Welcome to DAY 3 of my planner series! Today I’m sharing my must-have planner supplies. These are the items that I reach for every single time I plan.
Planning is more than just an organizational tool that I use to keep my life in order. It is also my creative outlet and how I de-stress.
I use lots of items when I plan that are both cute and functional. One of the reasons I like my planner to look pretty is because it inspires me to use it. It is also fun to look back on years down the road.
I got most of these ideas from some of my favorite ladies I follow in the online planner community! Many of these items that I consider “must-haves” would not be essential to the minimal planner.
Planner Caddy
I’ll start with this caddy (which is really a diaper caddy.) It is where I store all of my planning supplies. I love this because it keeps everything I need in one place. I don’t always plan in the same spot. This caddy makes it easy to move my supplies all over the house.
Pens
A good pen is at the top of my must-have planner supplies list. I am sooo picky about my ink pens, and I often bounce back and forth between the ones I use. While I love colored ink, 99 percent of the time, I use a blue pen in my planner. Currently, my favorite is the Tul pen, but I also really love the Pilot G2, both in 0.7mm.
Mildliners
Milliners are the planner world’s version of a highlighter. I use them to make important events stand out or highlight things I don’t want to forget. Also, I make checklist boxes in my daily petite planner (I’ll show exactly how I do this later in the week.)
Stickers
My second favorite planner items are stickers. I use stickers when I plan for several reasons. First, I love that most of them are removable. If I make a mistake I can pull them up and start over. I especially love the stickers that you can reposition, which is great when your plans get moved around. Finally, they make my planner look cute, which makes me more inclined to use it!
They make a sticker for EVERYTHING. A quick search on Etsy will have you going down a rabbit hole. I have been planning for years, so I have a rather large sticker collection.
If you are just getting started with stickers, I would suggest looking for sticker books. The ones from Happy Planner and Erin Condren are great. You get a TON of stickers that are both functional and pretty.
In my weekly planner, my favorite stickers to use are kits from Planner Kate on Etsy. In my daily planner, I don’t typically use stickers.
After years of planning, I have gotten my routine down to a T. I know exactly what stickers I love and actually use. Each month, I make one sticker order for everything I need.
My collection is organized in these 6×8 photo albums (currently out of stock, but keep checking back!) I also LOVE the stickers from Krissyanne Designs.
Sticky Notes
I use sticky notes daily for both planning and pre-planning. When I learn about an event or appointment, I immediately write it on a sticky note. It gets put in the appropriate spot in my planner. When I go to plan out that week (or month), the sticky note is there as a reminder.
I also use them all over my planner to jot down notes and reminders that don’t need to be in there permanently. I can easily toss them when I no longer need it.
If you don’t want to spend money on stickers, you can easily turn any sticky note into a permanent sticker. Simply put a little double stick tape on the back. My favorite sticky notes are these from Erin Condren (surprise surprise!) They are cute, come in many sizes, and can snap into your planner so you always have them on hand.
Ruler
It’s as simple as it sounds…I use a ruler to make a straight line or mark off sections of my planner. I also use the edge of the ruler to cut or rip washi tape. My favorite one comes free with the Erin Condren planner. It snaps in your planner to double as a bookmark.
Washi Tape
While washi tape is great to use for decorative purposes, it can also be very functional as well. I love using washi tape on my weekly and monthly spreads to block out an extended period of time. For example, if I’m going on a trip I’ll lay down a strip of washi tape across the days to visually block it out in my mind.
Just like with the stickers, I have a pretty big washi tape stash. For a new-be, I would suggest checking out the bundles from Michales or Hobby Lobby.
Scissors, White Out and Tape Runner
These are three items I am always reaching for for various reasons when planning.
My favorite scissors by Cutter Bee. I’ve had the same pair for years and use them for all my crafting needs.
I also love this white out because it is retractable so it doesn’t get messed up when it’s in your bag. I’m a bit of a perfectionist, so white out is something I reach for any time I make a mistake.
Finally, I use a tape runner when I want to permanently put something in my planner. This is usually for memory keeping (a ticket stub, a picture, and invitation, etc.) It is also great for turning sticky notes into a permanent sticker (such a great money-saving tip!)
Summary
There you have it- a look into my must-have planner supplies! Yes, it may seem like a lot, but like I said earlier, planning is my creative outlet. I typically only spend about 30 minutes each week planning. It helps that I know my planning style. This gets me set up for the upcoming week and keeps our family organized.
What are some of your must-have planner supplies? Let me know in the comments below. Also, make sure to check out the previous posts in my planner series:
Day 1- Why I Love Planning
Day 2- My Favorite Planners
Tomorrow, I’ll be giving you a sneak peek into my life planner. You can see how I set it up to stay as organized as possible. Also, make sure you are following me on Instagram where I share a TON! You can see some of these planner items in action on my stories!
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