Planners & Notebooks

[Mrs.Claus]

With the Holiday Grand Plan and with other organizing sites & books, they suggest putting together a notebook or some sort of planner. Have you or do you do this and how has it worked for you?

[Noel+]

Yes. I have a Christmas-themed 3-ring notebook I use each year! I tweak the GP to fit our schedules, have sections for party planning, gift giving, baking and christmas crafts!

[Mrs.Claus]

Ages ago I used a day planner but not for Christmas stuff, just to keep track of what was happening. I'm hoping that gradually I'll be able to great a notebook planner for Christmas to make my life easier during the holidays.

[Merry Sage]

I have Christmas and other holidays tucked into my housekeeping/personal binder. I'd like to set up a separate binder for them, but I suppose I'm dithering about what I want it to look like. At the moment, I don't have a lot of stuff to put in it as I've only been collecting for a short time (as mentioned before, I lost a lot of things during the divorce/move), but its fun and rewarding.

My ultimate aim is to have something unique I can give to my daughter in a few years time, if she thinks she would like it.

[Noel+]

We lost all our things a couple of years ago, too, Merry and we're in the rebuilding process. In a way its a great new start to do it the way you always thought was the best!

[Jodie]

I have a day planner for everday stuff and a Christmas binder that has a section for the same stuff as Noel and Christmas in July as well.

The CIJ stuff is at the front because that comes around first.

Then the Grand plan is organised to fit our schedule and the Christmas planning is in amongst the grand plan.

I also have the Christmas cupboard that I keep all my wrapping paper/tape/ribbons and bows in. As well as a list (on paper at the front of the cupboard) of all the presents that are in there and who they might suit.

It works for me.

[Merry Sage]

Funny, this is the first thing that popped into my head this morning as I was straightening up the bedroom. Its a gorgeous, warm, sunny early Summer day and I'm thinking about Christmas planners.

[Noel+]

Well CIJ is in hot summery July!!!

[Snowbelle27]

I absolutely love Notebooks and am completely addicted to them - I have one for everything.

Spring, Summer , Autumn, Winter - Each one has the following sections:-

This week - Cleaning schedule, to do lists.
Cleaning plans - Lists of tasks for weekly, monthly, seasonally.
Calenders - Monthly calenders to mark appointments, events.
Menu Planning - Menu planners, ideas for meals etc
Bithdays - A list of birthdays for the year, address list, gift lists.
Seasonal events - Valentines Day, St Patrick's day, Chinese New year etc
Seasonal decor - decorations for each event, ideas, inventories of decorations owned
seasonal crafts - thing to make appropriate to the season/event
seasonal recipes - Recipes for special events
Forms - Blank forms in this section

I have Notebooks for Christmas which is split into 3 - Holiday Grand Plan, Christmas recipes and Christmas Notebook.

Recipe Notebook - Split into sections Appetizers, main courses, puddings, cookies etc
Holiday Grand Plan - A copy of the plan and all the checklists.
Christmas Notebook - Cards & gifts, Crafts, decorations, food, celebrations, advent, traditions, Rudolph club.

I also have Notebooks for Easter, Halloween, Family and Home.

They are always a work in progress and I am constantly changing and altering things to make them work better for me. I have to say that since using Notebooks I have never been so organised.

[Merry Sage]

Holy cow Snowbelle!

[Mrs.Claus]

I'm with Merry! That's just amazing Snowbelle. I'm going to attempt to create a notebook this year. I sort of just followed the Holiday Grand plan online the last 2 years (and of course didn't quite make it). Feel free to share any tips, ideas, and suggestions.

[Snowbelle27]

Last year I followed the Holiday Grand Plan for the first time and I have to say I was more organised and prepared than I have ever been.

This year I shall be doing it again but I have tweaked it a little to suit my home and lifestyle. I have moved some of the rooms around so that the rooms where I have most work to do are evenly spaced throughout the plan with rooms where not so much work is needed, otherwise I find myself falling behind.

I have printed all the material and checklists for my Notebook as I find it more motivating to be able to check it each day and cross off the things I have completed.

I have used a notebook for several years now but really developed it last year after discovering Organised Christmas. I find it invaluable over the holiday period for holding all the information I need to keep myself organised.

If anyone fancies we could do notebook challenge so that it would be ready to go come 31st August when the plan starts.

[Mrs.Claus]

If anyone fancies we could do notebook challenge so that it would be ready to go come 31st August when the plan starts.

What is a Notebook challenge? I've never heard of it - although I am fairly new to the whole notebook thing.

Today, I'm going to look for a binder (something nice that I'll want to look at a lot and use) for my notebook. I've downloaded the sheets for the HGP, the Countdown to Christmas, and the Holiday Houseworks Plan. I know there is much overlap between the plans and want to come up with something that works for me.

I still want to download the Martha Stewart one, too. Just so I can see how hers works; I figure the more the merrier.

[Snowbelle27]

I though maybe we could do an assignment each week to build a notebook from scratch or to udate/refine an existing one. Something along the lines of:-

Week 1 Notebook Challege - (dates)

Find a suitable binder, some dividers and a spine and cover, think about what sections you would like.

Then the following week build up each section. We may have to do more than 1 section a week to get it ready for the 31st August.

It was just a though see what you think.

I also have downloaded the Martha Stewart plan and am thingking about how I can integrate it into the plan I already have. I had to have it though I love Martha Stewart.

[Noel+]

Oh, Snowbelle, I thought I was the Type A-super organier at this forum? But the award goes to you! Congrats! I do keep a notebook -- divided by seasons/holidays -- but not so complete as yours! I tweak the GP to my familys preferences/schedules and usually finish slightly behind schedule. I thought that was an accomplishment! You have us all beat! LOL!

[Winterself]

and here i thaught i was organised...snowbelle has me takin by a mile..lol...i only have a folder for christmas.and i usually begin it in october.but due to health issues i cant do the cleaning as i use too.so i may start it in september i dont now yet.i didnt know martha has a planner...i use the one from organised christmas and i also have one from womans day i got over 10 years ago i still use today.i just combine them.i like the idea of the challenge..sounds great..