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I’ve long been fascinated by personalities, which has been evident by the number of posts I’ve done on my blog about the subject. And, within the confines of personality, I have been fascinated (there’s that word again) by the organizational skills and habits of others. I equate that with driving by houses at night that leave the lights on and the curtains open. I’m not a peeping Tom by any means but having the opportunity to peer into someone’s house to check out their decorating skills while having to wait for a traffic light to change, well, that is like dangling candy in front of a child – or my Hubby. I just can’t help myself. I want to know what color they’ve painted the living room. By this same token, I am absolutely enthralled with how others organize. If someone dares to open their planner near me, beware because I am all eyes.

I want to see what you write and ask about your system of organizing your thoughts. Do you use numbers or bullets? Do you doodle? Yes, I become a child again and my curiosities take hold. And, today, with everyone blogging and bragging and showing off their planners, it’s a candy paradise out there in plannerland.

I have long since been a fan and user of organizational tools, Day-Timer in particular. It’s been so long that I couldn’t even tell you how I first became aware of them (Day-Timer). I do, however, remember the very first time I saw someone’s planner. I was working at a local university and had taken a newsletter to the printing department to speak with one of the workers there. As we began to set up the dates that my boss would need the newsletter by, she pulled out her brown leather planner and opened it up. The minute she put the pen to paper and I had the time to observe this interesting book, I was hooked. It had a calendar! I lost all interest in what she was saying as my mind began ticking away all of the ways this little book could help me stay organized. After much discussion and a showing of the other sections in her planner, I couldn’t sit still. I was going to look for a planner of my own.

And I did. I found one that very afternoon. It wasn’t expensive or elaborate, but it was mine! The color was navy blue and it was beautiful, at least to me. The size was what I now know is a desk size. My love of planning had taken hold. I began that very night adding in little details on the calendar that I needed to track. I also began my to-do list for the next day. My life was transformed by that little navy book and I carried it everywhere. This same woman invited me to my first American Business Woman’s Association meeting (ABWA). Joining this organization was a pivotal moment in my life. It literally began my transformation into a confident young woman. (Thank you Kelly.)

Joining ABWA and then a couple of other organizations quickly filled up my little planner and I moved on to a larger size in order to accommodate the paperwork that came with holding offices in each of the organizations. That was the beginning of my planner using days, which have continued through today, except for that brief interruption by technology in the form of an iPhone. I guess you would have to be a fan of paper planners to know the comfort of having a little book to thumb through and write your thoughts down as well as your schedule…which brings me to the point of today’s post – other than nostalgia.

As well as my desk size planner that stays on my desk at home – which is where I work from these days – I have switched to a matching personal size (Day-Timer Malibu) that travels with me. I use it as a planner wallet.

What I find so fascinating today is so many woman are enjoying their planners and sharing them with other women (and some men!) Each of their unique personalities comes out in the way their planners are set up and arranged. And, you can gleam a lot from looking through someone’s planner. Mine are set up – everything has a place and everything in its place – much the way my entire life is set up. This was never so evident as in the way I went about decorating the Christmas wreath hanging on my front door. As I stood back and observed, I had to eventually laugh at the realization that my attempt at “organizing” my wreath wasn’t working. It became quite evident that organizing and decorating are two distinct different entities.

And, as I posted a photo on Facebook with a caption stating that I could organize anyone’s life and not break a sweat, my talents definitely did not lend themselves to decorating a wreath. I guess I wasn’t too surprised when my loyal friends began laughing and commenting that it represented my personality – umm laugh right along with them? Yes, until I cried! It really was true (and funny). It’s odd how our personalities show up in the oddest places. And, lucky for me, my friends came to the rescue. One old friend came to “mess it up a little” and one new friend came to “fix it up a little” and the end result is magnificent to me. It really touched my heart that they would do this wonderful thing for me.

And getting back to the subject from which I digressed, here are a few pictures of my personal planner/wallet. It is a pretty red color and snaps closed. On the inside cover is place for business cards or credit cards and identification (which is not how I organize mine, but the option is there). There is also an open pocket and a zippered pocket that doesn’t show in the picture. I keep my change and money there.

Next up is my first category. I have card sleeves here where I have a few favorite photos. I also carry my insurance card and driver’s license in one of the card sleeves.

Next up I have a plastic sleeve with a few stickers for use in my calendar, then a plastic sleeve where I keep a few one dollar bills that are easy to reach. (FYI – The notepaper is concealing private information.)

Located behind my credit cards is a pocket folder for receipts when I shop. Next up is my calendar.

Located behind my calendar are sections for note paper and grocery lists, menu planning and coupons as well as a pen holder.

To make my planner/wallet more personable, I made colorful dividers and added pretty monogrammed note paper. I am a girly girl and love my pretty pretty! This system works quite well for me. I have everything I need at my fingertips and I love the organization this planner affords me.

I hope you found this post informative and helpful in your own organizational needs, or maybe it has inspired you. Have any questions? Please leave a comment and I’ll do my best to either answer it or address it in a future post.

Now, for the question! What system have you found works best for you as a wallet?

Want to see how planners are taking the world by storm? Find out at Southern Charm Planners on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/LouisianaPlannerGirls/

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