I am always rather torn when it comes to setting up a new calendar for each year. I like my calendars when they are all set up, with all my bookings, lesson ideas, client lists, to do lists etc. They tend to become untidy with worn and battered pages, but I can rely on them for invoicing and telling me where to be each day. It’s safe and comfortable. I honestly do not know what the following day looks like, and my short-term memory is a bit weak, so I outsource remembering to my planner.
Facing a new, blank, crisp calendar is rather disorienting, because my in-use calendar is so regimented and full. I do like the fresh, new pages though. Firstly, I go through the year and mark all the public holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries with washi tape. I then fill in my bookings for the new year.
I am still in my green pocket Tejus, which is not showing any signs of wear apart from a slight scratch on the front cover. It does not have a back wallet pocket or zipper, and is not for anyone who overstuffs, but it’s been perfect for me. I have downsized what I carry and this fits into even my small handbags.
This cost $4 at a flea market, brand new. It only has four rings but that has been no great problem.
My front plastic envelope holds mementoes from places I have visited, and a sticker of my dearly departed Ziggy.
The back plastic envelopes hold stamps, hole protectors, photographs and clippings of things I would like to buy.
My favourite tape for years has been a subtle bee print. Many of my students use electronic calendars without public holidays denoted, and often try to book lessons on days that look good, but they will actually not be working then.
Behind the week-on-two page Burde insert (which holds my appointments) is a page-a-day calendar which holds my to-dos, reminders, shopping lists, lesson ideas.I throw these away when I am finished with them. I have two 1 January pages because one is from the old calendar and one is from the new one. My husband and I share an electronic shopping list, but for my personal shopping, I prefer paper.
Behind the page-a day calendar are lined pages for longer-term lists such as blog ideas, book tips, lesson ideas, the names of everyone in each of the groups I teach, and wish lists.
And then come plastic envelopes
I need to get in the habit of just throwing my dailies away too, I’m such a hoarder of old notes!! Thanks for the tour, very inspiring
Hi Janet,
Your Filofax setups are always so inspiring! I’ve ordered three separate diary inserts this year – call me mad, but I’ll see how it works out.
How many days of each calendar insert do you carry?
I normally carry six months of the week-on-two pages and three months of the page-a-day but this year I have one year of week on two pages and 1 month of page a day. I throw away the daily pages when I have finished them so I just refill each Sunday.
You know, I am facepalming so hard right now… I am also obsessed with planning and planners and I was wondering how I could plan my appointments as well as my teaching. I could have asked you the whole time!… Right now, I have a plain notebook that I use as a sort of Bujo and I have a monthly calendar that I use for my appointments but it does bother me a bit to have two separate notebooks for each. My monthly calendar is an insert in my traveler’s notebook (regular size) and my Bujo is in an A5 Leuchtturm notebook. I am thinking about having an insert just for class planning in my traveler’s notebook. How do you manage your class planning? Do you also have a separate notebook to keep track of homework that you give and pages of books that you use? I would be curious to know how you do it!
I used to use A5, which was perfect for carrying everything – attendance registers, lesson plans, needs analyses, notes, homework. But that became too heavy so now I carry an A5 plastic file folder with whatever I need each day. My planner holds general notes about each group though, in case I need them during the day. Filofax Sweden used to make special A5 inserts for teachers. I almost cried when they discontinued them.