodles at the end of last year so it filled up fast). I am rushing off right now to pick up a new one -- with grid paper!

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I started yesterday as well. I'm one of those multiple pieces of paper and sticky notes, each with its own list or set of notes, kind of person. Having it all in one place appeals to me :)

 

Dh and I keep a joint calendar on our apple devices, though we only use it for events and for dinner plans. I've tried four or five different productivity apps and have yet to find one that works for me.

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What do you put in the "Map It" section?

 

Sorry I didn't see that you were quoting me. :)

 

Sometimes I doodle. My part time job involves remodeling houses so a lot of time I have sketches there. 

If I am headed out I will draw a map of my stops that day.

 

The big reason I like it is that it keeps me focused on today.

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I make up my own in OpenOffice.  

Format the note/calendar pages exactly the way I need, with the sections I need (and no space devoted to the stuff I don't need), add fun clipart, make a snazzy front and back cover (usually with some sort of cute clipart), laminate covers and divider pages and bind the whole thing up in my handy-dandy Cinch spiral binder.  

 

I like carrying it around and holding it.  

...And that makes me more likely to USE it.   ;)

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I've been using this system for a few weeks, pretty much exactly as shown. It's simple and totally amazing for me. I have my notebook with me all the time, and it just becomes second nature to use it for everything. I keep a paper clip on the current month and current day page so I can easily add in an appointments, etc. I have pages for homeschooling curriculum I want to investigate, favorite and not so favorite hotels, books to read, therapy related notes for ds, medicine and behavior log also for ds, etc. It's faster than making appointments and notes in my phone or iPad.

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If you follow Ryder on Instagram, he shows how to flip the elastic on your journal sideways so you can keep a pen tucked in it.  That was one concern I had with this system.  I'm also easily entertained.

 

I have another issue I'd like help with before I jump into this planner.  I have 3 calendars (4 if you count the one on the wall in the kitchen).  My big planner is for everything--birthdays, to-dos, notes, etc.  I have a small planner that I track my workouts in--complete with smiley face stickers because I'm a dork.  I have another planner that stays in the master bathroom for tracking cycles and teA.  I would LOVE to get down to one calendar/planner but my exercise planner and teA tracker are really working for me.  How would I incorporate those 3 planners into this one book??  Special signifiers on the monthly calendar??  A collection for each?? 

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I would probably go to the next free page, give it a title that makes sense (teA or Exercise) and either number each line   1 - 31 with letters for the days similar to the monthly page, or make some kind of chart. I would then put it in the index. Page numbers and the index are essential with this system. If it is a page I reference a lot I would pick a paper clip color not in use yet and mark the page with that. I do that with a few of my most used pages, like therapy for ds. One of the things I had trouble wrapping my brain around is picking the next blank page, even if the page before has my daily calendar for the last 3 days. I don't write out a month worth of daily calendar pages. Everything is just the next blank page, then write the subject and page number in the index. Once I could get over that it was very freeing! The only thing I don't use it for is homeschool planning. Now if your teA and cycles journal is going to be filled in with more regularity where it is, then I would leave that one alone. (The master bathroom makes more sense for that, lol!) 

 

ETA: I use a larger size Moleskine because that's what I had laying around. I would definitely have enough room in the monthly events page to make columns to track various things. I'm not sure if it could be done with the smaller notebook.

If you follow Ryder on Instagram, he shows how to flip the elastic on your journal sideways so you can keep a pen tucked in it.  That was one concern I had with this system.  I'm also easily entertained.

 

I have another issue I'd like help with before I jump into this planner.  I have 3 calendars (4 if you count the one on the wall in the kitchen).  My big planner is for everything--birthdays, to-dos, notes, etc.  I have a small planner that I track my workouts in--complete with smiley face stickers because I'm a dork.  I have another planner that stays in the master bathroom for tracking cycles and teA.  I would LOVE to get down to one calendar/planner but my exercise planner and teA tracker are really working for me.  How would I incorporate those 3 planners into this one book??  Special signifiers on the monthly calendar??  A collection for each?? 

 

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I've been thinking about this system a lot these last few days. Now I'm just trying to visualize what kind of notebook would work best. I definitely want something I can fit in my purse, and I usually go for spiral bound, but that would interrupt the 2 page spreads.

 

I was thinking it could be adapted for scripture/bible study, too.

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I found this a few months ago and almost started one.  The main thing that stopped me was the fact that I couldn't add something to a monthly calendar three months from now because you don't make the monthly calendar until that next month arrives.  Right?  Does anyone do a few months at a time?

 

I eventually decided to just use Google Calendar and a list making app on my phone.  But I'm still really attracted to this idea...

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I found this a few months ago and almost started one.  The main thing that stopped me was the fact that I couldn't add something to a monthly calendar three months from now because you don't make the monthly calendar until that next month arrives.  Right?  Does anyone do a few months at a time?

 

I eventually decided to just use Google Calendar and a list making app on my phone.  But I'm still really attracted to this idea...

 

Hadn't thought of that!  What to do about things that are scheduled in the future?  Birthdays and vacations?  Maybe a Future Events page??

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I just ran into this issue a few days ago. I'm not sure how I'm going to handle it yet, but for now I put a box on the bottom of the monthly calendar page titled Upcoming Months that I wrote the event in. I figure next month when I go through the monthly calendar page for April to bring forward any unfinished tasks, I will bring that forward too, until it is brought forward to the month the event takes place in. I have a separate page for upcoming doctor and therapy appointments for ds because some of his appointments I schedule 6 months to a year ahead, and I know to check that every month. It has a paper clip on it to easily find the page as well as an index listing. (I have 4 different color paper clips on various pages that I use often.) I may decide to make that page all future events. I'm going to wait a few weeks to decide and see how my current method works out. I really don't want to over-complicate this because then I won't use it.

 

 

Hadn't thought of that!  What to do about things that are scheduled in the future?  Birthdays and vacations?  Maybe a Future Events page??

 

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Hadn't thought of that!  What to do about things that are scheduled in the future?  Birthdays and vacations?  Maybe a Future Events page??

 

I've seen some examples where people made a Birthdays page. But for me, I'm going to keep my iCal. Appointments, events, birthdays, practices, and regular chores need -- for me -- to be in a central location that I can access and my husband can access and that will automatically repeat. I am debating whether to copy some of these things onto my daily to-dos or not. I may take it on a day-by-day basis (depending on how much I need a checklist on a given day). I don't need to make things complicated, I know that about myself!

 

Putting future dates on the monthly page makes a lot of sense to me as well though!

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I just ran into this issue a few days ago. I'm not sure how I'm going to handle it yet, but for now I put a box on the bottom of the monthly calendar page titled Upcoming Months that I wrote the event in. I figure next month when I go through the monthly calendar page for April to bring forward any unfinished tasks, I will bring that forward too, until it is brought forward to the month the event takes place in. I have a separate page for upcoming doctor and therapy appointments for ds because some of his appointments I schedule 6 months to a year ahead, and I know to check that every month. It has a paper clip on it to easily find the page as well as an index listing. (I have 4 different color paper clips on various pages that I use often.) I may decide to make that page all future events. I'm going to wait a few weeks to decide and see how my current method works out. I really don't want to over-complicate this because then I won't use it.

 

While I like the system (very similar to what Franklin Covey suggests), I need someone to print me the whole year with correct days and dates. If I had to write 365 days out and not make a mistake somewhere, I'd be going crazy. Plus the preprinted version has the advantage of being able to look ahead. Other than that one can incorporate some of their good ideas in one's own system.

 

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Thanks to this thread, I spent my free time last night watching YouTube videos on Bullet Journals...which led me to Midori Traveler Notebooks. Put either term into YouTube search...if you dare :)

 

Seriously, I am now feeling excited to revamp my system based on what I have discovered in the last 24 hours. Yippee!

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