DIY Planner and Journal

It's that time of year again... time to start thinking about new planners and calendars to keep yourself organized for the new year. I have tried so many different planners over the years, I've just about given up trying to find the perfect one. I have to have a paper planner as well as my Calendar app on my phone. In fact, I use both my phone's calendar app and Cozi, which helps me keep the kids' schedules in check (and Big Sis can enter and edit her own activities). 

I was browsing Pinterest (as I tend to do), looking for ideas for the new Smash Books I found on clearance at Michael's, and started seeing the Smash Books being used as day planners. I really want to use mine as scrapbooks, so I searched for other planner ideas. I found one I thought was really cute and simple from Entering Dreamland. She took a regular journal and turned it into her own day planner and journal. 

I got this journal on Sunday at the Single Moms' Holiday Party. I love it. I love the color scheme, and the quote is awesome: "a woman should be two things: Classy and Fabulous." (Coco Chanel, if you couldn't see.)

It has 120 pages, so I counted out 52 pages for the weekly calendar pages. I decided that I was going to break up the remaining pages into two sections: Notes and 1000 Things I Am Thankful For.












Here is how I organized my week on the page. I have one week per set of pages. I want the calendar on one side (the right) and a place for journaling or other things I may need to write down (notes for meetings or my classes, for example).

Little Sis gave me a glitter gel pen that I used to write the dates. I have added a set of those pens to my wish list on Amazon.













Here is the first page of journaling I have done. I know New Year's Resolutions are cliche. But I always like the idea of starting new and making choices to make myself a better person. I have found in recent weeks that journaling has a calming effect when I'm feeling stressed. I searched Google for quotes on New Year's Resolutions and found these. Notice I have more room for a doodle or two when I actually start using the planner.

Here is the view of both pages. On the following pages, I did the day first, then the date. I thought it looked neater that way.

Here is the page that starts  my 1000 Things I Am Thankful For. I started on the back page at number 1000 and counted backward. I like that I had enough room at the top for my title. I don't intend to just write a list, but this gives me a launchpad for it. I figured I could continue to draw or use creative lettering to fill in these pages. I could also add pictures.

To separate my sections, I used colored paperclips. I don't like things sticking out from my books, especially if I have them in my purse or tote. I also figured the paper clips won't lose stickiness (like flags) and the likelihood of losing them is low (and if I do, they are easily replaced). The journal has a ribbon marker I will use to mark the week.

I am very excited to start using this planner.

What kind of planner do you like to use? Electronic? Paper? Do you make your own? What are the must-have sections that you cannot live without?