Welcome to Plannerisms

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Am I asking too much?

I don't think I am.  I've read other people also want the following out of their planner, so I know I'm not alone.  I want:

Plenty of space to write my appointments, tasks, projects, goals, hopes, dreams, ideas, creativity, and personal development.  I want to record the mundane and the existential.  I want my planner to handle everything from my weekly cleaning schedule to a major international move.  I want it to be pretty, inspiring, and fun to use.  And, I want it to fit in my bag and be light enough to carry everywhere with me.

Is this too much to ask? Maybe it is too much to expect from one single book.  Maybe I need to branch out into multiple books.  But ultimately, I do expect a lot from my planner.

What do you expect from your planner?  Is it just a place for you to record appointments? Do you like to use your planner creatively? Am I silly to expect so much from a planner?

15 comments:

  1. I don't think it is too much to ask at all!

    I want all things you have mentioned from my planner as you and more! I think I am almost there, although I no longer close it, as I don't like the clasp being stretched! Oh and I don't want to walk around with additional books, I want my planner to house everything, because I never know when I will need it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I don't think you are asking for too much. However, small and light may be unrealistic for a book which basically contains your whole life.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sharon what size Filofax are you using these days? Are you down to the Pocket size for your main planner?

    baz I think you may be right, expecting to have loads of writing space in a small size book just might be asking too much!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I want a lot from a planner also (which results in the constant search for the perfect planner). For me, I keep my contacts and "changing future landscape" of meetings, etc, in my iphone, but I take notes in my planner and keep a history of daily activities in the planner (what I actually did). I want to have room to write, but like you, not have the planner be too big and bulky. I want pages to use as my personal diary/journal, meal planning, random note jotting. And I loooove maps. So, I want cool and awesome maps to keep in my planner to peruse in spare moments. I keep coupons and receipts in my planner too. And I like it to be pretty, or at least stylish.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Maybe you are attacking this issue from the wrong angle...maybe what you actually need is a BIGGER HANDBAG!! That way you could spread out into a larger book (or a combination of smaller books) and still carry it all with you?

    I know...that didn't help.

    In all seriousness though, this is an issue that has me ripping out chunks of my hair on a regular basis, so although I have nothing to contribute toward a resolution, I do feel your pain!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Laurie, I am currently running with a Personal Metropol in Raspberry and will be sticking with it for 2011! I am not changing next year and want to see how I go with the setup I have!

    So for 2011 I am going with DT Flavia day per page, month on 2 pages (for a different challenge) and then on my iTouch a weekly diary view through Week Call app.

    Hoping it works well for me!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have the same dillema, see my comment on philofaxy. I am just not the one-planner-a-year girl and I spend TONS of money on planners. Still haven't found the perfect one and so I'm resorting to two or three at the same time and sometimes even up to 7 a year.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I never really needed a planner until this year. I just kept information I needed to know on a monthly wall calendar for all to see. But now, life has become HECTIC---times 100!! I needed a way to organize. Not to mention my love for stationery..LOL.

    But for the past few years I have been keeping a daily journal type notebook. It has the dates and I just write down what I did each day as well as feelings, special moments, etc.

    As for the planner/organizer, yes, still on the quest for the perfect planner. I tried the Rabbit and it's just way too small for me :( I guess that was planner fail. But now, what do I do with it?? LOL.. I sure is pretty to look at though...

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm not sure if you're asking too much. Your needs may just not be reconcilable with the *size*. Or you'd need to get an iPhone (not that I promote that at all!). But I thought your new + improved Mole is The One.....for NOW? :)

    I'm willing to carry something larger if this means that it can hold enough info to not drive me crazy, and if it allows me to keep a detailed record of the year.

    ReplyDelete
  10. You can get a lightweight binder that holds 8 1/2 X 5 1/2 from Day Runner. It's the Pink Ribbon City of Hope planner, is made of microfiber and fabric,and has 3/4" rings. You could customize it any way you want to. It's the lightest binder of this type I have ever lifted and I've lifted alot. It's inexpensive and the style is fun not classy. Worth a look.
    I can't imagine you being able to do all that with a smaller planner.

    And no, I haven't found the perfect planner either. I have narrowed the expectation of my planner and use other blank books for different subjects. I've also used an A5 for different subjects and this also works very well, even better really. I just don't feel comfortable using an A5 for planning AND everything else - I don't live at a desk!!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Savannah, is this the binder you mean?

    https://www.dayrunner.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product3_10053_10004_143303_-1_false_10053

    I really like that! It is equivalent to the Slimline A5 I've always wished Filofax would make. It says it's a 3 ring binder, does anyone happen to know if the Dayrunner 3 rings would fit Filofax A5 pages?

    The 5 1/2 by 8 1/2 inch pages are a great size. And their international shipping prices are very reasonable.

    Just when I had completely given up on binder systems, this has me thinking about reconsidering!

    Thanks for this Savannah! I'm really going to think about this one.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Laurie,

    This does not take A5 refills it would only take a 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 pages sold by Day Runner, Day Timer, Franklin Covey, Plannerstore and other American based planner page companies. It would take both three and seven hole punched.

    This is not the planner I was speaking of but it meets all the criteria I commented on before except it does not have a microfiber cover which is more stain resistant and durable. I do think the Express planner you found is very appealing. If you want to view the City of Hope planner use the search words pink ribbon on the Day Runner web site. At the bottom of the page you will see two black planners (two different sizes). And yes, these planners are slender!!

    The rings are so wonderful because you can easily customize, index, move things around, and remove unneeded pages for storage - as I'm sure you know.

    Good luck! Hope you find a planner that suits you. Glad I could help.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Savannah,

    The black City of Hope planners you referred to are both out of stock, so the website directed me to the pink one. I have to say I prefer the pink one, it is pretty.

    Too bad it doesn't take A5 pages, I'm not sure I want to get in the habit of ordering my planner inserts internationally. It could get very expensive.

    Still it's something to consider and a great option for a binder system!

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.