THE JUNK - Time Waster No More!

Though this might not deal with de-cluttering a space per se, a planner is an essential tool to de-clutter our time and prioritize where are energies will be focused.

I am really good at organizing big life events. Vacations, camping trips, birthday parties, baby blessings, are all planned to the exacting detail. My own day to day life... well that is a different story. A whole week can go by and I don't do any of the projects I wanted to do. I then get frustrated that they aren't done and that I have wasted a weeks worth of time. The old saying, "out of sight, out of mind" definitely applies to me. As well, let's admit it. It is much easier to sit and be lazy than to have to actually move and tackle a mountain of work.

Well, my planner has changed that. I am still not perfect at using it, it is only useful if I know where it is, but I do get a lot of things accomplished when I actually use it. Even just seeing the cover is a reminder to me to get off my duff and do something. It is my one stop shop for helping me feel organized, well organized with my time, remember don't open up any of my closets.

Planners are not a one fit all type of tool. There are so many on the market that you have to find one that really fits you and your lifestyle. A planner can be a purchased book, a high tech gadget, or a simple piece of paper outlining your day. It can be divided into hours, days, weeks etc. It can have spots to put your goals, or addresses or notes, or just simply be for organizing your time. The combinations seem endless.

I prefer something tangible that I do not have to rely on my computer for, so a purchased book planner is the one for me. Since I am not super busy everyday. and don't want to feel compelled to do household items at a certain time, I do not need a planner that divides my day up by the hour. So, I get a planner with a week spreading over two pages. It is nice to see a week at a glance.

The planner I use is called the Polestar Family Calendar. My mom started using them over twenty years ago and every Christmas she gives me my own copy and I love it! Each week starts with Monday and then each day is divided into three columns entitled family appointments, meals/kitchen, home. There is also a places in the margins for a to do list and a to buy list. These make it easy to plan meals and household tasks, especially since the shopping list is right there. There is also a month at a glance at the beginning of each month, which makes it nice for writing goals for the month and things around the house that need to get done that month. (I am not getting any kind of compensation from polestar calendars. I just really love their product!) 

A planner is good for people who are not list people. Just schedule things into your day. It is not a list, just appointments with yourself.

So, whether you like planners or not, they can be a useful tool to organize your thoughts and make your dreams into realities. It is essential to find a planner that fits you and your thought process, but for me the Polestar Family Calendar fits the bill. It helps me organize my life and and helps me know that I do have things to do and not just empty swaths of time. A planner is a wonderful tool that helps me live my simple life.