The Planner Organization Hacks that Got Me Through Undergrad

Whether you're an organizer by nature or not (I am, clearly!), having your planner in good shape and having *a* planner that you use is sooo important for every day life. When I was in both high school and college, I would have been totally lost without my planner. I loved using the one they would give us in homeroom each year in middle school - remember that?! - and ever since, I've been a planner advocate! ;) I'm a Virgo which explains me wanting to be as organized as possible and I'm also a very visual person, so having everything written out in front of me helps big time. Every year when I was in school, I looked forward to picking out my planner for the year and nothing really has changed since then! Lol!
Luckily over the years I've come up with some really simple ways to stay organized and keep my planner in check to keep me on top of things. I couldn't imagine not using a planner now, and it goes to show that even after your years of schooling, a planner is so important! From work obligations to events/parties/dinners with friends, travel dates and more, you need a planner to keep you organized. Here's my favorite tips that most definitely got me through my undergraduate years of college, and that I still use to this day:

1. Find YOUR planner

This obviously comes first because picking your planner for the year will dictate how organized you are! There are sooo many styles of planners and it really does get kind of ridiculous when it comes to picking one... In fact I've bought two planners before (cough - this year... Guilty.) because I just couldn't pick which style I wanted! There's daily planners, weekly, monthly; different layouts... It's never ending! Go through a couple of styles and see which will work best for you. I've used all different kinds in the past and I've found that I can NOT use a daily planner, and I thrive with a weekly planner. I'm organized, but working for myself means that unexpected things come up each day and it isn't always easy to plan on an hourly basis. Instead, I plan weekly and divide weekly tasks/things to get done into each day as they happen. That's just my preference, and since everyone's brain works differently making sure that you pick which style planner works for you.

2. Color code your events and due dates

Get yourself a pack of pens you love and color code EVERYTHING. I use a different colored pen for work events and project due dates, travel dates, things I have to do each day, etc! It's a huge help because after a while, you'll kind of memorize the colors and things will stick out to you. It keeps each day organized as well!

3. Write a quote you love on each page

Whether you're using a daily or weekly planner, write one quote that you love to read on each page. You'll read it every time you open your planner and it'll give you some motivation or make you happy!

4. Keep track of your budget

Whether you're in college or not, have your weekly budget written where you can see it (or daily!) and any expenses coming up or bills to be paid. Use a separate color for this so it stands out!

5. Make using your planner part of your routine

Getting used to writing in your planner every day is the key to staying on track and on top of things, but always remembering to open it up isn't always at the top of your mind! Trust me, there's been many times that I've just completely forgotten to write things down. And it's times like those that I remember exactly WHY I have a planner! ;)

6. Add inserts for extra writing space

Instead of trying to cram everything into a daily/weekly/monthly box or spot in your planner, get some planner inserts that fit neatly between pages. It'll give you extra room to write and it'll be what you see first so you can prioritize what's most important.

7. Get fun stickers and washi tape

This is more of a fun aspect of using a planner than a total necessity... But hey, the prettier the better! ;) Using icon stickers does help you if you're a visual person though - I always am drawn to the things I have written down if they have a colorful icon/sticker next to them!

8. Always be a week ahead

I started doing this back in high school and still do it to this day! In the current week's set-up in your planner, write (either in the notes section or where ever you have some free space/a spot that you'll see it) the major things you have due or events for the following week. You can plan ahead, make sure you don't forget anything and it gives you a good idea of how the following week will shape up. Doing this always helped me stay on top of assignments and studying in school, and now it helps me get projects done earlier and gets me ready for the week ahead.