My addiction to planner organization

I was looking through my YouTube history last night and realized that I have a new addiction, planner organization videos. I couldnt tell you why, other than that I watched one and the rest just kind of followed it. So I figure I will share with you some of the good, and bad, things I saw in the videos that people were doing with there planners.

Good ideas:

• Color coding- This is actually a pretty good idea if you have a lot of stuff going on. I usually dont color code but I am trying to get into it because I know it is going to help me keep everything organized.
• Decorating- To an extent this is pretty awesome. Making your planner your own is one way to keep interested in doing it, but some people do go a tiny bit overboard in decorating their planners.
• Stickers- These are awesome too...if you can find them. I looked all over target and couldnt find stickers, which actually sucks big time because I really love stickers.
• Dashboards- These are nice and I actually made my own in the back of my new planner (post on that coming when I start using it more :) ).
• Post it flags- Color coordinating these helps make them a little more useful, but you can always find a way to use them even if they arnt color coordinated with anything. 
• Making your own inserts- I actually liked this idea because you can make the planner exactly what you want and not have to worry about not having the things you need in it. This is more easily done with planners with three rings, but it is do able with planners that are spiral bound.

Bad ideas-

• Decorating so much- Like I said, decorating can keep you interested in wanting to plan. Some people go way too over the top and decorate everything so much that it looks cluttered and like there isnt even any planning going on.
• A lot of stickers- I have seen bundles of stickers in planners actually look okay, but if you have about 12 million pink and purple owl stickers on one page just to decorate it then you need to slightly re-think you tactic. Unless you are like 13, then by all means add all the stickers you want, you wont be able to do it later in life.
• Color coordinating decorations- Okay this one annoys me sometimes, unless it is on the outside of you planner no one cares if your sticker color coordinates to what month it is. I am all for organization and decorating but this is just one I am not a fan of.

All in all most of the planner videos out on YouTube are actually really good, and if you are looking for those videos then go look them up and spend hours watching them, like I do. But if you dont want to go too far I am also going  to provide some tips for getting started with your planner.

1. Dont spend a lot of money on your first planner. Chances are you are either going to buy one you think you are going to like and end up hating it, or that you are going to have to spend a lot of time figuring out what kind of organization system works for you.
2. Spend time looking at what comes in the planner. Dont just buy it because its the first one you see or because someone on YouTube is using it. Spend time looking inside and making sure the spaces are big enough for you to write in and actually use it.
3. Make it your own. I love to decorate things and make them more me. There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing that for a planner too, just try to remember it is a planner, not a coloring book
4. Find a system that works. Color coding may not work for you just because it works for someone else. Try out different systems until you find one that works out well for you. Dont just settle because someone else uses that system. Be your own person!

There are my few tips for you about planners. If you have any questions or ideas about how to decorate planners, or even any tips about how to get started with one leave them in the comments.

~Kaylan