I’ve alluded recently to how I’ve been overwhelmed lately.
We have a lot on our plate. Lots of places to be, appointments to keep, deadlines to keep track of, and Andy travels fairly often so it just kinda complicates things.
Two major reasons for feeling so overwhelmed was that:
1) I had so many balls to juggle and try to keep track of. I was regularly forgetting something…or remembering 15 minutes before we had to be there. It’s not that each thing was a huge deal…it’s just that it was one of about 600 little-ish things to keep track of.
2) With two kids who see specialists, we often make appointments 6+ months in advance. Getting a phone call from the cardiologist the night before reminding me of his appointment the next morning at 9 a.m. is stressful. To say the least.
I knew I needed to start writing things down.
Stat.
I tried the electronic Google calendar that would be synced to my iPhone.
FAIL.
I need to circle and highlight and star…and namely CROSS OFF things. It wasn’t working, and it felt like another to-do just to enter in the information.
I tried a wall calendar in the kitchen. But the little boxes were too bitty for more than one or two items and many days I have more than two things going on.
I’ve always been a fan of paper calendars, and used them all through high school and college.
When I saw Julie’s Erin Condren calendar in it’s pretty colors, I knew it was just the ticket.
Now, it’s not cheap. And if you know me, you know that’s out of character for me. I make my own laundry detergent for goodness sake!
But a good planner, that you’ll be motivated to use…that has all the features you need…that is sturdy and heavy and well made…that yes, is pretty…worth its weight in gold.
You can choose from a huge variety of fun and colorful covers. Personalized. Of course.
The fact that it’s pretty and has good design makes me motivated to use it more than a plain black daykeeper you buy at Target for $8.
I know that may sound ridiculous to some of you (namely my engineer husband), but for a lot of you, you totally get this.
I want to use it.
It’s big and thick. This isn’t a planner you’ll be carrying around in your purse, but it also won’t get buried under a stack of papers or hidden in a drawer.
::cough::
Happy stickers make it a grown up version of the sticker books you grew up with as a kid.
It’s fun! I go out of my way to find excuses to doodle and write in it.
Am I pathetic? Maybe a little.
Encouraging quotes sprinkled throughout.
I mean, why not?
My favorite part is that it’s laid out week by week.
There’s plenty of space to write.
Mine sits in a cookbook holder on my kitchen counter.
Part of my new morning routine is to sit down every morning and look at what I have scheduled for that day. Then wherever there is extra room, I write out my to-do list for the day.
Bitty things. Reminders. Stuff I’ve been meaning to do for weeks.
What I’ve found is that, I just need to get the information out of my head. Then I don’t have to remind myself it’s in there. I know it sounds silly and simple, but it’s made a HUGE difference in how I feel.
And it doesn’t hurt that they tossed in a few extras. :)
The good folks at Erin Condren want to give one of you a $25 gift certificate to anything in their shop!
If you don’t get the need for a fancy planner, do not fear! They have SO MANY awesome things to choose from!
I’m in love with these address labels.
I’d love these gift tags to say “Gibson Kids”.
And I may or may not be seriously considering these for our Christmas cards this year.
If you’re dying to buy something, feel free to use code 2012OFF for 10% off your order!
How can you win? You have up to TWO entries!
1. Either like LifeRearranged on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, or subscribe to the blog. You only have to do one and you’ll only get ONE entry for this part. Leave me a comment in this post telling me you did!
2. Be a fan of Erin Condren on Facebook and leave a comment saying something like “Life Rearranged sent me!” on their wall. Be sure to leave a separate comment in this post letting me know you did!
I’ll pull a winner on Saturday, October 15th!
{Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I bought my own planner and because I love telling you guys about my new finds, I thought a giveaway would be fun!}
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I love Erin Condren’s planners!!! Her planner is on my wish list this year. They are fabulous. Now following you on Twitter. Thank you so much for the opportunity! =)
Fun!
I follow you & subscribe :)
Following you on twitter and FB already! Now I’m crossing my fingers I’ll win this fab give away ’cause even though I don’t need a planner I’m in love with the holiday cards!
You know I lika, lika, lika you … on all your places ;). Well I do now, how had I missed liking your FB page?!? Probably because I didn’t write it down on my not fancy schmancy calendar!! :D
I liked you and Erin on FB.
I like Erin Condren’s FB page as well and told her so! :D
That planner is gorgeous!
(I subscribe to your blog.)
I love her planners! I’ve just never ordered one for some reason! I do have a birthday coming up though…
Anyway, I like you both on FB :)
Wow. Thanks for sharing. I just bought refill pages for my binder planner, but I want to switch to wire-bound. Wish I would have heard about Erin Condren sooner. I will definitely plan on buying one of her planners for 2013! (Unless I win!!)
I follow you on Twitter.
“like” you on Facebook!!!
I “liked” Erin too!!
hi jeannett! feel free to pick me, i’ll happily win this prize. :)
likey mc liked on facebook, blog follower, twitter follower, real life friend, you know, the works!
AND likey mc liked erin on the facebook of course :)
Hi, Jeannett! Well, I was already following you on Twitter, but hadn’t “liked” your FB page yet, so I did that. And I “liked” Erin on FB, as well. I know, one entry. ;) LOVE your site, your pictures… :)
Oh, and BTW: I “get it”. Colors are mandatory for me. ;)
I like LifeArranged on Facebook
littlegray88 at yahoo dot com
I liked erin condren on fb and said that you sent me
littlegray88 at yahoo dot com
I am an RSS subscriber to your blog, I follow you on Twitter and I like on you on FB ( already did all 3) (but I”m not a stalker – really! LOL). I also liked and wrote on Erin’s FB. I love her stuff! Thanks for the entry!
I am an RSS subscriber and I like you on FB!! Love the calendar and even if I don’t win, will most likely purchase one!! Thanks!
I also liked Erin on FB!!
I follow you in my google reader!
I am a follower on Twitter. (epfaulkner)
Thanks for the chance!
epfaulkner@gmail.com
I tried to subscribe to the blog–not sure I did that right or not so I liked you on FB too!
I liked the planners so much I liked Erin on FB too and then accidentally commented, not once but SIX times! Luckily I realized my error–err over excitement–and erased the other five! :)
I like Erin on Facebook and left a comment.
epfaulkner@gmail.com
Love. This!
I subscribed to your blog!
I subscribe to your blog! thanks for the great giveaway!
Just Liked ErinCondren.com. Already a fan of Life Rearranged. :-)
I already like you. :-)
I also really like this giveaway and Erin Condren on FB. I’ve been drooling over those planners since Julie posted. But they were too pricey for me.
I like you on Facebook (Andi Bauer Trautman). This is an awesome giveaway!
I am following you on twitter now – and am loving this calendar!
I liked Erin Condren on Facebook (Andi Bauer Trautman)
I am just became a fan on Erin’s facebook page!
I already follow the blog, but I also just “liked” you on facebook. :)
Thanks for the chance to win!! My daughter is graduating this school year and I really would love something other than my phone to keep up with everything that needs to be done!!
I just “liked” ErinCondren.Com” on FB! :o)
Thanks for the chance to win!! My daughter is graduating this school year and I really would love something other than my phone to keep up with everything that needs to be done!!
I subscribe -and- am now a new Twitter follower! Yea! :-) Great giveaway!!
I “like” you on facebook.
I “liked” Erin’s wall and left a comment!
I liked Erin Condren on facebook.
I like you on facebook and subscribe to (and love) your blog.
Love these planners! Super Cute!!!
I subscribe to your blog as well as “Like” you on Facebook!!!
LOVE YOUR BLOG!!!!
I liked you on Facebook!
I already follow you one twitter ;)
Liked LC on fb and said you sent me ;)
I’m a fan of Erin Condren on facebook (and I wrote “Life Rearranged sent me!”)
I already subscribe through Google Reader.
Thank you for introducing me to these beautiful planners! And tell your engineer husband that I totally get it! Though I also have an engineer husband who definitely does not :)
I absolutely love Erin Condren’s planners! As a college student, I’m dying for a way to stay organized but they are just too expensive. I entered twice for the contest: I’m following you on Twitter and I commented on the Erin Condren Facebook page. Thanks!
I am subscribed to your blog :)
I subscribe to your blog.