Printing DIYFish Planner Inserts

So...let's say you have decided to get DIYFish inserts.

And let's say you finally decided which set would work for your needs and the size/style of your planner...

But then let's say you get the files downloaded to your computer and you're wondering how the heck to get them from your computer to your planner...LOL

A lot of people have difficulty printing these inserts out simply because they don't look like "normal" calendar pages. There are a lot of different files, parts & pieces to this system--but in the end, it is simply BEAUTIFUL and totally worth the effort.

I created a step-by-step video on how to print the daily pages, which is the bulk of the month. If you can print the dailies, you can print anything!

Keep in mind that your printer may have different settings, so experiment a little. Don't be afraid to try things out! You can do it!

One more tip: In working with several different printers and copy machines over the course of the years, one tip that helps me is to first figure out how your printer loads pages and runs them through. Take a marker and write TOP on one side of the page and then load it face up in your paper tray. If you have a top loading tray like me, draw an arrow, too, so you can see which way it loads in the tray.

Watch the video for step-by-step instructions. Soon I hope to do a video on how to cut and put it all together. I'm a visual learner, so I hope this helps others like me!



Get these inserts here.

See how DIYFish explains the printing process on her blog!

Frixion Pens: A Review

I've been using Pilot Frixion Pens in my planner for the last 6 months and I love them! But others hate them...which makes it confusing if you are trying to decide to buy some because who do you believe?

I decided to do a video review so you could see them in action and make an informed decision! In the video I cover things like:

• Color choices
• Erasing & then rewriting--what's the secret to smooth/clear writing?
• Erasing when the ink is still wet vs. dry
• Can you laminate a page with Frixion ink on it?
• What does Frixion and Freezers have to do with each other??
• What should you use these pens on...and what should you NOT?

Check out my review and if you use Frixion pens, let me know what your experience has been!

**I have purchased these pens on my own and these opinions are my own...Your mileage may vary!**

Planner Bookmarks - FREE Printable!

You may remember when I updated my planner inserts, I also created a new bookmark to not only hold my place but also to list my dailies & weeklies--I strongly dislike repetitive list-making, so this seemed like a great solution!

Well, I was asked to make an editable PDF so others could print & use my bookmark and make it suit their needs. This is the first time I've done a PDF that you can fill out, so hopefully this works! (Let me know in the comments if you have problems and I'll see if I can figure it out.)

Bible Verse Bookmark

Ralph Waldo Emerson Bookmark

I've made two versions, because mine has a Bible scripture on it and I thought some people might prefer something else, so I found a great quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson. If you want to put something else up there or leave it blank, I suppose you could put your preference on a sticky label and cover it up before you laminate! But all you have to do is download the file, type in your lists, print, cut along the dotted lines and then place them back to back and laminate. Laminating them will give them durability, so trust me...you'll want to laminate!

When you laminate, use an 8 1/2 x 11 laminating pouch and then trim it down. I suggest you leave a wide border on the side you need to punch (I used an ARC punch, but you can use whatever works for your planner!). Then pop it in your planner! If you have a traditional ring planner, snip the punched holes so they have slits on the side (similar to what I did with these closet organizers) so you can move it from day to day without opening your rings!

Let me know what you think (or if you have issues) in the comments!

Back to School + My First FREE Printable!

It's the time of year again...and it's another blog post on the subject...LOL

I know, I know...everyone and their mamas (literally) are blogging about "Back to School" but this year is a little different for us and I got all excited about it more than usual, which means of course I have to share!

Since we moved, we live in different school "assigned area". We are in the same district, but the kids are assigned to different schools than they were in our former neighborhood. So, we decided to let the kids choose whether they wanted to stick with homeschooling (or "public school at home": we have used Connections Academy in recent years) or if they want to go back to a traditional public school. Two out of the three chose to attend school away from home. My middle child wanted to continue with Connections Academy, so we will do that again this year with him.

Attending school outside of home for the first time in 7 years made all of us a little excited...and I went a little crazy with school supplies, clothes, schedules and things like that. I love new routines! (Hello...I'm a planner addict so this couldn't have come as a surprise to you...LOL)

I wanted to share a couple of things I have done in the hopes that it might help you out, too!

1. Box Tops

I have never been great at collecting this little boogers, but I figured I might as well start now...right? To be honest, I've really cut down on the amount of processed foods we buy, so this might not even be a big deal if we're not bringing in the right products anyway. But I might as well as a place for them, right? I keep this cute jar on my computer desk, which is in the corner of the kitchen...near the scissors...no excuse now! Right??

2. Menu Board

The question is the same...every...day...

"What's for dinner??"

I've been trying to get in the habit of writing down a semi-formulated plan in my planner each week, but the truth is, no one else looks at my planner except me. So no one knows that I have a plan...except me! So, I found this totally adorable FREE printable here at I Heart Planners and then simply laminated it and used double stick tape to affix magnets on the back. A little dry erase marker at the beginning of the week and a wet paper towel at the end of the week and VOILA! BONUS: It's the only thing on my fridge so it's hard to miss.

3. Day-of-the-Week Closet Organizer 

I have one son who will be homeschooling and one son in a charter school that requires mandatory uniforms. But my daughter...my sweet 5th grade daughter...she gets to go to a public school that does NOT have a uniform policy and she is beyond thrilled. So, to help her get organized, I decided to create these Day of the Week Closet Organizers! I've seen these all over Pinterest (and I'm sure you have, too), but I wanted to create my own. Then I laminated them so that she can use a dry-erase marker to write down any other accessories she plans to wear that may not be able to hang in her closet (shoes, jewelry, scarves, etc.).

(On the polka dot size, I used a Sharpie to mark the corresponding day)

(I made another set for myself...LOL)

 So, I created this printable and I hope I did it right...see if you can download it here (front) and here (back)! (Please note, this makes 2 dividers per page so you can use them for multiple children or one for your child and one for you! Just cut out on the dotted lines and laminate!)

And finally 4. DIYFish Planner Inserts

I just couldn't pass up an opportunity to blog about my planner (LOL!). I have worked out a system that I'm really excited about (click to enlarge)!

As you can see, I'm using a day on two pages (here), and I've divided it up into columns so that I can keep track of everyone's schedule. I have three kids in three different schools plus I work outside the home and volunteer at my church and at the schools. Now I can keep track of it all in one place! Check out DIYFish's website for all her latest designs because I bet you'll find something that will work for you, too! And you know how much I value a paper planner...if you haven't tried one yet, see if it helps you keep this school year more organized! Check out my YouTube channel or more posts on this blog to get started!

Planner Obsession

Okay, I'm going to be honest with you guys...I LOVE my planner! I love my new DIYFish inserts! I love my new erasable Frixion pens...I think I have a problem. LOL

In fact, I spent some time over the weekend making a new planner for my office. I have been using a monthly 8 1/2 x 11 spiral bound calendar for the last few years, and then I add post-its for things like meeting notes, etc. But honestly, it just ends up a scribbled mess. So, I decided to try out DIYFish for work. I admit, I didn't get an ARC binder because I'm not ready to commit yet (and I don't want to carry my heavy punch back and forth from home to work...LOL) But, I found a half-size binder that will work for now. If this is something I think will work out well (and I suspect it will), I'll probably get an ARC for obvious reasons (reasons being: I love ARC. The End.).

Since I'm still fairly new to using DIYFish, I have been watching a lot of YouTube videos on how others use planners to get some inspiration and ideas. I've just found even more awesome organization systems that I can't wait to implement, like Bullet Journaling. Where has this been all my life?? It's like something I've naturally gravitated towards doing already, but much more polished and logically laid out. I have a feeling this is going to be a great system for me.

I wish I could be super creative and decorate my pages or use my graph paper for sketching or whatever. But the honest truth is I'm just not like that. It's not my personality! But I'm so grateful for everyone else's creativity because it makes this world a more beautiful place. In the meantime, I will stick with the basics.

And, just so this isn't a random post about a somewhat strange obsession (although I'm not alone in this--did you know there is a whole internet subculture out there all about planners?), I wanted to share with you a find: I ordered this personalized freezer inventory printable from IHeartOrganizing and I love it! For just $3 I have an unlimited supply of these (I can print them as much as I need). I punched it and keep it in the Menu section of my planner. Since we've moved, our garage freezer has just been a glorified ice bucket, so I am looking forward to refilling it and doing it organized!

Life with DIYfish System

Yes, I know...another planner-related post!

I just had to do another one...because I finally decided to just spend the money and get the inserts I've been drooling over for months. Introducing...DIYFish Life Mapping System (specifically version 2.1/8.5" x 5.5" size/Day on Two Pages)!

Can you just stop and take it all in first? Then we'll go on...

That is (in a nutshell) the most perfect thing I've ever seen: in one sweeping glance, you can see your entire month, your entire current week and your entire day (on 2 pages even!) all laid out before you. Remember, I have complained before about all the flipping involved with planners. I have done everything I can to minimize that in my planner. But this? This is genius.

I have spent a lot of time looking at videos on YouTube to see how they work. And to be honest, I thought it would be overkill. I don't need to write and rewrite and then write stuff again...so I didn't think this would work for me. But then I realized I wasn't using my monthly & weekly pages in my old set-up for that very reason: I didn't want to rewrite and flip back and forth. I just used the weekly pages the most, but then I would get frustrated because I like seeing it all in one month sometimes, too. This solves my problem completely.

And...I found awesome pens! I talk a lot about them in the second half of the video (see it here) and you can also see them in action. But basically I love them because they are gel (they glide like butter) and they are erasable! So now I can take my correction tape out of my bag and reduce some bulk. :) See? Simplified.

And...I made another bookmark!

I ALWAYS do this...I make a video and THEN decide to fill in more stuff on my pages or update stuff or make a cool new bookmark, etc. Why can't I do things in order? LOL Anyway, since my week isn't split over two pages anymore, I made my dailies on one side, and then I put my weeklies on the other. I love it.

Check out my video here where you can see these inserts in action, and click on the links below the video for more information on everything else. 

Also, I have a post about DVD organization in the drafts...I'll finish that up soon and post it! I'm excited about how that project turned out, but I want to do a video and never seem to have the time! 

So, I want to know...do you start your calendar planning in January or September?

An Updated Planner

I'm so excited about my planner updates! When I cleaned out my purse, I also reorganized my planner and I thought I'd do another planner tour and tell you about my favorite feature now--my Nate Berkus pencil bag!

This bag is so much better than my other one. I had the ARC plastic zipper pouch, but it wasn't big enough or stretchy, so it was always breaking open and my stuff would fall out. This is made of a canvas-like material and has two zipper pockets! And my favorite feature--a strap on the back so it slips right onto my planner and I'm set to go! I explain all about it in the video below, but here's a pic for you:

After I did the video on Tuesday, I spent some time really thinking about my color-coding system. I was only using my pens to color-code items written on my calendar & to-do lists. It occurred to me I really need to utilize this better! I got some post-it notes that coordinate with my pens, so I plan to use them according to my categories: pink for home, orange for school, etc. That way, as soon as my eye lands on it, I'll know what category it's in! It was kind of a "duh" moment for me...LOL

I also updated my daily/weekly list, and while I was at it...you guessed it: I color-coded it!

Like before, I have my dailies listed on both sides: morning & evening. Then, my weeklies are split up: Mon-Wed on the first side, to coincide with my week on two pages spread, and Thu-Sun on the other side. I also added a top border to when it's closed, it's easily visible!

Check out my updated planner tour (minus the new list) here and leave a comment!

She Plans: Storing Extra Supplies

I recorded this first, before my other videos...I don't know why...LOL But here is how I store my extra stuff and other random things like that. One thing you need to know: I'm totally wrong on the disc measurements! Sorry about that! LOL

Martha Stewart/Avery has 1" & 1 1/4" & Staples has 1" & 1 1/2", but I've recently heard of Levenger Circa discs having more options (both size & color).



And just to clarify, these are my own opinions--I don't work for Staples or anything, honest! LOL

Links I mention in the video:
Prayer Starters by Jennifer Kennedy Dean
Menus & Printables
Dave Ramsey/Finances

Next, I'll dive into kitchen organization! What is the biggest struggle you have in keeping your kitchen, pantry, or even menus organized? Leave a comment!

She Plans: Menus, Budgets & Notes, Oh My!

In this video, I'll show you a little bit on how I plan my meals each week, as well as a few other sections in my planner.


I have one more video in the series after this one, in case you were wondering: how I keep my planner supplies & extras organized! I don't expect this blog to be *just* about planners, but about organization in general. It just so happens that this is how I decided to start the year off! Time management is a big issue--if you can't keep your schedule or routines organized, it will be difficult to keep everything else in line!

What are some things you struggle to keep organized?

She Plans: Weekly Schedule & Project List

As promised, here's a look at my weekly set-up and my project list. I've used the Martha Stewart pages in the past, but I didn't utilize the space as well because she uses a column layout for each day...then each day is separated into morning, afternoon & evening. You can check those out here.

I like the week on 2 pages set-up that I'm using now. I like the amount of writing space on this layout, because I typically don't write in an "appointment" format, but rather just in a to-do list format, and the wide, lined space allows me to write to my heart's content! Here's my Part 2:

Links I mention in the video:

www.flylady.net

www.eatathomecooks.com

In my next video, I'll show you the rest of my tabs! What is your favorite way to organize your to-do lists?

She Plans: A Look Inside Planner 3.0

Hey everyone! So in my last post, I promised I'd show you my new planner, affectionately dubbed "Planner 3.0". I thought doing a video would help give you a better look instead of just pictures. When I first recorded this, I discovered something about myself that my friends probably already know: I talk a lot.

I trimmed it down and decided to make it into a series. So here is Part 1, which will show you my monthly calendar and the general set-up of my planner. It's also the longest in the series (so far), so stick with me!

Some links I mention in the video:

http://www.Cozi.com
http://giftieetcetera.blogspot.com

In my next post, I'll show you my weekly pages & my project section in Part 2! Now that we've already made it through the first week of January, have you decided on a calendar yet? If not, when do you start looking for one?

She Plans on Paper

ver the years I have tried to perfect my schedule-keeping methods. I used to keep a pocket calendar when I was in high school--you know the kind, with sunflowers or kittens on the front? When I married, I had a wall calendar up, with stickers, colored pens, etc. But the problem was, I was the only one using it! So, I started using my phone calendar--it was easy to update on the go, and I could send a quick text to my husband so he could put it in his phone.

Then my phone broke.

It was never quite the same after that, and eventually I replaced it because I could no longer turn it on or anything. The touch screen had become completely unresponsive. I lost all my information, calendar or otherwise. Sad day.