Since weekly plan with me videos fell to the wayside a few month’s back (I explain it all in
this blog post) I’ve started to really miss sharing what’s new in my planner with you lovely lot. So introducing a new somewhat semi-regular post about what’s been going on in my planner lately.
As soon as there was even the slightest hint of fall I switched my planner into full on autumn mode. I’ve been itching to do fall spreads for months now since we design for seasons and holidays anywhere from two to four months in advance.
The hourly layout just speaks to me lately. And surprisingly enough I haven’t felt the urge to hop back into the vertical even though I’m approaching the usual time that I would make the switch. It’s when I’m feeling truly frazzled and stressed out that the hourly shines. Sure I still don’t pay attention to most of the time slots, but having each day in one nice long block just clicks with me.
I’ve also rekindled my love with putting photos into my spreads to keep the memory saving going strong. There has been a ton of events lately so it’s been easy to throw in a photo every few days. And since I’m basically rubbish at doing anything with the photos I take, this at least connects them to a date and gives them life outside of my phone or laptop.
I feel like I’ve really settled into my hourly groove. I’ve got my spread layout down pat and can whip together a new week in no time flat. And honestly I don’t miss the weekly plan with me videos. It’s just so much more enjoyable to slap stickers down in a robe from the comfort of my bed than the hassle of setting up for a video.
What’s been going on in your planner lately?
Are subscriptions no longer cool? I can’t tell and I’ve never been one for being very trendy. I’m still obsessed with Erin Condren’s
seasonal surprise box and lucky for my wallet it only comes out once every few months or I’d be seriously broke. I’ve also reviewed
all of the other boxes if you want to check those out.
I’m a bit biased about this box since fall is my favorite time of the year, but this subscription is seriously packed with goodness. Plus there are a
ton of box exclusive items that make me feel oh so special. Like I’m part of the cool kid’s planner club or something. There is an exclusive set of three new shades of the colorful dual-tip markers that I use primarily for my
gratitude journal so I’m pumped to add them into the collection.
There’s also a roll of thanksgiving-esque washi tape that I’m just not crazy about. I’ve gotten their washi tape in orders before and find it odd and difficult to work with. It feels more like actual paper with an adhesive back than washi tape. The enamel pin did get me pretty pumped though to add it to my always growing
enamel pin board. They also included a few of their large gift stickers which are always gorgeous, but definitely items I forget when the time comes to wrap a gift.
The box just keeps on going. I feel like they’re getting bigger every time with more and more delicious products. Products can be delicious right? The leaf planner cover is probably my favorite thing from the box as my planner has been craving a revamp. There’s a skinny sticky note pack and an autumn themed dashboard. Plus a handful of greeting cards
and a coupon code to save $10 off a coiled book. You can get $10 with
this link too!
Phew. What a box. Sadly they’re always sold out by the time they ship out to everyone, so you can’t snag this one, but I highly recommend it for any planner addicts who are obsessed with Erin Condren products. It’s the best way to get a bunch of items for a really reasonable price ($35). Keep a lookout for a giveaway coming soon of the products I’m not interested in!
What are your favorite products from this season’s box? Did you order one?
Gratitude journals are pretty much what they say on the tin, but like most things that I’ll probably love, I avoided them for ages. Two months ago I finally grabbed a spare notebook I had floating around and sat down to write a few sentences about what I was grateful for that day. What a difference it’s already made.
The thing about gratitude journals is that you don’t have to write novels every day about what you’re grateful for. It doesn’t even have to be anything overly special. More often than not I find myself writing about being grateful for Alex, but putting those thoughts down on paper has really changed my way of thinking. I’m actively expressing feelings and emotions, bringing them to the surface, and making them known to myself. That’s caused me to make them known to other people too.
Every night I grab this journal and write a sentence or two about whatever I’m grateful for that day. Just a few thoughtful words and off to bed I head. Yet when I wake up I still remembered what I wrote the night before and I find myself in a better mindset.
Putting gratitude first seems like a no-brainer, but it’s pretty hard to do on a constant basis. The gratitude journal makes it so much easier to keep thankful thoughts coming. Plus it just feels good to write happy things down rather than focusing on the bad things.
So there it is. My “ah-ha” gratitude journal moment and my not-so-subtle push for you to start one too. It’s good stuff, I’m tellin’ ya.
One of the best ways to snazz up a planner layout, journal, or letter is with photos. I’m the pits when it comes to scrapbooking, but adding a few photos into a layout is pretty foolproof and adds a scrapbook element that’s oh so good. There are quite a few portable photo printers out there, but I’m putting the
Polaroid Zip and the
Prynt Pocket* head to head.
Let’s start with packaging. The Zip has a smooth, sleek, and small design that uses bluetooth to connect to your phone to find photos to print. The Prynt is a bigger, bulkier alternative that attaches to your cell phone for printing. Prynt has more color options to choose from while the Zip seems more limited. Both of them use Zero Ink paper, but sadly in two different sizes which makes sharing a paper stash impossible. Both have sticker adhesive backings to their paper to make adding photos anywhere easier. I use the Prynt in
a recent vlog if you want to see it in action.
Both printers use in-phone apps to print photos and I find the Prynt one to be a lot more engaging and fun. Zip’s app is boring and dated and only serves to get the job done. It’s not an experience like Prynt is. Plus I’ve heard updates of the Zip app can be a bit finicky and crash. Good thing I’m terrible at updating my software.
Print quality is where these two really start to differ. The Zip has always printed with yellow tones for me while the Prynt is much more blue toned and more like the original photo. I’ve never worried too much about the coloration of the photos since they more for an added addition here and there, but the Prynt’s quality is definitely higher than the Zip if you’re looking for a closer match.
Yet the most important thing to make this printer worthwhile for use with planners is the ability to add multiple photos to one print. The Zip has a collage function to add as many as nine different photos on one page. The Prynt pocket doesn’t. There’s no feature to add multiple photos to a print to save paper and get smaller photos to fit into planner spreads better. A huge negative in my book.
Now to be fair, the Prynt Pocket is marketed as a tool to turn your phone into an instant camera. It’s not really intended for heavy planner or scrapbook use. It’s more as a party addition to snap some shots with friends and print them out on the spot.
Price wise the two differ about $20 with the Prynt being more expensive. I purchased my Polaroid Zip from the Erin Condren website where
you can save $10 more on the Zip if it’s your first site purchase. A $30 difference would swing my decision one way over the other, definitely when one is tailored more towards planner scrapbooking than the other.
As for which one to buy, it really depends on your main intended use. The Prynt Pocket’s photo quality beats the Polaroid Zip hands down, but it isn’t very planner friendly if you can’t adjust the size of the photos or add more to the page before printing. It is a great party addition though to snap photos with friends and instantly get a copy of them. No one prints photos anymore and being able to turn your phone into an instant camera is pretty cool.
But if you’re like me and really want to add a memory keeping element to your planning, than the Polaroid Zip is the way to go. It’s small, portable, and easy to use despite the lackluster attention that went into the app creation. You can always adjust your photos before printing to make them more true-to-color, but I find that it’s just too much work for such a small photo. The Zip definitely lacks the “instant” quality of the Prynt.
For me, I’ll stick with my Polaroid Zip for the bulk of my photo printing and save the Prynt for my next gathering. It’ll be a blast snapping random photos with friends and giving them a parting gift.
What photo printer would you choose?
Anti-hauls have been making the rounds on YouTube lately and it got me thinking about all the planner supplies I wouldn’t buy. We’re constantly posting hauls of new stickers and planner goodies on Instagram, so I’m here to share what I won’t be buying.
Up first is planner charms. Sure they’re adorable, but so impractical for my style of planning. I find that anything that dangles or sticks up from my planner just gets in the way. Plus if you’re trying to save a few bucks on supplies, charms are definitely unnecessary planner purchases.
Along those same lines are planner paperclips. I’ve damaged the few that I own with just casual use and I don’t see the point of having an accessory that only comes up for a photo every once and a while. If I used a personal planner I’m sure I’d pop them in the front pockets, but they really don’t serve a huge purpose in my planning setup.
Since I just can’t seem to get on the personal planner/bullet journal train I won’t be buying any expensive leather planners any time soon. Erin Condren definitely is my vice and I’ll be avoiding other expensive collections to save what little planning cash I have left at the end of a month. They’re truly gorgeous accessories, but they have a firm place on my anti-haul list.
Although I love the thought of planner stamps, I just don’t see myself ever buying any. It’s a whole separate world of planning that I just don’t know or understand. Plus then I’ll have to buy blocks, inks, and cleaner while finding place to store everything. I think I’ll stick with the ease and small storing solutions of stickers.
This last one definitely can be chalked up to my grandma-not-changing-in-her-ways lifestyle, but I won’t be buying new pens any time soon. I’ve found what works for me with the Sharpie fine point pen and the Papermate InkJoy gel and honestly don’t feel the desire to try anything new. I do lust over other planner addicts’ impressive pen collections, but at the end of the day I’ll stick with my mug full of two types of black pen and call it good.
What planning supplies do you have no intention of buying? Share your anti-haul list in the comments!
This blog has definitely become more planner heavy these past few months. It’s a passion and an addition. If you’re also as obsessed with planning as I am, here are 25 planner related blog posts you can write today.
- My Planning Style – Are you into no white space? Love functional? Share it!
- How I Stay Organized – What planners do you use? Do you also use an online calendar?
- 10 Planner Hacks to Make Planning Your Days Easier – Share your secrets
- How to Store Your Planner Stickers – File folders? Binders? What are your tips?
- Best Places to Find Stickers – In store? Online?
- How to Use Leftover Stickers from Kits – Those pesky leftover stickers need to be put to good use!
- My Planning Evolution – Show your first spreads and your most recent ones!
- Top 5 Favorite Etsy Shops – make sure you include Oh, Hello!
- Organizational Tips for My Younger Self – What planner advice do you wish you knew before?
- How to Plan for Other People – What’s it like to plan for kids, significant others, etc.
- Essential Planning Supplies – What planner supplies are a must?
- Planner Supplies You Don’t Need – What planner supplies can you do without?
- Planning for School – Show how to use certain planners to plan for school.
- Different Ways to Use the Monthly Spread – Use your monthly spread for homework, travel, chores, etc. Show different ways to use it.
- Planning Supply Wishlist – What planner supplies are you coveting lately?
- My Thoughts On Planner Peace – Does it exist?
- Favorite Character/Doodle Stickers – Blobby is a definite must.
- Planning for Vacations – How do you use your planner to plan for trips?
- How to Get Out of a Planning Rut – Share your tips for re-finding planner inspiration.
- Planning Challenges – Challenge yourself to plan differently and share the results.
- Top 5 Favorite Planner Spreads – Share photos of your favorite planner spreads.
- Planning Starter Pack – What stickers would you recommend to someone getting started?
- How to Organize Sticker Freebies – How do you make sure you’re using up freebie stickers?
- Project Sticker Use-Up – Challenge yourself to use up your sticker stash!
- How Planning Has Changed Your Life – Share your planning story.
Save this list and you’ll never be without ideas for planner related posts! Leave more post suggestions in the comments!
