{Checking Out} and Tracking Books to Read...

I always love to have a reading list of books I want to read and usually have quite the stack.  I find that in the summer I read more often, probably because I have more time.  Although I think I'm more of a book collector than reader...LOL!  

The notes pages in the back of my Erin Condren planner are perfect for tracking what books I WANT to read and what books I actually end up reading!  I used this hexagon section to track books I want to read.  

I used one of the lined notes pages to adhere this cute printable.  Here I keep track of the books I actually read.  I should be through more of them by now with all my extra time but somehow I'm not!  Oh well, I have ALL summer!

Here are some free printables if you are interested in creating a similar page...option 1, option 2 & option 3!

With our current pandemic circumstances how do you get the books you want to read or any books at all?  I don't like to buy every book I read.  I usually utilize the local library.  I know most libraries are currently closed but our local library is going to offer curbside pickup very soon!  They also have digital downloads available from their online catalog. 

You can also check your town for little libraries.  These are stand alone structures that usually look like giant bird houses...lol!  The idea is to take a book when you need one, but also to leave a book when you can.  We have one in our subdivision.  Plus there are several more in the neighboring town.  Not all little libraries are registered but you can try searching for some in your area here.

Some other ideas to get books are borrow from friends via porch drop offs and/or check Google and Amazon for free downloads. I also love checking the Dollar Tree. If you are venturing out, they sometimes have great titles for only a buck!

What's currently on your to read list?

My planner style...

Last week brought the release of the new Erin Condren planners and the dilemma of what style to go with.  I am currently a vertical, colorful fan!  I have also been using the daily petite and loving it.  When I saw the new Daily Duo option, which is a spiral daily planner, I was intrigued.  I debated over whether to make the switch or not.  Ultimately I decided to stay with the vertical because I love having the weekly view.

So I decided to see if there was a way I could rework the use of my vertical planner to bring in some aspects I liked from the daily.  Previously I have been using my vertical boxes as (top) morning, (middle) afternoon, (bottom) evening.  

In my petite daily I had been using the three sections as appointments, to-do's and hobby.  I have really been liking the listing area.  I loved all the space to jot down things to do and ideas I have.  I just wanted to try and keep it all in one planner instead of two.

So I decided to try it out now instead of waiting for my new planner!  I put appointments at the top, to-do's in the middle and hobby at the bottom.  On the side, I'm writing things I need to do this week that don't have a specific day.  Then I can plug them in where I decide to do them.  I'm still keeping my dinner ideas at the bottom of each day, in the shaded area.  

So far I'm really loving this!  I basically fill in all my appointments at the beginning of the week, then can fill in my to do's and hobby items as I go.  I get to keep my weekly layout that I love, plus incorporate a daily style as well.  

I LOVE that these planners are so versatile.  What works for me, someone else might use in a totally different way.   For more planner inspiration join us over on our Simple Organized Erin Condren Planner Facebook Page!

Also, if you are in the market for a planner, you can SAVE $10 of your first Erin Condren purchase with our referral link.    

Helping you make planning simple!

Planner sidebars...{free printable}

The launch of new planners always brings so much excitement!  I love figuring out what design I'm going to get and what cover I like best.  I've been using two planners for awhile but want to try and get everything into one. I love adding some decorations to my planner but function is my main goal.

  

That's one reason why I created these planner sidebars.  I love trying to utilize my planner in the best way possible.  These sidebars help me keep track of lists, track habits and maximize space in my planner.  

My favorite way to use them are in the notes section of the monthly view.  I use washi tape across the top of the sidebar to adhere it in my planner.  I can use the list I've just attached, PLUS I am able to flip it up and still use the space underneath!

They also work perfectly in the lined section of the weekly layouts.  Here I've attached some habit trackers the same way as I mentioned above, with the washi.  I can track the things I'd like, then still write notes underneath.  

One final way I use these sidebars, is in the very back notes section.  They especially work great on the coloring pages if you aren't going to use those.  You can either use adhesive to tape the whole thing down, or use the washi method again!  You can even fit several on a page.  

If you'd like to utilize these sidebars in your planner, you can PRINT THEM HERE!  Join us over on our Simple Organized Erin Condren Planner Facebook Page, show us how you use these sidebars and get other planner inspiration!  

Also, if you are in the market for a planner, you can SAVE $10 of your first Erin Condren purchase with our referral link.    

Helping you make planning simple!

Back to School....Locker Set Up

It's back to school time around here and we are SLOWLY getting ready to head back.  My daughter is heading into 6th grade this year, so the excitement for back to school isn't as much as it was in elementary school.  This year brings changing classes and learning a new side of the building.  She also has a new locker and that brings excitement of decorating but nervousness of getting it opened!  

She got to go in this week and check out her locker and walk her schedule.  Decorating the locker was top of the list so off we went!   We started by checking out all the back to school sections at Target, Walmart and Five Below for locker decor. 

At her school you are not supposed to use tape on the lockers, so magnets are key!    My daughter had to have a mirror, dry erase board and pencil holder.  We also made a little banner out of some pretty pattern paper to add another fun touch.  

I saw several kids using wallpaper in their locker.  They sell a magnetic version but you could also use pattern paper, cut to fit it snug inside the locker and adhere with magnets.  Pictures are another fun thing to add to your locker to add personality!  

The sky's the limit when choosing decor items for your locker.  But in reality students don't spend that much time at their lockers, so keeping it practical is probably best.  

Organizing your locker is another thing to think about.  They make various shelves that can add space to the bottom of your locker.  This year she opted for the basic wire shelf.  This can help divide your books between classes before lunch and those after.  

We also like using baskets, pencil cups or boxes to store extra supplies in the top of your locker.  Staying organized is a key to being a good student.  You will know where your things are and assignments/supplies won't get lost!

Lockers {here we come}!

How in the world do I have a daughter starting 5th grade this year?!  Where did the time go?  It seems like just yesterday she was starting Preschool!  Well ready or not, 5th grade here she comes!  AND she has a locker!  

New school building, locker, lots more students....so many changes this year!  One thing the school lets you do is come in the week before school starts and check out your locker, try the combination and find your classroom.  So off we went!  

You know if you have a locker you have to decorate it, right?!  {I guess you really don't have too, but my girl sure couldn't wait to personalize her space.}  We started with a locker set that included a pencil holder, dry erase board and mirror.  The color was light pink, so we went from there with other decor.   

You are discouraged from using any tape in your locker, so we made sure everything was magnetic. We got a variety that were decorative, some food themed and a couple magnetic clips.  We also found some magnetic polaroid outlines that you could add pictures inside.  So G picked out what photos she wanted to display in them.  Then we added some cute cards with sayings and bible verses on them. 

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.  Ephesians 4:32

Hold onto instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.

Proverbs 4:13

One thing we created for the locker was a cute banner.  To do this we just tied some twine to each of the magnetic clips and then added some washi tape wrapped over and cut into banners.  This was so simple and adds such a cute touch to the top of her locker!

Last thing we added was a shelf in the bottom to utilize that space better.  This sure was a pain to get in!  Another mom was nice enough to help me, as I was getting frustrated!  LOL!  

Just about any place you buy your school supplies will have decorations and organization for your locker.  We shopped at Walmart, Meijer and Five Below.  Target and Dollar Tree had some fun items as well.  Don't feel like you have to spend lots of money on locker decor.  Use what you have and get creative!  Planning ahead is always a way to save money too.  Watch end of seasons when things start to get marked on clearance.  That's when we picked up her pink dry erase board and mirror set!

She has gotten lots of practice opening her locker and is ready to begin a new adventure!

Back to school organization...

We recently redid Little Bits room and made it more grown up!  She is going into 5th grade this year and I can't believe it!  Where does the time go?!  Well, remember the homework area from this post?  She's quite outgrown the little table, so we moved it out and moved the whiteboard into her room.  

She now has a place to keep track of her weekly schedule, homework, bus times, etc.  She really loves having her own space to display postcards and artwork.  The whiteboard is also great for working out math problems, practicing writing, etc.  

She has loved keeping track of her weekly schedule this summer on a dry erase calendar I made using an Erin Condren "Oh What a Week" tear off sheet.  She can write down what we've got going each day, so she knows what to plan for.  She also will be able to keep track of what she has each day once school starts. 

We also created a shelf in my office with all kinds of writing materials and a clipboard.  She loves to grab the clipboard and a pen or pencil to work on her homework.  She can sit on the couch, floor, dining room table or in her underbed fort in her room! 

I love that as Little Bit gets older we can adapt our homework and organization system to what works best for her.  What are you doing to get ready for back to school at your house?

2018 planner

It's 2018...time to get yourself organized!  Who out there is a planner girl?!  I am, I am!!!  I am enjoying keeping myself and my family organized in an Erin Condren Life Planner.  People ask, "Why do you use a paper planner?  Especially when you have an electronic calendar on your phone!"  I do use my phone calendar because my husband and I can share events but I also keep a paper planner. 

Here are 3 reasons why I love planning...

I like writing things down.  Pen and paper is my jam!  I have loved pen, pencils and notebooks for as long as I can remember.  Having dates and events in my phone is nice but the act of writing them down helps me remember what I have going on each week.

I love the creative outlet is gives me.  I am a papercrafter but don't always have time to do it on a regular basis.  Writing in and decorating my planner gives me that creative outlet on a weekly basis.

I like being able to keep track of memories for my scrapbooking.  Writing down events, activities and family memories in my planner gives me something to reference when I get around to scrapbooking them.

Are you interested in ordering an Erin Condren Life Planner for yourself?  If so you can save $10 by clicking here!  Already have an Erin Condren Life Planner but need some accountability when it comes to using your planner to the fullest?  Join our Simple Organized Erin Condren Planner Group on Facebook.

Happy Planning!!!

NEW {Erin Condren} monthly notes pages...

I recently received my Erin Condren planner for 2017-18.  It goes from July '17 to June '18.  With July right around the corner I have been flipping through the nice thicker pages, getting ideas of how to use certain parts of my planner.  The notes pages at the beginning of each month were first on my list to determine a use for.  These pages are altered slightly from the notes pages in the previous year's planners.  

I went through a few of my older planners, watched some you tube videos and started making a list of possible ideas for these pages.  Here is what I came up with for July...

I started by writing the month in script at the top left.  Then I wrote my headers in the circles.  I chose to use monthly goals, birthdays, events, and blog/instagram posts.  Other ideas you could use might be...work, finances, projects, tasks, memories, thankful for.  You could also do some sort of "currently"...watching, listening, reading, loving, etc.  

Next I used my ruler, which comes with the planner, and drew some lines to separate the space under the circles.  These will become my columns to write in, one directly under each header.  I used a sticker from the designer sticker book at the bottom of the columns.  For the bottom box I decided it was the perfect place to write a bible verse that I could meditate on for the month.  

Please share what you do currently or are planning to use these pages in your planner for.  If you would like to see a video detailing the new planner and some of the accessories, check out my friend Jamie's walk through here.  Are you interested in ordering an Erin Condren Life Planner for yourself?  If so you can save $10 by clicking here!  

Changing plans...

Even the best laid plans get changed.  When you write something in your planner and then you have to change it you might think, but it's in pen, what do I do?!  When I first started planning, I debated what to write with.  I thought about a pencil but preferred a pen.  So I tried an erasable pen but I didn't love how it wrote.  So I quickly switched to something different, but then I had my first change to make.  Ugh!  

White out tape and rectangle labels quickly became my friend!  I use the white out tape to cover up the mistake or change.  Then put a white label, cut to size, over it.  Now you can write the correct information and even add some stickers to spruce it up!

I know I'm not the only one with this problem.  How do you make changes or corrections in your planner?  Also, what is your favorite pen/pens to use in your planner?

Back to school outfit planning...

Little Bit goes back to school in 1 week!  I can't believe that summer is almost over and that she is going to be in 3rd grade!  We've crossed things off our summer bucket list and got school supplies in the backpack.  Now we are starting to get back in a routine around the house.  One thing that saves us on school mornings is having clothes laid out the night before.  On Sundays we take some time to outfit plan for the week.  When we first started doing this several years ago we hung them in the closet by day of the week.  Each hanger had a gallon ziplock bag attached with the day of the week on it.  This held socks, shorts, accessories, etc.

  

Then we moved to a shelf method, which we are currently using.  We hung little tags on each shelf and laid the clothes on the appropriate day.  Little Bit loves using this method and it is continuing to work well for us. 

A few other ideas I found on Pinterest are below...

This cloth hanging shelf would be great in the closet.  It's similar to the shelf system we use above.

I also think this drawer system is a great way to organize outfits for the week.  I love that they have a shoe drawer also. 

If you are limited on closet space, this under the bed sorting system might be a great solution for you!  

If I had tons of wall space, I would use this system for me!  The chalkboards above the hooks let you write notes about the day as well.

Are you ready for back to school?  Here are a few past articles you might find helpful...
Back to school books
Getting ready for kindergarten 
Dressed and ready
Teacher gifts
Homework area

DIY planner pen loop

When I travel with my planner I like to use a special pen in it.  So I thought a pen loop would be a nice addition to my planner.  That way I could always have a pen with me when I need to jot something down.  

The Happy Planner sells a pen holder that you can attach to your planner but I didn't want something permanently stuck on.  I liked the idea of being able to remove it when I didn't need it.  So I choose to use a binder clip and elastic ribbon to create my own.  

The supplies I used were a binder clip, elastic ribbon hair ties, scissors, hot glue gun and pen of choice.

The first thing I did was select the elastic ribbon I wanted to use.  I bought this 5 pack at the Dollar Tree and choose the black with white polka dots to match my planner.  I cut a straight end and hot glued it to one side of the binder clip.

Then I placed my pen next to the clip and wrapped the elastic around to see how long it needed to be.  I cut the elastic, then hot glued the other side.

I slid my pen in and then attached the clip to the cover of my planner!  Now you are ready to plan on the go with your favorite pen!  {BTW I'm currently using a black Paper Mate ink joy gel .7....and I love it!}

Do you have any fun tips or tricks for planning on the go?  Check out my recent post on what I keep in my on the go planner pouch!

Happy Planner on the go!

Last year about this time I became a "happy planner"!  I posted about my thoughts on that here.  I just recently got my second Happy Planner and am loving it even more!  This time I chose the watercolor planner and picked it up at Michaels using a 50% off coupon.  I love the watercolor effect on the weekend portion of the planner pages and the fonts used.  Plus I love the bright pink discs and colorful cover!

Now that I have my new planner all set up I decided to put together a travel bag that I can take when I plan away from home.  I have this Thirty-One vary you wristlet that I thought would work great since it has several compartments.  This ended up working out perfectly for my planning essentials!

One side has a variety of pens, pencil and scissors.  The middle pocket has my stickers and post it notes.  The other side holds my adhesive, white out tape and a few rolls of washi.

So now I can grab my planner and essentials bag for easy on the go planning!  What essentials do you have in your planner bag?  I would love to hear!

Back to school...drop zone

This is back to school week for us.  Little Bit starts 2nd grade on Wednesday!  School supplies are labeled and the backpack is loaded up.  Do you have a specific place for backpacks in your home?  One thing that helps us function smoothly before and after school is our mudroom drop zone.  This is our entry off the garage that we use almost 100% of the time to enter and exit our house.  I just love this bench.  It is a great catchall area whether we are coming or going.  

Little Bit and the hubs have their bags hanging on the hooks.  We also hang our coats here during cooler weather.  I usually set my purse on the bench and there is still plenty of room to sit and put on shoes.

Speaking of shoes, Little Bit takes hers off as soon as she walks in the door.  They are also the last thing she puts on before we head out the door.  So it makes sense for us to keep her shoes by the door.  They previously were all over the floor and would get lost under the bench.  I recently put them in this basket and so far so good!

We also have a basket for library books.  We keep both public and school library books in the basket.  This way we always know where they are when it's time to return them. 

So when Little Bit gets home from school, she can kick off her shoes, unload her backpack and then go grab a snack.  Having everything right by the door makes our school days run so much more smoothly. 

Do you have any tricks to stay organized during the school year?