Planners and Pregnancy: how keeping my bullet journal has helped me keep my sanity while I'm expecting

We all know that I might be just a tad obsessed with having and using a planner.

It keeps my life so much more organized than if I didn't have it in my life. It's changed forms a little the past few years, but it's a mainstay, and I still lug it around everywhere. Especially now that I'm pregnant.

Introducing... The Notebook

If you've known me for any length of time, you know that I lug around a binder everywhere I go.

Even after getting a smartphone, the binder remained my planner of choice.

I love that thing.

But this Christmas, a mysterious package arrived under the tree... and by "mysterious," I mean "came in an Amazon shipping pouch."

It taunted me until December 25 finally arrived, and I opened the package to reveal....

My Future.

(Too dramatic? Probably too dramatic.)

Planner Update: Or, "Oh My Goodness, I Got a SmartPhone"

I love my paper planner. For real. But last month, I got a fancy smart phone (and joined the 21st century!), and to be honest, that changed some things. Like the ways I plan. I use apps, now. (WHAT?)

I didn't really expect it make a difference for me- especially since I was so staunchly opposed to getting a smart phone in the first place. The ability to get pictures of my (adorable!) nieces and nephews sent right to my phone tipped the scales in the favor of upgrading. Well, that, and the fact that my "dumb phone" finally bit the dust (after five years! I know!).

But honestly, having a smart phone has changed the way I do stuff.

And so, in the interest of full disclosure, I want to tell you about the apps I've started to use, and also the things I still (still!) use my paper planner to accomplish.

Getting It Together: And Free Printable Planner Pages

I forgot a dentist appointment the other day.

Again.

If there's one thing I do consistently, it's forget that stupid dentist appointment. I don't forget the one in February, oh no. I only forget the August one.

And why?

Why, you ask?

Because it's in August. And August is summer time. And in the summer time, my planning binder rides along with me everywhere I go, but it doesn't really get... opened.

But now it's the middle of August, and now it's time to get myself back together again and start acting like a grown up woman again.

Ahem.

The Binder: My Cleaning Record and Free Planner Printables

It's no secret that the summertime is busy around here.

I whine about it a lot, after all.

Summer is the time when most things fall to the wayside- and by most things, I mean exercise, flossing, going outside... and cleaning my home.

Yeah, in the summer, I never clean my house.


Thankfully, I've got a super easy and very basic daily routine (wipe the sink, wipe the toilet, ten-minute tidy up, dishes, and done).

(Side note: No, I'm not doing a load of laundry every day like I used to. Now we're on a once-a-week laundry plan that I'm not a huge fan of, but it works for right now. Someday, I'd like to go back to three times a week, at least... but this is working okay for now.) 

My routine keeps things relatively sanitary around here, but besides that, my little house gets very little lovin' for about three months.

Yikes.

The Binder: My Blogging Calendar

In the blogging world, I'm what you would consider a "free spirit."

I use Blogger as my platform, I don't have a site designer (did it mah-self!), I don't use stock photos, I don't pay for hosting, and I don't have a "niche."

I don't do about 90% of the things that the big bloggers recommend doing. Because <stomps foot> I just don't wanna.

The first reason I completely ignore most advice is that I still have trouble identifying with blogging. I don't call myself a blogger. Maybe I should. Maybe it's time. I mean, after all, I've certainly been doing this long enough.

I also don't don't follow those "90-Thousand Rules to Have a Popular Blog" because so many of them just aren't me. And when I do things that aren't me, I don't have nearly as much fun. I get burnt out, I write poorly, and everyone suffers.

(By "everyone," I mean me, and my mother, and occasionally a co-worker-friend or two. Hi!! Nice to see ya!)

There's only one tip from the blogging powers that be that I actually follow.

And that's a content calendar.

The Binder: Meal Planning

Now that summer is officially over (okay, so yeah, it's February. Maybe I under-exaggerate...), it means we no longer can mooch off of Camp food for every single meal.

Boo.

That also means that I need to get my life together (or "get my poop in a group," if you will), and do some meal planning to avoid my typical Ramen Noodle-Spaghetti-Out to Eat rotation that I seem to fall into.



That's where The Binder comes in.

I seriously love this little planner o' mine, and I use it every day and lug it around with me, so planning meals with this thing is just a given.

Planner Power: Or, Why I Lug Around My Binder Everywhere I Go

Need a pen?

I've got one.

What were the dimensions of the bathroom ceiling? Lemme look it up a minute...

When was that doctor's appointment again?

Gotcha covered.

Jammin' on my Planner: 2016 Planner Prep and Free Printables!

It's been a while since I've shared anything about The Binder- but it's still alive (er, around?) and well. And well used.

Because a planner is only as good as you use it.

Also, I've been watching a heck of a lot of Parks and Recreation, and Leslie's planner love mirrors my own.

Because I'm a total crazy person and I'm still trying to find the perfect planner page set up, I moved from my day-on-two page structure last year...

Keeping the Peace: "The Binder"- How It Works

I introduced you to "The Binder" a while back, and explained a little of what it is and what I like about it... but let's get down to the details.

And if you're like, "I couldn't care less if The Binder were on fire," I say to you... NOT MY BINDER! and also, maybe you'd prefer to click around elsewhere -- like here, here, or here.

(One of those is a link to a banana suit. You're welcome.)


Aaaaanyway. If you're still here, let's take a quick glimpse into The Binder- and the pages I use most often.

Keeping the Peace: "The Binder"

This post contains affiliate links**

Over the past few years, I've found that the first step to finding peace in every day is preparation. Being prepared for the day, the week, the month... it makes a big difference. Plans change, of course, but having a plan A makes it possible for you to make a plan B (and C and D and, you get it.) 

"The Binder" is my method of planning. And yes, my mom makes fun of The Binder and its overwhelmingly large influence in my life. But whatever, it works for me. And that's really most of the battle.