Getting ready for 2016!

It's that time of year when us plannerds start to stress if next year's diary hasn't been designed or chosen, punched, noted and sat neatly in a pile waiting for the new year to begin so they can be lovingly transferred into the current binder of choice.

This time I have started earlier than usual and as well as sorting out next year's calendar I have also done from now to the end of the year in the chosen format just to make sure that it does work for me because I am fed up of constantly trying out new styles only to end up back with the insert that I started with!!

The truth of the matter is that I like simple, clear formats with minimal fuss and just a sprinkling of decoration so that is what I have designed.  

I have 2016 ready on my computer - saved to the cloud just in case - and I am going to use that format from now until the end of December, if it works I will print out the rest, if it doesn't I should know why and be able to tweak it.

So, here is my clean and simple layout...

Highlighted arrows indicate important stuff and a cheeky little sticker :)
A space at the beginning of the week rather than the end suits me best.

This is the notebook that I pulled apart and used to print on

Different types of paper - cream and thinner kraft (would be good for notes)

Pen test!

How fab is it that the fountain pen and highlighter didn't bleed or even shadow!!

And just while I'm taking photo's, I got these from Paperchase too.
Can't beat a bit of Rose Gold!

I am intending to stay in this planner for the forseeable future as I am fed up of having to re-write everything so that I don't miss anything out of my current planner...and things I don't think are important enough to duplicate usually always are!  So the most ideal plan is to stay in the same one...I can swap to my black one if I want but the Senior Touch Me is the chosen one for the next 12 months AT LEAST!

If I can do that then I will sell off all my others, even the rare desirable ones.  That is my promise to myself...eek!

Until next time, take care xxx

A change in Planner Peace!

I've fallen off the peace wagon.

I'm not sure how it happened but I got the urge to go back to a pocket.  I created and printed all my new inserts in pocket size and when I picked up my Pocket Aston to set it up I found that I had already done it!  I don't recall doing it but it was pretty up to date...spooky!  I didn't need to put anything in other than the knick-knacks you have...my polar bear and paw charm obviously (even still had the polar bear dashboard that decorates all my planners no matter what size!).

I wanted to go back and try my friends VDS Junior but she'd sold it so I couldn't.  I didn't really like it when I tried it before and I think it was the ring size, it's only 16mm which is just too small.  My Chameleon is even smaller though at 15mm and although this was successfully used as a planner AND a wallet for quite a long time, I just didn't feel the urge to pick this one again.

The Aston has the most generous rings at 19mm and compared to the 20mm rings in the VDS Senior it didn't seem like I was giving too much up.  Although I love the A6 insert size I could use in the Senior, it just weighs so much.  Infact my whole bag weighs so much!

Last week I was in Cyprus with just a little crossbody bag containing my phone and my lipgloss.  The money was in the zipped pocket and the bag had built in card slots.  It was fabulous!!  Small, light and held everything I seemed to need for the whole week, even had our passports, boarding pass and parking permit in it too.

So getting back to normal I picked up my handbag to go to work and oh. my. word.  What the hell have I got in there??  It weighed pretty much the same as my suitcase!!  By the end of the day my shoulder and back were aching.

Back to the Pocket Aston then with the WO2P layout, some to-do paper, notepaper, address sheets and finance sheets.  I took out all the divider tabs as I don't like how they squash up against the pen loop but I will make at least one more divider - in glitter of course - to mark the end of the calendar and start of the 'stuff'.

Now that I no longer have that huge back pocket I needed to get some zipped pockets to hold the stickers etc that I use - and I only use two sorts so that's no major issue.

I did all that and then changed my mind again.

I am now trying out the slimline Regency and I have redone all my inserts and I think it may work for me...the rings are so tiny but I have a years worth of WO2P and some notepaper which is all I really use anyway.

I have to admit that I do like the slimline and compacts as the rings don't tend to be an issue so maybe I should see this as a huge advantage! It also means that I can't fill it with unnecessary stuff.  It has everything I need it to have...

• Diary
• Notepaper
• Card slots
• Pen

I really don't need any more than that!  I do my personal planning in my A5's at home so so long as I have some notepaper or post it note I really don't need to have any more sections than two in my everyday carry. 

I'm not saving much space in my bag going from the senior to a personal size but the difference in weight is A LOT!!

Slimming down the VDS

I think I may have finally found my peace.  I have bought a new planner and I couldn't wait to move in and set it up...it's another VDS Touch Me in senior size but in classic black!  I have decided that this is the size for me for my everyday carry - and trust me I don't/won't go anywhere without this!! It's not that it has tons of important meetings, appointments or information in it, it's just because I feel lost without it in my possession.  What if I needed to write something?  I do sometimes get the urge to just write something, anything, and it's always when I am paperless...so I no longer allow that situation to happen by always having my planner with me, always.

I have designed and created some new inserts as I felt as though my calendar was taking up too much space for the information I need.  This was resulting in less paper space for me to write my sudden urges in whatever they may be!  

After having a good look at my calendar I have realised that I do have appointments but usually just one in any one day but the days are also used, in the main, for to-do's and little reminders.  I tried using a rolling list but it just didn't work for me as I couldn't tell when I needed to do what and that was frustrating so I ended up having to write it on the day as well which defeated the object of having a rolling list.  I also thought of using sticky notes but the additional clutter would stress me out.

Then in a moment of clarity I realised!  If I reduced my calendar to week per page and then only added in a to-do list when I had lots to do then I could throw it away once completed - AND I had the idea of putting the days on it so that I knew what needed to be done and when...genius if I do say so myself!  If there isn't much to be done that week then I can simply write my to-do on the day, if there is loads then I can add a sheet...it really isn't rocket science and I kind of already took this approach many years ago when I lived out of a pocket planner as my main and only planner...(I'd love to know how I did that!!)  I used to have a week on two pages and my to-do's were added to the day, on those days where I had tons to do I used a to-do list - and I always had loads of room in my planner and now I'm thinking that was before the multitude of  'sections' and copious amounts of sticky notes, page flags and oli clips - they all take up that space!  I NEVER use them either, nor do I use paper clips or project life type cards...I didn't even have dividers back then!  I don't have tabbed dividers now either but I do have my glittery tab-free ones that I love, love, love!!  It's all about the glitter :)

Anyway, whatever it was I used to be able to do when life was so much less complicated, I can't do it now, it just doesn't work for me anymore.  I don't know why, I've tried to remember, to figure it out but alas I have no idea!

I will update once I have had a chance to run with this system and let you know how it goes :)

Until next time, take care xxx

Flex Planner for Study Purposes

I am quite excited.  I have just received the result of my first assignment in Insurance Law and I got an 'A' - I am very proud of myself!

I am also excited to learn that the format for future exams is changing as of the 1 April 2015 to a multiple assessment which is coursework following by multiple choice exam at a time chosen by me - this is very different to the three hour written essay exam that could only be booked in either April or October.

For people like me who know and understand what they are learning only to forget absolutely everything come exam time then this is wonderful news!!  I may finally get my qualification.  This pleases me a lot!!

What also pleases me a lot is the fact that when I upgrade to the mixed assessment format in April I can choose the textbook to be via e-book rather than the chunky (and extremely heavy!) textbook that it currently is.  This means that I can have it on my ipad mini - much easier to transport around and read on the commute!!

This also means that I can properly utilise my A5 Flex which I was trying to use by photocopying the pages of my text book but they were still hard to read on my ipad but this way, this way I will be able to not only read the text but also annotate it and highlight and even get the 'text to speech' going if I wanted to!  (Which to be honest I probably wont as last time I tried it I found it too be too much like listening to a 'speak and spell' and the whole sentence was lost in bad translation!)

The ipad mini fits perfectly in the flex, even with the keyboard attached!

Much sleeker and lighter than a massive textbook

I am looking forward to studying again - I realise how sad that sounds - but I miss it, I miss the organisation and scheduling that is required with proper studying.  I miss the notebooks and the highlighting...yeah, that sounds even sadder!!  Lol.

I'm looking forward to the wonderful bonus paid by work for each exam passed and then the award for getting the qualification - does that make me sound any less sad?  I thought so!

I could do with making a small monthly calendar for the Flex though, I could just print one out and have it bound, it'd only be for reference purposes...

Obviously my timetable will be scheduled in my delicious Van Der Spek Senior as this is my ultimate tool in keeping me in check.  I may have mentioned previously how delightful and exquisite the Van Der Spek Touch Me range are...maybe just once or twice.  I have the A5 Manager size too with the 35mm rings and that is such a beast of a binder that there is no way that I could use that on the go, not without some sort of trolley device!  But I may store used paperwork/notes from the Flex into a section of the Manager...that's actually quite a good idea :)

Roll on the 1 April - this had better not be an April Fool's thing or I will not be impressed!!!

Until next time, take care xxx

Return to the Senior Planner

ABOUT TURN!!

I tried the Junior and managed to last almost a week and although I love it's size, it's portability and it's downright cuteness...I can't do it.  It's too small.

I have returned to my Senior and already I want to pick it up and use it.  I've put some stickers in and done some stamping and generally just settled back in like a pair of comfy slippers.  I have found my partner in crime forever I think!  Thank goodness for that, this search was getting rather expensive!!

My birthday week, love the picture frame stamp!

These are just too cute - ideal for little quotes as I don't use the notes bit

I need to get some proper 'To Do' inserts in A6

I'm glad that I had the opportunity to trial it rather than buy it and realise.  I am very happy about that. The little Junior is packed away in his box and will be returned to his owner, with very grateful thanks!

I was contemplating getting a black Senior with gold rings but Van Der Spek don't have that option for the Touch Me range which is quite sad (and a relief!) as I much prefer the layout (and the back pocket) of the TM's and have no desire to get a custom one.  I believe that they are deciding on whether to do another colour in the Touch Me range and if they ever bring out a red one I'm most definitely getting it!!

I may have to look into their bag range as if they are as stunning as their planners then I am instantly in love...a little pricey but would be absolutely worth the money.  I love the tote one!  The bags aren't customisable - yet - but you can get a planner to match your bag!  If they ever bring one out that is like that tote but in the Touch Me brown, it's mine!

Until next time, take care xxx

Planner decisions almost justified!

Here we go again.  I want a pocket planner and I want it to be a VDS Touch Me in brown but I am struggling to justify it.  At £83 including the postage it is a lot of money to possibly not be used but it is an absolute bargain for one of such amazing quality craftsmanship if it can work.

I absolutely adore my senior size but the weight of my bag needs to be seriously addressed!

I don't actually need to write or plan that much, I write appointments and birthdays and to do lists and that's pretty much it in my everyday carry, everything else gets put in my stay at home binder so do I really need all that space??

Massive dilemma issues....I guess I'm lucky actually knowing which exact planner I want so at least I haven't got those issues to add on top!

Aaaargghhhhh!!!!!

Until next time, take care xxx

Planner Update

I'm not sure that I am going to be able to swap and change the inserts between the Deco and the Senior.

After a lot of hole punching and thought, the hole configuration is just too close too work, the pages would just end up tearing :( 

The pic below shows the holes in the grey leopard washi for both planners.

See how close those holes would need to be?

I did think something like this Satellite Notebook from Franklin Covey might have been the answer as the elongated holes looked hopeful...but they don't fit into the Senior - which is odd because it came with it!  It does fit perfectly into the Personal but it isn't going to work for the Senior.

  

So the thinking process continues...I am on the hunt for an oval hole punch, maybe that would work as the holes are not that far off from each other and if I could just get one oval hole instead of trying to get two that close and risk tearing then it could be a possibility.

So, I've had enough hole punching for one day....time to close up my desk and watch a bit of tv while my brain goes haywire trying to figure this out!

Until next time, take care xxx

Training Record in VDS

Inspired by recent thoughts and Carie Harling's post on "What are your why not's?" I made a list, a few of them I knew would appear but a couple of them surprised me as I got into the groove of this inspiring way of thinking.

It's almost along the lines of if you knew you couldn't fail what would you do? Because in reality, why would you fail? What do you need to do to help you achieve your goal in life? Anything is possible...unless you want to be able to fly or become invisible of course...but being realistic if someone else is able to do it, or learn how to do it then there is no reason why you can't too!

It's been a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and I am very lucky to have such a wonderful supportive family around me.  I am very grateful and appreciative of this on a daily basis.  I love them with all my heart and soul and I know they know it too.

Today was the first step on a long journey towards my goal of losing weight and getting fit.  I went to the gym and had a workout, and I went for a swim and then rewarded myself with a session in the steam room and jacuzzi and I feel fantastic!!  I've already laundered my stuff in readiness for the next session.  I am feeling so determined.  I have booked in for the yoga class the day after tomorrow which will mark the start of my meditation process.

I have decided to use coloured dots in my planner for the activities that I have done:

Red is for the gym
Blue is for swimming
Green is for yoga

I will have to use this for the next week as I haven't got December in the monthly!

From January I will be using this so I can see an overview

I am looking forward to seeing all the dots!!

I am planning on rewarding myself with an item of training gear at the end of each month, at the end of January it will be a pair of running trainers.

I was going to use a dedicated filo to track my progression but I have decided to use my senior and my A5. My senior is my every day carry and I will be pleased with myself to see how much I do and to use it for motivation purposes, the A5 is to log it as this is my 'me' binder and it has things only to do with me, no appointments or to do lists etc as that is was my senior is for.

I am feeling very proud of myself.

Until next time, take care xxx

Planners and moving onto the next chapter

New Year Resolutions.  We all make them even if we are adamant that we don't...secretly to ourselves we hope to achieve all the goals and ambitions that we have been thinking about for some time - or in my case years and years and years.  

So what is going to make this year any different?  That is the question I have also asked myself for years and years and years.

I came across this quote:

It has resonated with me quite strongly and after all the courses about Life Coaching and all the other things that I have read and researched and discovered over the last few months, it has made it all the more strong.  

I do NOT want to end 2015 in the same place I am now.

So it goes without saying that if I don't sort myself out and actually do something different, I am ALWAYS going to get the same result - by eating badly and not working out I am going to end up the same as I am now or WORSE!!!  If I don't study, I am not going to pass the exams and get qualified either!

I am arguing with myself over starting yet another gym membership...the last three never worked out for me or rather I never worked out - hence why I am still in the same situation!!

The reason for my choice of gym is that this one has a lovely yoga studio and the last time that I went to it (on a month's trial) I really, really enjoyed the yoga.  I came out of the class feeling...lighter in mind and spirit.  Not only that but being scared of water, the 4ft all the way pool is also a bonus :) They have a lot of good classes on - although to be fair I think that you have to be a little bit fit to even do the beginner ones as the aching for three days after a class does not make me want to return!

Over the last two years I have suffered at the evil hands of anxiety and as a result my head has felt jumbled, foggy, chaotic and really just a bit of a mess.  This is why I got into planners quite so heavily as I was trying every which way to make sense of everything but the fuzzy in my head never let me achieve the clarity.  I'm thinking to be honest that with hindsight it made things even worse as I went overboard...turned it into a bit of an obsession...

Who needs this many sticky notes??

Crazy...this wasn't even half the collection!

And it just got worse and worse and now I feel as though - just before I exploded with confusion and despair - I made a breakthrough.

It was all I needed to stop and take stock of everything, work out where I wanted to be and how I needed to get there, the planner world is constantly repeating this over and over and over again but yet we still get sucked in to the whole madness of it all and end up not just owning beautiful planners that we can adore and treasure but in a big stinking hole of despair as to which one to use, the guilt for buying yet another one, the guilt for using a different one, the frustration of the pages not working for us, the hell of needing to erase something that has changed - and then the dilemma of do we white it out, put washi over it, use a sticker?  Or maybe just write in pencil, or frixion or use nothing but washi....this is not the most relaxing, go with the flow lifestyle I was kinda hoping for!!

All it took was a planner that I adored, that worked, that was simplistic and useful and that came with the VDS Senior.  It tells me where and when and has room for thoughts, lists, photo's, motivational/inspirational and sentimental stuff that makes me smile.

  

This is all I need, there is enough crazy going on in the rest of my life so it's a breath of fresh air to look at my planner and see it all neatly organised and a lot less complicated than my mind makes it!!

This wasn't really meant to be a planner post and I am quite surprised at how 'stuck' it must have made me feel for a while there...it's the good thing about writing these posts is that sometimes when you least expect it you get a 'lightbulb moment' and it is like a real slap to the forehead...'why didn't I think of it like that before...." kind of thing!  I was trapping myself into a world of crazy instead of just letting it all go and starting again.

I feel that there will be a shift in the subject of my blogging in the future.  I feel as though I have planner peace in my VDS's now and I have bleated on about that for long enough as it is!  I don't decorate or do anything worth showing in my planner other than use it as above...not very exciting but totally functional.

It may be with sadness that I now feel I can leave the planner world and move on to the next chapter...and I am seriously hoping that it involves a lot of fitness, health and nutrition stuff with those magical hints and tips for successful studying!!

I will be back but I don't know what with at this stage.  

Until then, take care xxx

Van Der Spek Planner Heaven :)

Guess what arrived this morning!!  After the disappointment of the couriers leaving it behind in their depot yesterday when it should have been delivered and the equally unhelpful customer services who told me that they do not deliver on Saturday so I would have to wait until Tuesday...they delivered it this morning!!

Oooh, I wonder what this could be...

Yay!!  At last!!

The uber-softness cannot be pictured!

And my very own Philofaxy card!

Gorgeous, just gorgeous!

Look at that MASSIVE pocket!!

And those MASSIVE rings!!

That's going to take a LOT of stuff :)

Togetherness x

Perfect combination - Senior & Manager size

Wow, I am in awe of this planner, the feel, the smell, the craftsmanship, the everything!  I would like to thank Petra Van Der Spek for being so patient with my queries and the lightning fast delivery as I only ordered it on Tuesday evening and it should have been here on Friday so that is amazing all the way from the Netherlands!!

I am in planner heaven - if you haven't looked at Van Der Spek planners before then you should go straight away to here and have a look at the delights they have to offer - you can even get your own planner custom made with your choice of colour and texture of leather both inside and out, stitching, ring size and colour and additional items - all made with love and excellent skills!!

Mine are both from the Touch Me range which are not customised (other than the ring sizes) as I love the big back pocket and the internal layout so much.  Currently they only come in brown or black but there is talk of another colour being offered in the future...you need to keep a check out for that, and if its red then I'm definitely having another set!!

Right, I am off to play/set up my planner so I will be back with an update!

Until then, take care xxx

Van Der Spek set up

Last Friday my Van Der Spek planner in 'senior' size arrived and I had very little time to play as I  was busy organising my eldest with his packing for leaving to go to University on the Saturday.  Can you believe that he hadn't even done any laundry??  He had mentioned earlier in the week that he had started his packing...I should have checked then as all that meant was he had put his Xbox and games in a box - no clothes or anything else!!  So come Friday it was a mad rush to get everything sorted out (and washed) and packed away ready for the 5.30am departure for our 5 hour drive to his University.  He has started the next chapter of his life...it's been a strange week end for me.

Anyway fortunately I had the sense to book today off work and set about organising myself and setting up my new planner.

It did come with some 'senior' size inserts which are the same width as filofax personal and just a bit shorter.  I realised that I could have true A6 inserts (Mulberry agenda size) which are wider but I would have to make them myself.

Obviously I had to get the polar bear back in as a matter of urgency so that was the first job :)

It's my trade mark Polar Bear - couldn't miss him out!

He was a bit small to laminate on his own so I backed him with some lovely leopard cardstock which I think looks fab!

Next came the diary inserts, I bought these off Etsy and they are from July 2014 - December 2014 which is all I needed for now.  I tried designing my own but to be honest I couldn't be bothered messing about and I wanted something now!  I really need to learn how to use Publisher before the end of the year so I can do them - I will be making notes for the rest of the year on things I need to change or add so that I can hopefully design the perfect insert for my needs from 2015...watch this space!

Simple but effective

I didn't like the right hand page that came with the download, it was like graph notepaper and as my paper is just ordinary printer paper it was showing through too much.  I just did my own with 'Notes' at the top and a different quote on each page for a bit of interest/inspiration.  I love quotes!!

I need to find some nicer paper for when I do my 2015 inserts, I really don't like this white printer paper it looks cheap and just isn't nice for inserts at all!!  I need to find out what the Kate Spade inserts are printed on as they have been my absolute favourite ones so far - so if anyone knows the weight of this paper, please leave me a comment below!

After the diary comes the notes/to do section and I have laminated a print that I love...

She is organised, confident and sassy!

And after her come the To Do's on 100gsm paper that I thought would be great to use as it takes fountain pen ink really well but even that bleeds the ink through if you print on both sides (I didn't write in fountain pen on both sides so I didn't realise this) but it'll do for now but it isn't the right type.

I love the colour and texture of this paper

So all that is left to do now with this baby is use it!!

The leather is so so soft and I love the full width back pocket but I wont be using it as a wallet (for now) as I have just moved into my Fossil 'Long Live Vintage' purse that I got from eBay for a whopping £2.57.  It's been sealed in an airtight container for a week with bicarbonate of soda and tumble dryer sheets to get rid of the musty smell it had but it's worked so I'm happy now and I think the two of them go together quite well :)

I hope that I have finally found permanent 'Planner Peace' with this one.  It is large enough to not feel cramped, especially with the wider pages, and yet small enough to not take over my bag!  The rings are also smaller at 20mm so I wont be able to stuff it with all those extra pages that I never ever use!!  

I think it's a good thing that I didn't want to use the pages that came with it for exactly that reason.  It has meant that I have had to think what I need, what I actually use and then design them.  There is little point filling it up with expense sheets, measurement sheets, full year calendars, public holidays, addresses, etc, etc. as I just never use them!  I will put an emergency contact sheet in with my most used numbers just in case my phone dies on me but that's all.  

The next set up post will be on my new A5 Original in patent 'Latte' which I am going to use as a personal development filo as I am starting a new college course this week on 'Life Coaching' so I will do something on that once I find out what I need.

Until then, take care xxx