19 Apr 2013

guest post: Esmé's planner


Today, I have a very special guest post. It is a post from the lovely Esmé and is about her planner and planning system.

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Hullo to the fabulous fans of Angela's Paper Lovestory; I'm honored to be here, and hope that you'll enjoy a peek into my planner -- just two nights ago, when I pulled out my wee book at dinner to check my weekend schedule, my sister-in-law laughed and said, "You're the only one I know who still uses pen and paper for that sort of thing." And yes, I am a tech geek, and have fiddled around with various apps and gadgets (TeuxDeux is quite nice, as is Wunderlist), but there's nothing quite as lovely as pulling out my planner, fiddling around with some washi tape and stickers, and making my days seem like colorful adventures. I bet you feel the same way.

On with the show!

So, a little backstory: I was deeply fascinated by the Filofax community for a long time, leading me to purchase several Filofaxes, including the infamous Affair, until I finally realized that being left-handed prevented me from fully enjoying using a Filofax. The rings were always getting in the way. I tried a Smythson, hoping that would be better; I tried the Levenger system, but the disc/paper system was always falling apart on me.

...and then I discovered Mon Journal!

Mon Journal is a non-dated journal produced by invite.l, a Korean stationery company. It comes without an extra, wraparound hardback cover, but I chose to pay for the hardback cover, which you will see here. I taped a Polaroid to the vinyl protective cover with washi tape.


This is what it looks like when you open the front hardback cover. As you can see, there's a convenient pocket on the left side for your love notes and million-dollar checks, and on the right, you will see another of my Polaroids, along with a sticker I've put below it that spells out the opening and closing dates of this particular Mon Journal planner. With regards to the left-handed issue: I find this planner so rewarding to use in part because the spiral wire holding the book together is small, though still sturdy, as opposed to the unwieldy, big rings that hold Filofaxes together.


Mon Journal is, as I've mentioned, a largely undated planner. The only part that isn't is a spread conveying the relevant years. I haven't found this section particularly useful, but I did put some inspirational words that are guiding me through the year.


All right! Here's the juicy stuff. Most of the planner operates week-by-week, with monthly calendars in between. The entire week is on the left side, while the right side is "blank" (with very small grid guidelines, which I love because I have tiny handwriting, and wide lines or wide  grids make me nuts). I use the day-by-day spaces to create to-do lists. Instead of checkboxes, I employ open hearts; when I finish something, I fill in the heart and put a checkmark next to the item. I also put events in their given days, such as dinner dates or meetings.


I use the right side to do more in-depth to-do planning. Sometimes a day will merit an entire column,; on extra-busy weeks, I need to tape a new sheet -- or a few sheets! -- on top of the given sheet with washi tape (only on the top, so that I can flip it to see things beneath).


There's a lovely bunch of blank (again: gridded) pages at the end for notes, but I found that I wanted more for journaling and note-taking, so I made a black top tab out of cardboard, stuck it about thirty pages from the end, and now use that back space, which includes both blank pages and the usual weekly pages. You'd think that having weekly pages as journaling space would be obnoxious, but Mon Journal's lines and grids are so pale that I don't find the discrepancy to be a problem. Here's an example.


And finally, the back of the book! On the right side is a big blue envelope for your bits and bobs. I keep postage stamps in there, for example. I snagged a sticky pad from my office to put on the envelope; it's the kind of sticky pad that peels off like a regular sticky, but each one is entirely adhesive, from top to bottom, and is still easy to peel off.


I hope you've had a jolly time looking at my planner system. Again, thank you to Angela for sharing her space with me.

RESOURCES:

I'm a writer by trade and vocation, a photographer, and a blogger. Though I write about all sorts of things, my blog has a primary focus on small, beautiful moments, as well as the ever-present odyssey of learning to live well with Schizoaffective Disorder. Find it at http://www.esmewang.com/.
I purchase many of my stickers and washi tape from AdoreNeko (Etsy).
Purchase the Mon Journal here.

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Don't you just love how cute the planner is?! And also how she's set it up?

Thank you, Esmé for sending in this guest post - I definitely thoroughly enjoyed reading and perving over the pictures too ;)

10 comments

  1. I love to see photographs in planners, organisers and Filofaxes it gives them life and makes them more vibrant. I also enjoy inspirational words and quotes and put them in my Filofax

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    1. Me too :-) I loved this peak into Esmé's planner but I don't think putting in pictures, etc would fit into the Smythson I currently use as the pages are just too small (Filofax personal size) x

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  2. I am trying out my first filofax, but I am in love with Esme's planner! Who doesn't love Korean stationary?

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    1. Ooh, what Filofax do you have? :) I love her planner too and it's making me think about my options for later this year and for 2014 as I'm sure I'll need more space... x

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    2. I'm using a black and orange Apex. I was considering a Malden but worried that if I didn't like it I would have thrown away all that money. It's working out so far, but I did order the Mon journal last night. I couldn't get it out of my head.

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    3. Ahh ok :) Most people seem to love the Malden (and in fact, I'm in the minority in not liking it at all!) so you could try and see one in person first before buying? I'm tempted by the Mon Journal too! Especially after seeing how Esmé has organised hers! x

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  4. I loved all this journalling in the planner. Looks very artsy. And the planner itself is very lovely. I love grid paper. I use grid paper a lot in my Malden.

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    1. It's a beautiful planner, isn't it? :D I love how creative everything is! x

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  5. Oh wow, my inner stationery obsessive is so happy right now! I'm still hunting for the perfect journal/diary and this looks really like it might be it! I don't know if I can get this type of journal in the UK, but if nothing else, I'm 'borrowing' Esme's heart system and washi tape labelling!
    Tara
    {www.taraleaver.com}

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