2017 Planner - checked

So, a while back I was commenting on how I wasn't sure if I was going to get my usual dated vertical weekly insert from Travelers Factory. Well guess what, I pre-ordered it from Baum-Kuchen earlier today :P Who am I kidding? That's the only way I am comfortable planning my days and why should I try and change it just because I'm not sure how it'll look like. I might as well grab one and if I can't use it, I'll sell it off on one of the FB groups.

If you are planning on getting the dated inserts from Travelers Factory, head over to Baum-Kuchen, cause Wakako has the items up on her website for pre-orders. While I was browsing, I also got a monthly passport insert and the 2017 stickers :) I love tabbing my inserts with it. Helps me flip back and forth - also who knows if I'm getting the Weeks. I can use the smaller tabs for the Weeks like how I did this year.

Yet, I am cautioning myself to be careful and not go crazy over the planners like how I did this year. I think I'm going to keep to the BuJo for work, cause it seems to work. Combining work notes in my personal planner seems a little overkill - especially since the notes I jot down are a lot. So, I might continue what I'm doing right now and combine the use of both. I've been thinking about going back to using my Camel TN as my planner/wallet. I really want to cut down the things I carry in my bag, especially with my little peanut coming soon.

More updates soon :)

My Hobonichi Weeks

So, I recently moved back in my Hobonichi Weeks as my EDC. I was using my regular Camel MTN up till the moment I decided to separate my work notes/planner and start using my Leuchtturm 1917 as my work BuJo. It was a carefully thought out plan (as all my planner ordeals have been haha) and I decided to move my work stuff in a separate Leuchtturm 1917 BuJo cause I'll be out on maternity leave soon. I figured that it's best that all my work notes are in that book cause when I come back for work, at least I know where all my notes are rather than trying to figure out which inserts I was in. God knows I go through my inserts really fast and I don't want to lose any information and have them in separate inserts.

After separating my work from my personal planning, I found that I have a lot of space in my regular Camel MTN which is my EDC. I've been updating my Weeks and with the recent Travelers Factory announcement about how the vertical inserts will now have smaller columns as they will have all 7 days in a row, I've been thinking about possibly getting a Weekly + Memo dated insert for 2017. One thing I realize about the Hobonichi Weeks layout and  the Weekly + Memo layout is that it is pretty similar, except that the Weeks would be a tad slimmer and a tad shorter. So, if I am really getting the dated Weekly + Memo insert for 2017, I figured I might as well plan and get used to it.

Another thing that went through my mind is the Tomoe River Paper monthly + weekly insert that I got from PooBirdsRarities. It is undated so I could possibly try it out already, but I have this thing where I don't want to waste the planners that I have already hoarded, ahem I mean bought, for 2016 and I would like to have it all in one year. Also, since it's undated, I didn't want to write out the dates with my handwriting - so of course I purchased a basic stamp set from StudioL2E.

I think I pretty much am set for 2017 - if I decide to just use what I have and not purchase a dated insert from Travelers Company. At the moment, I am okay with using what I have but who knows in a few months time, I might change my mind and hoard, ahem again I mean, purchase what I need based on my enabling mind. Oh well, either way, carrying the Hobonichi Weeks will lighten my load considerably :)

Hmm.... maybe one Hobonichi Weeks, 2 A6 planners, a dated Travelers Factory insert... haha lots to think about :P

Mid-year Review: Travelers Notebook

It's July and I've been thinking about my analogue system. I am still in my Travelers Notebook (TN) and am loving it. It's been almost 3+ months in my camel and yes, I stuck with it. I have had some inclinations to swap and change back into my brown (there's something about the brown that just grabs me), but I decided to just be patient and see how my camel will continue to patina over time and use (i.e. abuses). It has served me as a wallet, as a planner, as both wallet & planner - depending on my needs.

I also recently got my Fourrouf wallet insert from Travelers Factory - the regular size in Olive and a passport size in Mustard. OMG! It is so freaking thin and does NOT bulk up my TN at all. Total love! I can't wait to see how it will start to change over time and use.

One of the things that I realized is that I have too much waste happening at home. I don't use the other TN's that I've bought and should really start letting it go. The Chic Sparrows, the FoxyFix and others that I have lining on my shelves and drawers are not doing anything but collecting dust. I wouldn't say I have achieve planner peace, but I would say that the system that I currently have is working for me and I see no need in changing what works. Even when I do change it up, it would still be a Travelers Factory TN - either my passport or regular; or the brown or black or maybe blue, but at the moment, I am happy in my camel.

I realized that simplicity is the key that works for me. Apart from the TNs, I also caved in and bought the Hobonichis - Weeks, Techo and English Planner. These too somehow were not used for the past couple of months. In a way, I guess I can't deal with too many planners being around ~ but caved in because I see how it looks like when others use it, but I don't necessarily use it that way. Thus, for 2017, I have decided to sleep on it for a week before caving in to buy anything online. I have done this for several items that I thought I want to get, but it's more of a want than need - like TWSBI Eco fountain pen, the Midori pen loop ~ I have been sleeping on it for more than 2 weeks and still have not caved in to purchase it. Which tells me that it's a want not a need.

Anyway, I think moving on, I will just keep to what works for me in my TN.

• I know that I need a dated vertical insert - I can't deal with the horizontal ones cause I honestly need to have a visual look at my day in the vertical style. That way, the hours in my day makes sense to me. 
• I realize that I do not need a weekly for my passport, but rather the monthly will suffice just fine. 
• I might get the monthly regular insert for work use rather than the Hobonichi, cause I only need to have the monthly overview and the daily pages in the Hobonichi does not necessarily suffice with my needs for meeting notes etc,

That is probably my take away for my mid-year review. It feels refreshing to have taken a step back to evaluate my planning needs.

Morning Routine

One of the things that I have been continuously trying to do this year is to have a calm morning - where I don't immediately dive into the social media whirlwind, emails, etc - but take time to be present.

It turned out to be one of the hardest habit to kick off but over time, one of the most rewarding time of my day. i find myself constantly craving for that downtime, where I am not inundated by the digital noise. In this day and age, I truly understand that technology and being connected is an important aspect, but at the same time, I really feel that I have been stretching myself too thin, just to accommodate the digital needs. It also comes from the fact that I have family and friends scattered across the globe, and Whatsapp or FB messages comes in at the most inopportune time (i.e. when I am in my REM stage of sleep ~ haha).

This is where my travelers notebook is one of the things that I appreciate a lot. The fact that it's a constant in my life right now, makes me appreciate the time that I make to write in it. It's also too pretty to not constantly be touched everyday ~ you know what I mean. So, the fact that I use it to write, doodle, journal, write quotes, etc in it, makes it indispensable to me. I am trying to not let blank pages scare me or turn me off, but let it be a page where I can let loose and just write whatever.

I've also realized that I may have been too ambitious in feeding my TN-obsession. I have too many TNs that are sitting on the shelves, and I feel bad. On the other hand, I also don't (it's one of those weird moments). Either way, my constant EDC (everyday carry) is my camel TN. I've been super-finicky with the sizes that I'm using. I  have been going back and forth between the passport and the regular. However, at the moment, I think I am set with my regular, cause I have realized that I need the space. So, that is the current setup - which can change again anytime soon - so I am okay with that. Cause I know that my planner setup will change according to my needs and I have realized that I am okay with that.

How will I use my A6 Hobonichi?

Ok, I've spent the past few days thinking and rethinking my setup. Or how I would use my A6 Hobonichi Planner. I've been lugging it around the house with me everyday - and the Mr is just perplexed as to why I would do that. How could a person not do that, especially when looking at how cute the Red Indian Rhino cover.

Look at it!! How can you not fall in love with it <3 <3 <3 Also, a portion of the proceeds are donated to Japanese animal rescue shelter Rencontrer Mignon, which doubles as an animal hospital and pet salon.

Anyway, I read the interview with Ms. Fujimura, Arts&Science employee (read: interview). The way she uses her planner appeals to me - and it's making me looking forward to the day when I can FINALLY start using my planner. I'll definitely split the page with the blue line and try and use it the way she does cause it appeals to me. I am not much of a person who is creative - I doodle every now and then, but that's about it. Recently, I've gotten myself watercolors have been playing with it. I am LOVING it.

My MTN will still be my planner wallet. It will have my weekly vertical inserts, a 013 lightweight insert, and my Essential leather wallet insert from Baum-Kuchen. I feel that I will use my A6 Hobonichi as my planner (work and etc) and my MTN as my personal wallet and journal.

We'll see. I can't wait for 2016 to come! <3

Hello 2016!

So, like most people in the planning community, the big question looms ahead – which planner to use for 2016. If you are like me – not sure, but kinda sure, but not really, cause there are so many options out there – then you are not the only one.

I have been using the Midori Travelers Notebook as my planner wallet – cause I do not want to be lugging around a planner AND a wallet, and it just seemed to make sense to combine those two functions together – for the past year plus plus. Got myself an Essential 2.0 Leather Wallet insert in black from Baum-Kuchen (they don’t carry the 2.0 or black leather anymore). This has been super helpful, as I can just grab and go with my planner wallet.

My Midori has three inserts – a 018 Midori vertical weekly with DIYFish monthly tip-ins, a 013 Lightweight insert and a grid insert from CovrKita on Etsy. I use the vertical to keep track of my appointments and personal to-dos, the lightweight insert as my Commonplace Notebook, and the grid insert as my BuJo – both work and personal. It has taken me a while to tweak my setup and I think – I can’t say it’s 100% – I’ve found planner peace for me. Either way, anytime I switch it up, it’s based on my current needs and I think planner peace just simply means what works for you and it may be for the next couple of months, or the next couple of weeks, cause as we all know, change is the only constant. To be able to say, Hooray, I have found planner peace, that would simply mean, good for you :)

One of the things being a planner addict, means that you want to have every single planner that is out there and you want to try every single one, cause I am tactile that way. I have more than enough of my share of planners and it has been an amazing journey and reflection – for myself – to see that ultimately, I would always come back to the original Midori. I have FoxyFixs, Chic Sparrows, CovrKita, in different sizes – personal (which majority of my collection seem to be), fieldnotes (which I don’t use cause the Mr said I go through it too fast and it’s too small for me), and regular sizes. As much as I love the personal sizes, I have to admit that to find available inserts are complicated – and the fact that I love the Tomoe River Paper also limits my choices. At the end of the day, I want my planners to work for my needs, not adjust my needs to the planners I have.

Saying that, for 2016, I have gotten myself the dated vertical weekly inserts, cause I’m ready to commit to a dated one from Midori, a weekly dated one for my passport MTN, and *drum roll please* my first Hobonichi. Since I love the Tomoe River Paper, I thought I might as well pull the trigger and go with this. I know that I would love this and it will be an interesting year ahead. I also got myself the Rhino Cover for my A6 Hobinichi Planner.

I am very excited for 2016 – 1) because of my planners, 2) i’ve started journaling daily and I would love to continue on with this, 3) the Tomoe River Paper is so exciting, 4) I think my Rhino Cover is the cutest <3

Can’t wait for 2016