Erin Condren Life Planner

I know I shared a blog post last year about the Erin Condren Life Planner.  It has quite the hype in the blog world and for good reason.  I used my planner this past year and have been very happy with it.  In June erincondren.com released their newest planner with some changes for 2012-2013.

My last life planner would have taken me through the new year.  However, I listed out the names of my family members on the front cover, and that meant Leah would have been missing.  I'll take any excuse I can get to buy a new one anyway.

My newest life planner arrived yesterday.  I'm not exaggerating when I say I was checking the status constantly until it was in my hands.

This year I really wanted to have a picture of my kids on the front.  So when Leah was 8 days old we tried to get a decent picture of our three little ones.  To say it was challenging is an understatement.  The photo I used is the best we could get, but I am very happy with it.  It is next to impossible to get three kids to look at the camera all at once.  I also like having this picture on the front because a year from now I'll see exactly how much everyone has changed and grown.  And in case you are wondering, I chose my own colorway of cornflower and coral.  I really do love my planner.    

Something people have mentioned is that this planner is somewhat smaller than last years.  I love the smaller size because I feel like it is more portable in its current state.  However, to achieve this sleeker size, they did not use the thick cardstock on the pages between the months.  Some people think this was cheap, but I honestly think it was practical.  You can see in the photo below the size difference.  

I'm still trying to figure out exactly how I want to organize my planner.  Right now I'm trying a combination of washi tape, colored pens, and the included stickers.  I put the washi tape in for appointments that are constant and repeating on the schedule.  Written in pen are one time activities or anything that pops up.  I think the included stickers are great for pay day and birthdays etc.  

I'm not sure if I'm completely sold on how I'm organizing it right now, but I figure over time I'll find what works best for me.  

Some of the other changes to the planner include a metal spiral binding which is supposed to be stronger than the previous plastic.  I like the look of the metal better, but I never had a problem with the plastic (although some people did).  I also added a pen holder on.  It sticks to the front or back cover with an elastic loop attached to hold a pen.  I think that was a great idea, and for $2.50 it was worth it.  The last change that I'll note is that the tabs are laminated this year.  I put packing tape on mine last year, but I like that it's all taken care of for me this year.  

If you are one that likes to keep a planner and write everything down, go check out these life planners.  You won't be sorry.  And remember you can customize them to give it a very personal look, which I think is one of the best features about them.  

I'm linking this post up with Meredith at The Tichenor Family.  Go over there and look at everyone else's planners.  It will give a great idea of all the different covers and customizations available.  

Happy Friday!