Plum Paper Packages Tied up with String...wait, that's not how the songgoes

I use a paper planner. I need to be able to write it and see it all at once. It also helps me to remember and connect to something when I physically write it down. Some things are translated to Outlook for work, and some things I put onto MFD's Google calendar, but at heart I will always be a paper planner girl. If you are not, I'm happy for you, but also must tell you I'm not looking to be converted to electronic calendaring. I know how it works and what's out there, and it doesn't work for me.

Last year I used the much talked about Erin Condren planner. I wrote a post about it here. While I liked it a lot and it served me well, I wasn't so enthralled that I was set on it for life. This year I went with a Plum Paper Designs Planner. PP is the same size as EC. Here they are on top of each other:

I chose Plum Paper because it gave you options. I chose the weekly spread with the day broken down hourly, and for the planner to start in January 2015. I also chose to have three pages added to the end of each month for notes. I ran out of note pages in the EC by September. I added two sticker sheets too which I have yet to use.

Base cost: $31.00
Add notepages: $3.50
Add stickers: $3.00
Shipping: $10.00
My total cost was $47.50.

What the hell, that's a rip off, you might be saying. Even if I only use it 300 days out of the year - probably more likely to use it 345 - it only costs about 16 cents a day. For something that keeps me organized, it's worth it to me. It works how my brain works.

Monthly view:

And the weekly view, the biggest change from the EC since it's now broken down by hour for most of the day. I write my exercise for the day on the bottom of each day - if it's not on the planner, it's not getting done. I write meals for the week on the left side. Both of these are filled out the week prior. I blacked out my work stuff, but that takes up most of M-F days.

Other things: I write my blog schedule on the note page preceding the monthly spread, I do use the folders in the back, and I brought my page holder over from my Erin Condren because I can't do without that.

I still like the Erin Condren and think it's worth the money, but there's no going back from the day broken down hour by hour and the extra note pages after each month. I was concerned about the durability of the cover of the Plum Paper vs. the Erin Condren. So far it's held up well, albeit a mere two full months into the year. I am really annoyed that the front cover says 2014-2015 when it is only 2015.

I wanted to really use the hell out of this to give you my honest opinion of how it works. It's a little late for this year, but pin me for next year if you're interested!

Questions?

Happy birthday to the lovely Amanda of Voyage of the MeeMee! March babies rule.

 Linking up with Shanna for Random Wednesday

The poop on my Erin Condren Planner - is it worth the $$?

Things I love:

1. The extra space on the side where I put my blog posts for the week and my meals for the week + the sturdy colored tabs that make the planner easy to navigate.
2. The monthly spread - I need a spread for the month, and the boxes are roomy enough for me to write in.
3. I like how each day is blocked out into Morning - Day - Night.

Things I don't like:

1. Writing on the Wednesday blocks - when you're a righty, the spiral gets in the way and you have to angle yourself oddly.
2. Bleed through when I use my colored sharpie pens. I've never had a planner that did not bleed through, so this is par for the course.

Things I don't use:

1. The contact pages. I'd rather have extra note pages.
2. The colored stickers. I can see who they would be useful for - one color per kid, one color per sport, etc. It doesn't really apply to me.
3. While I don't refer to this weekly or even monthly, I love that they include 2015 & 2016 calendars in the planner that ends in December 2014. I like to be able to refer ahead. I need to know what years I will have to take off for my birthday.

The Particulars:
1 x 2013-2014 life planner -zen gems (PLN14-19) = $62.50 (base $50)
personalization 
line 1 : Stephanie 
i would like an 18-month calendar! 
july 2013 - december 2014 ($ 5.00)
extra colorful stickers 
no, please do not add extra colorful stickers
colorful pens 
no, please do not add a set of colorful markers
pen holder 
yes, i would like to add an adhesive pen holder ($ 2.50)
2 personalized notepads 
no, please do not add notepads
elastic bands 
no, please do not add a set of 3 colorful elastic bands

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Sub-Total: $62.50
Shipping Rate (FedEx Economy Ground (2-5 business days)): $8.65
Gift Voucher Amount Redeemed (EGC2002727BXU23RA6): -$25.00
Total: $46.15

FYI - I won the $25 gift card in a giveaway. I got nothing from Erin Condren for this review, it's all my own opinion.

I'm not an electronic calendar girl. Never have been, never will be. I need to write it down in my serial killer handwriting and display it for all of you.

I am not opposed to paying a high price for a planner - I virtually live and die by it. It keeps all of my appointments, it maps out my professional and personal lives, and it keeps me on top of things. I am a former Franklin Covey girl, and the inserts were at least $50/year. I get a lot of value from my planners and I'm willing to pay a high price for them.

Since this planner is 18 months, I'm using it for $3.47 a month. I spend more than that for a large iced coffee at DD once a week, and I love my DD but it's not giving me any long-term payoff.

Paying $3.47/month to be organized and effective is worth it to me. Could I do it for cheaper? Sure. The quality assembly and durability of this planner makes me feel more secure than one I pick up in Target though. It has weight and presence, and the cute design and energetic colors don't hurt either. I consider it money well spent.

Erin Condren, I'm a fan. Put her on your Christmas list this year and kick 2014's ass organizationally.

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