Planner Preparations for 2016

I cannot believe that 2016 is almost upon us already, this year has gone so fast!

It is that time again where I start to get organised for the New Year and I already have my planner's set up in progress.  I have bought the calendar, a week on two pages, from Filofax as I just couldn't really be bothered making my own this year. It is in the format that works for me and doesn't have the squashed up weekend.  

I have also bought a new pack of 'to do' sheets and also 'shopping list' sheets from Paperchase.

I have rounded all the corners as I really like how this little action makes the whole lot just look so much better.

I ordered some flyleaves with tab from Amazon as I started using these quite by chance and I love it now so much that I have ordered them for all the other sizes of filo I have!  I don't like dividers and I don't like the 'today rulers'.  I like having a marker to the current page or section and I love that it is clear so does not obstruct any entries.  This works for me so well.

Unfortunately Filofax doesn't do them any more for pocket and mini sizes but I managed to get them from other sources, thank you Amazon and Ebay!  They do still do them for Personal and A5 sizes and as they come two in a pack it is pretty good value.

Clear page 'divider' is great for an unobstructed view

This was a birthday card that I cut down and punched.

It marks where my addresses are.

I have realised over my filo journey that I like clean lines, uncluttered and neat.  It makes me feel more professional and efficient, even though I don't use it for work purposes!  I do use some stickers but very sparingly and usually to highlight something important - hairdresser appointments, birthdays, etc.  My go-to-used-all-the-time hack has got to be the neon arrows that I use for important dates such as my eldest coming home from university or date night with my husband, spa days with my friend and other such lovely things.  I also like to write in different colours - the pink and the blue of the 2-colour Bic being my favourite.  There is no colour coding going on though, it is just whatever button I click down.

I have decided that for 2016 I am going to stick with one size and therefore only one set of inserts.  I am fed up of writing and re-writing everything whenever I change size.  I absolutely adore the VDS Senior (A6) size but it is just still too big for my handbags.  And it's heavy.  I'm not sure what I will end up using them for, maybe I will even sell them on...or perhaps take one into work...just seems such a shame to have such beautiful binders not being used.

So the size of choice for 2016 is pocket.  I have a few different binders to choose from - a VDS Junior Touch Me in Brown, a Raspberry Chameleon, a slimline Executive and a Ruby Deco.  So I can change binders but not inserts - that is my rule for 2016.  At the moment I am in the Chameleon, I love the pockets and the softness of the leather on this one and also that the pen loop is on the left so is not obstructing the zip pocket at the back.  I used this one as my purse/wallet for quite a long time last year (or maybe the year before) and it worked out extremely well so I am doing it again.

I hope I can do this, I am really not a huge fan of duplication so I am going to give it my best shot.  What are your plans for 2016?

Until next time, take care xxx