Why am I a SuperPlannerGirl?

(planning is awesome and so are you)

SuperPlannerGirl: The Early Days.

In my first post, I wrote about how I got into the fountain pen world. If you read that then you know it was my planners that led me to the pens. I have used a planner since I was very young. I want to say my first memory of one dates back to elementary school- you know- the ones the school provides with the school logo on the front- basic, but they work! I loved those things and looked forward to getting them at the start of every school year. As I got older, I continued to use them, mainly with the goal of keeping track of my school schedule and assignments. I honestly can’t say if I would’ve enjoyed the extensiveness of what is now the ‘planner community’ as a younger student. I might have found it overwhelming and distracting if I am being honest with myself. That being said, my planner journey as an adult began in 2013 or so when I read about the Erin Condren Life Planner on Instagram or Facebook. I knew I had to have one. They looked adorable and had customizable covers. It was an investment at $60, but I did get one, and I used that thing every.single.day. It was a fairly simple system, but I found it effective in helping me keep up with my activities as a young mom and part time employee at our local library. I decorated it with washi tape and way too many stickers (sticker kits, anyone?), but it really brought me a lot of joy.

I stuck with this system for a number of years before I eventually switched into an Inkwell Press planner (this is the planner that led me to fountain pens). Again, my first post goes more into that topic! Eventually, in July of 2020, I landed in a Hobonichi Cousin (Avec/A5 sized). I have stayed in this planner ever since. I sometimes get ‘shiny object syndrome’ or get delusions of grandeur and think I’d make a great bullet journaler (spoiler alert? I don’t), but I always land right back in my Hobonichi where it feels like home.

Why do I plan?

So, why do I plan? Sometimes I look at my planner and ask myself this very question. What’s the point of all of this? Couldn’t it be more simple? Is this a waste of time or does it actually just highlight all the things I don’t do? But at the end of the day, planning truly calms me and brings me great joy- it helps me see my month and my week at a glance, and lets me know what is coming up next. I struggle with anxiety at times and knowing what is about to happen is very helpful to me. A lot of people assume that because I use a planner, I must be an organized genius. This is not true. If I were to not write these things down, I’d be lost. I’d probably double or triple book myself or forget to show up places all together. Really, I would. Even with my planner, I still struggle with my schedule at times. I set alarms that remind me to be places. Really, this is why I plan. I feel that without my planner, I would be lost. But secondly, and what I’d say is the most important element, I ENJOY it so much. I have added a lot to my planner and some of it operates more as a journal and scrapbook. I’ve struggled in the recent past with illness, a number of surgeries, and things that have just thrown constant curveballs at regular life and routines. Sometimes the days in my planner feel… empty. I often will re-write to do list items onto the next day when they inevitably don’t get done. Or I will put an inspiring quote. Sometimes I write “DO THE DANG LAUNDRY” in really large letters just to make me laugh a little and hopefully encourage me to finally get it done.

Pics from my planner- mainly from this year- my style stays pretty consistent. Please take note of “SICK,” “BLAH,” and “bed/chair rest.” Very important to do item lists! :)

I also fill the space with adorable stickers and washi tape. I keep track of my meal planning and mine and my husband’s wordle scores. It’s just a fun place to write stuff down. And I can look back on the years and have a log of what has happened. This has been helpful at times with my medical issues- I can remember when certain appointments or events happened. I also use the daily pages in my planner as a journal. I don’t write in them every day, but it’s fun to have them there when I want to use them. I try to keep my planner as a pressure-free zone. I don’t have to do anything a certain way. I use it in ways that work for me. If things change, that’s okay. If they stay the same, that’s okay, too. It’s mine, and it should work for me. It’s okay if others think my planner is silly with its childish stickers and tape. I’m a 41 year old woman, but you know what? I like stickers and tape and fun ink, so I’m going to use them. Life is too short to not surround yourself with what you love.

(all of my hobonichi planners through the years- these pics make me smile)

Why should you plan-

Well, obviously you don’t have to plan. Many people do just fine without planners. I maybe (kind of? okay, not really) envy them. But if you are interested in using a planner, I do think they are highly valuable tools. There are so many to choose from, and they can be as simple as you wish them to be. I’ve had a lot of people say they wish they “planned like me.” I tell them, “plan like YOU!” If it’s a chicken scratch list with the date written above it, and it helps you keep track of your life and get stuff done? It’s perfect. If it is an intricate bullet journal filled with beautiful artwork, and it allows you a creative outlet that adds joy to your life? It’s perfect. If it’s a calendar on your phone that sets off reminders and you’re great at updating it? It’s absolutely perfect. I think you get the point. You pick the planning/time tracking tool that works for you and work the heck out of it. As long as you get the dang laundry done, what else really matters?

Do you use a planner? Tell me about it in the comments. As always, thanks for joining me in this fun, little creative corner.