How I use my Planners + Journals!

Firstly, I want to thank Henrietta my lovely friend on Instagram who you should follow too! Here’s her handle. This is an amazing topic, and I’m so glad I asked. It made me think about my own strengths and weaknesses in my own habits in this realm. I hope this helps you as well! If you haven’t already started a journal – here’s a quote below. It can be intimidating at first, but it’s oh so worth it. If you’re stumped, look up prompts on Pinterest, make a board or two and try it out! Before we get into it – think about your tips and tricks regarding this topic and share them in the comments below? Happy Reading!

“The best time to begin keeping a journal is whenever you decide to.”— Hannah Hinchman

It’s said that journaling helps to reduce stress, boost health and wellbeing, increase positive thinking, provide a way to process emotions, encourage self discovery, and much more! I’ll admit – as I go through spurts of reading, blogging, you-tubing and all the things, I also tend to go through spurts with journaling. Not so much with planning, as I’m in a consistent routine for the moment. In this post I’ll share how I use my planners and journals, and some tips and tricks as well! Also, how these habits have helped me personally! What has helped you? What do you need to work on? Any other tips?

I’m a notebook/journal/planner and all in all stationery lover extraordinaire. Don’t get me started about stickers!! If I see a type of book to write in that makes me gasp I will most definitely buy it or try to! I’ve always been like this – it started with diaries from back in the day. I had a Tweety Bird and Bugs Bunny one, a Mary Kate and Ashley one, a groovy smiley face one and some others that I made myself! I don’t have photos of them, but I’ll share photos of the ones I have with me. Brace yourself, theres a ton.

I’ll order them in three categories. I think that’ll be a good place to start at least.

• In Use
• Not in Use but Started
• Just Collecting Dust

Firstly, these are the ones I have in my arsenal right now. Pictured below. (1.) My main planner, where everything goes! (2.) My collage journal. and (3.) My list journal. (4.) My TN bullet journal – I sorta use this. (5.) My Internship notebook. I honestly should be using my mental health, faith, and budget planners but I haven’t gotten into a good routine with them yet honestly. Does anyone have any tips for planning and journaling with multiple notebooks/planners?

Next, the ones that are not in my arsenal but have been started. Oof. There are too many to count, but I’ll go through the main ones. These ones are all located on my planner cart. (1.) My Squad Girls Notebook – I should be using this one too. It started as a catch all notebook, but mainly sermon notes. When I got mentally ill last year, I used it for weird lists and such. So, maybe that’s why I stepped away from it. (2 + 3.) My Budget and Mental Health planners. Enough said above. (4.) My Kikki K ring planner. I absolutely love it but don’t really know what to use it for? Maybe a memory planner…

WDYT? What do you use your ring planners for?

(5.) My two bullet journals – got out of the habit of using these too. (6.) An extra TN for just in case purposes. (7) Some sketchbooks. (8.) My baby, the silver Kate Spade. GAH. I don’t want to use this one because it’s too pretty. There I said it! (9.) My old Penpal Address Book. (10.) Another collage journal. (11.) My PR adventures journal. (12.) My Filofax Pink Domino Patent Pocket – which is way too cute for words, but oh so tiny! Then behind those: (13.) My “All the Feels” journal I started a few years ago – need to start journaling in this again! And that’s it for my planner cart aside from sticker books and the like! That could be a whole other post, hmmm.

Then, on top of my desk collecting dust… I’m only going to share photos of the pretty ones – oops! (1.) My Mother’s old (floral wallpaper covered) school notebook which I can’t get rid of. (2.) A few sermon notebooks (3.) A YouTube ideas notebook. (4.) My Fashionary Sketchbook. (5.) My Adult and Seniors Program notebook. (6.) My 365 Kikki K Lists notebook. (6.) Another sermon notebook. (7.) an unused NYC notebook, a beautiful embroidered fabric notebook with yet again, sermon notes! And, lastly – (8.) my other Fashionary sketchbook!

So – I don’t know if you’re good at math, I’m not… so I used my handy dandy calculator to add these numbers up and…. the total is a whopping twenty six!! Yikes. Let’s be real, I’m not gonna lie – I totally have more. Maybe the next category will be “Those in Hiding” Haha!

With all that said, let’s get into my tips and tricks – how I stay consistent and in a routine with the ones that I AM using! And, also – how I can narrow down the ones I’m not using and try to start using them again. Oh! And, I’m listing these tips and tricks as I would tell a friend who asked how to be consistent with their planners/journals! I think it’s important to take our own advice!! You know?

“Journaling is like whispering to one’s self and listening at the same time.”— Mina Murray

Staying Consistent in my Planner(s)

• Joining a PR team always gets me in gear – seriously, it’s the best!
• Having a Planner account on Instagram – you’re definitely missing out without one.
• Accountability with Planner friends – like minded buddies that you can share with.
• Having a certain time of day/night where I can plan and whatnot.
• Loving the goodness outta your planner – aka enjoying the aesthetic and overall design of it.
• Decorate the insides just the way you want it – have fun, let your creativity shine.
• Watch YouTube videos about sticker hauls, plan with me’s, etc!
• Getting new planner supplies – use this as a last resort because it’s expensive!!

How I can Stay Consistent Moving Forward in my Journal(s)

• Get cosy and watch YouTube videos about Journaling with a cuppa!
• Get some new journaling supplies (anything around the house works!!)
• Be creative and decorate your journal just the way you want it.
• Look up hashtags on Instagram and like/save them!
• Look up ideas on Pinterest and make a new board!
• Have a journal and coffee date with a friend and share your passion!

Well, that’s about it – as always, comment below with any thoughts, tidbits, etc! Also, if you have an idea for a post let me know? Hope you’re doing well!