Guide to Making a Super Efficient Day Planner for Yourself or Your Kids

Planners, daytimes, schedules, pocket calendars, life organizers... Out of necessity we use pre-printed devices to keep our lives in order. Yet, how often do we end up frustrated, having spent our hard-earned cash on book after book until we find something we will actually use? You need to schedule a twelve hour day and the planner only gives you eight. Or you found the perfect scheduler... and it won't fit in your bag. At ten, twenty, fifty or even $150 bucks a pop, you've probably considered doing away with the daytimer forever... except you'd never remember when you next doctor's appointment is. And your kids' homework books? Long gone just days into the school year.

There is a better way. Instead of forcing your life onto a form, you can make a personalized planner to fit your needs, adding convenient days and times in the size you need and with enough room to read your own writing. It can be bright, colorful and even fun to get your planning done, depending on how much creativity you choose to put into it. Above all it will be uniquely yours: A record of your life suiting your needs and matching your personal style. Or it can be a convenient and affordable showcase of your child's creativity and activities. You can accomplish this for less than $1 dollar per year, so you can go through two or three guilt-free as you find the perfect fit for your lifestyle or continually fish your child's planner from the garbage disposal.

How To Make A Planner

1. Determine your level of detail

For a seven-day, hourly planner, each week will require a 2-page spread, each day a column, and each hour several lined rows.

Tip: It is helpful to have an even number of columns on each page. Even, equally sized columns will be much faster to create.

For my own planner, I divide each page into four equal columns. The first I leave blank to use to jot notes and scraps of information. The next seven are labeled Monday through Sunday, although you may be more comfortable with the standard Sunday through Saturday format. Every two ruled lines marks one hour. With college ruled paper, I am able to record appointments from 7:00 AM to 11:30 PM. If I used 3 lines for every hour, I could schedule from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

It may help to sketch out a few options on some scratch paper. How many days a week or a month do you need to record appointments and deadlines? Each day will require its own column. If needed, be sure to add extra room for phone numbers, addresses, and additional detail.

2. Purchase an inexpensive spiral-bound notebook

This past August, I purchased seven 70-page spiral-bound notebooks for on sale $1 dollar. Since I use one two-page spread per week, I effectively purchased a seven-year planner for a tenth of the price of most decent pocket calendars. Add a couple dollars for a plastic notebook cover, and you can make the meager investment last.

Choose a blank notebook depending on your needs. Spiral notebooks are convenient because they lay flat on tabletops. If you want a large organizer, buy a stylish 3-ring notebook, blank paper and a packet of dividers. If you want a pocket-sized planner, look into purchasing a memo book or a blank ruled journal.

Tip: College ruled paper helps you fit more hours on a page. I highly recommend it.

Balance your need for detail versus portability: Small notebooks are better suited for weekly and monthly calendars, while hour-by-hour scheduling over a seven-day week will require 8 1/2 by 11" paper. If your handwriting is small and you only need to record eight hours a day, five days a week, you may be able to get by with a 4 by 6" or smaller notebook. Think creatively about supply options and page layouts. For example, spiral-bound index cards can make a durable, pocket-friendly calendar.

3. Draw your columns with a pen and a ruler

This is much easier than it sounds! Sit at your table and open your notebook to the first 2-page spread.

Tip: Start on the back of the third page. The first page of many day planners become dog-eared and torn, while the second page will likely be discarded.

Assuming you want an even number of columns, fold the left hand page in half, from the outer lengthwise edge to the inner margin along the binding. Fold this in half again, and continue to fold until all of your columns for the page are crease marked. With a ruler and a pen, trace over the creases.

Turn to the next page to the right. The columns you just created will show through the paper. Line up the edges of the paper, and use the ruler to trace the columns on the new page.

Turn back the page to where you started (the folded page is again on the left). The lines you just drew now show through from the back of the page. Again, take your ruler and trace over them. If you're like most people, you've just drawn columns for a week and a half of days. Continue this pattern until you've completed a safe distance into the future (you can always draw future months later, you only need to complete as far ahead as you are scheduling in detail.)

4. Draw your rows with a pen and ruler

Divide the number of hours you need each day by the number of lines on the page. For example, if you need eight hours across 32 lines, use 4 lines for each hour. Use pencil to mark the hours first and be certain you are not accidentally leaving an hour off at the bottom. Then, take your pen and ruler, and start marking.

Tip: If using 8 columns to create a 7 day week, leave one of the outside columns blank for important notes.

5. Fill in the days, dates and times

Be brief! If you need the whole day written out, do so, but if you only need an "M" for Monday, don't bother. Consult a calendar and label the dates.

Tip: The less you write to create your planner, the more room you have to use it.

Brevity is also useful when marking the hours. It's probably not necessary to write "AM" and "PM" when you can tell that just by looking at the page. You may not need to label every row. I personally label every other row. Use the lines to help delineate half hours and quarter hours. If your hours use three lines, treat the top line as 15-past, the middle line and half-past, and the third line as 45 minutes past the hour. This way it is not necessary to try to write over the lines to mark your minutes.

6. Personalize and enjoy your new planner!

This day planner is yours to create. Add an extra column or two to keep your shopping and errand lists. Use different colored pencils to show your schedule versus your client's or your kids'. Use a paper clip to hold together old pages, or a sticky note to easily find an important date. Get some stickers and use them for reminders. Glue some gorgeous scrapbooking accessories to the cover, and protect them with a see-thru book cover cut to size. If the planner is for your children, turn it into a craft project. Do whatever you can to have fun with it!

If you're enjoying your planner, you're more likely to get in the habit of using it regularly. And if you don't like it, you can always change it. Before you know it you'll be on top of your dates and appointments, with the help of a unique personalized planner that cost less than a cup of coffee.