Stationery Storage

Hi everyone!

My storage system has changed significantly vs. previous years and I thought it warranted a new post. 

I've been hesitant to write this post because some of the items I use might not be available where you live. I myself find it frustrating when I want something I can't find locally. I decided to write it anyway to maybe just give you some ideas on how you can improvise with your storage. 

I have corralled all the items I use for my planner and Midori so that I didn't need to run to my craft studio when I needed something, or when inspiration strikes in the middle of the night. I keep these in my room (I know!) either at the foot of my bed when I'm working on something, or under the bed at night. I can also carry them around the house if needed. 

First off, this is where I keep planner inserts and stickers. I've had these for quite a while now and they work perfectly for me!  The hot pink zippered Beabi case was used as pen storage until I downsized my pens and used them for stickers instead. Personal size inserts fit perfectly in the Martha Stewart accordion files. 

My most used items are kept in this Beabi case that I think is actually makeup or cosmetic storage. It's perfect for my daily and most-used items and will be at my bedside at night. It's a look-alike for the Kate Spade Tuxedo Court case at a fraction of the price!

I will switch out the items here so that I know I'm using what I have. This is what it contains at the moment. It holds a ton, and there's plenty of room for more. 

My main storage is this craft tote that I also found locally for about $8!  It's structured enough to hold it's shape but soft enough to fold if not needed. It has a Velcro attachment inside for compartmentalizing your stuff if needed, but as you'll see, I didn't use it. 

Instead, I got some B5 sized plastic containers from a Japanese store. They're a perfect fit! Each container has items by category: sticky notes, note pads, bookmarks and clips, etc.

It has pockets on all sides and this is what's in them. 

Here's another way of storing those B5 containers. 

I feel very efficient, organized, and contained in this storage system. I know where everything is and I can find them quickly. 

And this is where I keep my planners and Midori supplies. I keep my planners in boxes because it's dusty in the city and this preserves them well, as well as their leather smell, when not in use. 

That's it, my current stationery storage system. I hope that helped you somehow in finding the system that works for you. 

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask me in the comments. 

Thanks for visiting!

Top Ten Fun Things You Can Do With Your Planner

Hi everyone!

We all start out wanting to use a planner to get our lives organized. I've realized though that it also helps that your planner is running smoothly, you can find things easily, and that it's also pretty to look at. That last thing is obviously not the most important aspect of paper planning, but it sure is the most fun!

Over the years, I have had several permutations of how I've used my planner/s. The two constants have been that I can still manage my days with it and that I want to continue to use it. 

Here are the top ten things you can do to enjoy using your planner. Enabler Alert!

And if you see me on Instagram, some of these may be familiar to you. 

DIY'ing It

1. Personalizing your dashboard/flyleaf to reflect your personality and/or add color.

This is the one thing I do to switch it up a bit and keep my planner from being just a boring calendar. I change it quite frequently depending on my mood, and I enjoy making them myself. There are many printables you can download, or paper you can buy, to create your own. I have quite a stash of these but I still continue to make more. 

2.  Coordinating your tabs and/or dividers that divide your sections. 

I've had some success lately (I know, late to the game) making laminated dividers, and I've been making a set for each of my planners. I've also made some cute, quirky ones that I never thought I would ever like. Monsters! In my planner! Yeah!

There's lots of pretty paper to choose from, or simply print ones you like. I print quotes too and love having them as dividers. 

You could also use repositionable tabs like these from Martha Stewart, my personal favorite. But there are tons of other brands to choose from like Post-It and Avery. 

Using stationery supplies. 

3. Sticky notes are super functional and there are tons of cute ones to choose from. I have a few I love because they're either cute, stick really well, or both. I stick them everywhere for quick notes, and always have a stash in my planner. They add color to your pages if you prefer not to decorate them, which I don't, and which brings me to my next point,

4. Decorating your pages. 

I personally don't do this on my weeklies although I would for a special occasion like Christmas or my birthday. I do decorate my monthlies which I use as a mini journal.

There's a plethora of supplies to choose from - washi tape, stickers, stamps, sticky notes, etc., etc. The only limits are your imagination, and the possibilities are endless. This is also one of the things I've seen that make some want to actually use their planner and if it helps you to be organized and efficient, I say go for it! 

5. Using cute bookmarks. 

I personally use bookmarks everywhere to (1) clip pages together or (2) mark important pages. There are several kinds: shaped paper clips, binder clips, magnetic bookmarks, etc. I'm sure you'll find the one that works for you, or have a selection at hand to choose from. I love them all!

6. Making/printing your own inserts. 

Another thing I don't do because I'm rubbish at printing and cutting so I'll just buy my inserts. But if you need something specific to your needs, or want to personalize your own, you may want to try this. 

Here are weekly inserts I asked someone to make for me. She prints, cuts, and punches them herself so all I need to do is stick them in my planner. 

7. Adding charms. 

Again, something I don't do because I tried it once and it got in my way. But it makes for a very girly planner I think. 

8. Using cute pens. 

I think if you're reading this blog it's safe to say you love stationery and have an army of pens at your beck and call. Finding the right pen is very important to me. And finding one that looks good with my planner is heaven. You may have to check around to find one that works best for you. Multi-pens are my personal favorite. 

9. Color Coding. 

I wrote about color coding in an earlier post. Please just search through this blog. 

Some need to color code, some not at all. I'm in between - I color code for certain important things like money or appointments. And I do it in my monthlies. Other than that I just use a black or blue pen. 

10. Decorating/Designing your pockets

This has to be my favorite part. I find doing this both beautiful and functional at the same time. I love having a lot of supplies at hand and pockets provide easy access. I may actually carry around more than I need but I don't care. Ha!

There it is, the Top Ten of Fun Filofaxing! If you think I missed anything, do leave me a comment. 

And I'd be happy to hear how you use your planner!

Thanks for visiting!

How I Color Code in my Planner

Hi everyone!

This post will be about how I use color-coding in my planner to help me stay organized.

There are several ways I do it, some of which work, while others don't. 

1.  With colored ink
I've been doing this for years and it worked wel for me.  I see what I need to do instantly, and the important things, bills (LOL), stand out so I know not to forget to do them.

Lately though, and especially on busy days, my pages are just too colorful and confusing. So I decided to use just black ink and color-code only for the important things.  Again, usually bills.

I carry 4 colors and a pencil in my planner but also use a variety of multi pens.

I use a lot more color in my monthlies that I use as a mini journal.

2.  With highlighters
Now THIS was a disaster. They made my pages look crazy busy!

I love my soft color highlighters but they just don't work as much as I thought it would.  I use them very sparingly, usually for holidays and items that are left undone and need to be migrated to the next day.

3.  With Post-Its or sticky notes
I tried it, I do it sometimes, but really, it wasn't a must-do for me. 

4.  With stickers
Again, doesn't really help all that much for me.  I'd do it just so I don't waste what I have but I don't really need to do it.  I prefer actually writing in what needs to be done.  I'd probably continue to use them just for color on my pages.

5.  My Color-Coded section
I saved the best for last, and my favorite and most used section apart from the Diary.  I have been color-coding for years, and I know the colors I use by heart so that when I spot it, I instantly know what it means. In the last year or so, I put in an actual section that was color-coded by each category of my 'life'.

Pink is for Me
Brown is for Home/House
Blue is for Family/Dog
Green is for Financial
Light Blue is for Crafting
Purple is for Media

Six tabs for my six sections.

  

And here are the contents in each of the tabs.

And here's how they look from the top. 

This system is working amazingly for me. Whatever notes, papers, information I need to file or find, I look in that section and it never fails that it's there.  This section has gotten to be quite thick because I totally depend on it for everything.  In fact, the rest of my planner is just really the Diary, the heart of my system, and notes pages.

Here are a few examples:

My dog's vet schedule for the year. I use grid paper for easy 'encoding'. 

My crafting section. I use grid paper here again for easy sketching. 

Apart from grid paper, I use colored paper in this section. It's a great way for me to make good use of this paper and it makes each section stand out better. 

I have also tried the "filing cabinet" system and I'm using that in my Home Binder which has a lot more information - more for reference than for action. It works well there. For everyday use though, I love this system and, if I may so myself, it's quite perfect for me.  (:

Do let me now if you do something like this as well.

Thanks for visiting!

Conquering My Notes Section

Hi everyone!

Has this ever happened to you? . . .  You set up your planner to be all efficient and organized and pretty.  You arrange it in a way that makes sense to you.  Then you go out into the 'real' world and experience a major fail?

It has to me!  My brick of a planner has pretty paper and tons of sticky notes. However, during a phone call, I realized I didn't know where to jot down a quick note. Crazy huh?

So it made me think: how can I organize myself to make sure I have someplace to write down something quickly.

Answer: my Notes section:

(I think this may be a little harder to explain in photos but I'll try.)

I now use my Notes section as a catch-all of random things that have no place to go, yet.  I put all sticky notes, loose paper, notes sheets, etc. in that one section so that I only have one place to go to write.  Other than my calendar section, this is where I will go first.

As you can see, lots of random notes.
Flyleaf is where I will stick items that are 'in action'.

Previously, it was scattered all over my planner, in almost every section.  I still have a flyleaf and sticky notes in the Menu section, however, most of it is now corralled in one place.

I have tons of sticky notes of all sizes.

I have tons of loose paper of all sizes.

I have tons of blank notepaper.

And even more sticky notes and paper in an envelope. 

The flyleaf will take me to sheets of blank notepaper. 

Another flyleaf will take me to the "To Do" list.

And finally, now I can'tcomplain about having 'nowhere to write'.  I hope!

I have yet to test this out, and I'm hoping it will work for me now.  I know some of you do this already.  I don't know why it took forever for it to click.

Next, I'll write about how I use my "color-coded section" (for lack of a better term).  Now, this part of my planner is perfect, ha ha.

Thanks for visiting!