Day Planner

If you want to get organized a day planner may be one of the first things you consider.  Day planners can be expensive to buy and you may find it difficult to find one that fits your unique needs.  Do you have to settle for second rate at a premium price? No way!  Printable day planner pages are available free on the internet so that you can create a custom day planner for the cost of paper and ink. 

You will need to buy a three ring binder to hold your day planner pages.  If you want a smaller sized planner then you will want to print out the pages that you want and reduce the size on your home printer. 

Consider what you are going to use your planner for: 

Full sized notebooks work well for teachers, homemakers, and others who have the space for a large notebook.   There are many benefits to the larger sized pages.  Your notes can be more detailed and are much easier to read.  You can fit more into the notebook an even add things like zipper pockets to hold receipts, or other items that you may need. 

The midsized binders will fit in your briefcase or computer bag.  The benefit is that the notebooks are more portable than the large ones.  You can have access to them at any time but the downside is that smaller pages mean that your notes will be difficult to read and abbreviated.

The smallest organizers will fit in your pocket or purse.  They don’t have a lot of room for notes but they are very convenient.   If you can write small and abbreviate then this might work well for you.  In fact, it may be beneficial for you to have more than one size.

It is a good idea to take a look at a planner at the office supply store to see how it is put together.  There are hundreds of types of pages available to choose from.  Most planners begin with an at-a-glance calendar and blank note pages at the back.  This is not written in stone, however, so consider how you want your planner laid out.

Some of the pages that you might be interested in are:

• Mileage
• Addresses
• DVD/CD /book inventory
• Food Journal
• Homeschool Scheduling pages
• Unit Study pages
• Calendar pages in several formats
• Projects
• Chore Charts
• Checklists
• Menu Planners
• Appointments
• Household Planners
• Holiday Gift Lists
• To Do List
• Car Maintenance
• Prayer Journal
• Bible Study

There are hundreds of other types of pages so with a little searching you are sure to find what you are looking for.

Another way to find just what you are looking for is to create it yourself.  You can use a word program, templates, and other helps that come with your word program to create planner pages that are unique to your needs.

• Experiment with different font styles and ink colors.  Most people are more likely to use something that they find attractive.  You can even use special printer papers to make your day planner even more unique. 
• Use different colors for each category to make it easy to find exactly what you are looking for.
• Add colorful tabs.
• Use a clear front notebook and create your own cover.
• Add clipart for fun.

>Once you get the hang of creating your own day planner you may find that your homemade planners make wonderful gifts.