WTF, How Do You Set Up An Erin Condren Planner?
Having a planner over the years is like having creative documentation of my procrastination.
Who else can relate?! Do some of your tasks just get indefinitely forwarded to the following week? And when Monday hits, you have as much energy as Garfield the cat so you end up repeating this perpetual cycle?
Cool, then we have the same energy!
This year, I’ve decided to splurge on my procrastination, REALLY INDULGE, by purchasing my first Erin Condren LifePlanner. She is my priciest planner to date, but I’m a Mom now, so I need that extra paper real estate to plan for two!
At least that’s the story I choose to tell everyone…
What I purchased during the Erin Condren LifePlanner Launch
If you’re new to the Erin Condren scene like me, you’ll discover that your new LifePlanner can be customized!
Planner cover - There’s a plethora of designs, which to a planner addict, feels like you’re five and your parents have just unleashed you into a candy shop.
I limited myself to two covers: a simple pink design with WTF Bride branding and a Hello Kitty cover with Mimu Crafts branding. I love that the covers are interchangeable!
One of my LifePlanner covers
2. Interior layout and design - I’m especially excited this year, because it’s my first time switching to a vertical layout! Woohoo!
I’m kinda extra everywhere else in life, so the minimalistic Canvas design offers some balancing force, haha. It also makes my planner stickers pop!
Erin Condren LifePlanner Vertical layout with Molang stickers in the Canvas design
3. Coil Colour - If a planner isn’t coiled, I won’t even entertain it as an option.
Getting to choose a coil colour was like picking out the icing on a cake. I liked the platinum coil, but there’s also gold, rose gold, and rainbow (new this year) to choose from!
Personalized Erin Condren x Hello Kitty LifePlanner Cover
With planner specs out of the way, let’s talk planner set up.
Setting Up My Erin Condren LifePlanner
Life Dashboard
This is my control centre, what gives my life some semblance of order and routine.
It’s a page rightfully near the front of my planner for my weekly task list, a monthly task list, and a calendar of birthdays and anniversaries.
Shoot me an email at submit@wtfbride.com, and I’ll send you blank versions of these planner pages.
2. Blog Calendar
Since I have my own calendar of birthdays and anniversaries, I use this one to content plan and keep track of blog traffic.
*Sidenote - No, I really can’t tell you why this blog post took three agonizingly long weeks to post from the date it was scheduled.
Blog Calendar Set Up
3. Goals - Have enough courage to start… And enough heart to finish
I don’t do New Year’s resolutions. I do goal setting.
Seven of the twelve boxes below are filled with my main goals for the year. Most goals relate to downsizing my possessions, because I am a hoarder.
4. Financial Notes
The back notes section is dedicated to my finances, including sales from my TeachersPayTeachers storefront.
This section helps me plan for things like buying back my maternity leave and going back to part-time work.
5. Monthly Calendar Spread
Rilakkuma Theme Monthly Spread
My monthly calendar is a quick and messy space (okay, messy for me) for me to jot down incoming appointments, events, and reminders (in the sidebar to be scheduled in for the month). The items here have space to breathe before they get finalized in the weekly planning sections.
The monthly calendar is the tool that keeps me from double-booking anyone!
What my desk looks like when I sit down to start a planning session
6. Weekly Planning Spread
This section is basically my therapy sessions. No matter how busy things get as a Mom, I will carve out the time to sticker plan!
Weekly Planning Spread - The Tools
I decide on a colour theme or a character theme for the week and just let my imagination go :)
Sticker books are my favourite for quick theme inspirations.
My current most-used sticker book is from Hello Kitty x Erin Condren.
I have a lot of cute sticker flakes that double as decorations for Bunbun’s Baby Book too!
Sumikkogurashi, Pokemon, Gudetama, Rilakkuma, and Hello Kitty sticker flakes
Boxed sticker flakes from Shein
I like to create borders for my weekly spreads with Washi Tape and Washi Tape stickers.
Dot stickers are great for making lists or to “highlight” important dates.
Some of my go-to washi tapes and washi tape stickers
The only pen I plan with is a Sharpie Pen! It’s just personal preference.
I use MildLiners (obsessed) or the new set of highlighters I got from Shein to prioritize and categorize tasks.
My favourite pens to use in my planner
Weekly Planning Spread - How I Plan
Every Friday, my desk looks like a stationery shop.
I transfer appointments, events, and reminders from my monthly calendar spread to my weekly spread. Then I go to my Life Dashboard and jot down my weekly and monthly routine tasks.
July 2023 Weekly Spread with Sailor Moon theme
I’m used to dividing my tasks into two columns: events and to-dos. Now that each day in my planner is divided into three sections, I can either use them for morning/afternoon/evening planning or events/writing/to-do.
Weekly spread with three daily categories: events (today), writing, and to-do
7. Monthly Dashboard
LifePlanner July Dashboard
This dashboard comes right before each month’s calendar spread. Mine is still a work in progress.
In the past, I’ve used the monthly dashboard as a place to do monthly reflections, goal-setting, and keep track of things I’m waiting for from other people or shop packages in transit.
Other ways you can use this section include: event countdowns, habit tracking, meal planning, brainstorming, record keeping, or as a place to jot down tidbits of inspiration.
Rilakkuma stationery I use in my planning
And that’s a wrap! If you have questions about where I curated specific products or want those planner pages from my Life Dashboard, let me know.
Enjoy the rest of your week!
