Planning 101 for 2013

I confess, I'm a huge fan of organization.  My favorite things to do are to make schedules, checklists, and labels for everything.  I research the best way to streamline a process and optimize my time.

So in theory, I would never, ever let anything fall through the cracks and always be on time.  However, I am constantly shuffling through endless To Do lists on my phone and more lists written on the back of printer paper.  And I'm almost always rushing to finish projects with a deadline, which is the opposite of how I like to use my creative time!

I have tried and failed to use all of the so-called "Best Apps" for organization, and not without trying!  There's something that I just can't get used to using my phone to keep track of anything.  It's super convenient, but unfortunately just not functional.

Maybe the organization thing could work if I had 5 phones!

So, I decided to go old-school and figure out what had worked for me in the past.  In the school old days, I used a basic spiral-bound calendar (usually with a school mascot across the front) and that was good enough at the time.  However, I had no responsibilities to keep track of when it came to errands and appointments.  Also, I wasn't digging the whole mascot flashbacks, so I added "Pretty" to the list of things I wanted for my 2013 planner.  Thus, I needed something with a little more maturity and style.

Not my planner, but something almost as ugly.

In college, I had a beautiful Coach wallet with a spiralbound Day Planner and address book insert that definitely hit the nail on the head when it came to style!  However, my needs have changed and I need something much more functional.  It was too small and non-customizable, so I tried again.


Then, I came across the best solution for me.  And of course, the most stylish of them all was from none other than Martha herself.  Introducing my 2013 planner, the Discbound notebook:

I love the color!

Now, this may not look like much now, but add all of the tons of accessories and the fact that it can be customized to a tee, and I'm ready for this year to be my most organized yet!

Yes, I bought every accessory in the store, and I'm not ashamed one bit!

Now, I should mention that I do not work for Martha Stewart, Staples, or any type of paper manufacturer, but you wouldn't know it considering the plugs I'm giving!  I'm practically giddy to get working on my customized calendar.

I can't wait to share my finished results soon!

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