Getting Started with Planning
My non-planner friend asked me the other day, "Where do I start? Your blog used some words I don't understand!" So I thought this post should be about where to start with a planner. The first thing you need to ask yourself is what is the purpose of your planner? Is it to keep track of appointments, schedules, etc? Is it to keep track of all your "to do's"? Is it for journaling? For memory keeping? Once you answer these questions you can figure out the next step - what kind of planner should I buy? There are way too many options out there for planners. So many companies have come out with planners - you have spiral bound, book bound, ring bound, disks.....if I were talking to my friend I mentioned earlier, her eyes would start to glaze over about now! So instead of talking, let me show you. First, in the matter of full disclosure, let me share that I do not own any current spiral or book bound planners. I have tried both in the past, but they just don't work for me. So if you think you may want to go that route, there are plenty of bloggers out there to steer you in that direction.
First, let's talk ring bound planners. When I say ring bound, I am referring to a notebook type planner that holds everything in with a set of rings in the center.
Typically, the ring bound planner has six rings - three rings on each end with a space between,
like this A5 size (5.8x8.3)
or this Personal size (6.75x3.75).
However, once you get into smaller sizes, the ring configuration changes a little.
Here we have a pocket (4.7x3.2) with six rings and a mini (4.13x2.64) with 5 rings. Yes, you read those numbers right - they are SMALL! However, there is a good use for both of these sizes. I love both of these sizes for carrying in my purse. I will talk about these in length in another post.
To start your planning journey with a ring size planner, the biggest question you need to ask is, what am I using it for and how portable do I want it to be? How much writing space do I need?
The A5 is a great size for a desk planner. You can carry it with you, but it is a bit bulky. My A5 sits on my desk and has a monthly calendar, a daily to do list, my Etsy shop info, a keeping track section and a notes section.
I also have a tab for projects in this one - I keep going back and forth about having my own project planner - that will be a topic for another day😏
Another option for a starter planner is the Personal Wide. It is a little smaller than the A5, is more portable, but still gives you a good amount of space to write on the pages. I am going to use the Personal Wide on this blog to showcase a lot of the inserts that I sell. Stay tuned!
The Personal size is very popular. Many individuals use this size for their "everything" planner. They keep it on their desk and also throw it in their purse or tote bag when they are out and about. To me the down side to this size is the amount of space to record things - but this is just a personal opinion!
There you have ring bound planners in a nutshell. I hope this post was informative without being overwhelming. Do you have nay questions about a ring bound planner or how to get started? Let me know and I will do my best to answer you!
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