Ahhh, January. It’s one of my favorite months . . . really. While I know lots of people find January to be bleak, March is way worse in my opinion. Muddy March, which makes you think spring is around the corner before dashing your hopes with muck, wind, and rain.
But January is white space. It’s hibernation. It’s cozy. It’s hot chocolate and a good read. It’s a new mini-series to watch with the fire lit. January is introversion after December’s extroversion. It’s a fresh start and a new year.
Another thing I love about January is getting my new planner and dreaming of all the things yet to come, all the goals to plan, the dreams to ponder, and the work to complete.
Back in the day I just had cheap planners that zipped or snapped from Wal-Mart or Target. Then I just kept a digital calendar for a period. I still keep a calendar online. I use it mostly for appointments as well as things I want to share with my husband so we both know who-is-where-what-day. But I returned to the the physical planner again several years ago. First, I tried The Happy Planner. They were all the rage and they ARE so pretty. They have beautiful images, positive sayings, and you can buy fun stickers and things to decorate it and almost turn it into a scrapbook.
But after a year of using The Happy Planner I decided it just wasn’t my style or really working for me. First, it was very thick and heavy. It wasn’t easy to slip into a bag or purse. Second, there were lots of sections I wasn’t using and was leaving blank. I didn’t fill in any of the reflection sections or anything like that, so there was wasted space.
The next year I tried a Moleskine planner and I was hooked. I got a 12 month weekly planner in the XL size. I love this size! It is large but because it is so slim it isn’t heavy or clunky. Sadly, the only negative thing is the XL comes in more limited colors. Previously I’ve gotten black but this year I purchased a lovely sapphire blue and there also is red available, but if you want more color options you’ll have to go for a smaller size.
I really like the simple set-up. The week down the left side of the page with a whole blank page on the right. Perfect for me. I write in daily tasks, appointments, and so forth on the left and then put a running To Do list on the right. These are things not assigned to particular days, I just need to remember them and get them done.
The other thing I really like is how the months are laid out. Most planners have a full month view then is followed by a weekly spread. Instead, the Classic Moleskine XL planners have all the monthly views together, then all the weekly spreads together. I really like being able to look at the whole year’s worth of monthly views together, back to back, to get a big picture view! Below is a spread of two months so you can see what I’m referring to:
Choosing a planner is very personal. You have to figure out what best works for you and your life. You have to know how you operate and how you don’t. This planner is not perfect for everyone. If you like a more feminine vibe, want positive sayings, this planner isn’t for you (although it can definitely be decorated!). However, if you need a new planner and this looks like it would work for you, definitely give this a try.
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