I have always loved planning! Over the years I've tried several different planners, from the cheap ones at Wal-Mart to Vera Bradley to virtual planners on my iPhone. This summer, I spent several weeks researching new planner options for my final year of college (undergraduate, at least!). I looked at several DIY-ish options on Etsy, as well as Vera Bradley and Kate Spade. I told some of my coworkers about my search for the perfect planner, then one of them mentioned Erin Condren. And by mention, I mean RAVED! This girl could not stop talking about how wonderful her planner was and how it was worth every single penny.
So I did some research, and OH MY WORD was I impressed! This planner was BEAUTIFUL! I loved all of the personalization and design options, as well as all of the add-ons! I have to admit, though, that I was a little discouraged by the price of it all. I could just hear my mom's voice in the back of my head saying, "Why would you spend $50+ dollars on something you could get from your university for free?" But my coworker had promised it was worth it! So, with only an ounce of hesitancy, I placed my order...
So I did some research, and OH MY WORD was I impressed! This planner was BEAUTIFUL! I loved all of the personalization and design options, as well as all of the add-ons! I have to admit, though, that I was a little discouraged by the price of it all. I could just hear my mom's voice in the back of my head saying, "Why would you spend $50+ dollars on something you could get from your university for free?" But my coworker had promised it was worth it! So, with only an ounce of hesitancy, I placed my order...
...and boy was it worth EVERY penny! The moment I opened that adorable shipping box, I was whisked away to a world of Staedtler pens and washi tape! It was the middle of July, so I had plenty of lunch breaks and summer nights to devote to my newest addiction. I created an Instagram account and joined the ranks of my fellow #planneraddicts. My pages were covered in stickers, and my Life Planner had basically turned into a small scrapbook.
Then, my senior year of college rolled around, and I no longer had time to print out cute quotes and draw little pictures next to every event. I even went several weeks without writing anything down at all! Eventually my cute bow stickers disappeared and my random choices of pen colors became a color coordinated system for all of my classes/organizations. I needed a method of planning that would make it easy for me to keep track of homework and activities and wouldn't add any more time to my already packed schedule.
Then, my senior year of college rolled around, and I no longer had time to print out cute quotes and draw little pictures next to every event. I even went several weeks without writing anything down at all! Eventually my cute bow stickers disappeared and my random choices of pen colors became a color coordinated system for all of my classes/organizations. I needed a method of planning that would make it easy for me to keep track of homework and activities and wouldn't add any more time to my already packed schedule.
My planner is pretty simple now, but I find that sticking to my 20-pack of Staedtler Triplus Fineliner pens and personalized Erin Condren Event Stickers saves me a lot of time (and frankly, a lot of extra money in unnecessary planning supplies)! That's what I love about Erin Condren Life Planners though! They can be as simple or involved as you want them to be. There's plenty of space for text or pictures, and the planner's universal design fits every lifestyle, from student to teacher to stay-at-home mom! Plus, if there's something missing from your planner, just add it in!
Class Schedule Insert
This was one of my favorite planner projects I completed! As a college student, I really needed a place in my Life Planner for my class schedule! The blank page at the front of the life planner worked perfectly! It was actually pretty simple, once I put the spreadsheet together! I just glued on a piece of cute scrapbook paper, then added the schedule! What's great about this spreadsheet is that two 30-minutes blocks are the same height as the event stickers that come with the planner! So adding your schedule is super easy! All you have to do is cut the sticker to the correct width, write in the class title, and VOILA! Plus, the event stickers are removable so I can change my schedule next semester! If you would like to add a schedule page to your planner, click on the picture to the right to download a free copy of the template I created! |
DIY Coil Clips
Erin Condren's Coil Clips are great for adding pages and other things into your planner, but they're about 60 cents a piece BEFORE shipping. While doing some research this summer I came across a DIY solution. These coil clips are only 16 cents a piece and are super easy to make!
Erin Condren's Coil Clips are great for adding pages and other things into your planner, but they're about 60 cents a piece BEFORE shipping. While doing some research this summer I came across a DIY solution. These coil clips are only 16 cents a piece and are super easy to make!
Items needed:
1) Line the holes of your page holder up with the edge of the tab. 2) Trace the holes. 3) Punch out the holes with the 1/8" hole punch. 3) Cut a slit into each hole. 4) Remove the tab from the case and apply the sticky side to your insert. 5) Insert your tab into the coil. |
These definitely are not as sturdy as the Erin Condren version, but they are a great alternative, especially if you're looking to save some money! I've used mine to insert everything from wedding invitations to movie tickets!
*Unfortunately, I can't take full credit for this DIY solution! Check out the original video here!
**Click on this link to receive $10 off the purchase of your own Erin Condren Life Planner!
*Unfortunately, I can't take full credit for this DIY solution! Check out the original video here!
**Click on this link to receive $10 off the purchase of your own Erin Condren Life Planner!