a simple little calendar solution

What type of calendar do you use? Something on your computer or phone? I've tried these options, and I always go back to wanting paper and pen! I'm the same with lists. There's just something so satisfying about writing, crossing off, scribbling, etc. I've talked to many friends about this, and know that many of you can relate.

Recently I've been feeling a little limited by my standard paper-sized calendar, and decided to do something about it. It's a really, really simple thing but it's working for me so far, and I wanted to share.

I know that many of you, like me, wear different hats in life. Work, family, church, personal, etc. I usually try to keep separate lists for each category, but even this can get overwhelming. Like, some days I just can't face looking at one list or another. Can anyone relate? To address this in way that helps me see visually how things are being balanced, I've used a different colored post-it for each category. I'm such a visual person that this really puts reality front and center for me. If one color is dominant and one is neglected, which areas of my life are lacking? Can't argue with the colors. :) (It's hard to tell in these photos, but many of the notes are on white post-its…they're not written on the calendar directly!)

I also find that plans change! (news flash) Without the post-its, unless I'm using pencil, this can get messy. Also, this might sound silly, but I really have a tendency to schedule too much into most of my days. What I like about the particular sizes here is that it doesn't allow this! Only 2-3 post-its max will fit in each square. Sorry, day: I'm booked. Now, of course this doesn't mean I'm not doing anything else on these days. This literally just includes appointments, meetings, commitments…not my "to do" list. The one exception is for time-sensitive reminders (the pink post-it you see peeking out on tomorrow's date, reminding me to research vacation flights!).

I'm sure this will be a work in progress, but for now I'm liking it for lots of reasons. What's your system for keeping tasks and plans organized? I would love to hear!

If you're interested in working together to make your home a place you love, please contact me for more info at katiegaviganinteriors@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you!