The Lazy Planner

Plan? Me? It’s an astonishing thought but I do own a small planner of my very own and every once in a while I actually look at it! I am not an expert in planner usage although I’ve tried many different types, beautiful and expensive, yet the one I have now, not expensive and so not beautiful, is working for me. When I use it. Which is the important thing. Finding one that works for you AND using it!

I don’t have a problem writing things down. If I run out of something, I write it in my planner. If someone tells me about a great book to read, I write it in my planner. It has taken years but I have finally learned to say, “I need to check my planner first,” before I schedule anything. I don’t know why I always feel like a dummy when I say that but I do. Like I’m supposed to remember each one of the three things I have planned that week! What do you expect people? I guess it’s kind of sad that a woman who has a schedule comprised mostly of “Clean the house” and “Go to the gym” can’t remember what’s on her agenda that week.

I don’t have a problem taking my Lazy Planner everywhere I go. I keep it in the Tomato except when I’m working out and then it’s in my gym bag. Why would I need my planner at the gym you ask? In case I have to re-schedule tennis or tumbling for the kids, write down a class I want to take, or I run into someone who wants to hire a sweaty Organizer to host a new segment on TV. That could happen!

So here’s my good thing goin’. My $4 planner. I got it all dressed up for its internet debut.

For some reason I just couldn't get excited about the puppies

and Lovely is far more likely to leave it alone without them. Those puppies were just irresistible! I was inspired by a member of The Lazy Organizer's club, Rosie. She came home with the same adorable puppies and took things into her own hands. She kept asking when I was going to cover mine but I just couldn't picture myself ever making it to a scrapbook store to buy cute paper. She told me to use my fabric instead so I did!

First I write birthdays in it. Not that I send anyone a birthday card or even call them on their birthdays. But at least I like to think about them on their special day. Then the next time I see them I can say, “Hey, I was thinking about you on your birthday.” I think that makes them feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

If you happen to lose your planner or you want to upgrade midway through the year then you might want to go with a Student planner that runs from July-August. That’s what I did this year because I needed something a little different.

Cutting the corners off the pages as I go makes it easy for me to find the page I’m on.

I like to use sticky notes in the front of my planner so I don’t clutter it up with shopping lists.

Again, I write everything down. EVERYTHING. Here are some of the things I compulsively write in my planner besides appointments.

• What we ate for dinner.
• What all the girls wore to church - so we don’t wear the same thing four weeks in a row. There is no way I can remember that on my own. I can’t even remember what I wore yesterday.
• Important calls that I probably won’t ever make.
• Errands that I don’t want to run.
• Books that I don’t have time to read.
• Library due dates. Just kidding! I always forget that one but I’m going to start remembering, I swear. In fact I'm going to do it right now!
• I write down when I lend a book or movie to someone and then I’m too embarrassed to ask for it back.
• I used to make a note when I owed my kids money but now I just tell them to write it in their checkbooks. You really have to try my checkbook system with your kids. I works!!! And Mary? I just can’t say enough about Mary.

What kind of planner do you use? What do you write in your planner?

Check out PocketMod for the Stranger in your life who uses a piece of paper as a planner and has a rubber band for a wallet. (I kid you not!)