In today’s video I am breaking down the clear planner trend and helping give you some tips for how to achieve a similar look with your planner!

WATCH THE VIDEO NOW BY CLICKING HERE

→ MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO

✔︎ Clear PVC Planner

✔︎ AB Clear PVC Planner

✔︎ Clear Discs

✔︎ Clear front/back cover

✔︎ Clear disc agenda cover

✔︎ Vellum Paper

✔︎ 2020 Dashboard

I hope you enjoyed this video and I would love to hear about any other planner trends you would like me to cover in future installments of this series!

xoxo,

In today’s video, I am showing and teaching you all about Discbound Planner Systems. I will be covering why they are my most used system, the different branded systems, the essential elements you need to know about and how to put everything together to create your own custom planner.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH

On and off throughout the years, my planner binding method of choice has been the discbound system. If you are not familiar with the disc binding concept, it is similar to the idea of a spiral notebook, but instead of a solid metal spiral holding the notebook together, you have metal or plastic discs that can pop in and out of a cover. These discs being removable means that you can add and remove paper to your disc bound system as you like, so long as the paper has been punched with a disc binding punch.

As you may already know, the current planner I am using was created with the help of the disc binding system and I want to teach you more about the system so you can see just how easy it is to customize your own planner or notebook organization system. I will of course be leaving resources to as much as I can throughout this post to help you get started.

First, lets talk about he BEST Features of a Discbound System

1. Customization: The main reason I love using a discbound system as my planner is because it is completely customizable. I can create my own custom planner inside the binding and add and remove items on a whim. I find the disc binding to be very secure, but also easy for you to add and remove elements at the same time.
2. Interchangeability: The next feature I love about discbound system is that they are interchangeable for the most part. In just a moment, I will outline some of the most popular discbound planner systems to give you an idea of the options available, but with each system the discs, refills, accessories are interchangeable so you can pick and choose what you want to use from one collection or another to build your perfect system.
3. Flexibility: The final feature I love about discbound systems is that they fold over onto themselves like a spiral bound notebook. I love this flexibility because I am someone who does like to fold a notebook over to write. Although my personal discbound planner is kept inside a notebook cover, I frequently remove my planner portion from the cover to write in it, and of course I fold the system over like a notebook when I do!

Next, let’s talk about The Most Popular Discbound Systems

As I mentioned earlier, there are a number of discbound planner systems out on the market currently. Here is a list to help you browse some of the most popular systems to find the right elements to help you build your perfect system.

• Arc from Staples
• Levenger Circa
• TUL from Office Depot
• IQ 360 from Walmart
• Martha Stewart Office from Staples
• Eleven Discs
• Discagenda from Dokibook
• I will also include MAMBI Happy Planner from Michael’s, Hobby Lobby etc. in this list, although, to be clear, dispite being a discbound system, many of their inserts and some of their accessories are set to a proprietary sizing which isn’t compatible with the other interchangeable systems mentioned.

Now, let’s talk Discbound Planner Essentials

• Discs: The major element of a discbound system are the discs themselves. Across the different branded systems you can find a variety of sizes, colors and materials like plastic or aluminum.

In terms of disc sizes, across different brands they range from 1/2” to 1.5” diameter

• ½ inch discs hold 50 – 70 sheets of paper
• ¾ inch discs hold 90- 120 sheets of paper.
• 1 inch discs hold 110 – 150 sheets of paper.
• 1½ inch discs hold 140- 220 sheets of paper

Now, in terms of materials, you can get discs in either plastic or aluminum and they come in a variety of colors and finishes. Plastic discs tend to be the most affordable option, however, I prefer aluminum because I find that there is a smoother page turn with aluminum rather than plastic.

Also, in terms of ease of use, I find that smaller discs are easier to turn the pages on, but thats also what I’m used to using. With larger discs I find I need to be more deliberate when I flip through pages, but I do still use the largest size discs with some notebooks because I need the increased capacity.

As with everything in life, there are benefits and drawbacks to each option that you choose.

• Front/Back Covers: Each different branded system for discbound has a variety of different binding covers from thin plastic covers that make simple notebooks to thick leather covers with built in organization elements. Even Etsy and Amazon sellers now make personalized or custom covers for discbound systems, so you can find a style that fits your personal preference.

Even if, like me, you are using a slip style cover, you still need to use a hard cover to anchor the system into the cover. 

I’d also like to mention here that with the majority of discbound systems (not including Mambi’s Happy Planner) there are two main sizes of planners and covers. First, is Full Size Letter, which is also compatible with A4, and the second is Junior Size which is Half Letter and also compatible with A5.

The Happy Planner has 3 proprietary sizes of covers and pages:

• The Classic Happy Planner covers are 7.75” x 9.75” and the pages are 7” x 9.25”
• The Mini Happy Planner covers are 5.125” x 7.5” and the pages are 4.5” x 7”
• The Big Happy Planner covers are 9” x 11.25” and the pages are 8.5” x 11”

So, please keep this information in mind when purchasing Happy Planner covers, inserts or accessories- the brand is not 1 for 1 compatible with other discbound planner systems on the market.

• Punch: Of course, if you are interested in creating a customizable system like me, you are going to need to get a discbound punch. I recommend getting one from the system you use most. I personally use the Arc version and love it because although it is a bit larger, it has wonderful guides to help you punch a variety of sizes of paper. When it comes to choosing a punch, I recommend choosing a sturdier punch even though they can be more expensive. My arc punch was maybe $40-50 but it is at least 6 years old so that was an investment that held up for me. If I had to purchase again, I might choose the levenger punch, because its also very sturdy and perhaps a little more compact. But avoid the travel size punches, i’ve not heard the best feedback about those. 
• Cover: Although there are a variety of discbound system covers as mentioned earlier, I also use a leather notebook cover to protect my system. My current cover comes from Chanel and is no longer available, but I also have notebook covers from GiGi New York or Graphic Image NY, and I’ve even removed the rings from a Filofax to create a cover for my discbound system. The key with using covers is that you need one that has a back slip pocket to anchor your book to. Unless you are using a cover like this discagenda by dokibook, that actually anchors to the discs themselves!
• Other accessories: There are many other accessessories available to help you create your custom discbound organization system. Things like, page markers, dividers, pockets, etc. I recommend browsing the selections of each brand to see all the fun extras you can add to your system to make it personal to your needs and desires.

How to Create a Custom Planner with the Discbound System

Another very necessary element of a discbound system are the inserts or refills you use. Now, as you may already know, I use the Master Plan System of inserts from my own shop to create my planner system, but most of the major brands already mentioned also sell calendar, project planning and note taking pages and refills, so if you are not into creating a custom planner with printable inserts like I do, you do have some options. More and more, however, I see that sellers on Etsy are also giving the option to purchase pre-printed and pre-punched discbound compatible inserts, so you have that option as well. Just make sure to check the size compatibility for your inserts with the system you are using before proceeding with this option.

If you are interested in a creating your own custom planner using the discbound system, here is a video tutorial I created that walks you through the very simple process. Definitely check out this video and the links I’ve left in this article to help you find the different elements of your ideal planner system so that you can build a planner that is all your own and custom to your needs!

So that is everything I think you need to know about discbound planners to get you started. I hope this information has been helpful to you as you evaluate the option of a discbound planner system for yourself. Of course if you have any other questions about the system, feel free to leave me a comment and I’ll do my best to help you get the information you need to create your perfect planner system! 

xoxo,

In today’s video I am walking you through my monthly functional planning process. Watch as a plan my month and share exactly what functional planning principles and guidelines I integrate into my monthly calendar.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH

When I first developed the methodology of Functional Planning back in 2016 I defined a set of parameters to use as a guideline to ensure your planner and the way you were using it were functional. I assigned 3 roles to the functional planner:

1st is to Schedule Events
2nd is to Track Tasks
3rd is to Plan Actions

Now, in the way I execute on the Functional Planning methodology, the Monthly Calendar Spread is the way I choose to keep track of scheduled events and items.

Here are a few popular types of events you might want to ensure you are scheduling into your planner, specifically on the monthly calendar.

• Reoccuring Events: A scheduled event that happens on a consistent frequency
  • Things like bill due dates, trash days, paydays, events with a predictable pattern- for myself as a content creator, this may also mean using my monthly calendar as a place to map out the days content will be posted so that I remain on schedule with those items.
  • Now with reoccurring events, a major tip I always share is that although it might be nice to schedule everything in your calendar- unless you need the information for reference or because you are taking a specific action related to it, I think less is more- especially in a monthly calendar spread where space is usually limited.
• Appointments: A non routine event that takes up a block of time in our schedule
  • Things like doctors visits, classes, meetings, anything that will take up time and you may also need to prepare ahead of time for. You will keep the schedule in your monthly calendar, but then any associated tasks or prep should go on a master task list for the month or directly into the daily or weekly spread you use.
• Special Days: Holidays, birthdays anniversaries etc
  • I know some people might keep a list of holidays or birthdays on a separate reference calendar, but I think its good to transfer that information to your monthly especially because its much more functional to see those days in your calendar so you can plan accordingly. I can’t tell you how many times I missed a special event because it was on some other list I wasn’t in the habit of checking regularly!
• Due dates: If you have projects or work with specific due dates, I also think its important to keep these on your monthly calendar. Again, you will likely keep specific task information on your Master Monthly Task List and transfer it to the day or week it belongs to as well, but having that big picture view of your month is important.

And I want to be clear, it doesn’t matter what type of monthly calendar you are using. Here I am using a Month on 1 Page, but, these parameters still apply for Month on 2 page as well. You will still be tracking the same types of events, but depending on your spread, you may have more or less room for detail- choose the monthly spread that works for you, and use whatever means works for you to mark down information on your monthly. If that means writing in appointments or using highlighters or color coding to indicate things wonderful. I use some stickers to help me indicate specific things on my calendar. Just do what works for you and what you like. As long as you know what everything indicates create whatever shorthand works for you.

Of course, in terms of the monthly spreads I use that are designs from TheCharmedShop.com my monthly calendar is always followed up by a Master Task List for the month.

Like I mentioned earlier, task tracking is essential to the functional planning methodology and on a monthly basis I make sure to compile a full list of tasks that apply to the month and transfer them to this master monthly task list. The tasks that go on this list may be individual tasks but they may also be projects taken from my project planning or business planning inserts. Sometimes with projects there are really too many tasks to list out on the master list individually so I find it acceptable and still functional to list out the project itself so long as you have those individual steps of the project broken out somewhere for reference.

I’ll also make sure to populate a top 3 priorities for the month as well. The concept of prioritization is also a major element of Functional Planning. Not only do we always need to know what is on our plate, we need to have some sense of hierarchy. Having a monthly top 3 gives me clarity throughout the month that no matter all the little tasks or projects I might touch- I am clear on the fact that the priority ones deserve the most attention to ensure they are completed.

So that is how to create a functional monthly plan. I hope this information has been educational and inspiring. If you would like to purchase my Monthly Calendar Inserts, I will leave you a link below. Of course you can expect that I will be creating more content on functional planning in the future that walk through weekly and daily planning as well as project planning and more.

→ MENTIONED IN THIS POST

✔︎ My Exact Planner System
Choose Month on 1 Page and Week on 1 Page Option

✔︎ Get the 2021 Dated Month on 1 Page Insert

✔︎ Get the 2021 Dated Month on 2 Pages Insert

Best wishes for increased productivity and success for you in the future!

xoxo,

Hello My Charmed Ones!

I hope you are all staying safe and healthy at home with your families during this quarantine time.

Today I want to give you an update on a project I am working on, specifically, the launch of my 2021 Planner Inserts and I wanted to share my latest monthly freebie from my shop!

But the first thing I would like to express before we get into all that is that Black Lives Matter.

Now, if you take any issue with that statement, I don’t think I’m the creator or business for you. My channel, my platforms, my business, work and mission in life is to help people identify and move closer to their goals and dreams for their best life ever, and if you objectively cannot see or understand that a significant population of people have been intentionally and systematically stunted from that opportunity that many of us take for granted, than this isn’t the place for you and I encourage you to take time away from my content and learn more about the Black Lives Matter movement. I’m going to leave some resources linked here for you to check out if you need them.

Now, let’s talk 2021 Planner Inserts!

So, I am in the process of updating my 2021 Master Planner inserts and I am going on a completely new direction with the format of my master planner system. I don’t want to give anything away too soon, but I am adding more planner spread options to the master planner and also turning it into a more flexible functional planning system by giving you mix and match insert options.

It is my intention right now, to hold the live stream launch party for my inserts on Saturday July 11th @ 2pm eastern standard time. At that time, you’ll be able to purchase the newly formatted designs and I will walk you through all the options and how this new system works.

So if you would like to join me live for the launch, please mark your calendar for July 11th @ 2pm!! Those of you on my email list will receive the direct link to the event that morning.

Now, with that being said, I also wanted to reach out to you in my community, to see what other inserts you need for your system that I don’t already offer. I know over the last few years I have been streamlining my planner options down as my planning needs changed and became more streamlined, but I’m seeing things differently now and changing my own planning system up, and I want to start creating a more varied and flexible system that will work for more people. So, please let me know in the comments what types of inserts you would like to see from me. Do you need a specific layout that doesn’t exist or that you think I would improve the design of? Are there supplemental inserts you would love to have in your planner outside of just calendar spreads and project plans. I am going to be releasing a Finance bundle with this launch, which was highly requested, but you tell me what you need and want in your planner because I want to create it for you!

Speaking of things I have created for you, if you didn’t know, each month this year I have been designing and releasing new free printable inserts, and my freebie for July is ready for download. It is a set of print on demand half page lists. I love a good half page list, they are a great way to add a task list to your planner spread if you are running low on room, or perfect for making a shopping list to take with you while you run errands. I love them and of course I design and use my own, and I wanted to share them with you. I recommend printing out and prepunching a bunch of them to keep on hand. Or you could even laminate them and make them reusable. Here is a link to a video I made a few years ago on creating reusable to do lists if you are curious.

Here is the link to the July Freebie Printable Half Page Planner Task Lists!

I wish you all the best for a productive June and I hope to see you at the Live 2021 Planner Insert Launch Party over on my Youtube Channel on Saturday July 11th, 2020 @ 2pm ET!

xoxo,