Why I Stopped Using a Fancy Planner & What I’m Using Instead

For years, I have wanted to adopt a planning system that would help me balance my home, work and personal life. I wanted to get organized with a perfectly put-together planner system that would help me be productive and efficient.

Well, that hasn’t happened.

I’ve tried several different planners, and I’ve failed at using them all. Here’s why:

Why I Failed At Using A Planner

1. They were too big. I don’t always carry a purse (I know, that’s kind of weird!), and I didn’t want to carry around a big planner in my hands. So, it either got left at home or in the car. And, I eventually forgot about it.
2. I bought them for how they looked, not how they worked. What can I say, I’m a sucker for a beautiful organizing system.
3. I only used part of the planner. A lot of the pages went unused because I didn’t need them.
4. They are expensive! I’m a thrifty gal, and $49 for a planner hurts. This didn’t make me stop using my planner, but it made me feel so guilty!
5. I always ended up going back to using a sheet of paper. That’s just what works for me. I love being able to put a list or schedule in my pocket and have it with me all day.

After realizing that I was a planner drop-out, I went back to exclusively using sheets of blank paper to organize my time. It was flexible, portable, and I could modify them to suit the needs of whatever season of life I was in.

But, I still longed for a beautiful planner.

What I Wished For In A Planner

I loved the bullet journal ideas I saw online, but I didn’t end up sticking to the bullet journal regimen  either. At the time I tried it, it just took a lot of mental energy I didn’t have. Plus, I didn’t always bring along my journal (see #1 above).

One of my favorites! My weekly plan sheet was the first sheet I made into a digital file I could use over and over again. This sheet really helps me stay on track!

As I continued to organize my time using blank sheets of paper, I realized that I repeatedly made the same kind of planning sheets for myself. They were the sheets that worked.

To save some time, I made electronic versions of the planning sheets so I could print them out when I needed them.

Then, I realized that I could make my planning sheets pretty, while still keeping them flexible and easy-to-use.

I colored this one in while listening to a podcast. I think it’s pretty even when it isn’t colored in!

I still loved the idea of doing a bullet journal, and I had a lot of the bullet journaling accessories like colored pens and pencils. I started using them to doodle and draw pictures on my planning sheets. It was fun!

So, I created a hybrid printable planner/bullet journal/coloring book for myself. I added on graphics that I loved to color, and made everything black and white so I could save on ink while printing.

The Coloring Planner Sheets

Now, I have a flexible planning system that works. And, I get to color it in! Sometimes I use a clipboard to keep track of my planning sheets, and other times I staple several of them together. If I wanted to, I could even use a 3-hole punch and put them in a pretty binder.

I love that I have pretty planner sheets that I can display in my kitchen or at my desk. And, because of their unique design, it’s easy for me to spot them on a messy desk!

How to Get Your Own Coloring Planner Sheets

Because this system has worked so well for me, I put some extra work into it, and created a Coloring Planner Sheets collection. If you think the Coloring Planner Sheets would work for you, you can get them here.

Want to see what all is included in the coloring planner sheets collection? You can see lots of pictures and read a full description here.

Happy planning!