The Cheapest Planner: How to Turn an Inexpensive Notebook into a Flexible Planner

[@calvoniaradford548]

I love this idea, especially the grid notebook.

[@makingalltheplans]

The grid notebook was a game changer for me. Being able to keep everything lined up is key.

[@lesliewheeler1741]

Great idea to use a graph notebook!

[@makingalltheplans]

Yes! I was so glad I stumbled on them. It makes it so much easier to line up lists or calendars!

[@calisongbird]

I’ve been using 5x5 graph composition notebooks for awhile now. They’re durable and the grid size is better for me than the usual 4x4 quadrille.

[@sofiakarim2978]

I have been excited to watch this video since you wrote it on the post-it ❤❤❤

[@makingalltheplans]

Hope you enjoyed it! It's not the neatest planner, but it's a necessary addition for those quick planning moments.

[@sofiakarim2978]

@@makingalltheplans you are completely right ✅️ 👏 💜

[@MelodieH12]

You are so creative. I love this idea! I have decided to join my work & personal planners. And it’s working out well, for this busy season. Thanks for sharing your tips! Great video 🎉

[@makingalltheplans]

Thank you, you are so sweet 💕 I had them combined until my one planner got too thick! But I really liked having everything in one spot.

[@pjlacey3990]

Great video! I hope there are still some back to school sales!

[@makingalltheplans]

I saw a few in the clearance area of Target the other day. Hopefully you can still find one or two!

[@alalineman1]

Great idea. I've been using Dollar Store sketchbooks. They are half the size unlined and cheap. I'm going to give this a try. Thanks for sharing!

[@makingalltheplans]

You're welcome!

[@needofspirituality2778]

Thank you for sharing this video, I loved it! ❤

[@makingalltheplans]

Aw, thanks!!

[@calisongbird]

I noticed at the end around 8:10 mark you mentioned that you also use a “normal disc bound planner.” What is the purpose of the 2 separate planners?

[@makingalltheplans]

My disc bound planner is the planner that I use regularly. But sometimes I need to make a list, or lay something out in a different way, and that’s where the grid notebook comes into play.

[@calisongbird]

@@makingalltheplans interesting. Your grid notebooks look so carefully and beautifully laid out… personally, I would just use that. But then, I’ve never really cottoned up to disc planners. I don’t like the way the paper eventually frays where it meets the discs, and frequently comes off the discs when the notebook is folded back on itself.

[@makingalltheplans]

Thank you, that is so sweet! In this stage of life, I have a lot of printed papers that I need to be able to put my fingertips on quickly and that need to travel with me. Otherwise I would probably just stick with the notebook.

[@calisongbird]

@@makingalltheplansoh ok, that makes sense!

[@nonielee5133]

I just discovered your channel. Great idea! Looking forward to more great ideas!

[@makingalltheplans]

Thanks! And welcome!

[@yutubl]

I also use checkered paper note books: 1 normal sized college block (ca. 80-200 pages for lists, ideas & bigger sketches; for long term notes archivation I put them into a ring binder), 1 hand sized notebook always with me in my sling/bag pack (for important things like PIN/password etc.) and 1 hand sized thick time planner (ring binder - exchange yearly calendar and todo-lists section). The ring binder time planner is much bigger than my smartphone, I use my smartphones calendar, adresses-, check-lists functions. BTW: In my home I also use paper calendars with important date (dentist, etc.).

[@makingalltheplans]

Sounds like you have a great system that is working for you! Even though I prefer paper, I can keep my family on board easier if things are digital, so I definitely have a combination of tools as well!

[@sofiakarim2978]

❤❤❤

[@calisongbird]

FYI the grids are not “college ruled” or “wide ruled.” Those terms are used for regular lined notebooks. The smaller grid is 5x5 (5 squares per inch) and the more common larger grid is 4x4 quadrille (4 squares per inch). I personally use a 5x5 grid black marble composition notebook from the Unison brand. It’s available on Amazon. I protect the covers with clear contact paper or clear shipping tape. I find the comp notebooks far more durable than spiral notebooks. The only downside is you can’t tear out pages without risk of ruining the binding.

[@makingalltheplans]

Oh thank you for the clarification on the grid sizing. I looked on the notebooks, but there wasn’t really any information that distinguished one from the other. I also used to use the composition notebooks but for some reason I felt like I needed to make it perfect and couldn’t take the pressure 🤣

[@calisongbird]

@@makingalltheplans that’s fair (about not being able to tear out pages). That’s the biggest downside. But I guess I’m not a perfectionist; if I mess up a page I just cross it out and use the next page. 😄

[@CanCricket12345]

Can someone please let me know what pens those are? They write beautifully and they don’t glob/blob up when drawing lines with a ruler. I generally just use cheap ballpoint pens and the blobs of ink when using a ruler just drive me mental! Desperately taking any suggestions for pens that don’t do this!

[@makingalltheplans]

The pens that I am using live are Paper Mate Flair Felt Tip Pens - a.co/d/9kcN7RA. Let me know if there was another pen that you saw that you would like to know what it is!

[@Quopiam]

Same here. Searching for years now and never found one. 😢 I use kleenex to clean tip and ruler after every line. 😟

[@HoneyBee-pc3xi]

Sharpie pens. Staedtler triplus fineliner. No smearing.

[@makingalltheplans]

I have had the same struggle. I do have one ruler that has cork on the bottom of it, raising the edge up a little bit. Harder to work with the ruler, but because the edge is raised up so there is less smearing. It's similar to this - amzn.to/4enoFbV

[@calisongbird]

She’s using the Paper Mate Flair felt tip pens. I used to love those as a kid in the 1970s.

[@carlittasnewlife4404]

🌻

[@dedestaggs5093]

You mentioned not wanting to mess up your planner. Now I'm confused, I thought this was intended as your planner???

[@makingalltheplans]

There was a time that I used this as my sole planner, but now I use it when I need to plan out things that don't fit nicely into a weekly spread. I use a discbound planner that is very flexible and print a variety of pages that I hole punch and use in that planner, but there are many days where I just want to plan out my day, or a group of days, but don't want to fill my weekly spread up with lists of tasks. Hopefully that makes sense.

[@katsmith8263]

Not going to work. Because it's too big to carry around

[@makingalltheplans]

What solution works best for you at work? Are you a digital planner so you can travel lightly?

[@AZsunflower]

You can use a smaller notebook. I like the larger one and have no problem carrying it around.

[@HoneyBee-pc3xi]

I like the A5 size notebooks for a daily planner, Two page spread. Left side for tasks and appointments. Right side for notes and lists.

[@makingalltheplans]

This is a great solution to the request for a more portable system!

[@katsmith8263]

Not going to work. Because it's too big to carry around

[@butterflies015]

It's no bigger than a classic size hp.Just looks bigger cause of the writing.

[@AZsunflower]

I carry mine with no problem. Not pocket sized for sure. I don't care for little notebooks although I keep one in my purse for short notes.

[@JanisOnTheFarmette]

Notebooks are available in many different sizes.

[@imnotmarthastewart8120]

I have one on my desk and a pocket size for my purse. ❤

[@makingalltheplans]

Yes, what the others have said. It's really trial and error to find what works best for you! Good luck!