This free eBook is here to help make your life easier – How to use a Planner for Beginners!
I’ve been a “planner girl” myself for as long as I can remember. What started with an obsession for making lists became a hobby which progressed to a business creating and selling planner stickers.
My most visited website is Etsy!
Planning has become quite trendy recently – with more and more people choosing paper planners over online ones.
I love everything about planning and the benefits of planning are endless – but it can be a bit overwhelming to know how to start planning or how to start using a planner.
I can help you! And I want to help – I want to share my passion for planning with you.
Contains affiliate links.
This eBook includes how to use a planner effectively and I know you’ll find it super informative and helpful too.
How you should be using your Paper Planner
You will learn:
Why I use a Planner
Every Sunday morning, I plan for the week to come using my Erin Condren LifePlanner.
In the fifteen minutes or so it takes me to decorate my planner, it’s my “me time”. It’s a little bit of time for creativity that also serves the purpose of keeping me accountable and productive.
I plan for everything that I need to do for the next seven days. It includes my plans for work, the family and the personal things I need to do.
Why do other people use a Planner?
For a million and one reasons! They might like to plan their work week, their family events, their wedding, a blog planner, as an event planner, a party planner, for a specific project or more.
Without my planner, I would be SO disorganised. It’s just impossible to remember everything that needs to be done, when it needs to be done.
Since I started using a paper planner, my productivity has soared!
How a beginner planner can start to plan
It can be a bit overwhelming when you first start planning – I didn’t find much help online on planning for beginners. I wondered:
What is the best planner for beginner like me? A paper planner, online planner, a diary, a bullet journal or a personal planner? What are the best planners for beginners?
And what about all of the different paper planners? Should I use an Erin Condren LifePlanner, a Personal Planner, a Happy Planner or one of the many on the market?
How do I decorate my planner? Do I even have to do planner decoration?
Related: Where to Find the Best Etsy Planner Stickers in Australia
Where do I start planning?
What are the rules of Planner 101?
I remember sitting down with my brand new planner for the first time and feeling a bit lost! I’d watched a lot of YouTube planner organization videos (and even make my own here sometimes) but I didn’t want to mess up!
Over the years, I’ve found a planning style that works for me and I want to help you how to start using a planner too.
How to Use a Planner for Beginners: Download The eBook
I will guide you on:
- What Planner is right for you – so you don’t waste money buying the wrong one
- How to become a Planner
- Planner must haves and Planner set up
- How to organise your Planner and Planner decorating for beginners
- Using a Planner to stay organised
- What Planner supplies I love and recommend
- My personal Planner tips for beginners that helped me when I got started
I’m confident that you’ll find a passion for planning too – and you’ll also start to feel a lot less overwhelmed and a lot more organised!
Read next:
- Get $10US off your first Erin Condren LifePlanner – my all-time favourite one!
- 23 Practical and Fun Lists to Make (#6 will make you laugh!)
- Erin Condren LifePlanner Review
- Shop for printable planner stickers
- Free Printable Planner Stickers
- Where to Find the Best Etsy Planner Stickers in Australia
- Where to Find & Use the Best Printable Planner Stickers!
Disclosure: Originally published on May 14th 2018. This post on how to use a planner for beginners contains affiliate links meaning if you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This doesn’t affect the price you pay.
The monthly deskpad would be perfect as a reminder to my husband on what our plans are for the upcoming year!
I think I’d go with the life planner or the teacher planner. I’m always keen to try something new for school planning! Then again, I’ve just seen the folios and petite planners and I’m curious to try a TN, so that could be an option too! : )
I would Buy the Life Planner, so i have somewhere to start! I don’t have a Planner & really want tone!
I’d buy a new planner for 2019! And maybe one of those soft blankets! And a personalized laundry bag. Man, I could shop EC and love it all!
First of all, what a great giveaway. You are so kind, Mim! If I won, I would buy my first ever Erin Condren LifePlanner!! I have had to settle for Plum Paper the past two years because of the price point, but I basically cry the happiest tears when I see Erin Condren things. I just got a cricut for my birthday, and I plan to begin making my own planner stickers. I am a full time mom, a full time Doctoral student, and work full time too. Sometimes it gets crazy, but planners make the world go ’round. (Or continue to go ’round sanely that is.) Thanks again for this amazing opportunity!
If I won the $100 gift card I would buy a planner folio, I have been eyeing them and think it would be perfect for bringing my Life Planner to work with me! I would also love a deluxe monthly planner to keep on my desk at home to refer to important dates!
If I won, I would buy one of the new hoodies and some notebooks because I hoard them and I love the new fall cover designs!
If I won the giveaway, I’d buy a lifeplanner to keep at home for my kids! I tend to jump around in cheap planners to track their school, activities, appointments, and chores. If I won the gift card, they’d get a super sweet EC for their room!
I’d love to be able to purchase a deluxe monthly planner to use as budget planner :)
If I won the gift card, I would buy the academic planner for university, some monthly tabs and date dots and a new Deluxe monthly Planner for my finances ?
If I won I’d purchase the new hourly planner I desperately need for next year but can not afford. I’d also buy an address book because you never know when electronic records may fail us.
I just received my 2019 EC planner. I would love to win and splurge an EC oversized tote and a few notebooks! Thank you for the chance to win!
I’m newer to planning and currently am using A5 rings. The whole reason I started planning was because I work full time, go to school full time, and am a mother. I’m going back to school to earn my degree accounting and have found plannering to be the best thing to happen to me, as far as a fun way to not remember my assignments/due dates, but also a stress realiever. I have wanted a EC since I started plannering 10 months ago, but found that I couldn’t justify the money for one when I have a family to help support. If I won, I would definitely use the funds to purchase an EC vertical planner.
If I won the gift card I would finally get my first Life Planner! I have always wanted an EC Planner butbcould never afford to purchase one!
If I’m going to be organised, I’ve got to do it right
So, first of all, I have a planner in sight.
The Floral Stitches Life planner in fact, is its name
And providing some structure in my busy life will be its ultimate game.
To liven it up, some Colourful Dual-Tip Markers come next
There’s nothing more motivational than some rainbow-coloured text!
Now I’ve got a penchant for stickers, an addiction you might say
Ever since I was a little girl, I’d use them to brighten up my day.
The Meal Planner Decorative Sticker Pack is just what I need
To give me some dinner time inspo to shop, create and feed.
The Motivation and Celebrations Sticker Pack will add a bit of pizzazz
To upcoming occasions- maybe a night of smooth jazz!
With Christmas around the corner, I can’t believe it’s so soon
The Winter Holiday Sticker Pack will get us in the mood for a festive tune.
So there we go, my list is done, I’m well and truly on my way
To being a super duper organised Mum, hip hip hooray!!!
The phone wallet called Triangle Overlay would really brighten up my day.
This is truly a wonderful prize giveaway to enjoy the world famous Earin Condren Range to organise my day for less stress and avoiding unpredictable problems, like my two autistic daughters medical appointments and more. A Vintage Floral Life Planner , 12 pages of sticks and some magetic page markers from Earin Condren Range would be a perfect life planner start kit for improving my 2019 life more smarter and easier . I have read Love From Mmim newsletter for years. “How to use planner” is one of a brilliant recommendations from Love From Mmim. My family’s daily life would have get huge benefits from this Earin Condren Gift Card prize .
This looks like this ‘list girls’ most favorite item. I feel so accomplished ticking things of and will be so much more pleasure with this amazing planner!
I wish buy an Erin Condren Life Planner (Vertical).
I always see people with these gorgeous spreads in these beautiful planners.
Unfortunately being a TAFE student, I can’t afford a planner of such luxury ?
If I did win, I would order this to smash out my second year of vet nursing, with being able to schedule my placement hours in.
Setting goals for 2020 to start uni but also work as a fully fledged vet nurse ?
I would buy all the accessories, stickers, post it notes, month tabs, pen loops, you name it! I have a planner I love (I think!) already for 2019 but I’m just starting out in the planner world and need all the pretties to keep me motivated to use it for the whole year!
I would love an EC Deluxe Monthly Planner – and a bunch of accessories to go with it!
I would get a Lifeplanner. I literally just looked now and I fell in love. It looks perfect for me. Being so new I am so overwhelmed. I keep saying it everywhere but it keeps being true! Trying to find a fun hobby I can work with through anxiety and chronic illness is difficult and I think planning might be it!
I would love love love a Teacher planner. I sit on 3 volunteer organisations, have 2 kids and work full time and think a teacher planner would give me the space to have all my commitments in one planner ?? oh and accessories…..and some new covers……and a oversized tote……?
I would get a horizontal I think that would fill my need and a teacher planner!
Thank you for the giveaway, if I won then I would buy a weekly life planner and some accessories!
The pretty floral lunch totes. Great for lunch, but also good for taking away makeup and toiletries and to keep essential oils at a cooler temperature in summer when you travel.
I love the IKAT – SHERPA THROW. It looks as comforting as a warm hug from a loved one and like it could heal almost anything, from a bad day at work to a broken heart.
I would get on of their hard covered journals. And a monthly deluxe planner for financial tracking.
Coiled LIFEPLANNER would be perfect for me
vintage floral the style so pretty
planning my life in advance
so I don’t miss an event by chance
hard copy paper is my style
keeping dates and notes makes me smile
I would buy another deluxe monthly and 2 folios. A girl can never have enough planners to organise her life. I need one to plan, organise and record my weightloss journey. Going Keto has helped me achieve so many goals and these goals are getting lost within my life planner. Having a planner dedicated to just that aspect is something I need.
I would get the Inbloom planner for my Mum who loves flowers!
If I won the $100, I would buy the black and rose gold metallic starry sky LifePlanner. I found out about Erin Condren a few years ago after I was in a car accident that had me essentially put on bed rest while pregnant. With literally nothig else to do, I wanted some sort of organization in my life. Since then, I have wanted an Erin Condren to help me organize, plan, and express myself and my life. I would choose the starry sky one because I am studying astronomy and have always loved the night sky and stars. As often as I can, I go out to stargaze and share what knowledge I have with those around me, including my wonderful son. My planner is an extension of me and so it should also represent me. Thank you so much for the opportunity and good luck to the others!
I would order another planner for next year!
I have never owned a Erin Condren planner but have used a Recollections for the past two years. I would love to win this!
I’d probably order a planner for next year. I like to keep as organised as possible. =)
Erin Condren are my absolute favourite!
I love the planner folios and would love one! and honestly would buy Petite planners for my sisters that just had babies!
I would adore a planner folio to keep me organised while I am on the go! I could bring my planner with me on all of my adventures and totally keep on top of everything. I always struggle with the work home kids balance and I am busting to be the organised not running behind on everything Mum. However I am pretty much the crazy Mum running on the fly! Thank you so much for this opportunity
EC designs lean a tad cutesy for my taste but I haven’t found anything better in terms of quality and functionality and there are enough cover options that I can always find something professional-ish. I’m obsessed with the full-deal LifePlanner. It felt like a huge splurge the first year (especially converting to Canadian dollars… eep!) but it’s seriously made me more productive and less stressed so I don’t think twice about the cost anymore. I don’t leave home without it and have even tossed most of the purses that won’t hold it.
I can’t wait to pick out my 2019 LifePlanner and one for my SIL who has been eyeing mine for ages. ;)
Thank you for offering this giveaway and course. If I were to win the gift card, I would probably by one of the Hardbound Planners, along with some stickers and accessories. I appreciate the opportunity!
I would love to get planning supplies to keep my life organised after having and baby and being back at work part time.
I would buy the Life Planner, Address Book and a couple sets of the interchangeable covers. The Life Planner looks to be quite comprehensive with its layout and content so that I can write everything I need in it to plan for family life.
I’m very old school so an address book is essential. I’d also use it to house all the menus of our favourite local eateries – it will become our family’s go to resource!
Finally, as a lover of all things pretty and my constant need to change the look of things around the house, the extra sets of covers will allow me to update as per my mood (kinda like changing handbags)!
If I was lucky enough to win the $100 gift card I would like to purchase the Large Hardbound Life Planner. I am working my way through your course and am finding it incredibly helpful. I have found that I like to plan using a planner without coils, as it is easier to write in and decorate. Would love to have a beautiful planner which shows people a little more about who I am.
I am halfway through your planning course and am finding it incredibly helpful. If I was the lucky winner of the $100 gift card I would like to purchase the Large Hardbound planner and some accessories. I have found I am a better planner in something which doesn’t have spiral or clip binding. Love planning and decorating my planner with beautiful stickers to highlight my days, weeks and months.
I just signed up to the course as I am new to planning and I am so in love already! If I did won the $100 gift card I would buy my best friend a Wedding Planner. 4 years ago a new neighbor moved in and we hit it off straight away. We became the best of friends sharing our love for reading, our love for wine and cheese, baking, foreign films and so much more. She became my rock during the hardest of times and the first person I would turn to in times of need. I was so honored when she asked me to be her bridesmaid recently. She gives so much to others and I would love to give her the gift of the most beautifully organised wedding day ever.