If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile you’ll know that in spite of my love for gadgets, when it comes to keeping track of my personal schedule and To Do List I’m all about the paper planners. (I wrote about it here and also here, if you want to know why!)
For the past couple of years I’ve been using a lovely little Filofax to keep track of my life, and even called upon my ever-so-accommodating sister to pick up some 2016 refills from a shop in Victoria and bring them to me when she visited in October.
So I thought I was all set for the year to come, but apparently I’m fickle… because when I stumbled across a new-to-me planner with a layout that looks as though it was designed specifically with ME in mind, I decided to take a break from my Filofax and give another product a try for 2016.
The Polestar Planner isn’t super fancy, but here are a few of the features that make it perfect for me:
- Most importantly (to me) is that every day of the week is given the exact same allocation of space. (It’s a planner peeve of mine when Saturday and Sunday are jammed together and have to share!)
- Each day is divided up into columns for appointments, To Do, and personal. This fits my needs perfectly, as I always jot down a few comments about my day, and the “personal” column will be just right for this.
- Large enough to accommodate everything I need to write, but small and slim enough that I can tuck it into my purse or bag and carry it with me.
- Each week’s spread has a quote at the top of the page. I love quotes. 🙂
- Pockets on the inside front and back covers.
- Lots of pages and space for notes.
- Tear-off corners so you can instantly find the current week.
- Made in Canada!
One of my favourite approaching-year-end rituals is to sit down with my paper planner, pen, and a cup of tea and get organized for the year to come.
If you need me today, I’ll be doing just that.
Are you a fan of paper planners?
Please share!
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I have started using digital as back up/4 reminders, but I will be a Filofax woman forever 🙂
Carla recently posted… National Adoption Month
Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 24, 2015
Filofax is a wonderful brand! I think I just get restless and need change regularly. 🙂
Laurel Regan recently posted… Tangled Tuesday No. 69
Twitter: BatteredHope
November 23, 2015
Considering how much younger you are than me I was T H R I L L E D to hear you say you use a paper planner. I have tried going digital but it just does not work for me. Considering how much time I spend on the internet I was feeling guilty (and old) for not using those resources as a planner. Thank you for the vote of confidence for paper planners.
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Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 24, 2015
You are most welcome! Paper planners just feel right to me.
Laurel Regan recently posted… Tangled Tuesday No. 69
I became a planner junkie last year when I discovered InkWELL Press’s LiveWell planner. It’s just gorgeous and has room for so much, including plenty of blank pages for writing. Before this I just used the small, purse-size calendars you can get in drugstores. Now I’m hooked. It stays on my desk all the time, and I use it for a “memory book” as well as for planning. Love it.
Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 24, 2015
That’s what I do as well, Elaine – jot down little thoughts and memories from each day. It’s fun to look back on my planners years later!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Tangled Tuesday No. 69
Twitter: ALBannon
November 23, 2015
I use a combination of paper and digital planners and binders. And small scraps of paper….
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Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 24, 2015
Hey, whatever works, right?!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Tangled Tuesday No. 69
Twitter: shanayatales
November 23, 2015
Oh I love paper planners, and we seem to have similar tastes when it comes to them. I too hate it when the planners combine Sat-Sun. Those are the days, when I get a lot of stuff done.
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Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 24, 2015
Exactly! Plus often a lot of social stuff happens on the weekends. Definitely important to me to give both days their rightful amount of space. 🙂
Laurel Regan recently posted… Tangled Tuesday No. 69
Good one! Publicly I am with electronically calenders – on my phone, computer etc… BUT secretly I am addicted to having a small paper planner – as a back up – kind of feels safe… strange isnt it. Its like I still like the paper- newspaper to cuddle up and read for read, i do the same with my paper planner – gotta have it:-) 🙂
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Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 24, 2015
It does feel safe, doesn’t it?! Some things just work better with paper, I think.
Laurel Regan recently posted… Tangled Tuesday No. 69
Twitter: wendyenglish
November 23, 2015
I love a new planner called the Passion Planner. I am getting one for a bunch of people on my shopping list for Christmas. (hopefully they don’t see this post!) I love that it has bother personal and work ‘to-do’s’ and a spot to write about what went well the prior week and what you hope to work on in the coming week. It’s gold!
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Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 24, 2015
Oh, that sounds wonderful – I will have to check them out!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Tangled Tuesday No. 69
Twitter: RamblinGarden
November 23, 2015
Both my husband and I are disorganized. We’ve bought planners, which are never used. Earlier this summer, we had so much on our “to do” list that I resorted to an Excel spreadsheet! My husband, though, hates computers. He uses a tablet, but only to view a radar app (he’s interested in the weather). Sigh….
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November 24, 2015
Best of intentions, right?!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Tangled Tuesday No. 69
Twitter: 1951
November 23, 2015
You and I are on the same page…so to speak! i love paper planners!
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November 24, 2015
They are truly wonderful!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Tangled Tuesday No. 69
Twitter: DebbieDoglady
November 23, 2015
Glad you found the perfect planner, Laurel. Yes, I use the paper variety as well. All days of the week have equal space and the week starts on SUNDAY, not Monday. 🙂 It’s so much quicker to access. I also still use a Rolodex for that reason.
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Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 24, 2015
It’s funny – I definitely MUST have wall calendars that start on Sunday, but with my planner I prefer a Monday start. Rather odd, I know!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Tangled Tuesday No. 69
Twitter: LifstyleProBlog
November 23, 2015
Oh wow… I could never use these… I’d lose this in a week…! Now if there was an app, well that would be a different matter 😛
Your planner looks brilliant though… I like the addition of quotes. Such a nice little touch 🙂
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Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 24, 2015
The quotes are fun! I might try to work them into blogging prompts sometimes.
Laurel Regan recently posted… Tangled Tuesday No. 69
Twitter: Anagnihotri
November 23, 2015
I plan my To dos in my phone calendar. It is helpful to me in a way that it rings the alarm alerting me to do whatever I have planned. If I were to use a paper planner, I think the big problem would have been to find it everytime I needed to write something down or to check the plan. Phone always comes handy.
Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 24, 2015
Yes, having alarms is very helpful. I sometimes set those on my phone anyway as a backup!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Tangled Tuesday No. 69
Twitter: Iwrotethose
November 23, 2015
Despite all the ‘virtual calendars and planners’ available to us, I still prefer a physical planner. I do something similar too – though I do find myself editing and adding more stuff as I come along. I love the idea of adding quotes. Especially inspirational ones 🙂
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Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 24, 2015
The quote feature was very appealing to me – in addition to the inspiration they give, I think they add interest and a more human touch to what could be a boring page spread.
Laurel Regan recently posted… Tangled Tuesday No. 69
Oh, that planner looks lovely. I am more of an electronic planner myself. Everything I do is on the PC. I am always attracted to the paper ones though. Maybe in 2106 I will break down and get one.
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Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 24, 2015
I’m definitely all electronic when it comes to my job, but for personal stuff it’s paper all the way. Maybe because memories are involved and writing it down on paper feels more personal? I don’t know!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Tangled Tuesday No. 69
Twitter: homemakermom
November 24, 2015
That planner looks awesome. Thanks for sharing it I had never heard of this one before. I currently use the ARC
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Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 24, 2015
You’re most welcome! I was glad to discover it myself.
Laurel Regan recently posted… Tangled Tuesday No. 69
Twitter: TraciYorkWriter
November 24, 2015
Excellent! I will definitely check this out. As much as I love keeping information on my computer, when it comes to blog planning, appointments, and payment schedules, I’m also a huge fan of paper & pen accouterments.
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Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 24, 2015
I am so glad to hear that I’m not alone on this one!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Tangled Tuesday No. 69
Oooh, that is a pretty planner inside. I, too, am a paper planner person, though I keep a bullet journal, which I learned from Denise at BlogHer. I think it has been about a year and a half of daily bullet journaling. It makes me feel so good to know my to-do list has some place central to go.
Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 25, 2015
When it comes to paper planners and accessories, Denise is the best enabler anywhere, LOL!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Tangled Tuesday No. 69
Twitter: CorinneBlogs
November 25, 2015
It’s paper planners for me too. Yours looks really neat, but I’m sure it will cost me an arm and a leg in postage. Am on the lookout for one locally.
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Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 25, 2015
I am just so pleased with this one, and the fact that it’s made in Canada makes me very happy indeed. I know what you mean about the postage – seems like I’m always finding things that are shipped from the US and cost not only extra postage, but duty as well!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Tangled Tuesday No. 69
I have struggled to bridge my life between gadgets and the good old fashioned paper planner – mostly because I love the paper planner but feel like I should be using it electronically and so I am trying to go against my natural instinct…and so far its been a bust.
I LOVE this planner you show – I am going to go look for one right now and see if I can get myself one! I guess sometimes what’s more important than keeping up to date is doing what works – and for me, paper planners work WAY better than electronic ones.
Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 25, 2015
I totally agree that it’s about doing what works for you! I think electronic organization is great for LOTS of things – storing address/contact info, for example (as I REALLY don’t like the thought of re-entering that stuff every year!) – but to me, being able to physically write tasks and schedule details down feels a lot more personal. To each their own, right?!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Tangled Tuesday No. 69
Twitter: Mrs.
November 25, 2015
Oh, isn’t that a beautiful planner. I love the owl, and all the features inside! I love that there’s a to-do list for each day and space for personal notes. I agree on the Saturday/Sunday thing — they deserve their own space! The weekend is too important to smoosh together in one box. I have been using my phone for appointments, because it doesn’t let me forget them. It beeps and buzzes at me, which is super helpful. I had a small paper one for my purse at the same time, but I stopped using it. Maybe if I had one this beautiful I would…especially for those personal notes. A jot a day journal plus organization? SOLD.
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Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 26, 2015
I find it’s rather nice to use a planner as a memory book as well, jotting down details of the days and turning the book into a sort of keepsake. it’s one way to approach things, and this particular planner seems perfectly set up for this. Love it!
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Twitter: parul2411
November 26, 2015
Wow! I like that. Corinne told me about the Bullet Journal and I modified the idea to suit my needs. I love keeping a track of my days and what to fit where 🙂
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Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 26, 2015
I know a few people who use the bullet journal concept – sounds like a great idea!
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Thank you for this! This past year I just tried using my iPhone calendar. What I realized was that all the little thoughts & ideas I have in a day (that I usually jot down in a paper planner) were not being entered. Hence, my journaling actually fell away this past year. Does that make sense? I think a small paper planner is the way to go for me too. I think I may look for a small binder with removable pages & pages I can add. Do you know of one like this? Again, thanks for your thoughts on this.
Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 29, 2015
You’re welcome! I’m much the same – it’s the little notes and personal touches I miss when I use my iPhone rather than a paper planner. If you’re looking for a small binder-type planner, I highly recommend checking out Filofax. I love mine – the only reason I’m taking a break is because apparently I have planner commitment issues and get bored quickly. But it’s a great system!
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Twitter: BelowTheSalt
December 2, 2015
Thank you! Your timing was perfect! This is exactly what I needed. Ordered. Will now impatiently wait until it arrives.
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Twitter: alphabetsalad
December 6, 2015
You’re most welcome! Enjoy!
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