Is Using a Planner Binder Better Than a Traditional Planner?

[PChefPEI]

I was doing some organizing last night and thought I would share with you what I did with my planner.

I took the rings off.....yes, I know .....and I took out my black padded PChef binder and put in the pages from the planner. Since they don't all fit, I put in the front pages, the monthly pages, the weekly pages for January, February, March pages and the pages at the back. I put in the covers too, as they are great pockets to put stuff in.....and, I love the new cover!!

I added at the very front, in a page protector, the calendar that we get in CN. At the back, I put (in page proctector as well) the tele-classes schedule.

I'm not done yet, but I also plan to carry in it my current leads that I need to contact in the current month and some articles that I've been printing that I want to read. I'll put my current CN in there too for reading.

I think I'm really going to like this set up. Time will tell!

 

[whiteyteresa]

Sounds Great!!!

Let us know if you add or change anything

I just might have to change mine now

But one thing I do now is - I have taken business card holders - clear plastic sheet protectors that holds 10 business cards - I have 5 sheets of those in the back of my planner- held in place by those prongs thingys - This way whenever I receive a business card from another consultant (any DS company) I will know where it is. Doctor appointment cards w/their info on it, any different business that I shop at, PLUS all of the appointment my daughter has for speech, dance, doctor’s appointments, meetings, etc.
There are so many and I love having them there


Thanks again for posting your idea - I have a little free time today - I am going to see how I can change mine

:chef:

 

[wadesgirl]

I started this last year but plan on continuing because it helps. I have bright green and bright pink small sticky notes. I take the pink ones and put them on the first two weeks of the month with days I want to book. When someone books, then they get their name, phone number, time of show and any incentives I've offerered on a green sticky and the pink sticky gets moved down in the month. This has helped to book my first two weeks of the month when I was having problems with people booking later in the month. Plus it helps to ask them first "Which day of the week would you like to book your show?" Then follow up by showing them the pink days.

 

[stacywhitlow]

I like these ideas. My goal for 2008 is to get (& stay) organized in every aspect of my business & personal life. :love:

 

[wadesgirl]

Just to add, having the sticky notes make it easier if someone reschedules, rather than crossing them off, you just move the sticky note and open that day back up.

 

[PChefPEI]

Great idea about the stickies, but did you ever have any problems with them falling off? I've tried that before, but I went back to writing in directly.

 

[wadesgirl]

Great idea about the stickies, but did you ever have any problems with them falling off? I've tried that before, but I went back to writing in directly.

No problem, even after resticking the pink ones several times.

 

[Carissidy]

I also use stickies... not sure I could do it without them lol...
I too will be watching to see how it works for you

 

[Pam Moore]

I like this idea because I hate it when I have to mark through someones name and find it kinda of tacky looking.

 

[pamperedpals]

I, too, had thought about using the sticky notes, but have been a little nervous that they would fall off. I now write in all my show's in pencil, that way is someone does have to reschedule, I just erase the information and the day is open.

I also have my calendar color coded. My show dates are highlighted in green (money) and my office days in blue (calming) and my date nights with my DH in purple (my fav color).

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I, too, had thought about using the sticky notes, but have been a little nervous that they would fall off. I now write in all my show's in pencil, that way is someone does have to reschedule, I just erase the information and the day is open.

I used to use stickies - but now I just do this - I keep a mechanical pencil with my planner all of the time. I mark out with an X all of the dates not available - so if I am only booking the first 2 weeks of the month I X out the last 2 weeks, and then erase the X's when I'm ready to book those dates.

 

[chefmeg]

here is what I do and I think it only makes sense to me:

I have a small planner notebook/organizer and it is the "everything" calendar-appointments for everyone as well as shows go on this one. I take this sucker everywhere...if it isn't in this calendar, it doesn't happen!

The planner that PC sent is the one I take to shows-it ONLY has PC related info on it~shows and meetings. I have an X thru any dates that are taken up with personal things and I, too use a mechanical pencil with an eraser for folks to write their name in when they book a show on that date.

Then there is the "no one but me looks at it" calendar on the fridge at home! I fill it in and apparently I am also the only one using it b/c DH will ask, "what is ont he agenda for tonight?" KNOWING it is on the calendar! Don't know why I waste my time with this one, but I do!

 

[jrstephens]

I do not use the planner that PC sends out. I have a day planner that I put everything in. I need one calendar that has my whole life in it, so, I know when I can do shows and everything else. It goes with me everywhere!

 

[heather223]

I was doing some organizing last night and thought I would share with you what I did with my planner.

I took the rings off.....yes, I know .....and I took out my black padded PChef binder and put in the pages from the planner. Since they don't all fit, I put in the front pages, the monthly pages, the weekly pages for January, February, March pages and the pages at the back. I put in the covers too, as they are great pockets to put stuff in.....and, I love the new cover!!

I added at the very front, in a page protector, the calendar that we get in CN. At the back, I put (in page proctector as well) the tele-classes schedule.

I'm not done yet, but I also plan to carry in it my current leads that I need to contact in the current month and some articles that I've been printing that I want to read. I'll put my current CN in there too for reading.

I think I'm really going to like this set up. Time will tell!

I really like this idea! I think it will keep my planner in better shape for the entire year!

I also like the stickies idea. For those that are afraid of losing the sticky- Post It came out with a SUPER STICKY. They do not come off very easily. :chef:

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I really like this idea! I think it will keep my planner in better shape for the entire year!

I also like the stickies idea. For those that are afraid of losing the sticky- Post It came out with a SUPER STICKY. They do not come off very easily. :chef:

Doesn't really matter how sticky they are if a 3 yr old gets a hold of your planner. THAT was when I went to the pencil plan.

 

[heather223]

Doesn't really matter how sticky they are if a 3 yr old gets a hold of your planner. THAT was when I went to the pencil plan.

True!!! Then it would need to be super glued on!! I also use the pencil idea now and I like it. I just need to remember to put a pencil in my planner.

 

[PChefPEI]

I, too, had thought about using the sticky notes, but have been a little nervous that they would fall off. I now write in all my show's in pencil, that way is someone does have to reschedule, I just erase the information and the day is open.

I also have my calendar color coded. My show dates are highlighted in green (money) and my office days in blue (calming) and my date nights with my DH in purple (my fav color).

I love the colour idea. I think I will try the sticky notes using green for shows (money....love that!). That's really all I would have stickies for. I don't have set days that I do shows. I will do a show any day of the week. If something else happens to come up, I just add it to a day. I know that I should have particular days set aside for shows, but I have a hard time with that. If someone wants a show on a particular day and I don't really have anything going on, I don't like to turn them away, just because I didn't set that day aside. But, I guess if it works for me, it's okay, right?

I also use my planner for EVERYTHING! I don't want to have to start keeping track of two planners. But, I do have an eraseable calendar on the fridge, to keep track of when I do shows and appts, so DH knows what's going on.

 

[wadesgirl]

I love the colour idea. I think I will try the sticky notes using green for shows (money....love that!). That's really all I would have stickies for. I don't have set days that I do shows. I will do a show any day of the week. If something else happens to come up, I just add it to a day. I know that I should have particular days set aside for shows, but I have a hard time with that. If someone wants a show on a particular day and I don't really have anything going on, I don't like to turn them away, just because I didn't set that day aside. But, I guess if it works for me, it's okay, right?

I also use my planner for EVERYTHING! I don't want to have to start keeping track of two planners. But, I do have an eraseable calendar on the fridge, to keep track of when I do shows and appts, so DH knows what's going on.

I don't have a lot of outside activities to do (no kids yet!) so most of my days are open days. I just like the mark them with pink stickys so they "stick" out better when showing available days. I mark the first two weeks to try to fill up that first. I mark most of my open days except Thursday (Survivor season - night with DH) and Sundays. I found that it helps when I want to book the days I want to do shows rather than showing a potential host an empty calendar.