10 Tips for Planner Beginners / How to Organize Your Planner to Make it Work for You - & STICK to it

In this video I share my favorite tips on organizing your planner and how to make it work for you. I also share tips on being consistent and making planning a habit! This video is great for the beginner planner but if you aren't new, there may be a few tips that will benefit you too!
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#happyplanner #plannerbeginner #planner

[@monstyle1459]

- brain dump - create sections (in monthly, weekly,.. layouts for different stuff/categories) - color coding - time blocking / time log (to figure out where your time went) - use the side bar (priorities, anything..) - create lists, checklists (packing, routines, fav stuff, ..) - daily planner if it better works for you - keep it simple - be consistent (keep it accessible, have a time for it) -

[@josecamacho2614]

Dont be rude. This isnt your content.

[@lisbetsoda4874]

Thank you, that's so helpful.

[@nancyjennings5869]

I absolutely loved when you held Bumble. You can see in her eyes how much she adores you. Nothing better than the unconditional love of a dog.

[@PlanningwithBumble]

Awww I didn’t watch her but you’re right about that

[@angelasandridge2985]

Hi

[@terikc2012]

Ugh...I need to dig my planner back out. I haven't touched it since November!!!!! It helps me alot but it just seems like I never take the time to get her out and fill it in. I have alot to track as I work full time outside the home and have partial custody of my 2 yo grandson. I also have Parkinsons Disease and having things written out helps my mind from going "pinball" on me. I love your videos. I'm going to go dig out my 2021 pages right now and put her together. Thank you for the motivation! One hour later: All dug out and caught January up to date!!!!! Yeah!

[@valeriestefano5181]

Ll L. Ll L

[@chemorn2020]

Yea!! 👏🏻 I’m in the same boat 🚤 I try to remember self organization is part of self care, especially with a chronic illness. I’ve been using planners and stickers etc my whole life, I make my own which gets a bit overwhelming. :) great job! I’m super proud of you and thanks for the motivation! I’m off to plan.

[@AH-ik3pv]

K. I haven’t even watched this yet and I’m so excited to see it. I feel like I’m still a newbie, 4 months in.

[@thecaptainsnark]

love that this dog has no concept that 100k people are watching them. Just chillin' with mom while she talks to herself.

[@angelpaschall4378]

Not a newbie (planner girl since 12 and just turned 48) but I love your content so supporting!

[@melinabbbbb]

I love this comment and this channel🥰

[@angelpaschall4378]

@@melinabbbbb thank you 🥰

[@rebeccaa.3121]

Planning since I am 10 and turning 48 in a few months.

[@AShMR_]

My best friend got me a happy planner for Christmas and introduced me to your channel and I've been obsessed ever since. I never expected a planner to help me as much as as it has because I've tried using planners and digital reminders in the past and they never seemed to stick. But something about making my planner creative has really made a difference and now I wake up, check my planner and I'm actually quite productive. It's even helped me remember to take my daily medication without fail since I started it because I always want to go and check it off the minute I take it. XD I love my happy planner and I love watching your channel for ideas on spreads and how to plan out my days.

[@nykkelly3388]

Hi Mary Ellen!! Just wanted to say I've been using HP for 3 years now, and even though I'm no longer a "newbie", your content is always fresh. No matter how long we're here, we've always got something new to learn. ❤

[@amyschmitt2744]

Awe! We’re you talking because I’m here just loving Bumble 😂. Seriously though these are really great tips.

[@Alexis-jr7jc]

I have always had issues using planners. I'd end up hating/not wanting to use them and then buying another to try and make it work. It ALWAYS ended in failure. It wasn't until I found Happy Planner and your channel that I've finally been able to make a planner work for me and me actually want to use it. I'm still not super great at using my planner, but making it pretty with your help has greatly improved my love for planners again. ❤😊

[@PlanningwithBumble]

I love that. Thanks for watching!

[@teresaarnould1732]

I’ve collected planners for three years and I had given up on planning because honestly I couldn’t figure out what worked for me. That is until today…. Best most useful video on planning I’ve ever seen. Going to get back too it.

[@PlanningwithBumble]

Glad it helped!

[@carriles2000]

Oh, loved when you held Bumble, so adorable..😍...so much unconditional love...☺️🙏

[@CoolCraftyCreations]

The inserts are always super helpful because I have not found any new HP’s that have the type of layout for my life. I’ve been planning for over 10 years and it’s never simple. However, I’ve learned to utilize various inserts to compartmentalize each area of my life.

[@deborahglover0112]

Hi Mary Ellen! Your ideas are great and numerous too. At this point in my life I dont need a lot of lists. My planner is going to be simple and like it that way just starting out. TY so much for all your helpful and informative videos

[@LouXstitchAficionado]

I never tire of watching your videos, and it’s such a treat when Bumble makes an appearance. Thanks and have a great weekend.

[@vanessadvenegas]

It’s almost one year of my attempt at planning. I found this video today and it is such a big help. I’m excited to almost get my 2022 ready.

[@jennfischetto]

I really did listen to every word, even if I had to rewind so I could gush at Bumble's sweet, sweet face. She was such a good doggo. And the tips are great, of course. I love the idea of using my currently page for brain dumps. Thank you!

[@darcyfriday-barbati8215]

Great to see you Mary Ellen.🙂

[@jahughes478]

I started slacking on my planner because my job got stressful and then it was summer. So, I watched this as a refresher. It was super helpful. Also, little Bumble yawns. 🥰

[@gidgetsmome]

I’ve took up journaling last year and have been following you...this was a helpful video even though I’ve been doing this for a year!!! I thank you for all your video content!!! And I too will be adding some of the things you mentioned in this video to my current planner :)

[@luistiantjr]

It help me so much layouts like posters… cations

[@a91170]

Your handwriting is beautiful' and planner -- enviable

[@lynetteplans7761]

Not a new planner, but I saw some things I want to add.💙❄

[@ElizabethRodriguez-sk6sz]

I use the vertical layout and I use the top box for work, the middle for anything personal/family and the bottom one for church. I figure out wha I have going on in the week and use the stickers, boxes and lists as applicable. The side is for check lists

[@afeeser]

Bumble is all groomed and ready to work on a planner spread! I like the idea of a brain dump for each month. I've been wanting to incorporate brain dumps, but couldn't think of how to do it without the ideas getting "lost in the shuffle". Thanks for the ideas.

[@arielleluana]

I need to see more lined vertical spread ideas!!! I bought one by am impulse and have no idea how to decorate it!

[@KaysonMayhew]

I truly admire the way you decorate your planner - you gave me such inspiration! I think sometimes we look at other planners on YT who do the sticker kits and get overwhelmed. As a somewhat beginner, I know I tried the sticker kits and it became expensive and exhausting. I’m an artist so seeing that you did artwork with some stickers - AWESOME. Beautiful mind you have 💖

[@kristenchumley1421]

Love the Bumble cameos :D Great tips! I've been planning off and on for years but still find these videos useful!

[@AH-ik3pv]

I LOVE that daily pad. I use a dashboard for my catchall and then pop that sheet, folded in half, into the week to use for work stuff. It works out so well!

[@delgadoglory732]

Omg can you do a video of how you decorate your daily pages?

[@PlanningwithBumble]

There is one! kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKTPhqBsj5mLZtE

[@TexasMom68]

Oh I loved the tip about photocopying a planner list page. Had not thought of that before! ♥️ love your content

[@ladyjuliainaz]

I loved the brain dump info! That is something I think I really need to make a habit of. I’d love more info about that and stuff like that. Thanks for all the awesome tips and ideas!

[@risusany]

Thank you so much for this video, Mary Ellen! It was just what I needed today. I'm not new to planning, but I constantly change my mind on what works best for me and then I try a new system or layout and get increasingly frustrated. I'm going to try all of your tips in my classic vertical planner and see how it goes. Wish me luck!

[@kokomontague6619]

This is BY FAR the BEST planner video with showing us how to use the different planners and how to make it work for us. I love the ideas for the sidebar. I never know what to do with that part of my planner. Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video for us. 😊

[@michelleo195]

Love the brain dump idea! I too have so much in my head of to do’s etc and this helps alot to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

[@kandycandy1]

Feeling inspired to try this type of planner. Just ordered it. I always used a regular planner so I’m looking forward to use this new system.

[@Juliaamorales]

I really enjoyed watching this! For the longest time ever I buy planners and write gibberish or they stay empty because I'm not sure how I should go about it and that is so sad. Great info and will definitely use this as an instructional guide! Thanks

[@leighsaldivar4439]

I’m a beginner. So excited to start!!😊

[@genilicious7]

You did a tremendous job on this video! Love the advice! Subscribed & ready for more 😍😊 very helpful & motivated now to start my planner

[@PlanningwithBumble]

Yay! Thank you for subscribing!

[@mistygrimes2970]

Those daily times sheets would be so helpful during the holidays or party planning!

[@TaylahLouiseBudgets]

This was so useful! I just got a classic happy planner and immediately felt like it was too small so have ordered a dashboard planner & a BIG teacher planner (not that I plan on using it for that, my school provided one works fine). I want to film planner/stickering videos so I think I might have a “catch all”, functional, dump planner and then I can make one of them pretty after the fact. I think the teacher one will help for me to track my different work schedules, my KZbin/Etsy, life and chores all in one view. Thinking the dashboard one I can use for purely my finance stuff and videos.

[@garysiegel2875]

Thank you for all your tips. So nice to see bumble. Really enjoy her too.

[@lauriehester2402]

Digital and paper! Thank you for all the work you do!

[@laineruscelle292]

I thought I would share this tip that I heard on Ashley Anderson's channel for the time block technique. She has started using red pen to fill in what she actually is doing during her assigned hours and how this has been a game changer for productivity. I am just starting this process and I think it will be a great tool to see what is really is happening in my day like what works, what needs my attention, and when I really need a nap! Thanks for all these tips and Bumble is a delight! :)

[@PlanningwithBumble]

Yep! That’s why I mentioned writing in what you have done. Red pen is a good idea

[@gerry8558]

First of all I would like to say that I love Bumble! You have opened me up to a world of ideas thank you I did subscribe to you I love your honesty and how open you are With your planner thank you again I will be watching your videos and looking forward to them they will be a great help to me I know this now

[@christineculbertson4804]

I'm a newbie here! I'm just starting a planner! Thank you for sharing your tips!

[@barbararivera2380]

Thank you

[@ItsAriB90]

Oh I need that red pen in my life! Thanks for the video, it was very helpful!

[@melissaderouin4372]

Thank you for the tips and tricks to using both digital and paper planning!

[@UFOCrochet]

Thank you so much! I feel I might have bought the wrong layout, but the cover was worth it. :)

[@kimberlyperry3162]

Thanks for the info. I don't feel so overwhelmed anymore. Will definitely check out your other videos.

[@PlanningwithBumble]

Glad it helped!

[@territhigpen942]

Thank you! This really helps!

[@kaylamcfetridge1548]

I use my mildliner before writing on top of it with pen, so it doesn’t smear ❤️

[@PlanningwithBumble]

Why did I never think of that hahaha

[@carianderson2254]

I get easily overwhelmed too. Perfectionist Type A problems 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thanks for the reminder to do a Brain Dump. Doing it monthly is genius ♥️

[@Clbell82]

I love this video... thank you so much h for making it... and explaining the Dashboard layout cause thats what I've been using and its helped so much with all you lovely planner ladies explaining how you use it.

[@jeanettemorales17]

Love how you plan. Learned some new things. Thanks

[@lindawoodfill503]

Thanks ! Great tips ! I like using a daily sheets to be productive, it keeps me focus and helps me relax .I’m working on being more organized.You should a series.I use my phone for on the go , white board for prep landing for the month and I decided to make a daily Happy Planner . ( my days varies depending on my work)

[@delgadoglory732]

Omg I just bought a hp last week so glad you made this video!

[@donnal.downey2266]

Bumble’s facial expressions and yawn! Too cute!

[@caroleanderson1106]

A lot of great tips. I'm new to this and have a dashboard planner. You seldom decorate one, so I'm just fumbling through. Thank you.

[@PlanningwithBumble]

If you search planning with bumble dashboard they’ll pop up. One is coming this week!

[@allthemays4237]

Thanks I appreciate you referencing the videos you made on each tip!!!! Now I have to go back and watch them. Lol

[@michelesmith8356]

Great tips! And Bumble!!!! She is absolutely adorable ♥️

[@kellylouisebrown4954]

Love your glasses Mary Ellen

[@PlanningwithBumble]

Thanks! I have new ones now

[@ashleysanden9049]

So many good tips! And I love the Bumble appearance! 🥰

[@MamaLlamaV]

I recently found your channel and it's sooo helpful. I didn't know how I was supposed to use some of the larger stickers and still be able to plan around them in my bullet journaland watching your videos helped a lot. I've since ditched my bullet journal because I don't have the time for it and gone for the happy planner and it's so much easier and so much more fun! I'm actually starting to enjoy using my planner - hopefully I actually stick to using it this time around

[@Financialdemics]

Thanks so much for this. I am new at planning and your tips actually answered some questions I had.

[@arlenesymes3452]

Love your creativity in your planner. Unfortunately i cant get this paticular layout in Australia😢 and to expensive to buy from USA with change over rate. Will just keep watching and wishing. Love Bumble so cute 🥰

[@sisulfahanwar120]

Hi sis, thank you so much for this video!!! It so amazing, you give me so many ideas to improve my planner. I love your planner decoration, so nice. 💔

[@brendacooper7944]

Bumble looks so sweet.

[@kiefferkeepinon828]

Soooo, it's nice to see your face every now and then, but it's a joy to watch your hands do the "talking" as well. 😊

[@PlanningwithBumble]

I’m a hand talker

[@kiefferkeepinon828]

@@PlanningwithBumble Me too! Gives me hope I might be able to create KZbin videos and just let my hands do the talking, without having to fix the bed head or blotchy face or clean up a "scene"/room for every one. 🤭😁

[@melanieevans9112]

Thank you so much for this video! It’s just what I needed as a beginner! Great tips!

[@skirtsoasis]

Such a helpful video thank you!!!

[@lauriemyers3]

Oooooh...It never occurred to me to color code task categories...🤯

[@DeafGirl93]

I’m both digital and paper planner. I always write down my work schedule on my phone first when I’m at work then as soon as I get home I write it down in my planner with a mechanical pencil just in case a manager ends up changing my hours. I always try to look at the work schedule once or twice a night when I’m at work to make sure nothing changes. One time I thought they had me off 3 days in a row so that’s what I was showing in my iPhone calendar but thankfully the last night I was at work I checked the schedule twice and I was only off two days in a row not three. And I had to change that in planner so good things I was able to do that before I wrote down the time I worked with a pen.

[@vee_the_motivation_planner9868]

Great starter ideas

[@kimolushola9642]

Thank you so much! This was really helpful.

[@justcallmejo702]

Hi Mary Ellen hope your having a good week. Not to sound creepy or weird but you have a great smile. 🦋 Nice video it’s a helpful one for new planners and a good reminder for those that have been planning for a bit. 🐾🐾

[@PlanningwithBumble]

Thank you!

[@pennyg.4068]

Great video! I could have stared at Bumble all day...that cute face made me smile :-) ♥

[@shirleydillon9992]

Very helpful. Thanks! Shirley

[@paperzing5533]

Fantastic tips. TFS.

[@marshal1808]

In your planner, write down the most important things you want to know. Some examples 1) work that is left to do, continue or leave it...2) exercises, ...3) money...ect..and so on 👈

[@vonetteperkins5771]

Thanks

[@MsOhsusanna]

Helpful! I'm paper only.

[@carmenb4802]

OOh! how beautiful dog!!!!

[@berry186]

I loved the ideas. 🌼

[@lindamoran5835]

You look great. Your skin is glowing.

[@PlanningwithBumble]

Thanks 🙂

[@luciliareis4972]

I loved it

[@SheryllMonique]

Do you have a video that explains how to incorporate digital and paper?

[@Mickeii617]

I wish I would have known about the dashboard layout. After last year I now prefer to use non dated. But I couldn't find the dashboard layout without the year

[@sylviaharris6271]

Bumble is so cute!!

[@pennymartin4525]

Nice

[@tiffanyd.caldwell328]

I'm overwhelmed by my phone but need to use both the planner and phone. :)

[@breezyplace]

What cute things can I add to the credit card spots in my planner? What are other creative uses for the spots and slots in the planner?

[@sarahkruczek2623]

Brilliant video thankyou..can I ask what Bumble has on his collour plz x

[@PlanningwithBumble]

It’s the sensor for her automatic dog door

[@Mickeii617]

it's absolutely crazy but I feel like I want to practice some more in my other planner before I start using my Disney planner that I bought. I absolutely hated my spread for last month. To spend that much money as I did ( I'm a Disney psycho) I want to practice some more on a cheaper planner.

[@lidiap6241]

What pens are you using? I really liked the last 2, theres one when you are explaining the sticky note idea for an appointment.

[@Lib2yjenkins]

Mary Ellen, you add my favorite! I am new to The Happy Planner community and I have seriously enjoyed watching all of your videos. Your weekly spreads are so cute! I just love them! Thank you for all the tips, tricks, and advice! 🥰♥️

[@PlanningwithBumble]

Thank you 🥰

[@bikrgran]

I'm retired and pretty much a hermit. I have a Cricut and one of the things that is popular is stickers. That means planners. So, yesterday, I got some planners, for $2.99 and $1.25. One starts at July 2022, the other is not dated. One is a binder-type and I was able to move the Jan to May pages to the back (undated), but the bigger one has a different kind of binding, but the beginning pages are the same dates, but different month, so I could change the date and year, but I'm not sure how to do that. Do I just make new date/year stickers and change them that way? Do I even NEED a planner, since my life is hardly "busy". It's not as if I've wasted a lot of money on these, but I'm not sure it's worth the effort. Everything is on my phone. Thanks! I LOVE your planners! Are they all stickers?

[@samanthalogsdon5308]

I never knew you could put refills on the planners 🤦‍♀️. I don’t see the refills on the Happy Planner website. Do you have one on Etsy or a suggestion?

[@grammahopkins643]

I just bought my first Happy Planner Big because it was on sale at Michael's. I also bought the punch to add my own pages, but there's no room in mine for anything else. How do you fit additional pages in the planner, besides what came in it? I can't afford to buy another planner, waste all the pages that are already in it to put my own? Also, mine didn't come with the special slotted holes to just tear the pages out, I have to rip them out if I want to remove them. Thanks for helping!