Decorative Planning?!

Those two words seem weird together, but if you have access to the internet and *try* to keep up with trends you will know that it is becoming quite popular. I've decided that I'm going to do a series of posts about all things decorative planning.

Let's start at the beginning.

I've been a planner since, at least, middle school. I remember covering my school agenda book in stickers and gum wrappers; you know the foil ones you can peel apart. That continued through my entire school career and into the college years. I transferred into a small calendar after high school to track my work hours,  appointments and such. After that, I opted to just use my phone calendar mostly. I also kept a wall calendar with all of the important things on it, so I could see them regularly.

Moving on to when I had my oldest son. I went back to carrying a small calendar in my purse to track all of the doctor appointments. I didn't get rid of my wall calendar though. Who can resist the cute pictures on them?! Not I. This was basically my routine until last July, when I was able to start using my Plum Paper Planner.  Being the crafty person that I am, I knew decorative planning would be a fun outlet for me, especially since I had just become a stay at home mom and I was losing my mind trying to figure out my day. 

That brings us to how I got started. Let's just say, instagram has a plethora of inspiration. One simple search of #plannercommunity, #plannergirl, or #planneraddict among various other hash tags will bring up thousands of photos of beautifully decorated planners. Planners?! Yes, planners.

There are so many Etsy shops dedicated to stickers and other planner accessories. Some of my favorites on Etsy include Pretty on Paper Co., The Sticky Cactus, Plan with Pizazz and Paper Ennui. There are also stand alone sites like Oh Hello Stationery Co. (<-This link will get you $5 off your first purchase.) and Krissy Anne Designs that are amazing.

My "style" has changed many times and I'm even in a different planner than I was when I started. I realized that I need a little more structure within a few months. Right around the time I realized I needed a different planner I was gifted an Erin Condren Life Planner. (<-That link will get your $10 off your first purchase.) This is one of the more popular planners you will find in this community. 

I'm now a functional planner, with some decorative elements. At one point I was more of a cutesy decorative kinda gal - but then I realized I was having difficulty using my planner. I was becoming very easily distracted. 

Finding out what works for you will be lots of trial and error. I suggest figuring out what to want in a planner and then doing some searches on YouTube to see which one could be a good fit for you. If you decide you want to give decorative planning a shot weekly kits and samplers will give you a good place to start. It will help you see what you like and will use. Ultimately, a planner should help make your life easier and if it isn't doing that it might be time to reevaluate the situation. 

Are you a decorative planner? Do you want to give it a go? Let me know in the comments. 

Hugs!