It’s time for another Keep It Together post with Alexandra and Rebecca Jo! If you have your own post about planners, scrapbooks, memory keeping, etc. please link up with us below!
Keep It Together: My 2020 Planner
Sooo…my phone is how I take pictures for the blog and it sometimes likes to tell me I don’t have any more storage (I really need an upgrade) so unfortunately, I don’t have any personal photos for you this month. BUT I did find my planner online, so I can still show you what I have for the year.
I got the Classic Happy Planner – Pastel Dreams. I’ve used the large, the classic, and the mini Happy Planners in the past, but I’ve decided that the Classic is my favorite. It’s not too big, not too small…like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, it’s jusssst right. I’m not 100% in love with the cover, but I chose it because everything was already laid out for me. For my 2019 planner, I had to add in the months and the dates (it was essentially a blank calendar each month so you could start whenever). My 2020 planner has it all set up already, and I really liked that!
If you visit Michael’s website, you can see the monthly/daily layouts and the monthly inserts. The only thing it doesn’t show is that before the monthly insert there is a page on the left with a section for Birthdays, Goals, and Notes. I’ve decided to try and put monthly goals there – whether I share them on the blog or not – and hopefully seeing it more often will help me keep up with them.
For January, my notes are mostly the list of the YA Fiction nominees for the Cybils Awards. I’m a second round judge so I have 7 books to read – along with the other judges – so we can figure out a winner. In case you didn’t know, here are the nominees-
Back to the planner!
Since I’m not a huge fan of the cover, I figured I will probably get a new one from Etsy, because YES, that’s something you can do. When I had the large planner, I got a cool Harry Potter themed cover. I really love the Etsy shop Stylish Planner – where I got my HP cover – so I think I’ll stick with her. Here are a couple other covers that I’d love to get for 2020:
This is a different Harry Potter Planner Cover than my other one, but I really love it!
Like many of you, my Happy Place is definitely between the pages of a book so I love this book themed planner cover. You can even customize the hair and skin cover of the girl on the front so she looks more like you!
There are a ton of other options – even some for certain holidays – so if you’d like to switch out your planner cover this year, it’s a great source.
I certainly meant to participate in this link up! I will do it, either late this month or for next month! Looks like a great planner. I didn’t know the book Heroine was YA. I look forward to hearing what you think about that and the others!
I just got a new Beauty & the Beast cover for my planner & LOVING IT.. but I also love that Happy Place one – totally checking that out too!
Ooh a Beauty and the Beast cover sounds fun!
Oh planner what’s not to love especially if they are pastel and if they have a… OMG! A book themed planner cover. ! 🙂
OH WOW WAIT YOU ARE A JUDGE AT THE CYBILS??? That’ sawesome Lauren!
I’m not surprised by the nominees! I ADORED with the Fire on High! I hope it wins! 🙂
How cool that you can get custom covers on etsy! I absolutely love the My Happy Place one. So gorgeous!
I love this post so much! Those planner covers are so cute, and I especially love the Harry Potter inspired one. I haven’t made my 2020 bullet journal spread for the new year yet, but I’ll be working on that soon. It’s awesome that you’re a judge for the Cybils Awards! I think I’ve seen information about those around on Twitter.
claire @ clairefy
So cool! I had no idea you could get customizable covers on Etsy. I love using planners, but I’ve never tried a Happy Planner. I may have to check out Michaels 🙂
I really love the Happy Planner – it just seems to work for me.
I totally had to get a new phone for that same reason! I take photos for work all of the time, so it was a business expense. The planner is super cute!
Yay to your new planner, and glad that you adore it! I had no clue that you could get different covers from Etsy, but what a great idea! I like all sizes of planners for different reasons, but they’re all fun to decorate! Hugs and Happy Friyay! RO
Ooh how fun, I like the idea of a custom cover. My current planner situation is kind of complicated, but I like it. I bought a Cultivate Your Life Goal Planner and didn’t realize that it’s not a daily planner, so I’m also doing a bullet journal this year. So far it’s going really well! Also, can’t wait to hear the winner. I LOVED Heroine and On the Come Up last year.
I hope your planners work for you this year, and I’d love to hear more about it them if you ever want to do a blog post!!!
This is so cute! I love it!! I wish I was dedicated enough to keep a reading planner, but I can barely keep up with the one for my appointments! XD
I love planners; I never seem to remember to use them but I do just love them!!
I have a new planner for this year too. I’m using it to block out what I’m posting on the blog and to record what I’m reading, watching etc as well as track my progress towards my goals. It doesn’t have all the “life” related things like appointments but I guess I could add that in as I go if I need to. I love it. It’s taken forever but I’ve found a system that works for me, you know?
Good luck on your new cover hunt!
I love that you’ve found a planner that really works for you. It doesn’t have to include the usual, if that’s not what you need it for! You should think about sharing it on your blog -I’d love to see it!
I love the idea of a custom cover for my planner.
That’s great that it’s all laid out for you! And I didn’t know you could get different covers of Etsy. I really need to get a planner so it’s nice to know I can customise it a bit more with a different cover! 🙂
yes, I love all the fun planner things you can find on Etsy. You can really make it your own.
Oooh! I love this!! I only have a book post calendar as my planner this year. The other format I’m trying out it just a notebook of lists. We’ll see how it goes!
I am using two planners this year. I have a boring calendar that I take back and forth to work to keep track of appointments, due dates, and those kinds of things. I received a Reading Planner in an Owlcrate box and decided to give it a try. I think that it will help me with keeping track of my monthly stats and maybe staying on top of review books.
Cool planner! And I’ll bet those Cybils nominees are good- best of luck with the judging!!
Nice planners! I don’t have one. I’d probably get one if I did more stuff. It’s not too hard to keep track of work, read, blog, sleep. That’s pretty much all I do.
What a fun feature! I’ve been working on my planner like crazy and got if from Etsy. It’s from Peanutbutter Taco, and she has the coolest stickers too. The only thing I didn’t like was having to fill in all of the days of the week and dates. I love both of the planner covers you posted, and can’t wait to see what you end up choosing! How exciting to be a part of the Cybils judge 🙂
I love, love, love planners and yours is definitely a pretty one – but those custom covers are absolutely gorgeous! I’d definitely want one of those as well 🙂
What a pretty planner, Lauren. I like the idea that you can add goals and lists including birthdays, right next to your month. Sounds like a functional layout. I love the Harry Potter cover! So cool you can custom order a new cover.
I use paper blanks because their planner covers are so pretty! Albeit, I am also creating a junk planner by altering a vintage cookbook. I layout the months by hand and add in all kinds of ‘stuff’ for each month, receipts, workout bracelets whatever I’ve been up to. I draw, paint and doodle throughout. Also I add images and pictures. It’s super therapeutic. I use my official calendar for my more serious planning, meetings and schedules. Sorry for my long comment, LOL.
No, don’t be sorry! I love long comments. And I LOVE the idea of your junk planner. If you ever share on the blog, please do link up wish us!!
I love that you can get a customized planner cover. I am just beginning to use one this year. I’m using a daily planner that was a gift to me, but when I use it up I’m considering the Happy Planner.
I just got the Patron Saints of Nothing from my library after being on hold forever, really looking forward to it.
I tried doing a planner and reading journal a couple years ago and really enjoyed it but I had way too much trouble getting myself to keep up with it. I buy so many planners and things because I adore stationary but it always gets forgotten 🙁 🙁
I wish we had a Michael’s here or they shipped internationally, they always seem to have really cheap knick knacks. I would love a custom planner but I’m so indecisive and wouldn’t be able to decide on a design. I have a Harry Potter journal from Typo I’m using this year to keep track of things. Looking forward to seeing your journalling updates this year Lauren, you’re so incredibly creative!
I am definitely not a user of book planners, but it is an interesting concept. Good luck!
I love that you can get planner covers from Etsy—I didn’t know that that was a thing!
I have struggled with my planner situation this year. Never knew it could be so important to have the right one. Finally figured out a solution that will work, I think. Once I use it a little bit I will link up in February to offer a review. Love how you change out the planner covers. That was an issue I ran into, too. Not being able to find a cover that spoke to me.
Those book-themed covers are gorgeous! I’ve tried a Happy Planner before, but I’m currently using a BuJo. It works great for my current needs since I can change it up as I go.
I pretty much use the refillable pages for a Day-Timer planner, because I’ve found it works best for me. It’s nothing fancy, and I use the same cover every year. But I’ve put all kinds of cool Harry Potter and other book related stickers on the cover to make it mine! Thanks for sharing!