Update: this planner is temporarily not available for free download since Facebook updated it's policy. Stay tuned for further updates.
Since last Tuesday, I’ve been dropping hints about this ginormous post. Ok it’s not ginormous in length (at least for Miss Chatinista over here) rather what’s in store for you!! You’ve been getting bits like a S.M.A.R.T. Goals Worksheet and how to DIY your own Covers, Tabs and Dividers. Today’s the last piece… the planner.
Since last Tuesday, I’ve been dropping hints about this ginormous post. Ok it’s not ginormous in length (at least for Miss Chatinista over here) rather what’s in store for you!! You’ve been getting bits like a S.M.A.R.T. Goals Worksheet and how to DIY your own Covers, Tabs and Dividers. Today’s the last piece… the planner.
Like I mentioned
Monday, I’ve been searching for the
perfect blogger planner to consolidate my unorganized blog thoughts (since
sticky notes JUST weren’t cutting it). Which is why I designed one to fit the
needs of a blogger.
UPDATE 1/16/14 (early morning): for the Six of you who downloaded the printable (thank you by the way!!) hopefully I'll catch you before your big print. There was a teeny, tiny typo in the word "Photography." It has since been fixed and everything is set for a re-download. My apologies, guess my fingers move too fast across the keyboard sometimes! A huge thank you to Danielle for your eagle eye!!
UPDATE 1/16/14 (early morning): for the Six of you who downloaded the printable (thank you by the way!!) hopefully I'll catch you before your big print. There was a teeny, tiny typo in the word "Photography." It has since been fixed and everything is set for a re-download. My apologies, guess my fingers move too fast across the keyboard sometimes! A huge thank you to Danielle for your eagle eye!!
Tour the Planner
Features:
Let me start off by saying this planner is fill-able!! So if you’re like me and had a late start to
your year- or run your calendar like a school year, you can start anytime
of the year. Oh and I’m on this geometric kick so you’ll notice a bunch of
polygons strewn throughout- they even
match my DIY’d planner cover!!
- Intro section: the S.M.A.R.T. Goals Worksheet which you may recognize from here, the year-at-a-glance, US Holidays, and a place to notate all important days (birthdays, etc.).
- Calendars: both a monthly view and weekly view. This is where I keep my editorial calendar.
- Records: A section to track giveaways, guest hosts/contributor, sponsors, statistics (from google Analytics, Alexa, etc.), and ‘other’ keyword searches and referrals.
- Ideas: a place to jot down blog topics, branding ideas, shop stuff, website fixes, photography (angles, settings, creative shots, etc.), advertising and giveaways. The best part there’s 15 brainstorming worksheets to help you through a post.
- Notes: a section to write down random stuff. Could be grocery lists, house tasks, etc. You could even bring your planner to a blog conference and jot all your notes down there!! Maybe I’ll see you there and we can make up some super-secret hand shake- or cheers our organizers… hmm, too weird?
Bonus:
Two Checklists; a post checklist and a monthly checklist. These are not double-sided friendly.
However, 8 fit per page.
The checklists can be neatly paper clipped to each
month/week. Those folders I made for the planner? They came in
handy to store the extra print-offs.
Assembly
Supplies:
- Approx. 75 sheets of 8x10 paper
- Decent Printer with ink
- Paper cutter (optional)
- Binding
Instructions:
- Cut approximately 75 sheets of 8.5x10 inch paper in half. The final 8.5x10 inch page count is around 66, the excess is for printer/user errors and/or testing your printer settings.
- If you have a paper cutter, you may find cutting smaller batches work best to avoid blade slippage. It doesn’t take long, promise-- I cut mine while watching the first half of Dexter.
- Otherwise, Office Supply stores have the ability to cut paper for a small fee.
- Open each of the four PDFs (your download is below).
- The batches range from 24-36 double sided half sheets of paper.
- Adjust your printer (see below photo).
- My printer had specific “A5” adjustments, so be sure to adjust your printer tray as necessary.
- Change your print settings.
- See below for my printer settings & suggestions.
- Print each batch.
- While each batch printed, I started sorting and ‘stuffing’ the planner by topic.
- Bind.
- I took my entire planner to my local Office Supply store and had them bind it. Since the cardboard and paper made it so thick- I had to go with the largest size binding which came in at about $4.25 with tax.
Printer Settings:
- Fit to page
- Odd Pages (could be called double sided printing)
- A5 (could be called half size on your printer)
- Manual Tray
Alternative Solution:
You
can totally bring this file with you to your office supply stores and have them
do it all: cut, print, and bind. It shouldn’t be more than $20-ish… don’t
forget to print off any applicable coupons before you go!! Oh and be sure they select the correct
settings (fit to page + A5 + double sided printing).
Update: this planner is temporarily not available for free download since Facebook updated it's policy. Stay tuned for further updates.
Alright, so now I’ve simply MUST ask…
what do you think?! Are you going to give it a shot and organize your scatterbrain
sticky notes?
P.S. I’d love you to pieces if you dropped a few suggestions below for next year’s planner! If you wanna talk about how you’re using them to fit your needs, feel free to chat away my friends!! Your feedback below or via email will earn you a chance to WIN ONE next year when they're launched on ETSY!!
P.S. I’d love you to pieces if you dropped a few suggestions below for next year’s planner! If you wanna talk about how you’re using them to fit your needs, feel free to chat away my friends!! Your feedback below or via email will earn you a chance to WIN ONE next year when they're launched on ETSY!!






Oh my word, this looks amazing!!! I can't wait to download and print it out! (Once I sell half a kidney for some printer ink... hate buying that stuff!) This will be the MOST HELPFUL ever in getting my scatter brain together for blogging :) You know I'm going to pin & promote the crap out of this!
ReplyDeleteInk is sooo dang expensive!! I bought this 'industrial' printer off craigslist. I made sure to ask them how much ink was left before I handed over the dough. I haven't priced it out but I'm sure I'll have to take out a second mortgage!!
DeleteOh please keep me updated if it works for you too. And share away my love, you know I gocha back too!!
Wow! Thank you for such a wonderfully well put together project! I've definately downloaded this, and might even give using it a whirl. (I'm so bad at organization and planning....). You are wicked awesome Trisha!
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear you've downloaded it! I hope you find it useful!
DeleteI was wicked bad too but this planner as kicked me in the right direction... I hope ha!
Thanks always for stopping by Kristy!
Much Love,
Trisha D.
Thank you so much for sharing! I am definitely going to put this planner to good use!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cher-Ann! Hope you find it useful and if you happen to have any feedback, feel free to leave them here. I'd love to make improvements for next year. Your feedback will automatically enter for your chance to win a free planner next year!!
DeleteThis is amazing, thank you! I plan on getting this bound at my local Staples.
ReplyDeleteYay! The lady at my local Office Max was super nice. We even struck up a conversation on DIYing (my favorite topic haha).
DeleteThis is the best thing ever. I am so grateful for this. You pretty much just saved my life.
ReplyDeleteYay, so glad my little 'ol planner could impact you in such a good way! Good luck on organizing my friend!
Deletethis is great!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jodi! Hope you found it inspirational!
DeleteYou've put so much work into this!! I'm bookmarking for myself and pinning, too. Will add your social media as found you thru Thurs. STYLE L-up. Lovely blog and how fun to have a 100 yr. old house!
ReplyDeleteIt was a labor of love but totally worth it!! Thanks for stopping by and having me at the STYLE link up party!!
DeleteThis is phenomenal! Thank you so much for sharing with all of us and linking up at Thursday STYLE! I'm pinning this for later! One of my major upcoming projects is to get my goals and calendar organized!
ReplyDeleteAwe thank you for your pin Angela, totally appreciated!!
DeleteI hope you find this freebie useful and helps you achieve your organizing goals!! It's definitely keeping me on track so far! The biggest benefit I've found is that I can actually now track all the small and large daily blog tasks!
Ha! I'm so guilty of scribbling ideas on sticky notes! I now keep a list on my iPad, but having something written down in a book is sometimes so much better. Thanks for sharing this awesome planner on the Thursday S.T.Y.L.E. Link Party. We hope you stop back by tonight at 6:00 MST.
ReplyDeleteAt one point, 3/4 of my desk was filled with Sticky Notes- kid you Not!! Thanks for having me, love your S.T.Y.L.E. Link Party!!
DeleteOh wow, this is AWESOME!! What a great idea. Thanks so much for sharing this for free! I'll have to refer my blog consulting clients here!
ReplyDeletexo Megan, Lush to Blush
Absolutely, sharing is caring ha! Let me know what you think of it!! Feel free to supply some suggestions for next hears planner as well!
DeleteThis is GREAT!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much
This looks purely amazing. I am wondering If I can use it for my blog and you tube channel? Do you think that would be manageable. This is the first thing I have found that is everything I need all in one place! Thank you for sharing, it really is amazing.
ReplyDeleteI am trying to download this and it won't work :( I liked you on FB and shared it. Hellllppp
ReplyDeleteHi Sam,
DeleteI'm so sorry you're having difficulties downloading it. After you liked Black and White Obsession on Facebook, the page should have refreshed to show a download button. After clicking the button, it should go to your 'Downloads' folder. If that still doesn't work, please shoot me an email and I'll manually send it out.
Again, my apologies for the inconvenience.
Trisha D.